> Super Mario Galaxy: Equestrian Stars
>  by warpd
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Universe is big, very big. It has to be; it is home to many different life forms of all shapes, sizes, and smarts. All of them exist for the sake of harmony; some creatures are chaotic in nature while others lived for order. Ponies are the example of order based organisms that exist in perfected harmony with their environment. It also helps that these colorful pastel beings are the cutest things in the Universe. Now the ultimate reason for why this system was made this way...merchandise! Not many inhabitants of the Universe are aware of this and the ones that do know were normally unhappy about it. The Universe cares little for their opinions; it has more important things to take care of. A particular problem that has cropped up recently was a monster, Bowser the Koopa King.

Bowser is a giant fire breathing turtle-dragon hybrid with more spikes than a hedgehog, especially the blue ones. To say he needed an attitude adjustment was a bit of an understatement, Bowser is dishonest, greedy, crude, backstabbing, and a rather unfriendly brute. 

“And don’t you forget it!” Bowser bellowed.

“Sir?” A nearby Koopa looked up at him.

“Nothing. Get back to work.” Bowser settled back down on his comfy throne chair as his minions continued to work around him. To those that work for him he is a grumpy boss with bad breath. A hesitant Parakoopa hovered next to Bowser with paperwork in his hands.

“Um, your beefiness I may have some news.” The Parakoopa gulped. Bowser would not hurt him, but his boss was still five stories tall which made him rather intimidating.

“Well, speak up!” Bowser grumbled.

“Bowser Jr. had to fight Mario sir.” The Parakoopa slowly began to back up.

“We gave him a giant robot powered by a Grand Star. No, wait it was a battle tank.” Bowser recalled as he scratched his chair. “Let me guess, he lost.”

The Parakoopa squeaked as he nodded rapidly. Bowser snorted thick smog from his nostrils and slammed his fist down. “Anything else? Then go.” Bowser kneaded his snout as he showed visible signs of weary frustration. ‘It’s hard enough conquering worlds without Mario pestering me, now I don’t have anything big left to throw at him. Stupid portly plumber.’

Bowser thought back to his previous conquest. He had successfully created a galactic empire that spanned across the greater portion of the Universe. He did it all with a giant dark matter generator that created galaxy clusters for him. Sure, Bowser kind of cheated a little when he didn’t conquer galaxies that were already there, but that would have been too much of a hassle. ‘Too bad the galaxy generator was the biggest time bomb I was sitting on. Getting sucked into a primordial black hole was painful. Good thing that Witch hit the big ol’ reset button. I should really thank her for that.’ Bowser grinned as he remembered what he did to the Star Witch; she won’t be helping Mario now. A second chance should not be wasted and Bowser had immediately renewed his efforts for Universal conquest. Unfortunately he had to resort to the tried and true method of systematically conquering stubborn systems. ‘Which takes a stupid amount of time, like this eyesore of a planet. The petting zoo.’ or more politely known as the Equus planet home of the magical ponies. ‘They look like they belong in a crayon box for little girls.’

Three types of ponies lived there if he remembered correctly. ‘Collect them all...maybe I can sell them off to petting zoos after I take over their little world.’ Earth ponies were physically the strongest and took care of nature. ‘Special donkeys for special people.’ Pegasus blessed with wings to govern the skies ‘First thing, use pegasus feathers for pillow stuffing’s from now on.’ Finally unicorns (which made Bowser snort in laughter) gifted in magic. ‘Then they have the white horse ruling over them. Why do princesses always give me a hard time?’ Princess Celestia, eternal crown ruler of the pony nation. ‘Who can move suns...showoff.’ Despite Bowser flippant opinion of the natives they were powerful enough to ward off a normal invasion plan. ‘Even if I personally came down there and started to wreak the place I would still loss too many troops and resources. With Mario knocking on my castle’s doors I can’t afford to do that.’

“Is plan B almost ready?” Bowser turned his attention to one of the Magikoopa.

“Bowser’s awesome plan to connect to an unknown dark being held in a contrived location is almost complete.” The Magikoopa couldn’t help but sigh. “Maybe this one won’t blow us up unlike the last few.”

Bowser rolled his eyes, but mentally agreed with his minion. Sealed away beings of incredible powers often lash out at those that wish to use them for power grabs. This one should have desires to help in the conquest of the Equestrian. Bowser looked over at a profile of the so called Mare in the Moon that his spies acquired for him. 

‘Basic gist, girl pony princess gets upset about not being the pretty one and loses her cool. Big sister puts her in timeout for a thousand years on the moon.’ Bowser groaned when he remembered a past incident with another thousand year door. ‘Why is always a thousand? It does sound cooler and more ominous. Anyway, this so called legend exists according to our scans of the moon. If she’s willing to help, I’ll use four power stars to free her from her prison.’

Bowser sat on his throne as he grumbled. “Have you found a way to establish a connection yet?”

“Yes, your gnarliness.” The blue cloaked turtle wizard intoned as he waddled to his king. “We can call her whenever you are ready.”

“Do it.”

The blue cloaked Koopa took out a wand and began to chant a dark spell. The lights started to fade dramatically as a dark vortex formed, leaving only Bowser’s blood red eyes and the Koopa’s wand visible in the darken room.

“A little dramatic for a phone call.” Bowser grunted.

“Well, we are visiting a prison, your awfulness; visiting hours are strict.”

The gaseous vortex slowly solidified into an oblique mirror, Bowser could only see an empty void. “Princess wake up, you have company.”

For a brief moment the mirror flickered before a green reptilian eye shot open filling the mirror’s frame. “Visitors? Have I created another illusion to entertain me? Wait...,” The dark mirror shuddered as the image pulled back to reveal a jet black alicorn with a starry mane that flowed unnaturally. “...Interesting, you are living creature. I thought you were a mere fabrication for my bored mind.” The dark horse’s icy laugh filled the atmosphere.

Bowser’s heavy growl overrode her wicked chortling. “I am Bowser, King of the Koopas.”

“Koopa King? I have never heard of the Koopas before. Did a new species appear during my absence?”

“We are not from around here.” Bowser chuckled, “We come boldly from a galaxy far, far away.”

“Traveler from afar, I am Nightmare Moon, the avatar of the night and rightful ruler of Equestria!” The mirror crackled with energy as Nightmare Moon reared back dramatically. “Now what brings you to my domain?”

Bowser grinned; the best way to manipulate someone was to tell part of the truth with a believable lie. “Conquest.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes squinted. “You seek to conquer Equestria?”

“No, I seek to conquer everything. I already have several galaxies under my dominion; soon the universe will be mine...again.” Bowser mumbled the last part under his breath.

“Very bold.” Nightmare Moon’s eyes started to glow. “But what of the Caretaker?”

Bowser furled his brow and asked, “Who?”

“If you do not know who I am referring to then worry not.” Her expression was decidedly neutral. “Regardless, why have you sought an audience with me?”

“The current ruler of the ponies—“

Nightmare Moon hissed. “That wretched mare is not fit to rule!”

“But she is powerful.” Bowser leaned forward. “I would have to lead my forces for victory to be obtainable, and even then the losses would be heavy.”

Nightmare Moon looked amused. “What makes you certain victory is even possible for you?”

Bowser grinned, showing off his menacing teeth. He held out his hand and revealed a Power Star. “I may have a good collection of these.”

Nightmare Moon’s face betrayed a look of shock before being quickly replaced by one of deep thought. Power Stars were very powerful sources of magic. A single Power Star was capable of small levels of reality distortion and manipulation. Equestria was blessed to house two and they had been useful in preserving harmony. If she remembered correctly a Power Star was one of the ingredients in the creation of the Elements of Harmony. The last time she saw the Elements; Celestia used them on her to banish her to the moon.

"Do you fear Celestia's power? It is understandable. If you threaten her or Equestria, she just might throw you into the heart of the Sun."

Bowser waved his hand flippantly. “I’ve been thrown into a star before; all it did was give me a headache and a dark tan.” He then returned to leaning on his arm. “I have an offer for you, Nightmare Moon. I will break you out of your prison, but only if you join me in my quest for dominion of all Creation.”

“I do not take orders from lesser beings, and I have no desire to rule all life.”

“Very well, but all I am asking for is partnership. If we work together to conquer Equestria, then you can rule it as you see fit.” Bowser lied.

“And what would you get in return?” Nightmare Moon pressed.

“Resources.” Bowser replied, “Your world is a renewable source of magic and minerals.”

Nightmare Moon thought quietly to herself. She did not trust this king, but what he offered was very tempting. It has been a long time since she was free. She was fairly sure once the Caretaker found him, his goals of conquest would end quickly. ‘The power he has at his disposal is incredible, what would be stopping him from backstabbing me when I retake Equestria? I need to see how his war machine operates and maybe take a Power Star to aid me.

“I require troops.”

Bowser chuckled, “I can send some.”

Nightmare Moon grinned, her white teeth stood out against her dark coat. “A Power Star would make suppressing Celestia’s magic easier.”

Bowser’s eyes narrowed. “I will give you one, but I expect you to return it. If you don’t...” Bowser leaned closer to the mirror as visible flames began to boil in his mouth. “...you do it at your own peril.”

Nightmare Moon understood his threat but returned it with a sly grin. “I would not be so bold, but keep in mind Koopa King...” Nightmare Moon flared her wings as her eyes shined ominously with dark light. “...I’m not to be taken lightly.”

Bowser settled back down into his chair. “Before I leave you to your planning though, I must warn you.”

Nightmare Moon watched him curiously. He had already threatened her, what more did he had to say? “About what?”

“There is a risk to wielding a Power Star. There is a hairy lipped man that is gathering Power Stars to stop me. If you take this Power Star there is a good chance you will face him.”

‘A single human is giving you problems, how ridiculous.’ Nightmare Moon mocked him silently. “It will be a simple matter to crush the fool.”

Bowser could feel her mocking him and roared in response. “Do not make light of him! His appearances are deceiving, but he was the one that punched me into that star.”

Nightmare Moon looked slightly impressed. Bowser was about the size of a full grown dragon, clearly this human was super. “What is his name?”

***

On the outer reaches of this galaxy a small ship of a most peculiar design flew towards Equestria with rainbow colored exhaust trailing behind it. By peculiar I mean it makes no logical sense, don’t try to figure it out. The structure of the vessel resembled a miniature planet; an observer could see plant and animal life on its surface despite the fact there was no visible protection from the vacuum of space or the effects of going faster than light travel. An explanation for this denial of physics that would make a scientist weep, magic...such a cheapskate answer isn’t it? 

Beyond that obvious flaw, the place was quite lovely. The tranquil environment was home to a beautiful array of colorful flowers, fruit trees, and berry bushes. Birds and bees go about their daily routine as small creatures scamper about from place to place. A clear shallow stream of water runs around the planetoid while clouds float precariously in the suggested atmosphere. On the top was a cottage attached to a large metal platform. Navigational controls sat on the raised metal stage where a short chubby man and an overweight purple star alien could be found piloting the ship. The star alien, Lubba, was an older version of a luma, star babies that played around the ship whose resemblance to stuff toys is a rather apt description. The ship came to a sudden stop when they arrived to a beautiful planet that had the sun and the moon orbiting it. 

Lubba took out a manual. “Your destination is called Equestria and according to our readings shows a high energy spike. Something dangerous is happening down there, so be on your guard.”

The red hat man, aka Mario the Superstar, nodded and a golden star shaped construct formed around him and pulled him back like a slingshot. With magically induced energy he shot away from the spaceship with incredible speed leaving behind a trail of stardust. He couldn’t help but grin with glee as he flew towards the planet. A comet streaked across the planet’s sky.


> Night of Nightmare Moon Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Equestrian Galaxy
Star 1: Night of Nightmare Moon

Twilight Sparkle is many things: she works hard, is disciplined, very studious, and at that moment undeniably frustrated. Thanks to good old fashion research she had figured out Nightmare Moon was going to break out of her thousand year prison (isn’t that always the case) when four stars come to her aid. Despite warning Princess Celestia, she was not going to help with the defense from the thousand year old foe, but was instead forced to organize a small town celebration in Ponyville. A small town filled with absolutely crazy ponies that all seem have a strong desire to be her friend. Did I mention they are crazy? I did, well I’ll say it again, they are all crazy!

Twilight, in the span of a few hours, was stuffed with more apple concoctions than she had ever read about from Applejack, a orange earth pony that had a country accent despite nopony else in town having one, only to be blown through a hair drier curtsy of Rainbow Dash, a cyan pegasus that decided tackling her into mud was a good way to meet new ponies. Then she got forcibly dressed up like a doll by Rarity, a white unicorn tried a little too hard to act like Canterlot nobles, almost to point of pulling teeth from Fluttershy, a butter colored pegasus so quiet Twilight still did not pick up her name until her dramatic mood change when she saw Twilight’s baby dragon. All this lead up to the grand finale that was Pinkie Pie, oh what a piece of work that one is. The first pony Twilight greeted in town defied all physics and goes running off like a pink spaz only to pop up later in that night at her temporary home host a surprise party with the entire population of Ponyville. Unwanted guests aside, the perpetrator does not ever stop talking, and Twilight was pretty sure most of what Pinkie Pie said was utter nonsense.

The celebration Twilight was in charge of supervising finally went into full swing. The Summer Sun Celebration, which celebrates the longest day of the year, was its thousand year mark so this one was rather special. Princess Celestia shows up and raises the sun, rather simple. Well, that was what supposed to happen; the Princess disappears and Nightmare Moon shows up in her place. The thousand year old mare’s tale that Twilight predicted to be true coming to end the world, check. Unfortunately, she was right about the second coming of eternal night, which meant doom for everypony. Twilight felt rather conflicted with this turn of events, vindication and utter terror made for strange bedfellows. Thankfully, the purple unicorn had figured out a way to defeat the old demon, the Elements of Harmony. The good news was that she knew where they were; the bad news is that they are located in the Everfree Forest, an unnatural forest that repelled any attempt to control it. Everything takes care of itself; the trees grew on their own, animals fend for themselves, and the weather took care of itself...so creepy. Oh ya, the giant pony eating monsters that live there are something to look out for. Not really a place Twilight would want to be, but there really is no other choice.

Twilight stood bravely in front of the Everfree Forest...with the before mentioned ponies. Much to Twilight’s obvious chagrin they had decided to follow her. “Look, I appreciate the offer, but I rather do this on my own.”

“No can do sugercube!” Applejack told her with a sly smile. “We sure ain't letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple!”

Pinkie Pie grinned as she started to follow the group of ponies. “Especially if there’s candy apples in there!” Twilight did not look amused. “What? Those things are...” The pink pony stopped in her tracks as her tail started to vibrate. The look of shock was soon followed by a scream, “Twitchy Tail!”

The other ponies froze in their tracks and their heads immediately looked towards the sky. Twilight stared at Pinkie with confusion. “Twitchy wa?” 

She looked up and saw a comet heading straight for them. Her eyes shrank to pin points and quickly started to prepare a teleportation spell to move out of the way. Then the comet did something is shouldn’t have, it changed directions. Comets don’t change directions for no reason. Twilight’s thoughts ended abruptly when the UFO (unidentified falling object) impacted in the ground before them, knocking her and the rest of the ponies off their hooves. Dust and dirt flew into the air dramatically obscuring all their vision. Twilight scrambled to her feet and carefully snuck up to the crater to inspect the ‘comet’. The so called comet did something she did not expect, it moved. Something leaped high out of the crater and yelled “Wahoo!” and landed in front of her. Twilight jumped and scrambled back from the...thing.



Welcome to the Galaxy!



‘Don’t panic Twilight.’ Twilight told herself, ‘Just quickly analyze the situation. Living organism, biped, round snout err nose, ears on side of head, black mustache, bright blue eyes, brown hair, wears a red hat with an M, shoes, and oddly enough overalls. It’s a...um...I got nothing. May I panic now?’

Thankfully Twilight did not to respond first, Rainbow Dash did for her. The brave pegasus shot forth and got in the intruder’s face quickly. “Who are you, what are you!? Some kind of spy!? Did Nightmare Moon send you after us!?”

The rapid questions made the man look confused and ready to bolt. Applejack grabbed Rainbow Dash’s tail and pulled her back. “Rainbow, cool it! You’re doing exactly what you did to Twilight when she ran off after Nightmare Moon appeared.”

“Hey, Twilight was actually going to find a way to defeat Nightmare Moon, I just didn’t know at the time.” Rainbow Dash defended herself then pointed at him. “How do you explain that? It was flying and it doesn’t have any wings. Look at that crater it left behind.”

“Actually he was falling.” Pinkie Pie piped up. “Falling with style; straight corkscrews spin into a triple spinning tuck ending and stuck the landing!” The other ponies looked at her. “I give him a ten out of ten, quite the entrance.”

“Are those overalls you are wearing?” Rarity gave him a stern look while Fluttershy hid behind her.

The man’s confused look was slowly turned into one of annoyance. Twilight shouted over the ponies as they clamored around him. “Hold on everypony! We can keep asking him a million questions or we can let me speak.” The ponies became quiet as Twilight stared at the intruder. “Now then, who are you?”

The man took off his hat, bowed, and then grinned. “It’s-a me, Mario!” His voice was a high tenor and it sounded joyful, a cheerful voice that could bring a smile to a child’s face. Pinkie Pie couldn’t help, but grin.

The other ponies stared at him with unimpressed looks. Twilight rolled her eyes and slightly grumbled, “Right, and what are you?”

Mario readjusted hat. “I’m-a plumber.” He stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Obviously.

“Well that explains your clothes.” Rarity shrugged, blue collar work clothes are practical, but she couldn’t help but wonder why he was wearing those now?

“That is a job description not an explanation of what you are!” Twilight stamped her hoof. He was distracting her from the real problem and that really annoyed her.

Mario thought quietly to himself, he got unicorns, pegasi, and ponies, this was a first for him though not the strangest creatures he has seen by far. Their reactions told him they might not know what the Cosmos had to deal with; great battles which involved a megalomaniac spiky turtle who turned the Universe into his playground. This was first contact for them and Mario needed to be careful with what he said next. Honesty is a good approach usually.

“I’m-an alien.”

A look of disbelief colored the ponies’ faces and brought about an uncomfortable silence. Mario scratched the back of his neck and coughed awkwardly. Applejack squinted. “Girls, I don’t think he’s lying.”

Rainbow Dash threw her hooves dramatically in the air. “You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re an alien!? You don’t even look remotely cool enough to be an alien.”

“W-w-what no way.” Twilight stammered. “You have to be some sort of distraction created by Nightmare Moon.” ‘Aliens? Really, that was the best he could come up with. If he was an alien why would he be speaking Equestrian.’

“Um, Twilight I have read about all the animals that live in Equestria, even the ones that are extinct and...um...he is not from around here.” Fluttershy mumbled to Twilight shyly while she glanced at Mario.

“So he is definitely an evil construct created by Nightmare Moon.” Twilight stared intently at Mario.

Pinkie Pie appeared next to Mario and picked him to present him to Twilight. “Does he look like somepony made by an evil sorceress that’s been trapped in the moon for a thousand years?”

“Please put me down.” Mario asked Pinkie Pie as he wiggled in her grasp.

“Then what are you doing here?” Twilight poked him.

“My ship was passing by and it detected trouble, so I came to help.” Mario explained.

“How convenient.” Twilight replied evenly.

“Twilight, really now darling, if he is a traveler from the stars we should be a little more courteous.” Rarity scolded her. “Mr. Mario I’m afraid you’ve come at an awkward time so please forgive our skittish attitude. I am Ms. Rarity.” Rarity held out her hoof and Mario accepted it. ‘He is a gentlestallion so he can’t be all that bad. That is a lovely mustache.’

‘A unicorn with a posh accent. Sure why not?’ Mario snickered in his mind.

Before he could say anything Applejack bumped Rarity aside, grabbed his hand, and shook rapidly. “Well howdy, welcome to this side of wherever you’re from. I’m Applejack, and it a pleasure to meet you. Glad to see that aliens don’t have crazy tentacles going everywhere.”

“Well thanks.” Mario grinned. ‘How is she gripping my hand with her hoof? Just one of those mysteries in life, like how a Goomba can hold a baseball bat when they don’t have arms.’

His vision was soon covered in pink. “I only have one question for you.” Pinkie Pie’s face was impossibly close to him. “Are you alone and do you have any friends?”

“That was two questions.” Mario raised his eyebrow.

“Huh, you’re right.” Pinkie Pie agreed but did not move from her spot. “Well?”

“On the ship.” Mario answered as sweat began to form on his face. This is not the first time he met someone that didn’t know the meaning of personal space.

Pinkie Pie bounced high with a shout, “YES! I can host the biggest, greatest most stupendous party ever! Welcome to Equestria we’ll take you to our leader after cake! I’ve always wanted to host a party for aliens.”

“Always?” Mario asked.

“Yup, since the last two seconds that’s all that’s been on my mind.” Pinkie Pie bounced around for a few moments but stopped suddenly when realization hit her. “Darn, we still have to take care of an old moldy mean moon monster.”

Pinkie Pie looked back at her group and grinned. Like a blur she grabbed Fluttershy and placed her in front of Mario. Fluttershy started to tremble with a mixture of fright and excitement. The pegasus was timid to a fault, but show her an animal then she becomes ecstatic. Mario talked like a pony, but he didn’t look like a pony so it confused her greatly.

Mario kneeled down to eye level. “I have someone that you might like to meet.”

Fluttershy looked up from under her bangs and watched as Mario took off his hat. “Luma, I have some friends that would like to meet you.”

An ivory star creature magically sprung out of Mario. “XXOOX!”

Any reservations held by Fluttershy immediately left her as her face lit up. “Oh my, you are the cutest thing!” She started to hug the little alien as it cooed in response. “My name is Fluttershy little Luma. Are you two friends?”

Mario nodded. “We’re partners working together to find his mother.”

Fluttershy’s eyes betrayed her feelings. “You poor thing, you lost your momma.”

Mario stood back up and started to walk towards the Everfree forest.

“Wait!” Twilight called out, “Where are you going?”

“Into the forest.” Mario answered.

“Hold on and give us a moment.” Twilight gave a determined look to the other. “Girls group huddle.” The ponies jumped into a tight circle. Twilight’s eyes darted between them trying to gauge all their reactions. “Should we trust him?”

“I like him, he’s an alien.” Pinkie Pie grinned.

“What if he’s just lying about that?” Twilight countered.

“Better yet, what if he is an alien super hero coming to save the day. You know like Captain Marevell only not an alien pony, just an alien with a really nice hat.” Pinkie Pie waved her hoof around.

“The guy is wearing overalls not a super awesome costume. Alien or not I don’t think he really is all that...super.”  Rainbow Dash sighed with disappointment.

“Why are you two talking about comic books? This is real!” Twilight rubbed her head.

“You’re right Twilight, this isn’t a comic book.” Pinkie Pie agreed.

“Despite his blue collar clothes, I find him to be a true gentlestallion.” Rarity brushed her mane back. “And did you see his mustache, it’s so well groomed.”

Murmurs of agreements could be heard from the herd of ponies about the mustache. Applejack then glared at Rarity. “What’s wrong with a blue collar job?”

Rarity fidgeted a little before Applejack snorted, “I think he’s alright, if he wants to help than I don’t see why not.”

“Well even if he’s not a nice alien we should keep our eyes on him just in case he tries to hurt anypony.” Fluttershy stated confidently only to hide behind her bangs. “I mean...just my idea...we don’t have to it if you don’t want to.”

Twilight nodded. “You have a good point, and you’re still hugging that luma.”

Fluttershy meeped as she let the little star alien go. “Sorry.”

“Let’s keep an eye on him for now. Let’s not tell him everything for now until we can figure him to be trustworthy.” Twilight looked back at Mario. “This is first contact...” Twilight walked up to Mario with running thoughts. ‘Oh my gosh, if this is first contact I can’t mess this up, this could change Equestria! Do we look weird to him, what is his diet, does he eat weird food? Is he in a symbiotic relationship with the luma? As soon as all this is over I need to direct him to the Princess for further analysis.’

“You ok?” Mario tilted his head at the distant unicorn.

“Fine, just fine!” Twilight jolted. “Do you mind if you join us? I’ll fill you in as we go along.”

Mario nodded as the group started their journey into the haunting woods. A dark presence watched their every step, planning on the best way to dispose of them. The jagged trees loomed over the group making them nervous, most of them anyway. Mario and Pinkie Pie seemed rather relaxed; the pink one bounced as she went along. Rainbow Dash and Applejack eyes darted back and forth, wary of any dangers that might jump out. Fluttershy hugged close to Rarity and Twilight as they explained to Mario the situation.

“Look up at the moon and tell me what do you see.” Twilight started to explain.

Mario looked up and shrugged. “Um, it’s not moving?”

Twilight’s eyes stared at him inquisitively. “How did you notice that?”

“Lucky guess.” Mario replied as he continued to stare at the moon.

“The moon use to have a figure of a mare imprinted on it, at least until tonight. What was once legend has now become reality and the Mare in the Moon has now come to bring eternal night to Equestria. We are looking for a way to defeat Nightmare Moon.” Twilight calmly explained.

“She might be the reason why I’m here then.” Mario told her.

“And why, exactly, are you sticking your snout in other ponies’ business?” Rainbow Dash asked pointedly.

“I wouldn’t actually be here if something else didn’t attract my attention.” Mario sighed. These ponies were still a little uneasy with him and the shadows that darted overhead did not help. They were nearing a cliff that the narrow trail started to precariously follow, winding down into the shadowy ravine.

“What would that be?” The other ponies stared at him curiously.

“Nightmare Moon is getting help from an outside force.” Mario stated ominously.

“You mean like that?” Rainbow Dash pointed at the large flying pirate ship that hovered above them.

Mario’s eyes shrank as he started to panic. “That’s an airship! Find cover!”

Before any of the ponies could react the cannons on the airship fired on their position. Explosions destroyed the cliff side they were on and the ponies started to slide down the steep embankment. The two pegasi reacted quickly and flew down to grab their friends. Rainbow Dash picked up Pinkie Pie while Fluttershy was able reach Rarity before she could slide off the cliff. Applejack grabbed on a root that wormed out the ground while Twilight continued to slide down towards the edge to the point of dangling. She tried to scamper up, but was unfortunately stuck and too scared to think straight. The airships fired off more cannons, they missed their targets, but succeed in causing a large amount of panic.

Applejack watched as Twilight struggled and let go of her support to slide down to assist her. “Hold on. I’m-a comin’.” Applejack grabbed on to Twilight, but was not able to pull her up. They were soon joined with a third individual, a blue cloaked Koopa who levitated above them.

The Magikoopa chortled as his wand started to glow. “Farewell my little ponies; this is a gift from Nightmare Moon and Lord Bowser!”

Before the Magikoopa could fire his spell a shadow loomed overhead. The turtle looked up and before he could cry, out his face was kissing the boots of a plumber. Mario slammed into the floating turtle and they both fell down the cliff side. The Magikoopa crashed into a tree while Mario landed in a clearing where Rarity and Pinkie Pie were being dropped off at the bottom of the cliff.

“Come on Fluttershy, we have to help AJ and Twilight!” Rainbow Dash yelled. Fluttershy nodded as they flew back up the rock wall.

“Girls, we have a problem.” Mario told Rarity and Pinkie Pie with a loud whisper. A dozen large turtles jumped into the clearing the moment the pegasi flew away and surrounded them.

“What are these creatures?” Rarity’s eyes darted around at their foes.

“Ninjas...” Pinkie Pie said in a hushed voice and performed a Crane Posture. “...Turtles of the teenage verity.”

“Koopas.” Mario corrected. 

“And we’re not teenagers.” One of the Koopas growled before he lunged at Rarity trying to catch her off guard. Rarity jumped up and landed on the turtle’s back forcing him into his shell. Pinkie Pie kicked the shell sending it flying towards another Koopa, with Rarity still on the shell.

Rarity screamed as the shell she rode became a proverbial pinball. The shell ricocheted off one of the Koopas sending it skidding, the shell veered off towards Mario allowing him to kick it to another Koopa. The poor Koopa was flung into the air when the shell crashed into him. Working together, Pinkie Pie and Mario kicked the shell allowing the unwitting passenger to control the shell into the remaining enemies sending them flying. Finally Rarity had enough and jumped off it, allowing the shell to crash into the cliff wall.

“Wow, you were a pro Rarity!” Pinkie Pie laughed as she bounced around a dizzy Rarity. “The turtle ninjas were like ‘roar’ and you were like ‘no way’ then boom bam now they’re all shellshocked!”

“Never again!” Rarity tried to hiss, but it mostly came out as a gurgle.

“What happened here!?” Twilight called out while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash carried her down. From their perspective a group of unconscious turtles were lying all around them. Applejack, who was equally surprised as she hopped down the cliff ledges.

“Why did you hurt all these turtles?!” Fluttershy glared at the group.

“They tried to attack us.” Rarity responded still trying to stand up straight.

“That one wearing a blue cloak tried to kill Applejack and me.” Twilight looked around and spotted the culprit still hanging in a tree. She levitated it out of the tree with her magic and shook him to wake him up.

“OW, ow, I’m awake!” The Magikoopa cried out. “Urg, what was I doing?” The Koopa looked around and saw the ponies giving him the coldest stare they could muster. “Oh right we were supposed to take you all out.” He then noticed his dazed underlings. “That...is not good.”

“Alright, who are you and why did you just try to kill me?” Twilight interrogated.

“How did we mess this up? You’re just ponies; this was going to be an easy job.” The Koopa muttered.

“Answer her question, shell head.” Rainbow Dash flew into his face to intimidate him.

“We’re Koopas and we serve the Koopa King.” He answered. Then he noticed a certain plumber with an amused expression behind the herd of ponies. “Oh crud, you have Mario with you that explains a lot now...and why my face hurts. Sorryhavetogobye!” The Magikoopa quickly threw up his wand and the rest of the Koopas around him vanished in a puff of smoke.

The ponies looked up at the airship as it circled overhead. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as it slowly flew higher. “I’m going up there.” 

Before Twilight or the others could protest Rainbow shot up towards the airship. As soon as she cleared the canopy Rainbow Dash was greeted with scores of airships on all sides. Rainbow Dash didn’t have time to gulp as her location immediately came under fire. The sky was filled with fire, explosions, and cannonballs as Rainbow Dash quickly dived back down to the safety of cover. Several trees caught fire as the airships continued their assault hoping to hit the hidden pegasus.

Rainbow Dash slammed on the ground where the other ponies were. Mario was quick to rally them. “We need to move.”

Rainbow Dash looked visibly shaken as they quickly moved through the brush. Fluttershy flew up next to Rainbow Dash as they avoid the fire. “What did you see, Rainbow?”

“A lot of flying ships and saucers; I think we really do have an alien invasion on our hooves.”

***

A shadowy form watched from afar and started to brood. A puff of purple smoke appeared next to it as the same Magikoopa that attacked the ponies appeared along with some other Koopas.

“You have failed.” The oozing fog whispered.

“Well there was this and that and of course MARIO showing up!” The turtle exclaimed. “This mission has turned from a bronze star difficulty to Grand Star levels!”

“I hear a lot of complaining...it’s irritating.” Nightmare Moon growled.

“This mission just went from a 95% success rate to zero the moment that plumber showed up!” The Koopa pointed his finger at the translucent cloud. “This would not be a problem if you didn’t beg for that Power Star from my master.”

In an instant, the air’s temperature plummeted as the as the dark shadow snatched the Koopa and dangled him into the air. “You are dancing on thin ice, insignificant turtle. I did not beg for the Power Star and I expect the troops I was given to perform as expected. Your king may be too dimwitted to squash this pest, but the human is now dealing with living embodiment of the night.”

The turtle fell to the ground and started to shiver. “Then what is your next move?” he coughed out.

Nightmare Moon glimmered. “I’ll be sending a beast to stop them, have a patrol of Hammer Brothers ready to pick off the scraps. Have your ships set fire to the Everfree forest to cut off an escape. They will know despair.” The purple mist disappeared into the woods leaving the Magikoopa with his thoughts.

“That plumber is not the only problem we have now.” The Magikoopa looked over at the injuries his squad was recovering from. “Those ponies are a lot tougher than they look. Agent Orange!”

“Yes sir.” An orange Koopa spoke up at attention.

“Get the fire squad ready. Burn everything to the ground.”

***

“So let me get this straight.” Twilight tapped her chin as the group continued down the path. “The Koopa clan is a group of turtles, with a few other creatures, that work together under the rule of this Koopa King from your home planet. You defend your world from his many attempts of world domination, kidnapping your Princess, and you sometimes go go-karting with him.” Pinkie Pie was hysterical with that last point. “And right now he is trying to take over the Universe and he has once again, as you say, kidnapped your Princess.”

“Pretty much.” Mario nodded. “I’ve defeated his army plenty of times.”

“So we are now not only fighting a thousand year old legend, but an alien invasion at the same time...”Rainbow Dash crossed her forearms with her eyes closed. Another explosion could be heard nearby as the airships continued to bombard the forest. The fiery blaze burned at a safe distance, but it was enough to cast the area in an ashy orange glow.

“Why couldn’t they be nice turtles?” Fluttershy pouted. She looked like she could start crying at any moment.

“There are nice Koopas, but they don’t work for Bowser so we won’t be seeing any.” Mario shrugged. 

“Great.” Twilight sighed as she rubbed her forehead. “I was not prepared for the possibilities of aliens. Any other day this would an incredible historical moment; you would meet the princess and open up relations between two worlds so we can exchange ideas, cultures, and magic.” Twilight groaned out loud. ‘And some new books...oh yeah, that would be nice right about now.’

“Keep your head up, Twi.” Applejack nudged her. “We got each other’s back.”

Twilight had a small grin. “Thanks again, for helping me back there.”

Applejack flipped her hat up. “Anytime partner.”

“Hey now, don’t forget I caught you.” Rainbow flew overhead.

“With Fluttershy darling.” Rarity added.

“Ya, ya still it was pretty cool how we saved you.”

“I appreciate both of you.” Twilight answered with a happy smile.

“Oh, it was no problem.” Fluttershy quietly replied.

Another fireball could be heard crashing in the distance causing the ponies to flinch. The black smoke billowed into the night sky covering what little light the stars had to offer. Applejack sighed. “This is so unsettling. I don’t care for the Everfree Forest, but they are destroying this place.”

“So many animals probably lost their homes.” Fluttershy sniffed with remorse.

“I have noticed a pattern with their attacks.” Twilight looked like she had an uneasy revelation. The others looked at her with mixed expressions. “I’ll explain, they are not attacking us directly but are instead setting fire all around us.”

“So they don’t know where we are exactly so they are setting fire around us trying to catch us.” Rarity gulped when the realization hit her.

“They’re tryin’ to corral us into a trap.” Applejack gritted her teeth. “We need to get movin’ fast.”

“Just don’t fly above the canopy so they don’t see us.” Mario started to run faster to keep up with the ponies.

Before they could continue a menacing growl permeated from the thick tree line. The group froze and stared at the darkness hiding the threat. A large monster with the body of a lion, wings like a dragon, and tail similar to a scorpion jumped out from the shadows roaring with fury.

Twilight recognized the creature. “A manitcore! We have to get past it!” They all went into defensive positions (except Fluttershy, she cowered), but their problems only got worse with the arrival of the Magikoopa. 

“Oh you silly ponies. You really think you can stop us?” The Magikoopa’s wand glowed bright as a shower of rainbow sparkles enveloped the manitcore. The monster glowed brightly forcing the ponies to cover their eyes and look away. The blinding light dissipated and the ponies found themselves staring up at a manticore three times its normal size. Previously he was formidable, but then he terrified them. The ground quaked with when it took a single step forward.

“Run little ponies!” The Magikoopa cackled. “Or just sit there, shivering in fear. Whatever works, I don’t really care.” He vanished in a poof of purple smoke as he laughed maniacally. The beast raised his mighty paw in the air, it was big enough to block out the moon. The manticore let loose a hideously feral growl before it slammed its paw down. The ponies barely had time to scatter as his attack struck the earth, the impact was powerful enough to send most of them flying.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth and took off towards the sky to set up an aerial strike. “Alright you oversized cat, time to cut you down to size!” Before she could attack a fireball streaked past her. Rainbow whipped her head behind her and remembered the airships still chasing them. “Oh pony feathers.”

A hellfire of cannons and fireballs (and strangely enough a single coconut) rained all around the ponies as they tried their best to avoid the rampaging beast. Flames burned the trees all around them, casting the manticore in a red glow, which emphasized his angry eyes. They were trapped in a ring of fire with an angry monster as company.

Rarity, in a rather bold move, picked up a sizable rock with her magic and chucks it at the creature. “Here you big brute!” The rock bounced off the manticore’s nose and his complete undivided attention immediately went straight to her. Rarity did not falter as he quickly stomped his way towards her. She had a mischievous grin that a lady would have never worn in polite company. “Darling, you must simply be more aware of your surroundings. You might find yourself flathooved.” Rarity’s horn glowed briefly as the ground gave way beneath one of manticore’s paws. The manticore tripped over Pinkie’s trap and crashed headfirst into the ground. Pinkie Pie patted her shovel with satisfaction.

“Now, Applejack!” Twilight commanded. Applejack nodded as she took out her rope and threw it around one of the oversize paws.

“Rainbow, grab the rope from Applejack and tie it around his legs! Be quick!” Rainbow saluted and grabbed the rope from AJ. In an instant Rainbow Dash became a blur as she tightly flew around the legs which allowed the rope to restrain the legs.

“Got it.” Rainbow spat out the rope

Meanwhile, Mario used his herculean strength to grab the tail and, with some help from Pinkie, slammed the stinger into the ground which wedged it into the hard dirt. Despite the manticore’s angry struggle, it was held down tightly as Twilight applied some magic to the rope to strengthen the bonds. She also gave it a rather elegant bow tie. Despite being a deadly foe, it didn’t even last ten seconds.

“Woo, go team!” Pinkie Pie threw confetti into the air. The manitcore growled pitifully as it tried to break its bonds. Fluttershy cautiously approached the beast while the others tried to find a safe way to escape the fire that surrounded them.

“I’m so sorry we hurt you.” Fluttershy started to rub the snout of the beast. The manitcore grumbled in response. “Oh, you’re still in pain. What’s wrong?” She stared at him quietly as she studied his facial expressions and half-hearted grumblings. Fluttershy nodded and walked over to Mario. “Can you help? He has a thorn stuck in his paw that’s why he is so upset.” Mario nodded and walked over with her to the injury in question. Sure enough a large pulsating thorn was embedded in the manticore’s paw. Mario grabbed the thorn and quickly plucked it out of. The beast roared.

“Whoa!” The other ponies jumped. Rainbow was the first to react. “What did you two do?”

“He was hurting so we helped him.” Fluttershy happily replied as she nuzzled the manticore’s nose. He purred with a relived grin. “I think we can let him go now. He won’t hurt us.”

“...You sure about that?” Twilight did not look entirely convinced.

Fluttershy nodded. “He wants to help by putting out the fire.” 

The girls looked at one another and at Mario who merely shrugged. Twilight gulped as she her horn glowed. The manticore snapped its bonds, pulled its tail out of the ground, and stood back up. He towered over them as he growled at the flames that licked the trees around them. He reared back and let loose a mighty roar that shook the forest and the flames died under the intense pressure.

The ponies gapped at the display as Fluttershy flew up to the manitcore. “Thank you. Sorry for not helping you sooner.”

The manitcore paid her a short glance before it turned its gaze at the armada that was still firing flames. It clawed the ground as he became enraged at the invaders. With a mighty leap, the manticore sailed into the skies and started its attack on the air ships. The ponies and plumber watch with awestruck expressions.

“Well that fixes our attacking space ship problem.” Twilight let out a dark chuckle.

***

“Well that was disappointing.” The Magikoopa watched the ponies leave. “There goes another ship...and another... I should probably remove that spell on that monster.”

“How are you capable of conquering galaxies? You’re such pathetic creatures.” Nightmare Moon growled around him. “If we can’t use brute force then we shall persuade them with other methods.”

The Magikoopa rolled his eyes. “Where are they heading right now?”

Nightmare Moon looked far ahead. “Darkness will overtake them in the forest. I will transform the woods into bale forms that will break their weak wills.”

“Oh, you know what likes spooky woods?” The turtle asked rhetorically. “Boos.”

“Is that some kind of joke?” Nightmare Moon angrily whispered. 

“No, not ‘boo’, Boos.” The Magikoopa sighed. “Ghosts, we have ghosts that work for us.”

“The Koopa King has the dead serving him!?” The mist swirled around the Koopa. “Show me.”

The Magikoopa snapped his fingers and a chill could be felt in the air. Feint hollow laughter followed. “Boo.”

Nightmare Moon found herself looking at a grim phantom with an unusually large maw and a hideously overgrown tongue inches away from her. “This is a ghost.” She mused as she watched the undead hallow eyes track her movements.

“No kidding, meet our chef.”

If Nightmare Moon was in physical form her eyes would have squinted in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

“What, you think King Bowser just lets us sit around while we wait between invasions? We all have jobs to keep us all busy.”

“I make sssandwichesss.” The dead answered.

‘That is ridiculous...but very practical. I’ll have to ask the Koopa King to raise my old masseuse once I reclaim the throne.’ Nightmare Moon then put on her incorpial game-face. “Bring some friends, restless spirit of sandwiches. We will crush their spirits.” She disappeared off into the dark woods as several ghouls followed her.

“This is going to be fun.” The Magikoopa said as he chortled loudly before he doubled over and started to cough uncontrollably.

***

The trail slowly became narrower as the tree line encroached around the ponies. The canopy overhead filtered out enough light that the group could not see more than a few meters ahead. Every sound around them was amplified as unseen things scurried from beyond the brush. Everyone looked around nervously.

“Reminds me of a few places I’ve been to.” Mario said as he walked in front of them.

“What do you usually do in this situation?” Rarity asked as she hopped over a mud puddle. “Mud here.”

“Get a little light.” Mario held out his hand forming a small fireball illuminating the path. 

Twilight looked impressed at the small display. “Wow, you can use magic.” The fireball flickered for a moment and quickly died before Mario quickly summoned another. Twilight’s horn started to glow bright enough to add to the light from the fireball.

“At least we are going the right way. I hope.” Twilight gulped. She heard faint laughter, but could not distinguish the source. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Rainbow Dash asked as she tried to understand the shapes in the darkness.

“...Nothing, my mind is playing tricks on me.” Twilight concluded. 

“Probably not.” Mario made another fire ball. “We are being hunted after all.”

Rainbow Dash shuddered a little. “Right, anyway, what can you do Mario? You were strong enough to hold a giant monster’s tail and jam it into the ground. Plus, you can use magic. Are you, like, a magic knight or something?

Mario raised an eyebrow. “A magic knight?”

“A knight you say?” Rarity’s eyes sparkled. “Do you happen to have a lady you serve, this Princess Peach perhaps?”

“Well, yes.”

“He doesn’t have a sword, I would say he’s more along the lines of a monk.” Twilight answered.

“Not sure how being a monk would lead him to plumbing.” Applejack pointed out with a hint of amusement. The darkness that once troubled the ponies was now a mere distraction.

“Ooooh, a monk. That’s neat,” Pinkie Pie interrupted the two. “But not neat enough. I say he is a battle traceur/free-runner of the mystical parkour style.”

The others looked at her with dumbfounded expressions. “...What?” Twilight answered in a flat tone. “Parkour?”

“Where you try to get from point A to point B as fast as possible regardless of what is in your way.”

Mario chuckled. “That’s sounds right actually, probably a mixture of all those with Pinkie being the closest.”

“So do you have a weapon?” Rainbow asked eagerly.

“What kind of magic do you use?” Twilight pressed up close to Mario with enthusiastic eyes.

“Do you sometimes give discounts for your plumbing services?” Pinkie Pie joined in as they squished Mario into a ball. “Because I have a neat little project where I can pump juice from anywhere in Ponyville. That way when I throw a party I can hook up the portable fountain.”

Mario slightly lurched back as all the ponies quickly surrounded him with their chattering. “Hammer, mostly fire and transforming magic, and sometimes.”

“What about the flying thing you did earlier?” Fluttershy finally spoke after being constantly interrupted or drowned out.

“Ship’s propulsion system.” Mario answered with a cryptic grin.

“So you got shot out of a cannon?” Pinkie Pie beamed at the silly idea.

“Pretty much.”

“Wait, how can you survive the vacuum of space and entry through the atmosphere with only overalls?” Twilight poked Mario in the chest.

“That’s Luma’s magic.” Mario rubbed his hat. “He allows me to travel through space safely.”

“Darling, I hope you have a set of shining armor to match your heroic nature.” Rarity looked over his clothes with mild loathing. “A knight should always look his best for his lady.”

“That would be horrible.” Mario groaned as his internal thoughts processed him clanking down a lava filled castle in full armor. At that moment he was glad Princess Peach did not require him to wear anything like that. Unless she never thought of it...tennis would be impossible.

At that moment Fluttershy screamed, making everyone jump. The trees around them had distorted faces with jagged teeth and growled. Mixed in with the unnatural growls was cold laughter as white ghosts circled around them like vultures. They had beady black eyes and blood red tongues that hanged out of their mouths. The girls screamed while Mario’s eyes were darting back and forth looking for a way out; he could not find one.

Something broke through the ghoulish atmosphere, it was cheerful laughter. Twilight watched helpless as Pinkie Pie was in the face of one of the bale form trees as she laughed and made faces at it. “Pinkie, what are you doing? RUN!”

A Boo hovered down to her, ““You make fun of our treeesss. We worked sssso hard on them to sssscare you.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have made your trees have funny faces on them Mr. Ghostie.” Pinkie Pie replied with a huge grin.

“Shadowssss and darknessss are scary, for this is where ghostsssss like ussss lie in wait for you.” The Boo growled.

“Well, I have something to tell you then.” Pinkie Pie started to tap her hooves. 

Mario’s ears perked up. “Do I hear music?”

“What music?” Applejack stared at the prancing pink pony.

“Oh, can you hear it too? I always thought it was all in my head.” Pinkie Pie hopped next to him. “Dance with me!”

“When I was a little filly and the sun was going down...” Pinkie Pie flung Mario into the air and caught him in one fluid motion.

“Mama mia!” Mario yelped.

“Please no.” Twilight stared wide eyed.

“The darkness and the shadows, they would make me frown.” Pinkie Pie sang as she bounced around the girls and twirled Mario around. At that moment he wished he didn’t say anything.

“She is.” Rarity confirmed Twilight’s suspicions.

“Why is ssshe sssinging!?” One of the Boos cried out. “I have the mossst horrible feelingsss right now!”

“I’m ssstarting to feel...h-h-happy!”

“I sssuddenly have the urge to eat a cupcake.”

“I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw, but Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all” Pinkie Pie continued to dance with her dizzied partner.

“Then how do we face these ghosts?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“She said Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall 
Learn to face your fears
You'll see that they can't hurt you
Just laugh to make them disappear.” 

Pinkie Pie got into one of Boos’ face and promptly laughed at it.

“I am in despair! This pretentious pink pony’s cheers and whimsy has left me in despair!” The ghost cried out and disappeared. Everyone gasped with this turn of events.

“So, giggle at the ghostly/ guffaw at the grossly/ crack up at the creepy/ whoop it up with the weepy/ chortle at the kooky/ snortle at the spooky!” All the ponies started to laugh at the apparitions which forced them to flee. The trees’ frightful disposition vanished into normal trees and the darkness that was so oppressive earlier was being lifted.

“And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna...” Pinkie Pie broke down in laughter as she ended her song.

“We can’t let these puny pathetic pansy ponies beat us!” One of last Boos yelled out. “Come on, fuse together and join forces!” The Boos that had vanished appeared once more and they all rushed into one location fusing together into one giant ghost. The colossus Boo loamed over them with glowing red eyes as a grotesque amount of slobber oozed from behind his jaws. “Be chilled to the bone!”

“Alright girls, all together now!” The heroines turned towards the savage specter. “HA, HA, HA!”

The enormous Boo cried out in terror. “The joy! The unrelenting joy! Their faces are too much; they are so horrifying to look at!” The Boo took off screaming leaving the ponies and plumber alone.

“I’ll admit. I have never done that to Boos before.” Mario chuckled.

“You were a great dancer Mario.” Pinkie Pie patted him on the back.

“More like ragdoll.” Applejack giggled.

***

“When I was a little Koopa and the sun was going down.”

“Keep singing and you’ll be a Boo.”

“Aw.”

> Night of Nightmare Moon Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Mario, I think I should tell you everything that is going on.” Twilight told him as they continued through the Everfree Forest. “You’ve been courteous to us this whole time despite us not telling you the whole truth.”

“If you want.” Mario shrugged.

“We are looking for the Elements of Harmony, powerful magical relics that sealed Nightmare Moon away a thousand years ago. Nightmare Moon once ruled Equestria with her sister, but grew jealous because she believed her subjects did not appreciate the night because they played during the day and slept through the night. She tried to cover Equestria in eternal darkness, but her sister stopped her and with the Elements of Harmony banished her to the moon.” The rest of the ponies all looked serious.

“So these Elements of Harmony are here in these woods?” Mario asked.

“That is our best guess; given that we have run into resistance there is a good chance that is the case.” Twilight nodded. “There are six Elements, but the sixth is the unknown factor.”

Mario had a grim look. “Do we have to go all over Equestria to hidden temples to find each single Element?”

“What? No, they are all located at an abandoned castle.” Twilight gave him a strange look.

“Really!? That makes things so much easier.” Mario looked slightly dazed and grumbled. “Whenever I have to gather magical artifacts they are always all over the place.”

“That would be horrible if that was the case here.” Rarity grimaced.

“Wait, do you fight those guys? You know the turtles and ghosts, like all the time?” Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered over the plumber.

“That and whole lot more.” Mario scratched his head. “Usually by myself; though there are times I have friends join me. Good times.” Mario smiled as nostalgia filled in his heart.

“It must be scary being alone fighting an army of ghosts.” Fluttershy looked over at him with a worried expression.

“I’ll be honest; it can be scary when you are trying to escape a haunted mansion as they laugh at you.” Mario slightly shuddered. “Sometimes you don’t make it out.”

“What do you do when that happens?” Twilight asked in a low tone.

“I have someone that I rely on, that always has my back.” Mario smiled fondly. “My brother.”

Twilight nodded. “I know what that is like.”

They walked into a clearing only to find their next obstacle. A wide river presented itself before them; the rapids were violent and powerful which made everyone uneasy. Large fish could be seen underneath the waves like they anticipated the ponies fall in.

“So does anypony have an easy way across?” Rarity looked around for any safe crossing.

“Fluttershy and I could carry all of you across one pony at a time.” Rainbow Dash offered. “It’ll be slow, but we don’t have to worry about those ships chasing us now.”

“Oh, oh, me first!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down with her usual vigor.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and grabbed her. “Fine, come on Fluttershy.”

“Oh, ok.” With that the two pegasi carried her up and started to fly over the river. Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but scream wooo at the top of her lungs. Her cheerful cheer was cut tragically short due to a cold fish that smacked her in the face.

“Ouch! Hey what was...uh oh.” Pinkie Pie and her carriers soon found themselves in a storm of red fishes that leaped out of the water.

“Those are Cheep-Cheeps!” Mario yelled, “Get out of there!”

They tried to maneuver through the onslaught of Cheep-Cheeps, but their agility was awkwardly slow. The group floundered as they took painful hit after hit until finally...

“Eep!” A Cheep-Cheep was able to launch itself just right and snagged Fluttershy’s wing in his mouth, it bit down hard. Fluttershy became deadweight which left Rainbow Dash to carry both Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash strained as she held their weight. “Brace yourself I’m going to try a controlled crash landing.”

“You mean how you usually land?” Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but stick her tongue at Rainbow.

Rainbow shot a raspberry then gritted her teeth as she tried her best to steer her way down towards the bank. The rest of the ponies lined up to hopefully catch them. A Cheep-Cheep almost hit the group again, but was knocked away by Pinkie Pie’s hooves. 

“Keep that up Pinkie!” Rainbow grunted, “We’re almost there!” With one final surge of energy, Rainbow Dash somersaulted over the last line of Cheep-Cheeps and went into a straight nosedive into the ground. Rainbow squinted her eyes shut as she mentally prepared herself for another dirt nap.

The inevitable game of ‘muzzle planting’ that Rainbow fully expected never came. For some reason the earth was a little bit squishy and made a very distinct ‘oof’ sound. The crash still hurt, but it was not nearly as painful as Rainbow Dash thought it should have been. She slowly fluttered her eyes open and realized she was in fact the king of a literal pony made hill. She was also on Mario’s belly.

“Did you guys just catch us?”

A woozy Mario answered her. “We thought we could soften the landing by catching you...ow.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but shake her head in disbelief. “Thanks.” She felt something tug on her tail. She looked down and groaned. “Hey Pinkie.”

“Ya?”

“You missed one.”

“One what?” Rainbow lifted her tail with a Cheep-Cheep as it nibbled on her tail. “Oh woopsie.” Rainbow Dash flicked her tail hard enough to send the large fish back into the river.

The group slowly regained their wits and was started to check on Fluttershy. Her wing now sported large red welts. “Why would they do that?” Fluttershy’s eyes were about to brim with tears. Not from the pain but actually being attacked by the fish.

“Cheep-Cheeps also work for Bowser.” Mario explained with a sigh.

“Is there anything that doesn’t work for that guy?” Applejack glared at the river before a random Cheep-Cheep poked its head out of the water and spat a stream of water at her. Applejack practically growled. “Let’s keep moving.”

They looked up and down the river, but could not find any discernible way to cross. Before they could work out a plan to cross, they heard crying upstream. They traveled up the shoreline to find a large wailing sea serpent as he thrashed about in the river. The fish were avoiding his erratic movements so the group felt a little safer from their attacks.

“Excuse me sir, why are you crying?” Twilight yelled out to the sea serpent.

“Well, I don’t know,” The serpent told them. “I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whizzed past me, and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off!” he wailed. “And now, I look simply horrid!” He threw himself into the water, which splashed all six ponies. They did not appreciate the gesture and glared at him.

“Oh, give me a break.” Rainbow Dash grunted.

“That’s what the fuss is all about!” Applejack sounded peeved.

Mario and Rarity stared at the rest with shocked expressions. “Why, of course it is! How can you be so insensitive?”

“It’s-a hard work to groom a mustache to perfection. It is a symbol of dedication and a stand against slothfulness. My own mustache is the most recognizable part of me.” Mario explained. While this was true, his hat and jump were also distinguishing features of him. He was just really proud of his stache’.

“I think that’s the most you’ve ever said today.” Twilight commented.

“Wait, your mustache?” the serpent looked closely at the plumber. “Oh my word, I recognize that mustache! You’re the famous Mario from the Mushroom Kingdom. I just love what you did with yourself, and here I am with a ruined mustache and I can’t properly share with you!” He flopped onto the bank depressed with a sad whimper.

“You poor thing.” Rarity rubbed his chin. “You work so hard to maintain a beautiful appearance.”

“I know, now I’m absolutely hideous.” He covered his head in shame.

Rarity had a look of determination. “I cannot possibly let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected.” She grabbed one of his scales and plucked it off.

“Ow, what did you do that for!?” The hurt serpent asked.

Rarity brought the sharp scale high into the air, and with one swift motion sliced her tail clean off making everyone gasped. She tossed the scale aside and lifted her hair towards the serpent’s snout. She attached the hair to the frayed end of the serpent’s mustache and styled it to match the opposing side.

“Nice, the two tone mustache looks-a good on you.” Mario complimented the purple and orange facial hair.

The serpent was instantly cheerful. “My mustache; how wonderful!”

“You look smashing.” Rarity said proudly.

Twilight looked at her with concern. “Oh Rarity, your beautiful tail.”

“Oh, it’s fine my dear. Short tails are in this season. Besides, it’ll grow back.” Rarity replied calmly.

“So would the mustache...” Rainbow Dash muttered to Twilight.

With the serpent not trashing the river it was now safe to cross. Applejack decided to make a request. “By the way before we found you some ornery fish hurt some of my friends. Could you maybe teach them some manners?”

“But of course.”

Mario lingered behind for a moment. The serpent took the opportunity to talk to him. “Mario, it is an honor to find a fine mustache such as yours.”

Mario nodded and took out a gold ticket with silver trim. “This is a certificate of admittance to the inter-dimensional mustache gentleman’s club. Don’t tell anyone about it. With this you can meet many proud mustache members, like myself, from different worlds.”

The serpent graciously accepted the gift and Mario ran off to catch up to the girls.

***

“Alright, the melodramatic sea serpent and Bloopers should give us enough time to plan for the next attack.” The Magikoopa rubbed his chin thoughtfully while he munched on some popcorn.

Nightmare Moon had just returned from her mission. “I have just the idea. Divide and conquer.”

“Great, so how do you want to do it?” the Koopa tossed his trashed away and belched loudly.

If the Magikoopa could see Nightmare Moon’s eyes he would have trembled under her intense glare, but at the moment she was a hovering mist. “There is an old bridge up ahead that I shall partially break. One of the pegasus will cross over and repair it.” The mist became thick for a brief moment and a trio of dark suited pegasi walked out. “My apparitions will be tempting her with promise of glory. The hero will see this and jump to the other side to come to her aide. At that moment I want you to attack the other group.”

“Should I focus my attack on the purple unicorn?” the Magikoopa took out his wand.

“Yes, she is the key to all of this.” The dark pegasi flew towards the old castle ruins. “Get ready, they come.”

***

“The Mushroom Kingdom sounds interesting.” Twilight bounced a little. New information being presented to Twilight often makes her a giddy filly. “Clouds everypony can walk on, pipes that can take you to faraway lands, and dinosaurs! You actually have dinosaurs! All we have are dragons.”

“Are they nice?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh yes, I have a dinosaur friend named Yoshi.” Mario smiled fondly. “I’m sure we can build a pipe that could connect our worlds together.”

“When all this is over I can’t imagine anything better.” Twilight had a dreamy expression. “All sorts of new things to learn, alien magic, so many books that will be mine!”

“If it ever happens, Ah know a few Apples that would jump at the opportunity to start an apple farm over there.” Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea.

“Your Princess Peach sounds absolutely beautiful.” Rarity sighed dreamily, “You say she wears a dress for every occasion?”

“Well except for sport events, but yes she does. She has a rather competitive streak.” Mario held his hand above his eyes looking far ahead. “I think I see a castle.”

Rainbow Dash flew higher. “Hey I see it too!”

“Come on!” Twilight shouted with excitement. “The Elements of Harmony should be here! We’re almost there!” Twilight was not paying attention as she almost ran head on into a ridge. She stopped herself at the last moment with her front hooves dangling over the abyss.

Rainbow grabbed her tail and pulled her back. “What’s with you and falling off cliffs today?”

“Looks like the bridge is out.” Mario sighed.

Rainbow Dash flared her wings. “No fishes no problem.” She took off with the broken end of the bridge and brought it over to the other side to tie it down.

As the ponies and plumber waited a heavy fog rolled in obscuring their view. They looked around nervously as the atmosphere became oppressively ominous. Any nocturnal animals that previously scurried about became still and quiet.

Fluttershy fluttered a little. “I don’t like this.”

“What is taking that pegasus so long?” Applejack asked, “Ya think something stopped her?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight raised her voice. “Rainbow, what’s taking so long!?” For a brief moment she could see three dark uniformed pegasi talking to Rainbow Dash. “Don’t listen to them!” One of the dark pegasus’ eyes glowed yellow as the fog thickened blocking their view.

“Mario, get over there and help her!” Applejack told him. Mario nodded and dashed towards the broken bridge. Using his momentum Mario jumped on the bridge post and used it to leap across the ravine. The ponies watched as the mist enveloped him and waited patiently for a sign.

Mario broke through the fog and found Rainbow Dash saying something to the strange pegasi. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m afraid have to say no.” Rainbow Dash flew next to Mario. “I stand by my friends.”

“Then I hope you can live with your choice; you could’ve had everything but now you shall have nothing!” one of pegasus hissed. Her goggles glowed yellow as the mist started to swirl around them. Several small spud shaped solders with sharp teeth rushed into the mist to attack them.

“Whoa, are these the Goombas you were talking about?” Rainbow Dash jumped over an attack from a mushroom villain.

“That they are.” Mario kicked one away that as it tried to tackle them. “We need to hurry.”

On the other side, the others waited with baited breath for any signs from their teammates. The violet mist swirled violently as maniacal laughter broke the silence. The girls huddled together waiting for the source of the laughter to show itself.

“Above us!” Fluttershy squeaked. Koopa’s riding clouds circled above them holding up spiked spheres. 

“Dodge!” Applejack yelled as she pushed Twilight out the way. In her place a large spiked ball crashed into the ground. The Koopas continued to lob the giant spike balls at them while the ponies scampered around. Suddenly the grounded spike spheres unrolled, and revealed that they were spiked snapping turtles the whole time. The spiked Koopas lunged at the ponies with a viscous attack.

Applejack took out her lasso and grabbed one of the thrown spiked objects in the air and swung it back up to the cloud turtles which knocked it off. One of the spiny Koopas tried to attack her while she was swung her rope, but was grabbed by Twilight with telekinesis and flung at another Koopa. One of the nearby spiny Koopas landed next to her and tried to bite her only to be punched out by Rarity.

Fluttershy flew around the cloud Koopas. “Please stop Mr. Turtles. You’re not being nice.” The Koopas glared at her and threw a spiny shell at her. She gasped and quickly dived out the way leaving another Koopa open to get hit by the shell. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“Whoops! You missed. Aw, want to try again?” Pinkie Pie back flipped past the snapping turtles, which made them very frustrated. “Don’t be mad, be glad!” One of the snapping turtles rushed her. At the last moment, Pinkie Pie jumped out of the way and the spiny Koopa fell of the ledge. The turtle’s eyes grew wide when he realized his mistake and braced himself for his demise only to find his immediate doom postponed. The pink pony had grabbed him and pulled him up. “Almost had a dozy there.” 

She placed him back on safe ground and gave him a party hat and a slice of cake. “My senses tell me that today is your birthday! So happy, happy birthday hope you like your cake. Smile on your happy, happy birthday you deserve a little break!” Pinkie Pie grinned at the surprised Koopa.

“Er, wow cake at my party and at my job. Thanks for that.” The spiny Koopa took a small bite. “Hmm, coconut and sedatives my favorite.” He then promptly fell asleep. Party hard dude.

Twilight started to gather energy in her horn to finish the fight when a magic bolt hit the ground close to her and she lost her concentration. She looked up to see the Magikoopa that attack her earlier.

“Now, we can’t have you doing that. Tighten the circle!” Sneered the Magikoopa, the large group of Koopas present surrounded the ponies which left no room for escape.

“Hey, Twilight looked what I found!” Pinkie Pie smirked as she showed off a strange looking flower to her. The flower was red, yellow, and white with little eyes; neat flower but not a good time to be discussing flora. “Bad timing Pinkie.”

“She has a fire flower!” the Magikoopa yelled, “Stop her!”

Twilight gasped as she casted a small magic sphere to protect them from the onslaught of turtles. Rarity looked at the flower closely. “Well I can feel the magic, but how do we use it?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight strained as the turtles started to pound the bubble. “Mario might know.”

Just then a magic shot from the Magikoopa hit the shield making it explode. It forced all the Koopas back, but it left Twilight reeling from a headache. Out of the mist appeared the awaited duo, Mario on Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie Pie bounced up. “Dashie, Mario, I have a fire flower come get it!” She threw the flower up into the air as Rainbow Dash zipped towards it. All the Koopas screamed ‘No’ in slow motion as their dreaded foe grabbed the magical flower.

Mario’s eyes burned bright as his clothes changed to red and white. Fire blazed around him as his fists glowed with energy. “Oh yeah!”

Rainbow Dash was slightly startled to find Mario’s fire wrapped around her, but found that they did not sting her and actually had calmed her down a bit. “Alright, time for my next trick!” Rainbow Dash whipped around the girls forming a tight rainbow tornado with flames. The fiery rainbow tornado spinned around the girls as it grew bigger and bigger. The heat scorched the Koopas close by, but the ponies in the epicenter watched in awe as the fire rainbow tornado swirled around them. The fire felt comfortable to the girls, like a warm blanket after a cold night. At the last moment the tornado flashed bright and exploded, the Koopas blew back with a whirlwind of fire rainbows. Rainbow Dash landed as Mario jumped off her back and watched as the remaining Koopas fled.

“That was incredible.” Rarity said despite being completely stunned. The other ponies nodded silently in agreement.

“Oh yeah, we are awesome!” Rainbow Dash’s hoof met Mario’s fist.

***

“Pathetic performance.” Nightmare Moon growled. The burnt Magikoopa did not reply and calmly pinched a small rainbow flame on his hat out of existence. “Now they have the Elements of Harmony in their grasp.” The dark alicorn walked around grimly.

“Time for castle defense strategy Delta ver. 4.2 ½ red shell approach.” The Magikoopa growled. “When they try to activate those magic artifacts, steal them away and take it to another location in the ruins. They will try to follow, but they will find their path a little...hazardous.”

“What are you planning?” The alicorn watched as the Magikoopa took out a black spherical object.

“Oh, just a little something that is sure to be a blast.” The black weapon’s soulless eyes blinked open as its fuse sparked to life.

***

The ruins were impressive in scope. They were standing in a large cathedral with large worn walls on both sides covered with vines. Dulled glass windows portrayed events long forgotten with rising broken pillars covered in grim. Holes riddled the walls and the ceiling was practically gone.

“Whoa.” Rainbow Dash uttered in awe.

In the middle stood a large stone pedestal holding five rock orbs. “Come on, Twilight. Isn’t this what you been waitin’ for?” Applejack watched her curiously.

Twilight had a proud grin. “The Elements of Harmony. We’ve found them!”

Mario, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy carefully grabbed the elements from the pedestal and placed them on the ground. 

Pinkie Pie quickly counted them. “One, two, three, four, there’s only five.”

Mario looked aghast. “Oh no! We have to travel all over the world collecting the final element, which is in pieces, at different locations guarded by a colorful cast of quirky monsters.”

The ponies looked at him with deadpan faces before Applejack smacked him upside the head. Twilight cleared her throat. “The book said that when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth element to appear. We don’t go travel the globe, which would be dumb.”

“What in the hay does spark mean?” Applejack asked with a frown.

“I’m not sure, but I have an idea.” Twilight face started to concentrate. “Stand back. I don’t know what will happen.”  Her horn glowed softly as she started to test her theory.

“We’ll watch your back. Don’t want any of those Koopas showing up and making a mess of things.” Applejack nodded as the group formed a semicircle around Twilight. Tension filled the air as Twilight played with the spherical artifacts. Sparks flew as Twilight constantly poked and prodded them with no results.

“Maybe you have to say some fancy words or somethin’.” Applejack helpfully pointed out.

“I don’t think so--“

“Oh, oh! Maybe you have to do ritualistic dance like this!” Pinkie Pie jumped up on her back hooves and started doing a very impressive hustle.

Rainbow asked with a sly grin. “Doncha need one of those phonographs to go with the dance? If you need a spark I can go get a thundercloud. Nothing like a good ol’ shock from lightening to get things moving.”

“Maybe...um...you have to spark them in sequential order?” Fluttershy meekly added. “I mean I could be wrong. Sorry.”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she continued to concentrate. She stopped for a moment and looked up to Rarity. “No suggestions from you?”

Rarity looked up from inspecting her hoof for dirt. “I’m not going to pretend to know what we have to do, Twilight. Mario, darling do you have an idea?”

“There might be a switch somewhere around here.”

“And what would that do?” Twilight gave him a confused look.

“Well it might activate a game show scenario where we have to answer five questions from a strange game host to solve the Elements of Harmony.”

Crickets could be heard echoing from the outside sanctuary. The ponies were frozen in their positions as they stared at the alien plumber with his odd logic. Pinkie Pie was the first to speak up. “Has that happen to you before?”

“Yup, and my favorite color is red just in case.” Mario answered with complete lack of jest.

“That’s just plain weird.” Applejack concluded what every other pony was thinking.

Before any more crazy ideas could be mentioned, a heavy thump from above them got their attention. Another thump brought cracks spreading rapidly across the ceiling. The group below gulped before a monstrously large figure came crashing through, the ponies quickly jumped out of the way of the falling object. A giant stone block, with an intense face, landed with a hard thud and a frustrated grunt.

“A Thwomp?” Mario couldn’t help but scratch his head.

“RED! The answer is red! Please don’t hurt us!” Fluttershy quivered as she curled up into a ball.

A dark shadow was seen wrapped around the Elements of Harmony. “NO!” Twilight leaped for them and disappeared into the dark portal. The shadow projection vanished as soon as Twilight and the Elements of Harmony merged with it; this left a group of ponies and plumber in a panic. They searched high and low, made sure to avoid the angry Thwomp, for where their friend could have gone.

“Look!” Rarity pointed out the window at a nearby tower that pulsated with magic energy. “She must be in there!”

The determined heroes charged out of the room with great vigor and courage...only to come back running into the room with dread.

“What are those things!?” Fluttershy panicked. Small black bombs were patrolling the pathway leading to the tower while missiles with angry eyes flew overhead.

“We can’t waste our time with them; we need to get past them.” Rainbow Dash growled.

Blocking their path was a large platoon of Bob-ombs and Bullet Bills that patrolled the path. “I’ll-a distract them, you all go help Twilight.”

“Darling, if I may be so curt, that is a foalish idea.” Rarity quickly told him.

“Ya dude, you think we’ll leave you behind to cover our flanks while you get blown up?” Rainbow Dash reprimanded him. “We stick together.”

“You could get hurt.” Fluttershy frowned.

“We won’t let those mean angry explosives get you.” Pinkie Pie nodded with determination.

“I’m-a professional.” Mario looked at the serious ponies staring him down and sighed, “Alright, here’s the best alternative. I run out there and they all home in on me. You attack them while they are distracted.”

Applejack patted him on the back. “That is still a bad plan, but we don’t have much choice!” Mario dashed out to confront the enemy.

The bullet bills quickly locked on Mario and the bombs started to chase him as he dashed down the courtyard. Mario got the attention of all the explosive weapons allowing the girls to attack them safely. Rarity grabbed one of the bullet bills flying in the air with her magic and slammed it down on the ground around some bob-bombs, a massive explosion resulted. Rainbow Dash whipped around a large group of bullet bills messing up their flight trajectory, sending them into a nearby wall. Pinkie Pie took out a bowling ball from her mane and rolled it down the hallway and knocked the small walking bombs over, strike for the pink one. Applejack took out the last of her rope and quickly lassoed any of the explosive weapons that got too close to Mario, and flung them over the railing. Fluttershy didn’t do anything, didn’t really need to as the explosives immediately blew up when they saw her. There systems could not ‘daws’ of that magnitude. Hey explosives can have heart attacks.

The group posed as the last of the enemies exploded close behind them; shrapnel flew all around them and the wind blew up their manes in the strong breeze. “Weren’t we doing something?” Fluttershy asked as she brushed the soot from her muzzle.

They ran down the potholed filled hallway and up the tower where they suspected Twilight was being held. They heard some rather melodramatic laughter as they reached the room. The shattered remains of the Elements of Harmony lay at Nightmare Moon’s feet with a victorious grin. Twilight was on the ground slightly bruised, but she looked extremely grateful to see them. Her eyes sparkled like a great revelation had just dawned on her.

Twilight turned to face Nightmare Moon. “You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you’re wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!” Her friends jumped to her side facing down Nightmare Moon with no fear on their faces. The broken fragments of the Elements began to glow with multicolored auras.

Nightmare Moon was surprised, but was ready. ‘This is not good; it’s time to use the power star.’ 

She started to laugh dramatically. “I’m afraid your reunion will have to end shortly!” Nightmare Moon interrupted Twilight’s friendship speech. “This is called a power star, I believe you alien friend was looking for this. They hold powerful star magic that can distort reality. Here, let me demonstrate it.”

The room started to shake as a bright flash enveloped Nightmare Moon sending everyone flying. Off in the distance, the Magikoopa sighed as he watched the ruins explode and fall apart while a dark being rose from the depths, lightening dancing all around it. “Fall back troops. This fight is over.”

***

Mario opened up his eyes, the ruins smoldered with debris everywhere; the rocks were covered in black flames that scorched the earth. Twilight woke up next to him and they help each other up. Both of them look looked into the horizon and saw a deadly enemy; Nightmare Moon had grown in size to that of a dragon. Corrupt power seeped from her as her mouth twisted into a grin.

Twilight’s eyes immediately darted at the frozen form of her friends. “Mario! The others, they have been trapped in crystals!”

Across the ruined landscape the other ponies were in suspended animation inside crystals. Their only hope was that Mario and Twilight would free them from their prison. Mario finally got a chance to get a good look at the foe that towered over them. This over sized pony boasted a pair of wings and a horn. Her coat was blacker than the night and her mane looked like a constellation which billowed in a non-existent wind. Though she was a good half mile away from them, her very breath made the air heavy with oppression and when she took a step it felt like the world was about to fall apart.

The night avatar gloated as lightening flickered around her. “Mario, I will crush you and present you as a gift to the Koopa King! You have no chance to stop me!”

Mario gritted his teeth. “Twilight if we gather your friends we can still stop her!”

Twilight was still wide eyed with panic. “Are you CRAZY?! There is no way we can stop her no--”

Mario held up his hand in front of her and smiled. “Trust me. We can do this.”

Twilight saw the determination in his eyes, the will to keep on fighting regardless of what opposed him. This courage, though probably foolhardy, was enough to give Twilight some hope. “Alright, but you are still crazy. We’ll save our friends and stop Nightmare Moon. Nothing will stop us.”

Nightmare Moon took another step towards them as the world shuddered. “The Universe will be covered in a glorious darkness that will last forever! You’ll be but the first to taste its power! This will be your last adventure hero!”

Mario turned toward the gigantic foe and quickly adjusted his hat. Mario whipped his hands to the side to a fighting posture. “Let’s a GO!”

Nightmare Moon's horn glowed bright as the battle started. Lightening began to strike down all around the plumber and pony while meteors from the heavens started to rain down upon them which littered the battlefield with oversize boulders. The air crackled with energy and the heat made the battleground almost unbearable to withstand for Twilight. Mario and Twilight took cover in one of the ruins that was not destroyed yet to escape the assault. There was a fire flower for them. They quickly scanned the environment for the others.

“Ok, Rarity and Fluttershy are the closest right now. I’ll get Fluttershy and you go for Rarity.” Twilight quickly told Mario. “If we can try to get Rainbow Dash. She is the fastest by far.”

Mario nodded. “I’ll go first and hold her attention. Try to stay out of sight.” He grabbed the fire flower and absorbed its power. His eyes once again burned with a fiery passion as his clothes changed back to the white/red combo. With that he dashed towards Rarity’s crystal prison.

Mario leaped and dodged across the battlefield using all of his skills to keep himself from getting hit. Nightmare Moon was entirely focused on the plumber, but she still threw an asteroid at the building that was previously their refuge to crush the purple unicorn. Thankfully, Twilight slipped out the back, and was already close to Fluttershy’s position. Mario flipped and dashed between the falling meteors as the ground quaked beneath him. Mario back flipped and jumped on a falling meteor. Using it as leverage, he boosted his jump distance over a large gap and landed next to Rarity. He punched the crystal destroying the confines of her prison.

“Bah, what just happened?” Rarity shook herself. She looked up at the imposing figure of Nightmare Moon and shrieked. “My word! When did this happen!?”

Mario quickly grabbed her, placed her over his shoulders, and jumped out the way of a hoof stomp from Nightmare Moon.

You won’t be doing that again!” Nightmare Moon seethed at him.

Nightmare Moon quickly glanced behind her and saw Twilight breaking Fluttershy out of her crystal jail. Her horn grew bright as a large bolt of lightening shot out towards them. Twilight gasped and threw a shield in front of them to block the attack. Mario took the opportunity to throw a fireball at Nightmare Moon’s wing to regain her attention. It worked; Nightmare Moon glared with wrath at him and tried to grab him with a levitating spell. Mario felt her magic tighten around him and responded with his spin attack to break her spell off him. She growled and slammed both front hooves into the ground creating a bright shock wave which sent Mario flying.

Mario slammed into the ground and skidded across the shrapnel embedded floor. Rarity wasted no time picking him up and placing him on her back. “A little bold don’t you think darling?”

Mario painfully shrugged and looked ahead of them. Rarity spotted Applejack in her own crystal prison. “Try not to move to much darling, I think I can get us to Applejack.”

Rarity took off with Mario in tow as the wind started to pick up. Small tornadoes that ripped arpart the ground appeared on the path making their journey just that much more difficult. On top of that, the lightening bolts were becoming more precise in their attacks. Rarity quickly weighed her options and decided she would need to take a different route to avoid the onslaught. Rarity quickly took the opportunity to escape Nightmare Moon’s gaze though one of the holes in the ground that lead to an old underground hallway.

Nightmare Moon’s eyes glowed white. ”You can’t escape my wrath.’

Nightmare Moon sprouted black starry tendrils that started to rip apart the hallway ceiling above Rarity and Mario. They raced down the corridor as the tendrils started to close in on them making the two panic. Nightmare Moon was so focused on them she failed to notice a meteor heading straight for her. Curtsy of Twilight Sparkle, gift wrapped with friendship.

Nightmare Moon yelped in pain and glared at the lavender unicorn. ” That was a poor choice young pony.”

Twilight was standing out in the open and gulped. ‘Good idea Twilight, throw a giant rock at her. She won’t be that upset.’

Nightmare Moon lowered her horn at her. “I have toyed with you long enough!”

Gathering energy her horn, the bright light forced Twilight to close her eyes; Nightmare Moon fired a gigantic star beam at her. The explosion rocked the ruins as the last standing buildings crumbled to dust. As the dust settled Twilight was nowhere to be found and the ruins where she was once standing had been decimated. Smirking in satisfaction the colossus turned her attention to the other ponies. Mario and Rarity were able to reach Applejack while Fluttershy found Pinkie Pie, freeing them from their prisons.

“Oh shoot, she’s lookn’ straight at us.” Applejack gritted her teeth.

“Twilight is now gone and so is your only chance to defeat me! Surrender yourself my little ponies and I may grant you leniency!” Nightmare Moon flared her wings causing a huge back draft that threw the boulders behind her.

“We will never surrender to you tyrant!” Rarity retorted.

Nightmare Moon laughed, “How adorable you actually think you can stop me!?”

“I think so!” Twilight yelled from behind her. Nightmare Moon looked in shock to see Twilight alive. ‘Right, she can teleport. That’s really annoying.’

With her distracted Mario nodded at Applejack. “You got it pardner” 

Applejack leaned back as if she was going to buck a tree and kicked back. Mario jumped on her hooves and used the buck like a launch pad to fly across the arena. Nightmare Moon glanced back and saw the plumber sailing towards her.

”What the--!?” Mario slammed into her muzzle. Mario jumped on her snout right in her blind spot. Nightmare Moon tried to focus on the pest, but found it impossible to find him. Mario quickly hopped in the air and slammed down with a powerful ground pound directly on her nose. Nightmare Moon reared back sending the plumber flying.

Mario careened in the air until he felt something grabbed him. Rainbow Dash had been freed while Nightmare Moon was occupied with Mario and Twilight. “Hey there. Need some help?”

Rainbow Dash quickly flew down where the others were waiting for them. The seven of them join back up with victorious faces. Nightmare Moon glared at them before her horn started to glow even brighter. The ground turned black and amorphous as shadows started to grow from the floor. Shadow Ponies similar to the ones Rainbow Dash had faced earlier sprung to life around the ponies and plumber. The six ponies and plumber were now up against three hundred shadow creatures, they were made up of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies.

“This might be-a problem.” Mario created another fireball in his hand.

“Not yet, we found these.” Twilight showed him a fire flower.

“We all got one when we were saving each other.” Fluttershy had hers tucked behind her ear.

“Can we use these?” Rainbow Dash flicked hers with her wings.

Mario looked around at the slowly growing shadow pony army. “Eat them.”

The ponies looked warily at their flowers before they showed down on them. Rarity mused over her little snack. “Not as spicy as I thought it would be. Oh, wait. Hot...HOT! I feel something smoldering inside me!”

“That’s the magic wanting to get out. Let it loose!” Mario braced for the magic energy that was about to surge. The shadow ponies at this point were close enough to envelop them in darkness.

Rarity dug deep and reached for the flames inside her. She could feel it burst forth with life, and in an instant her colors flashed. Her white coat became pure ivory while her purple mane and tail turned into a dark burgundy. The blue jewels of her cutie mark became bright red and they looked like they glowed.

Pinkie Pie crunched down on her flower and, with a giggle snort, let it all loose. A quick ‘pop’ and flash, turned her coat white and her mane/tail became bright yellow. Like Rarity’s cutie mark, Pinkie’s balloons started to glow and became more vibrant.

Fluttershy nibbled on hers which was all that was needed for the magic to be absorbed. Her yellow coat turned gold and her mane/tail went from a pale pink to scarlet, like a hot flame. The butterflies on her cutie mark matched her mane color and they appeared to flutter a bit.

Applejack chewed her flower like a piece of hay before she swallowed it. “Not bad.” Her coat turned into a deep burnt orange and left her mane and tail as platinum-blond. The apples on her cutie mark glowed a bright red, matching her eyes.

Rainbow Dash flicked her flower into the air and quickly bit off the bulb. A brief flash enveloped her and her coat turned pink with blue main and tail. “Wait, that can’t be right.” Another flash covered her which changed her coat white and her rainbow main and tail danced like living flames. “Much better.”

Twilight closed her eyes as she focused on the burning magic inside her. Sparks of flames began to fly off of her as he coat began to transform. In an instant her mane and tail turned into actual flames while her coat glowed a brilliant white. This power up sequence only lasted a second for all the ponies and with their combined energy ignited a powerful fire dome that forcefully pushed the shadow ponies back. The Elements of Harmony around their necks looked like beacons of light.

The team soaked in their hot forms with some amusement. “Neat, I can glow in the dark now.” Pinkie Pie produced a fireball with her hoof.

“Let’s clean up then.” Applejack had a wild grin. “Those things are about to be cinders.”

Nightmare Moon growled as she summoned more minions. The shadow unicorns’ horns glowed they started to throw out ice and water attacks. The pegasi flew into the air and prepared for aerial strikes. Finally, the earth ponies melted into the earth and started to charge towards the group.

Rainbow Dash was the first to strike. The rainbow streak that usually followed her was now rainbow flames that burned anything that got to close. The sky was covered in prismatic flames that easily covered her friends from any enemy pegasus attacks. The shadow unicorns tried to target her, firing bolts and ice beams but her expert agility and speed made foals of them. They tried to cover themselves with a wall of water to block the fireballs.

Applejack couldn’t help but whoop as her tail threw a fireball through the water shield like it wasn’t even there. The shadow ponies were blown away from her attack, but many more appeared in their place, rising from dark shadows lying outside of their fiery light.  The Earth ponies that had vanished in the ground sprung up around her with vicious glares. Applejack snorted at their challenge and summoned a lasso made of fire. Fire cracked all around her as the fire lasso whipped the shadow ponies to the ground. Some of them tried to grab her from below, but she quickly stomped them out with a firebrand buck, her molten horseshoes left a parting gift. Some of the shadow bolts that made it past Rainbow Dash circled close, looking for a way to attack.

Before the legion of pegasi could assault any of them, they were instantly destroyed by small fire bullets. Rarity’s fireballs were small compared to what her companions had, but this was by design. It looked like a hundred fireflies danced around Rarity as she held a calm disposition. She was graceful and precise with no wasted movements. When Rarity attacked it looked like it rained fire sparks on the shadow ponies, leaving hundreds of pinpricks that shattered them from the inside. It made for a deadly long range attack that the shadow ponies had a difficult time defending against. The shadow unicorns started to use spells so they could neutralize her attacks.

Just as they started to assault Rarity a bright flash blinded them. Cracklings and pops sounds could be heard all over the battlefield as shadow ponies tripped over in a daze. Fluttershy put on the bravest front that she had ever done in her life as she created firecrackers and flash sparks.  Shadow unicorns couldn’t cast any spells, shadow pegasi lost all their coordination, and earth shadow ponies were left wide open for attacks from the others. Nightmare Moon glared at the ponies below her as she tried to coordinate attacks and counterattacks.

Nightmare Moon’s efforts were completely ruined by Pinkie Pie, as she would, randomly appear in crowds of the shadow ponies, cheerfully yelled surprise and exploded like a fireball. Her attacks were sporatic and extremely devastating on the shadow troops. Laughter and giggles echoed throughout the battlefield as Pinkie Pie danced all over them. Several large asteroids loomed overhead ready to crush Pinkie and her friends regardless if the shadow ponies were in the way.

A beam of fire streaked across the skies and incinerated the asteroids with no mercy. Twilight looked on passively as she cleared the skies of any large attacks that her friends could not destroy. Any enemies or hazards that needed heavy attacks were covered by Twilight’s fire blaze which overwhelmed them. Twilight tried to penetrate the shield that was covering Nightmare Moon, but it proved to be pointless. Nightmare Moon decided it was time to snuff out the flames. Her horn glowed brightly as a large tornado appeared and started to bear down on them.

Mario was punching and throwing shadow ponies left and right with no signs of being tired. When the tornado appeared a bright glimmer could be seen in his eyes. He sprinted towards the tornado and jumped right into it. Mario and Luma waited for a moment, they meticulously counted each second before they initiated the spin attack. With a mighty heave and fire magic, Mario performed his Mario Tornado. The large tornado erupted into a cyclone of flames that vaporized all the shadow ponies around. When Mario was at the peak of his spin move, he quickly turned his attack into the powerful ground pound. Mario slammed into the ground dispersing the tornado, the flames that is was made up of exploded, taking out the rest of the shadow ponies.

Nightmare Moon was furious. She wanted to wear them down before the final blow, but instead the group stood strong. The moon glowed bright once again as Nightmare Moon charged the deadly star beam.

“Come on girls!” Twilight rallied her friends. “Mario can we counter her attack?”

“It is chargeable.” Mario held his hands over each other as he prepared for his strongest fireball. “If we work together we can.”

The girls nodded as fire flowed around them. They concentrated all the fire they had into a large ball in front of the group. Nightmare Moon’s orb casted her side with a cool blue glow, while the ponies’ side burned bright red and orange. With a final snort of anger, Nightmare Moon unleashed her devastating beam on them and the ponies in returned responded in kind. Mario and the ponies’ fire attack was more of a vortex of flames than an actual beam, but it was able to match Nightmare Moon’s star beam. The energy clash would have blinded an onlooker as the attacks made no headway in overpowering the other. Finally the energy nexus overloaded and an explosion neutralized both attacks violently. The smoke cleared and both sides were still ready to continue.

“Our friendship is more powerful then you think Nightmare Moon!” shouted Twilight, “We have been able to work together and overcome everything you have thrown at us. Through honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, and loyalty we have formed the Elements of Harmony. Nothing is more powerful then the magic of friendship.” The Elements of Harmony glowed bright as they formed necklaces around the ponies and a golden diadem rested on Twilight’s head.

They hummed with energy, a large rainbow shot forth from the glowing ponies; Mario took the opportunity to jump on the rainbow and began to run on it like a rainbow road. He was endowed with power and transformed into the invincible Rainbow Mario. Nightmare Moon tried to use the star to block the attack, but Mario punched the shield which destroyed it, the rainbow light he rode on ensnared Nightmare Moon as she screamed out a desperate no. A bright light enveloped everyone for the last time.

***

Mario awoke outside the ruins as the morning sun rose. The air was quiet and peaceful despite the scars of the night’s battle. The birds frolicked and chirped while small rabbits scurried about with energy. Mario was tempted to take small nap, but he was a little worried for his friends. He started to wander around for a short while until he spotted a heavenly glow being emitted from behind some rubble, there a single glassless window frame still stood. He walked towards it and found his friends gathered around a white horse and a small blue pony. The two equines both had horns and wings adorned on them. The large white horse wore a crown and had an aura of peace about her. Her mane was an array of colors that danced in the wind.

“Mario, you’re ok!” Mario was suddenly smothered in a group hug. Twilight broke away for a quick moment. “Princess, I would like to introduce to you Mario. Mario this is Princess Celestia.”

Mario bowed a little as Princess Celestia addressed him, “Thank you Star Child for helping my ponies and Equestria.”

The other winged unicorn walked up to him. “Star Child, we thank thee for thy aid when our mind was corrupt with dark perverse thoughts. We are Princess Luna.”

Mario looked back and forth between the two Princesses before Princess Celestia spoke up. “Yes, we are sisters, and this is yours.” A Power Star was summoned before Mario. “We will have the other two Power Stars ready for you when the time is right.”

“I will return them when I have saved the Universe.” Mario nodded. He turned towards the happy faces of his friends. “This is goodbye for now.”

Their expressions instantly changed to a mixture of surprise and sadness. “Wait, you’re leaving already? Please don’t go.” Twilight pleaded. “We have so much to share with you and talk about.”

“But we haven’t thrown a party for you yet.” Pinkie Pie pouted.

“Oh come on, you can’t leave now!” Rainbow Dash complained. “That is not cool.”

“After everything you’ve done, darling. The least we can do is offer a place to rest your head before you go.” Rarity politely offered.

“Right, you must be really tired.” Fluttershy agreed.

“Can’t the Universe wait for a few moments?” Applejack asked.

The Power Star levitated Mario into the air. “I’m afraid I don’t have-a much choice in the matter. I’ll be back soon.” Mario drew his hat over his eyes before the Power Star shot up into the sky with him. A trail of star dust was left in his ascension.

Tears welled up in the ponies’ eyes as they watched him disappear into the sunny skies. “He just left...”

Princess wrapped her wings around Twilight. “My dear student he will return again. If you wish you can write letters to him.”

***
Mario landed on his space ship. It was always hard leaving friends. He looked around and saw a unique sight. Flying next to the helm was a grey mailmare pegasus with lopped sided golden eyes. Mario walked up the pony to see what she had to say.

She was darting around very confused. “Um, I think this is right...I got so confused trying to get here...Mario, is there a Mario here?”

Mario waved at her. “That's-a me.”

Her eyes sparkled with joy. “Hurray, I successfully found you! It was really hard to find you. I have a letter for you!” The mailmare took a letter out of her bag and gave it to Mario.

Mario opened the letter.

Dear Mario,
Thank you for everything you have done. I know you had to leave on such a short notice, but we all wished you could have stayed a little longer. Pinkie Pie really wants to throw a party for you. After your adventure, if you have time, come back around to our side of the galaxy. We all still want to say thanks and sorry for doubting you. You are incredibly noble my traveler of the stars.

From all of us,

Your Friends.

P. S. Pinky wants you to bring all your friends when you come back. 
P. S. S. Rarity has some clothes she wants to try on you.
P. S. S. S. Fluttershy says hi to the luma as well.
P. S. S. S. S. Rainbow Dash says you’re the coolest plumber she has ever met.
P. S. S. S. S. S. AppleJack wants to show you her apple farm.
P. S. S. S. S. S. S. Give the mail Pegasus a muffin. Her name is Derpy. Thanks!

***

Nightmare Moon was restless in her slumber. Something felt wrong, but she could not pinpoint the source of her discomfort. She tried to shift her weight, but found that there was nothing that she could do.

‘Anger.’

‘Someone is...I need to wake up.’

“What is taking this so long?”

‘That growling voice sounds familiar.’

“I’m sorry your awesomness. Her energy is hard to maintain.”

“Why are we even bothering sir? Mario beat her.”

‘Mario...wait I think I remember.’

“Sire, she’s pulling through.”

Nightmare Moon’s hazy vision returned slowly along with a dull headache. “What is going on here?”

“Wake up princess, you have company.” Bowser growled with a toothy grin.

Nightmare Moon senses returned as she took in her new setting. She seemed to be in some sort of glass ball sparking with energy. Her body was now a transparent shadowy form. She felt like she was missing a huge chunk of her body. “I...lost.”

“Yup!” Bowser’s laughter shook her container. “Happens to the best of us. We saved your sorry tail the moment you were separated from your physical body.”

“...Luna? LUNA!” Nightmare Moon started to struggle in her container causing all the power in the room to fluctuate.

“Calm down!” Bowser roared.

“This feels wrong.” Nightmare Moon whispered.

“It was this or letting the skittle beam vaporize you.” Bowser leaned toward the glass as he started to scrape it with a claw. “Do you still want to win?”

Nightmare Moon looked up at him with an angry snarl. “It’s not just about winning. Don’t assume to know what I want.”

Bowser took a step back. “Really? So what do you want?”

“I want...Luna. I don’t want to be alone. My subjects. Was it so much to ask for?” A thousand years of empty existence was caught up to the dark alicorn.

Bowser grunted in confusion. “Too late for that now. With the way things stand now Equestia is on the ‘will conquer at a later time at my leisure but preferably as soon as possible’ list. Even if you leave your little bubble, you’ll evaporate into nothing. You have all of your powers, but no body to contain it in.”

“What do you want?” Nightmare Moon calmed down as she began to weigh her options. She didn’t like the situation she was in. If anything it was worse than when he found her on the moon. Nightmare would need to play her cards right. What can she do now? Nightmare needed to test her new situation carefully.

Bowser clicked his claws together with excitement. “Oh, good you figured me out. I want your help...”

“...to defeat Mario.”

> Race Against the Leaves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight was back in the Canterlot castle in her old room. A satisfied grin was painted on her face as she looked around the empty room. It still smelled of ancient books and ink, but it was also filled with memories. She savoured the recollections of hours upon hours spent with her muzzle in a book or listening to her teacher. Twilight could still remember Spike’s first steps, the sleepless nights under the covers with a book, and her first successful teleport spell. Those black stains were never completely scrubbed off the floor. That was her old life, and Ponyville was her new home, a new chapter in her life.

“Tell my family the news and that I love them, check. Said my goodbyes to my professor, check. Took all of my belongings out of my room, check.” Twilight looked around the room one more time. “Took care of Spike’s belongings, check. Told the Princess goodnight...no check.”

Princess Celestia just got her sister back from a thousand year long banishment; Twilight could safely guess that she would be busy with Luna. “It wouldn’t hurt say goodnight to both of them.”

A short trip through the castle led Twilight Sparkle to the door of Princess Celestia’s private room. The two guards did not blink as she approached. “Excuse me, is the Princess willing to see visitors?”

One of the guards smirked as his horn glowed, the door opened quietly. Twilight nodded her thanks as she trotted past them. Princess Celestia sat on a scarlet colored pillow in the middle of her large bedroom. “I was hoping to see you before you left, Twilight.”

Twilight bowed. “Thank you, I was expecting you to be with your sister.”

“She was exhausted and is currently resting in her room.” Celestia fanned out a wing. “Please come and sit by my side. This will be our last night together for a while. Please, I would love to hear more about your adventure.”

Twilight contained her joy as her eyes glimmered. She eagerly nestled next to her mentor. “I’d love to.” Twilight regaled to Celestia the tale of her journey with her new friends. She giggled when she remembered a particularly enjoyable moment and spoke faster about the tenser parts.

When Twilight was finished she nuzzled up her mentors neck and sighed. “Princess you told me that Mario is a Star Child. What is a Star Child?”

Princess Celestia gave her a bemused smile as she looked up her bookshelf. Her horn glowed as a book was pulled out from the top shelf. It was a well worn hardback with a simple star insignia on the cover. She opened the cobalt tome to a picture of a Power Star. “You saw the Power Star, what were you observations of it?”

“Well I didn’t get a chance to study it, but from first hoof account it is a powerful magic tool that can enhance or alter objects around it. It seems to be a neutral power in that anypony is capable of harnessing it.” Twilight explained.

“Very good, you have described it perfectly given the short time you had to observe it.” Twilight glowed under the praise of her mentor. “They are tools for harmony, they are found all over the universe to maintain peace. Equestria is blessed with two power stars and we safeguard them until the day they are needed. A Star Child is a being whose fate is intertwined with the Power Stars and the balance of harmony, Mario is one of the Star Children. They all don’t look like him though.”

“How many are there, and where do they come from?” Twilight’s eyes sparkled as her mind raced.

Celestia turned the pages to a picture of a soft blue alicorn with platinum blond mane. “This is Rosalina, the star mother and caretaker of the cosmos. Under her care, Lumas are raised until the time is right for them to turn into planets, galaxies, or Power Stars. The Star Children are born from the magic from Power Stars, and they have the power to change the balance of the Universe.”

“Are they all like Mario?” Twilight asked excitedly.

“I do not know, but I believe the project was under the supervision of the Star Princess.” Princess Celestia watched her student absorb the information like a dry sponge.

“Mario showed us his Luma companion, it was pretty cute.” Twilight sighed.

“The Star Princess cares for her Lumas as I care for my little ponies.” Celestia nuzzled her student before continuing. “Mario must have earned her trust if she is allowing one of her precious stars to be his partner.”

Twilight briefly glanced at the window and could have sworn that one of the stars twinkled a little brighter than the rest.

Equestrian Galaxy
Star 2: Race Against the Leaves

The Running of the Leaves, a grand race that ponies partook in to help the leaves fall off the trees. The spirit of competition was at an all time high during the autumn season, as friends and family challenged one another in a game of endurance and stubbornness. Emotions ran wild as the ponies’ competitive side started to wear on each other. It was no different in Ponyville as the local bullheaded residents playfully mocked their rivals. Serious business is serious business and these mares meant it. So much so the native stallions steered clear of the whole thing.

A strange cloud drifted over the starting line as the majority of the Ponyvillians gathered around. What made this cloud peculiar was that an earth pony and a young drake could be seen on it. It also had a simple childish smile drawn on the cloud’s face. Pinkie Pie and Spike prepped themselves for the commentary on the race.

Pinkie Pie rubbed her face into the fluffy cloud and sighed. Spike couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m glad Rainbow let us use Stratus. This guy is comfy.”

“I know right! He even comes with his own fishing reel and camera. It’s like he was born for this job.” Pinkie reached down and patted Stratus’ face.  “You are such a good cloud friend.” Stratus’ blush became a little redder as he soaked in the praise. He kept his happy go lucky smile as he swayed in the autumn breeze. Pinkie Pie got out her megaphone when an uneasy feeling crawled down her spine and her tail vibrated uncontrollably.

Spikes eyes widened as he pointed at her tail. “Your tail, that’s one that says something is about to fall on us!”

“Oh, it might be somepony’s petunias or a displaced aquatic mammal.” Pinkie and Spike craned their heads toward the sky. They could see a red speck that disrupted the atmosphere and parted the clouds. Pinkie took out a telescope three times larger than her and used it to get a better look.

“Well, what do you see?” Spike stared nervously at the object.

Pinkie’s face grew a grin that stretched across her face. “A friend!!!”

“You mean that alien guy?” Spike tugged on Pinkie’s mane. “Come on, give me something here.”

Pinkie Pie took out her party cannon from the cloud and fired it off. “Welcome to Ponyville, Mario!”

Mario found his reentry cluttered in a cloud of confetti. He waved at his friend. ‘When did they find a lakitu cloud?”



Welcome to the Galaxy!



It appeared that the entire town of Ponyville had come to this event. The pastel natives boasted a wide range of coat and mane colors that surpassed the natural warm hues of the trees. As Mario landed, the large crowd of ponies cheered loudly for him. The moment Mario touched the ground a faint ripple of magic pulsated throughout the land. Something had changed. Mario found himself greeted by three familiar faces. Rainbow Dash made sure to let him know she was there.

“Mario, you came back!” Rainbow Dash tackled the plumber. “It’s good to see you! You got a little confetti on your hat.”

Applejack trotted up to them. “Glad to have you back partner.”

“Mario! Mario, up here!” Pinkie Pie waved fervently. “Everypony I would like you all to meet...”

Mario quickly adjusted his hat then smiled. “It’s-a me, Mario!”

“That’s right everypony, Mario the superstar is back! This star trekking plumber has returned for excitement in Equestria.” Pinkie Pie called out into her megaphone.

“Hey Pinkie, could you tone down a little on the megaphone? Some pony’s drinks are cracking.” Spike held his hands over his head.

Twilight gave the luma a quick hug before it disappeared back under Mario’s hat. “It’s good to see you again, Mario.” She then leaned forward and whispered sharply. “Bowser is not back is he?”

Mario smiled and quickly shook his head no. “Just here to have fun.” Mario looked up at Spike and Pinkie Pie. “Where did you get a Lakitu cloud?”

“His name is Stratus!” Pinkie Pie called down. Stratus nodded in agreement. It probably waved at him as well.

Twilight looked up as Applejack snorted. “Is that what that cloud is? Rainbow found it one day and she uses it to travel whenever she’s feeling lazy.”

“Which is the majority of her time,” Applejack added, “Or when she wants to prank hardworking ponies.”

“Hey, that is one comfy cloud buddy.” Rainbow Dash wrinkled her snout. “Wait a moment, Mario are you interested in racing?”

“That’s actually why I’m-a here.” His reply was answered by a squeal of delight.

Rainbow hovered in the air as she pumped her hoof. “Great, this is going to be so fun.”

Mario felt magic around his hand. “Come on, let’s get you registered.” Twilight pulled him through large crowd. “This race is called the Running of the Leaves. We all run to help the leaves fall off the trees.”

Mario looked up at a tree full of autumn leaves. “They don’t fall off on their own?”

“Well they can, but they need some help to get started. Here we go.” Twilight dropped him in front of a surprised race attendant. “We have one more.”

“Um, well you are certainly different. No stranger then this green spotted egg that appeared when I wasn’t looking.” The attendant pointed to said egg. It rocked quietly and a small snore noise could be heard. Little ‘z’s floated into the air.

Twilight inspected the egg closely. “Is this a dragon egg?” The ponies around her gasped.

“No, actually this is my friend.” Mario quickly explained. He knocked on the egg with short quick raps. “Yoshi, are you in the mood for a race?”

The egg stopped its steady rock and cracks appeared. A green alien dinosaur exploded out of the egg. Yoshi cheered out with glee. “This is my friend, Yoshi.”

All the ponies stared slack jawed at the strange alien that had appeared in their midst. Rainbow circled over Yoshi. “Dude, you are friends with a dinosaur? That is so awesome.”

Rainbow landed in front of the dinosaur and stuck out a hoof. “Names Rainbow Dash, fastest pegasus in Equestria, and winner of the Iron Mare competition.”

Yoshi grabbed Rainbow’s hoof and shook it. “Yoshi!”

The pegasus tilted her head to the side and gave Mario a side-glance. “Can he talk?”

“In his own language, he knows a few words in this language, but he probably won’t use them.” Mario patted his green buddy on the back. “Also he is a dinosaur dragon.”

“Yoshi.” He nodded. The other ponies began to talk with one another as the surprise passed.

“Amazing, he looks nothing like our dinosaurs or dragons.” Twilight tapped on the red saddle Yoshi wore on his back. “Does he have the same diet as a normal dragon?”

Mario had a thin grin on his face. “You mean everything right?”

Just then Yoshi’s incredibly long tongue shot out and snagged an ice cream cone. He munched with a satisfied smile.  “Yoshi.”

Applejack blinked several times before her wits returned to her. “That is one long tongue.”

“Excuse me.” The attendant coughed. “Are you going to sign up?”

“Oh right sorry.” Mario scratched the back of his head.

“Name?”

Mario adjusted his cap but Twilight’s hoof blocked his mouth before he could say anything. “No, no more. His name is Mario and his partner is Yoshi.”

“Aw, I like to say my name.”

“Right then, here is your number.” Mario picked up the #51 paper.

“Is it because I’m-a alien?” He raised his eyebrow at the attendant as he pinned the race tag to his overalls.

“It’s just a number.” The attendant shrugged.

“Quite wasting time and get up here.” Rainbow tugged Mario and Yoshi toward the front of the line. “Your goal is second place so try your best.”

“Does that mean he’s going to beat you, Dash?” Applejack wryly answered. “Cause I recall you are still not allowed to use your wings.”

“Is that-a why you’re a little tied up?” Mario pointed towards the rode that wrapped around Rainbow’s torso which greatly restricted the pegasus’ wings.

She snorted and replied with a cocky grin. “We had a little competition that I totally sweep, but AJ here is mad because I used my wings a few times.”

“Try most of them; if she could get away with it she would fly this whole race.” AJ huffed as stretched out her limbs.

“Whatever, I’m a well-rounded top of the line athlete. I can still win.” Rainbow cracked her joints.

“This is exactly what we have to look forward to.” Twilight sighed. “They laughed at me for just attempting this.”

Rainbow elbowed Mario with a snicker. “She read a book on it.”

Twilight ignored her and continued to talk to Mario. “How about you two, do you guys run that much?”

Mario and Yoshi remembered how they plowed through kingdoms, raced through foggy forests, and traveled from planetoids to planetoids. “A little.”

“All right ponies and plumber riding the dinosaur, are you ready?” Pinkies Pie announced through megaphone and was greeted with a roar from the crowd.
        
Spike took out the fishing reel with a traffic light attached to it and lowered it down in front of the racers. They dug their hooves into the dirt expectantly as the first red light flashed. “On your mark.”

The second red light blinked to life and somepony sneezed. “Get set.”

Spike waited for the right moment. A bead of sweat formed on most of the pony racer’s forehead. Many of them tensed their muscles tightly. Rainbow stuck her tongue out at Applejack who narrowed her eyes in response. The light turned green. “Go!”

With that, everypony and dinosaur riding alien plumber dashed off. Yoshi was slightly faster than the average pony even with the extra load on his back, but not fast enough to outrun both Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Dust and leaves was left in their wake as the athletic ponies were neck and neck with one another. There was a rather large stampede behind them that shook the earth. Leaves peeled off the trees in a vortex of wind, and it looked like nature chased them down with a wave of oranges and yellows.

Yoshi pushed his legs hard as he pulled ahead of everyone. “Mario and Yoshi boost ahead with amazing speed outrunning all noses by a long-nose. At this rate the Running of the Leaves will be won by the way away team! Come on everypony, where is your sense of Equestrian pride? Don’t let these aliens show you all up!” Pinkie Pie waved her forearms wildly in the air with pom-poms in her hooves.

“Hey Pinkie.” Spike coughed to get her attention.

“Ya, Spike?” Oddly enough he succeeded.

“Do you see floating boxes on the racecourse?” Spike pointed to a row of said multi colored transparent boxes that blocked the road.

“I didn’t put those there did you?” Pinkie scratched her mane with her tail with a scrunched up face.

“As a famous farmer once said, ‘Eenope.’” Spike grinned.

Pinkie stuffed her hooves into Stratus and started to look for something. “Nope.” A poor pillow was evicted. “Not it.” A half full smoothie flew away. “Interesting, but no.” Out went the kitchen sink.

Spike tilted his head as the junk passed him by “Pinkie what are you looking for?”

“The manual that tells me what those things are.” Her pink rump was still high in the air as she wiggled around.

“Oh it’s right here.” Spike pulled Pinkie’s tail out of the cloud and pointed her head right at it.

“Of course it would on the dashboard.” Pinkie yanked it open and flipped through the pages rapidly.

Spike laughed. “Oh I get it. Stratus belongs to Rainbow Dash so you call it a Dashboard.”

Pinkie looked up from the book wide eyed. “Oh…huh I didn’t mean to make that. Well let’s call the Dashie board and move on.” Pinkie threw open the book to the exact page she wanted. “When making a teeheespresso you need to blend woo and hee beans and th—hey!”

Spike gave Pinkie a flat look as he turned the page to the right one. “Item boxes contain random items that racers can use to aid them in their competition.”

“Oh this is going to be fun!” Pinkie leaned forward as Stratus tilted down. “Mario and Yoshi hit their first box to get their super duper special item…a banana peel.” The disappointment in her voice was palatable.

Down on the track, Rainbow Dash focused on the strange boxes. “I have the strangest urge to run into those.”

“What are you babbling about?” Applejack rolled her eyes. Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, but simply allowed herself to hit the strange translucent box. It shattered into nothingness, poor Rainbow was confused when it did little.

“Well that was a whole lot of nothing.” Applejack retorted. Just then a green shell appeared around Rainbow Dash. “Or maybe not.”

“Hey this is one those shells that those Koopas have.” Rainbow Dash watched as it hovered next to her. “I wonder what it does?” 

As an answer to her question the shell launched in front of her like a bullet. It ricocheted off the trees which left behind dents in the bark, and rebounded back to them. With surprised squeals, Applejack and Rainbow Dash dodged out of the way. They looked behind them and witnessed Rainbow’s impromptu weapon crash into somepony.

“No not turtle shells, my one weakness!”

“Good job Rainbow, you just hit somepony.” Applejack glared at her.

Rainbow Dash didn’t respond as she nervously gulped. “Hey, AJ.”

“Now, what’s the matter...oh.” Applejack glanced back to witness that the other racers had also gathered power-ups like Rainbow did. A storm of projectiles and magic powers chased after them from the confused ponies that wielded them.

“Wow wee, look at all these ponies move. Things are getting all kinds of crazy down here.” Pinkie Pie snorted with laughter. “Daisy looks a little freaked out with her items.”

“Why are there three red turtle shells surrounding me!?” Daisy started to panic as the red shells encroached upon her. “This is awful. Somepony help me, get these horrible things away!” The moment Daisy started to pointless flick her hooves at her shells she accidentally activated them, all of them. The three shells plowed ahead of her and focused on a single target, Lyra Heartstrings.

“No, no, no, no!” Lyra’s legs blurred as she tried desperately to escape. “I just wanted to meet the alien!” It was far too late for Lyra.

Daisy passed up the shell-shocked Lyra with an astonished look before an evil grin crossed her face. “Well maybe they aren’t so bad.”

“Oooo, that looked painful.” Spike winced with sympathy. “Not that it matters Lyra is already up and galloping away. Looks like all these items do is knock you to the side, but no pony gets hurt.”

“Hey Spike, did you know that mushrooms can be used for speed?” Pinkie Pie swooped in low above the racers. Stratus’ grin grew as they got closer to the racers. “If you didn’t Golden Harvest can sure tell you now.”

Poor Golden Harvest was blessed with a Golden Mushroom. A regular Mushroom gave you a speed boost. A Golden Mushroom is the speed boost that keeps giving. Applejack and Rainbow Dash watched with jaws dropped as Golden Harvest speed past them and their pride went with her.

“Too fast. TOO FAST!” Golden Harvest continued to wail long after she passed them up and bumped Mario and Yoshi off the tracks.

Pinkie Pie munched on popcorn at the mad display of chaos and terror below her. “Neat.” She popped another kernel into her muzzle.

“Hi Pinkie!” A deep voice greeted her. Pinkie Pie and Spike looked over and noticed a giant Derpy who stared straight around them. “I’m huge now!”

“That you are.” Spike gulped. Derpy squeed and frolicked on with graceful skips. The earth shook in her wake and there were no survivors.

In all this madness, Applejack slipped on a banana. Yup, a banana. Who saw that coming? The herd of racers passed her up leaving Applejack covered in a pile of leaves. Applejack groaned as she pulled herself out of her pile of misery.

“Applejack, are you ok?” Twilight trotted up next to her friend.

“Sugarcube, what the hay is going on?” Applejack kicked the banana perpetrator away.

“I’m not really sure. It feels like a strange magic is at play here.” Twilight inspected the strange box as it floated in front of her. “Maybe Mario is responsible for this.”

“That would be a fair guess.” An arm popped out of a pile of leaves as Mario and Yoshi pulled themselves up. “We got flattened by the large grey pegasus.”

Applejack stomped up to Mario and looked at him square in the eye. “All right, is this your work?”

Mario chuckled nervously as he scratched his head. “Well, I am familiar with these boxes, but this was not my intention bringing this stuff with me.”

“We were supposed to have a straightforward race so I could prove to I am faster than Rainbow without her wings.” Applejack slid her hat over her eyes and groaned. “This has turned out fantastic.”

“Hey Mario.” Twilight spoke up. “I got this strange shell. What does it do?”

Mario, Yoshi, and Applejack looked up. Twilight had a blue spiky shell around her. “I saw what the other shells did, but this one seems much more dangerous.”

“Wait, Twilight don’t throw it!” Mario reached out the moment Twilight accidentally launched her blue shell. The winged beast of terror flew ahead at speeds that Rainbow Dash would have been impressed with. It passed up several racers.

“I’m confused, what is it go—“A massive blue explosion shut Twilight up quickly. Leaves blew off their trees thanks to the powerful force. The shockwave domed over the area that the shell attacked before it dissipated into nothingness. They gaped in horror for a few moments. Twilight was speechless as Applejack came back to her senses.

“Come on somepony might be hurt.” Twilight nodded as they took off and passed up several stunned ponies. They reached the crater and peered inside.

“Oh my gosh! I am so sorry, are you ok?” Twilight squeaked when she realized she had hit a pony. 

Bon Bon looked up with fire in her eyes. She did not look pleased as she stomped the ground. “That was you!? I was in first place until you blew me up. Curse you, Sparkle!”

A competitive growl followed as Applejack nudged Twilight along. “She’s fine. Just gallop and you’ll be fine too. Don’t let her catch you!”

The steady pace that Twilight had planned for herself fled her mind as green shells torpedoed after her. Mario and Yoshi ran by, guilty looks painted their faces. “Momma mia.”

***

Rainbow had finally secured first place. The items the other racers had gave her a headache, but Rainbow Danger Dash was not about to let some silly pony with a turtle shell beat her. “Still I wonder where Applejack went. Sure I’m going to beat her, but I rather it be a little close.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I’ll see you at the finish line!” Applejack surfed past her on a green shell.

“Hey you can’t do that!” Rainbow picked up the pace and turned her head back to yell at Mario. “Is she allowed to do that?”

“I’ve done it-a before.” Mario answered as he took out a mushroom. “By the way you want to move.”

Rainbow yelped as she jumped up. Mario and Yoshi zoomed under her and left her in a dust cloud. Dash coughed as the dust settled. “Fine then if you want to play it that way. I’ll get my own stupid item.”

She got a banana peel. “Really. I mean really.” Dash rolled her eyes as she tossed it behind. Which Lyra slipped on.

“There they go! The plumber and the farmer have overtaken Rainbow and are nose to noses again! You know Spike, Mario’s hat has an amazing ability of staying on his head no matter how fast he is going. I bet Mario has some sort of crazy magical alien powers that allow him to keep his hat wherever he goes, or he is under a contract to wear it all the time to represent a giant corporation that makes money from his exploits.” Pinkie Pie prattled away nonsensically.

“Wha...” Spike was at a loss for words, the pink pony talked absurdity. 

“Don’t think about it too hard.” Pinkie patted him on the head.

Rainbow Dash pushed herself as she galloped after Applejack. That turtle coasting farmer was not about to best her. “Wait I think I hear barking. Did somepony bring their dog?”

“Rainbow, there is a Chain Chomp behind you, run!” Spike screamed out.

“What the hay is a Chain Chomp.” She glanced behind and saw teeth, rows of sharp pointy white teeth that bore down on her. She now had the motivation to surpass Applejack.

Which she did easily. “Oh my gosh please don’t eat me! I’m part rainbow so I taste really spicy!”

Mario, Yoshi, Rainbow, and Applejack tried their best to stay away from the beast. “Ah don’t think we’re goin’ to make it!”

“We only have-a one option.” Mario gulped. “Jump into the ditch.”

“It won’t stop! Bad boy, down, sit, play dead. Help, somepony!” The pony known as Lemon Hearts was dragged along behind her new unwanted pet. The black ball with shiny teeth playfully bounced on ahead with no real regards to his owner or any other pony ahead of him. It wasn’t long before the chain broke and the Chain Chomp bounded away, unaware of his new found freedom. Lemon Hearts panted on the dirt road with only the chain as a reminder of her short time as a dog owner. “Never again.”

Our heroes peeked out of the ditch and carefully climbed out. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared at the carefree Chain Chomp as it frolicked playfully over the hills beyond their sight. Rainbow Dash tilted her head as the gears slowly cranked in her head. Applejack smacked her lips, she had no word.

“So that-a happened, yes.” Mario forced a smile. He winced when they glared at him.

Rainbow’s pondering, an extremely rare for her (like an extinct species suddenly discovered to be alive), was immediately destroyed when a seizure inducing kaleidoscope unicorn, also known as Twilight Sparkle, rammed into them. 

“I feel powerful!” Her maniacal laughter lingered after her.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash groaned from the ditch that they found themselves in again. “Nope, don’t care anymore.”

10 seconds earlier

Twilight calmly trotted down the track with a bemused expression. The race became completely insane, but nopony had actually been injured; dizzied and extremely frustrated to the point they frothed at the mouth (though that was mostly Lyra), but fine nonetheless. “Mario what kind of magic do you have to do all this?”

“These ‘item boxes’ are very curious indeed.” Twilight poked one with her hoof. It shattered as a roulette of items scrolled over her head. It finally stopped with a ding. “A star? Is it like a Power Star or perhaps a weaker version? I should find Mario and ask him.”

Twilight picked up her pace and galloped after him. She instinctively tried to grab the star with her telekinesis. It glowed briefly before it activated its power. Twilight’s coat was now a coat of many colors, surely the envy of everypony everywhere. She made Rainbow Dash look monochrome now. Twilight glowed with pure energy as magic sparks sparkled off Ms. Sparkle.

‘Wow, this feels different.’ Twilight’s perked up as her personality started to glow. ‘I feel like I have so much energy. This is amazing. I don’t think anything can stop me.’ Twilight started to laugh to herself. She pushed herself harder as she easily passed the other racers. ‘Look at me go now. I bet I can beat Applejack and Rainbow now. In fact, I think I will! Tell me that I’m not athletic enough to run this race! I’ll show them what I can do! Call me an egghead why don’t they huh? Nothing can stop me, NOTHING!’

At that moment Twilight ran over an athlete, a farmer, a plumber, and a dinosaur. “I feel powerful!”

Applejack jumped back out of the ditch with a ferocious growl. “Oh no you don’t! Get your city slicker tail back here! Rainbow don’t you dare give up just because this race has gotten dumb.”

“I’m not giving up.” Rainbow chased after her. “I just decided that if today was not going to take itself seriously then neither will I.”

Mario and Yoshi lagged behind them. They slightly slowed down to acknowledge Twilight, who in all their gusto Rainbow and AJ easily missed her. She gasped for breath on the side of the road as her sides heaved harshly. “You-a going to be ok?”

“Ran—weeze—harder than(cough) than I should.”

“Those things-a don’t usually last long. First time is always a hard crash.” Yoshi shrugged as he continued to carry Mario along.

Pinkie, Spike and Stratus floated overhead. “Twilight Sparkle’s sparkly Super Star spanned several seconds as she sprinted swiftly past sixth.”

“Really Pinkie, alliteration? What is this, a book?” Spike groaned as he rubbed the frustration away from his eyes.

“Oh don’t be down Spike, this has been the bestest and most funnest Running of the Leaves since ever.” Pinkie Pie clopped her hooves joyfully over Spike’s inner objections to her butchered Equestrian language. Stratus bobbed up and down in agreement, though really this was his first Running of the Leaves so he really didn’t know better. He’s just cool like that.

“It is certainly making an impression on our alien visitor.” Spike pointed to Mario and Yoshi as they jumped over another banana. “Mario and Yoshi tend to stick really close to each other.”

“Yes they stick together like a fly to flypaper, birds to bird feeders, plumbers to mushrooms; they are inseparable.” Pinkie Pie stomped her hooves together to punctuate her point. “What do you think of our silly little alien, Spike?”

“Well I approve of the mustache.”

Now for something completely different.

“Behold the classic example of predator and unaware prey in their unnatural environment. Our first subject, the unicorn Equis aquamareus frustrasa. We shall call this specimen, Lyra Heartstrings. Our prey is the hominid Suprus plumbersa, he shall be known as Mario. The Lyra is currently on the hunt for her prey. Months of careful preparations have now come down to this encounter. The arrival of the second alien dinosaur only made her salivary glands go overboard.”

“Bonny, please stop narrating. I’m trying to concentrate.” Lyra tried to hush her sister as Bon Bon teased her. “Somewhere you are making a Taxonomist cry. Though now because of this alien dinosaur I have a whole slew of new questions to ask. Is it in a symbiotic relationship with Mario? Do they live in the same environment? If one crosses the road will the other follow?”

“You’re not going to catch him. This race has pretty much insured nothing will go the way you want it.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes. 

“Shells, bananas, and crazy barking balls are not going to stop me!” Lyra eyed the item box she closed in on. “I just need to get lucky and he’s mine.” 

“What are even going to do when you catch him?” Bon Bon asked as she acquired a particularly large banana item with an angry face. “Darn, I wanted to be big, not get a giant banana.”

“Come on lucky role. Momma needs some speed.” Lyra looked up at the new item that appeared over her head. “Oh no...”

“Well that looks familiar.” Bon Bon watched as the happy faced thunder cloud appeared over Lyra’s head. It sparked with energy as it threatened to strike with lightning. “Just like when you wouldn’t stop pestering Rainbow Dash about that alien.”

“I wasn’t pestering her!” Lyra yelled as she galloped faster than ever before.

“Yes you were.” Bon Bon watched with mild amusement as Lyra escaped. “Well I guess that cloud does make you go faster. All it takes is a little motivation; maybe I should bring one home to help encourage her to do the chores.”

Lyra went faster than she had ever gone before; she passed up the majority of the racers with ease. The speed was unreal, the cloud wasn’t there to attack her, but it gave her a speed boost. Lyra wasn’t sure how that worked, but it should be enough to catch Mario. She spotted on his mighty dinosaur-dragon-lizard (whatever it was) steed. She closed in on him, victory was in reach. 

‘Just a little more.’ Than the rational side of her mind decided it was a good time to remind her of something important that hovered over her head. It is all about timing.

A lightning bolt struck from the thundercloud and gave Lyra a good jolt. She yelped out as the energy run through her. Then everything, for some reason, started to get bigger. A miniature Lyra screeched a squeaky roar in frustration when she realized she was no bigger than a half pint.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack carefully maneuvered around Lyra. “So Rainbow I have a question. Do lightning bolts usually make a pony really tiny?”

“Eenope. Pretty sure it’s just for today. Oh by the way, you should dodge now.”

“I don’t see—“ Applejack was cut off by six red turtle shells from behind. She tumbled backwards as the herd of racers overtook her. To add insult to injury a star powered invincible Derpy Hooves ran Applejack over.

Applejack crashed into last place. She flicked her hat up and cracked some joints. “Is that how it is then?” Her item dinged and a bolt of lightning flickered in her hooves. “Try this out these apples.” 

“Yeehaw!” A lightening storm blew through the racers’ ranks inflicting the small status aliment. They all scattered when the normal sized Applejack ran through them.

“Aw, how adorable. They’re all itty bitty little ponies now. This has been the most interesting Running of the Leaves in Equestria history. Explosions everywhere, flying fruit, and amazing aliens; this race has it all. Who knows who is going to win this race.” Pinkie Pie sipped ferociously from a smoothie cup before she tossed it back on the on-cloud cup holder.

“The finish line is really close now so this will all be over soon.” Spike nodded as he guzzled his ruby smoothie. “Thanks to all that lightning Applejack is in the lead and Mario lost Yoshi.”

“He’s a tight spot for sure, but with the way things are anything can go!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed as she threw her forelegs up.

“No, not the smoothie!”

Mario struggled to maintain third place. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were faster than him and the items thrown around did not help.

“Ghaa!” Twilight screamed out. She materialized next to Mario in a hazy white fog. Twilight was pale like she had seen a ghost. “I can still feel that chill inside me. Boos are so wrong!”

“You got the Boo item then?” Mario sighed as he noticed the librarian kept up with him easily.

“Those beady black eyes, that outrageous oversized tongue, the soul piercing stare. I don’t like ghosts.” The color slowly returned to Twilight as her breathing leveled out.

“At least it-a protected you from the lightning right?” Mario offered a false positive.

“I never wanted to see Applejack like that ever again. She went through me and I saw…everything.” Twilight whimpered.

Mario patted her back. “Its fine the race is almost over and we won’t do this again. Hey, Twilight do these leaves contain magic?” Mario held up an orange leaf in his left hand.”

“Everything in Equestria has a little bit of magic in it. Why?” Twilight raised an eyebrow as Mario twirled the leaf in his hand.

“Just an idea I have, by the way what item did the Boo steal for you?”

“This bullet thing. I remember Pinkie telling me about them the last time you were here.” The item glowed. “Let’s try it out!”

“Wait Twilight, not-a yet!” Mario yelped as his friend turned into a giant ballista right behind him. He jumped up in the air and landed on the Twilight turned Bullet Bill backwards. He waved bye to the racers behind him. His ride carried him far as he held on for his dear life. “Dash, AJ, move out way-a!”

The two ponies dodged as Twilight reformed back into her lavender unicorn body. She tumbled forward at the momentum from her previous rocket form continued to carry her. “Whoa! Slow down, slow down!”

She face planted into the ground, a lovely pile of leaves settled down on her. She felt a pair of hooves grab her and pulled her up. “You ok there Twili?”

“Just a little dizzy, thanks AJ.” The stars continued to spin in her vision. “Where did Mario go?”

“That is so not fair.” A disgruntled Rainbow Dash stared up into the sky with her jaw opened. “He’s flying!”

Twilight and Applejack looked up and sure enough Mario was high in the sky next to Pinkie, Spike, and Stratus. “How is he doing that? I don’t see any wings on him.”

“It doesn’t matter all he’s doing is going up.” Applejack shrugged. Out of all the crazy things that happened in this race, one more was not about to faze her.

“Oh I know exactly what he’s doing.” Rainbow Dash stomped her front hooves. “He’s gaining altitude so he can dive. He’ll be really fast when he does.”

“Shoot! Gotta get goin’ then, later you two!” Applejack zoomed off.

Dash followed a tail length behind her. “I don’t think so.”

Twilight blew a leaf out of her mane before she galloped after them. “Fourth place doesn’t sound bad.”

The crowd of ponies at the finish line cheered them on as they reached the final stretch.  Twilight smiled a winded smile, but she was very content. Granted she will be mollified at what happened later when she caught her breath, but that was future Twilight’s agenda. This race was weird. A sudden blue streak blew Twilight’s mane in her face.

Twilight quickly shook the offending hair strands and saw a blue shell. Her eyes widen when she noticed that both Applejack and Rainbow Dash jostled one another for first place right next to each other. “Dash, AJ, look ou…ouch.”

The crowds of ponies were silent as the blue explosion shook the earth. Twilight trotted next to the crater and peered down. A blue and orange hoof shot up. “We’re ok.”

Everypony breathed a sigh of relief as they crawled out of the pit. “Thanks for waiting for us Twilight. Though this does mean you lost your chance to win.”

“Well given that I am standing on the other side of the finish line.” Twilight pointed the finish line that the she stood behind and they were centimeters from. “I say I’m doing fine.”

“By the way you two tied third.” Rainbow and AJ glanced down; their hooves both touched the finish line at the exact same time.

Rainbow tilted her head and slowly looked back up at Twilight. Her eyes hazed over with disappointment. “Let me guess you got first.”

“Nope, you were right he dived right through the finish line the moment you two were hit.” Mario slowly slinked his way next to Twilight. “By the way Mario how in Equestria were you flying? All I see on you is a new pair of raccoon ears and tail.”

“I can-a fly with my tail.” Mario spoke plainly.

Rainbow and Applejack shared a pensive glare before they just collapsed back into the hole. “This whole thing has been one crazy rat race.”

“Tell me about it.” Rainbow twitched awkwardly. “Do you feel like we should have learned a valuable life lesson through all of this?”

“Neigh.” Applejack covered her face with her hat.

“You.” Twilight poked Mario’s round belly. “How is it possible to fly with a tail?”

“Magic leaves.” Mario stared at her blankly before he grinned.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “I’m going to take you back to my lab an—Princess so good to see you!”

“Twilight what has happened here?” Twilight looked out at the racecourse. Trees turned over, smoke rose from behind hills, and a giant toothy ball barked in the forest.

Everypony pointed at Mario. The simultaneous synchronized flick of all their rainbow limbs made him flinched. Mario turned a little red as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it seemed I carried a little bit of-a home with me today.”

Celestia’s lip curled ever so slightly, but to everyone else around her she remained stoic. “I must ask you to not do this again. It seemed my ponies were a little overeager with your home’s magic.”

“I didn’t wish to do it this-a time, but I will try to be more careful.” Mario nodded.

“That is all I ask. Now then here is your prize for winning the Running of the Leaves.” Princess Celestia’s horn glowed brightly as a Power Star. The Star swirled around Mario rapidly as it carried him up.

“Objection!” Pinkie Pie called out from Stratus. She leaped out and grabbed Mario by his shoes. “Everypony that comes through Ponyville must be required to attend their welcome party! You’ve been here twice buster.”

“I’ve not been to Ponyville.” Mario answered.

Pinkie Pie raised a hoof to counter, but stopped mid action. “Hey Applejack, are we in Ponyville?”

“A mile out of the border, Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie snapped her hoof in disappointment.

“Well then I’ll just have to drag you there.” Pinkie tugged down as they continued to drift higher. “Why aren’t you cooperating?”

“Sorry?” Mario raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. “Gotta go with the Star.”

“B-b-but we have cake.” Pinkie’s lower lip trembled as a tear formed in her eye. She should have known better.

“Cake.” Mario’s mustache twitched as his eyes went blank. “You just said cake. Give me the cake!” Mario struggled valiantly against his oppressive sparkly jailer. “No, please let us stay awhile. They got cake!” Pinkie Pie was caught off guard by Mario’s reaction and slipped. “First place was not worth it!”

Pinkie Pie landed on Stratus with a soft plop. All the ponies in the area watched the mad alien ascend to the heavens as he screamed sorely about missed dessert. The star burned brighter as they disappeared from sight. They could still hear him call out for the sweet treat.

“Wow, he really wanted some cake.”

***

Energy sparked violently everywhere. A lone Koopa, Koopla, dressed in a lab coat waddled around the science equipment with about as much grace as a ballerina hippo. Ominous purple magic suffocated any light the electric volts gave off. All this energy was channeled into a small golem in the center of the room. Runes and manufactured ley-lines covered the dead machine; wires could be seen coiled around all four legs. A clear crystal orb protruded out of the chest ready to absorb any power given to it. Above this mechanical creation awaited its owner, Nightmare Moon. She waited in the safety of her glass prison for her new body to be ready.

The Koopa looked up at her with a quick glance. Ghostly white eyes glared at him and an ominous hiss encouraged him to work faster. He pushed buttons and turned dials with clumsy precision. The atmosphere was chilled to the core and the Koopa could see his own breath. Odd as he is essentially a giant reptile. Science marched on.

Koopla grunted as he attached the last power clamp on the golem. “Everything’s ready.”

“Proceed.” Nightmare Moon whispered sternly.

Koopla hopped over the congested wires, he made his way to the large lever in the back on the room behind several powerful magic/energy barriers. He was not about to take any chances, but even so Koopla made a will and testament just in case. Everything goes to his pet turtle.

Nightmare Moon watched as the Koopa gripped the unnecessarily large ‘ON’ switch. She mentally prepared herself for what would most likely be a very painful experience. She was about to transfer her essence into a new body. Nightmare Moon clinched her eyes shut and waited...and waited.

‘What is taking so long?’ She opened her eyes again to see what took the Koopa so long. She groaned as he fruitlessly reached for the handle of the switch. Why was the switch too large for their workers to use? Koopla stopped his pointless endeavor and rubbed his head in frustration.

Nightmare Moon couldn’t help but be amused by Koopla’s struggle. Then he did something that would have made her metaphorical jaw drop. The giant turtle took off his shell and used it to boost his height.

“Did you just take off your shell!?” Nightmare Moon gapped. Turtle shells were supposed to be attached to the creature’s spine.

“Err, ya.” Koopla gave her a confused look.

“H-ho...Never mind, just continue.” Nightmare Moon felt a headache about to form, despite the fact that she didn’t have a head at the moment.

Koopla grabbed the mighty switch and with a stressed heave, threw the lever down. Energy immediately coursed through the room and then promptly died. The entire room went dark.

“I can fix it! Hold on.” Koopla yelled in the darkness as he fumbled around. Nightmare Moon sighed as she watched him trip over cable after cable to the fuse box. “I just forgot to unplug the coffee maker. That thing always draws more power than it needs.”

“I haven’t seen you drink any coffee.” Nightmare Moon growled.

“It’s mostly for aesthetic purposes really. Makes the lab look more labyish. I’m more of a tea turtle myself. It’s also for any guests that we might have. Which reminds me.” Koopla turned back around with a full cup of Joe. “Would you like some?” He mostly got an angry glare.

“Well?” He pressed.

“Yes, just go ahead and waddle over here and give me a drink, wait I can’t because I’m stuck in this glass orb and I don’t have a body!” The room shook as she yelled. 

Koopla shrugged and threw the cup behind him. “Suit yourself. It’s good coffee.”

“You said you don’t drink coffee.”

“Meh.”

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes as he reached the fuse switch. ‘This is it.’ 

She felt the tinge of energy reignite the air and something began to pull at her. The nearby Power Star activated and its warm glow soothed Nightmare’s worries. It was a false hope, for as soon as she was comfortable a searing pain coursed through her. Nightmare opened her eyes with a strained gasp. Her vision was blinded by an array of indescribable hallucinations. The brightness hurt her eyes and she closed them again. Something wrapped around Nightmare Moon’s form and constricted. The pressure felt like it was choking the life out of her. Nightmare’s mind reeled in pain as it melted into mush.

Then it stopped.

Nightmare Moon could feel something. The floor was tangible. The room felt warm. The air...well the air kind of burnt her nostrils. Not an unwelcomed feeling, it only proved that the procedure was successful and her body worked so far. Water from sprinklers rained down on her. Nightmare’s eyes fluttered opened, she could now see through physical eyes.

The room was covered in a fog of smoke. Purple flames flickered on the walls and ceilings while burnt wires sparked dangerously. Koopla lay on the opposite side of the room with dizzy eyes. A perfect imprint of him was on the ashy wall behind him.

Koopla suddenly shot up with a wild grin on his face. “I’m ok!”

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. “Of course you are.”

Koopla slowly made his way back to her and started to remove the restraints. “All this precious expensive science equipment is now fried. I say this was fairly successful.”

Nightmare Moon stretched her limbs with a restrained moan. It felt good to be back in a body, even if it was a bit stiff. Something felt off though. “Why aren’t my wings working?”

Koopla looked up from his work with a confused expression. He looked at the stubborn appendages as they wiggled in place. He poked a wing with his little finger. “Hmm, the nervous system hasn’t booted up yet. Time for a good ol’ wakeup call!”

“A wake wha—“An electric jolt went through her systems. Her wings sprang open to attention and, at the same time, smacked Koopla across the room. Nightmare Moon steadied herself from the sudden surprise and looked over wings. “A little bigger than my older ones.”

“And fluffier!”

“Wings don’t have fur you imbecile.”

“Woops, guess we messed up.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes got wide and did a double take. Slowly she turned her head back to Koopla with a frosty glare. “Not funny.”

Koopla snickered before he went towards the door. “Come on, you need to get a physical done.”

Nightmare Moon sneered as she took her first step, and tripped. An angry growl escaped her lips as Koopla helped her back up. “This body better not be defective.”

“That’s what the physical is for. Think of it like trying on new shoes. You like shopping for shoes right? Well horseshoes in your case, but it like that is beside the point. We can get you some shoes after this...” Koopla continued to clamor on as he assisted Nightmare Moon out of the room. She had long learned to tune him out when he started to ramble. Still the body started to become more comfortable as she trotted down the hallway.

She will be back for Equestria soon enough.

> Night at the Gala
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Now hold completely still while I take your picture.” The Koopa told Nightmare Moon as he pointed his camera at her. “If you get caught wandering the universe without your passport you might get deported.”

“Such a waste of time.” Nightmare Moon hissed as starry void leaked from the corners of her mouth.

A brief flash of light dazed the spirit. “Got it. We’ll send it to you when the picture is ready.”

“Very well, now where you is your King?” Nightmare Moon growled as her star mane whipped around the room.

“Up on deck your darkliness. He’s getting ready to move the fleet out of the quadrat.” Another Koopa answered her.

“What!? What is that buffoon doing?” She turned incorporeal and vanished up through the ventilation.

The small bale of Koopas gathered around the camera Koopa. “Can’t believe she fell for that.”

That Koopa was smacked over the head. “Don’t say that out loud. She could hear you.”

“So you’re going to add this to your collection of girls you met across the galaxy?”

The photographer smiled. “Yup, right next to that pink one that beat us all up with my shell.”

“Cool, the mane of that Nighttime Loon moves in the photo. Spooky.”

---

Up on the deck, the enormous Koopa King sat on his throne of power as he fiddled mindlessly with his industrial size smoothie. He had emptied it in one slurp. Sometimes size is a nuisance.

“Maybe if I build a new galaxy class cruiser to carry my drink around.”

The magic Koopa by his side looked up as he wrote down orders. “So basicly a cup holder your gnarliness?”

“Koopa King!” A familiar voice wailed like a banshee. “What is this I hear that we are leaving!?”

The room darkened as the gaseous form of Nightmare Moon flowed in. Bowser raised an eyebrow. “Here I thought you would be happy with a new body? What’s your problem?”

“You are leaving Equestria.” She growled as her body reformed. Though much smaller than Bowser, she still had a presence that made the Koopas and Goombas shudder.

“Ya, why would we stay? You got your tail handed to you so we are going somewhere else so we can plan our next move.” Bowser leaned on his arm as boredom creeped across his face.

“Retaking Equestria should be our first agenda.”

“Not interested.” Bowser shrugged. “Lost a Power Star, Mario is still there, and now they have both princesses. As awesome as I am I rather not tempt it.”

“It will not get easier if you wait.” Nightmare Moon fumed at his thoughtlessness.

“If Mario was taken care of then we can take Equestria as well as the other places, but until then we have to keep the pressure on that annoying plumber.” Bowser crushed his cup as he slammed his fist down. “I have to keep an eye on super idiot or he’ll destroy everything. He defeated you after all.” Bowser’s growl rumbled throughout the room.

Nightmare’s eyes flickered for a moment. The brute had a point, but she had no desire to leave. “I have an idea.”

Bowser snorted hot steam from his nostrils. “Well this is going to be priceless.”

“We can’t invade if they have the Elements of Harmony, both of the princess usurpers, and him, but what if we chipped away at their power?”

Bowser rotated his hand for her to make her point. “When you rescued me I took almost all of Luna’s power. Power which she has to recover over a period of time.”

The Koopa King raised an eyebrow. “Are you implying what I think you are implying. Because if you are implying that you are about to make me a very happy Koopa.”

With a burst of speed Nightmare Moon flew up and landed in Bower’s open palm. With evil grins on both of their faces they continued that train of thought. “We kidnap the Princess.”

“You know exactly how to speak my language!” Bowser’s full body laugh answered Nightmare’s own sinister chortle. “I am an expert in princess kidnapping. If there is one thing I am pure 100% awesome at is princess nabbing. I’ve turned it into an art.”

“Perfect. Let us scheme.”

--

“A huge spike in enemy activity, Mario!” Lubba told Mario as the plumber prepared for his next trip. “The monster is actually there this time.” The luma’s shuddered at the mention of Bower.

Mario hummed as he rubbed his chin. He stepped towards the navigational controls to ready himself. “Let’s a-go.” The magic slingstar threw Mario into the starry void. The little lumas waved bye to the plumber as he disappeared from view. Stars, nebulae, and planets all zoomed past him as he closed in.

‘There is the fleet of airships.’ The standard armada of Bower’s forces converged on the planet. Mario flew past Equus’ moon as an ominous dark aura covered it. A shadowy appendage reached out for him, but was thankfully too slow as he slipped by. ‘What was that!?’

Mario broke through the atmosphere as his path took him away from Ponyville, and towards a castle on a mountain side. A display of fireworks lit up the sky with a multitude of colors, as a dozen airships descended from above. One ship happened to be in Mario’s path.

Koopas and goombas busied themselves on the deck as they prepared to attack. A heavy thump jostled them out of their routine. “Hey did we hit somet...oh. Of all the luck.” On board, Mario cracked his knuckles. “Get him!”

Down on the ground, an alarm screeched out as the ponies became aware of the intruders above them. Then the cannonballs started to rain. Civilians ran for cover as the guards rallied together. Some shots managed to hit their target as random ponies were solidified in crystal prisons.

Princess Celestia stood on her balcony as the storm approached. “This army was in Twilight’s report from that night. Get the barrier up now.”

“Yes, Princess.” A guard answered as he galloped away.

“Raven, tell our guests that the Gala is postponed until further notice and to remain here in the castle until the invaders are repelled.” Celestia watched as the magic purple barrier formed around her city. Cannonballs exploded off the surface harmlessly much to her relief.

Her secretary cleared her throat. “Your student is here as well with her friends.”

Celestia sighed and closed her eyes as the barrier finished being created. “Bring them here please.”

“Princess!”

“Never mind then.” Princess Celestia turned around with her signature disarming warm smile. “My faithful student, thank you for coming.”

Twilight quickly bowed then zipped to her teacher’s side. “Those are the same ships we faced in the Everfree Forest.”

“Thankfully, there is less fire this time.” Rainbow twitched when she remembered how close she was to being roasted.

“The barrier will hold against their bombardment my ponies. Do not worry.” Celestia looked back up towards the armada above them as they fruitless attacked the shield.

“That one is new.” Pinkie squeaked out. “It looks like a giant flying plate with a bunch of flashy lights.”

The unidentified flying object slowly cruised over the castle. The slick silver machine stopped as the multicolored lights glowed brighter. It slowly became louder as the lights converged onto the round lens at the center. Twilight gulped as the alien sound stopped. “Um, what is it ab--.”

A bright red laser shot out followed by a sonic boom. The ponies looked away as the night sky lit up brighter than the morning sun. Energy drilled into the shield as cracks started to appear all over the protective spell. With one last blinding flash, the shield shattered as the laser dissipated. The ponies slowly returned their gaze as the horror set in.

“P-princess, what should we do now.” Applejack held on to her hat tightly for assurance. “Think it’s a good time to get the Elements?”

Celestia firmly nodded. “Go now. I will follow you shortly.”

Pinkie’s tail started to vibrate. “Ooooh, I think something big is about to happen.”

“No duh Pinky.” Rainbow snarked harshly. “That thing is about to fire off another beam...hey what’s up with that airship?”

“I do believe it is falling.” Fluttershy answered. “And it is very much on fire.” 

Said airship continued it’s path of destruction as pieces of it exploded. The smoking warship plummeted at high speeds, straight into the giant UFO. The alien spaceship fought to correct the sudden loss in altitude, but failed under the weight of the other ship. An explosion from the airship connected with the UFO and a chain reaction was sparked. The laser at the bottom of the machine fired one last time in a desperate attempt to ward off excess energy and hit the castle. The ship failed to account that it was flipped on one side as the weapon fired right into other airships.

The ponies stayed silent for a moment.

“Wow.”

“Ya, I have to agree with you there Rarity.” Applejack patted her equally slackjawed friend on the back.

Twilight squinted her eyes as she noticed something or somepony jump out of the first falling spaceship. “I have a pretty good hypothesis on who just helped us out.”

“Luigi?” Pinkie asked with an innocent head tilt.

“Ye--I mean no. Mario! Who’s Luigi?” Twilight shook her head rapidly then stared warily at her pink friend.

“I dunno. It was just a name I picked out of my hat here.” She casually placed a pink hat with the letter P on her head. “I’ve been carrying this around in case of star plumber emergencies.”

“Even to the Gala, darling?” Rarity twitched as the ugly hat clashed with the dress. “I should have burned that hat after I made it for you. Don’t know what I was thinking that day.”

“Twilight, please go see to your friend. I will direct some pegasi soldiers to the remaining airships.” Celestia raised her large wing she was using to cover them. “I imagine we will need more of his help before the night is over.”

They saw Mario land in the courtyard with a heavy thump. “Right, come on girls. We have a friend to catch.”

“Catch up when you can!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she flew off the balcony as dived towards him. “Dude!” Mario looked up just in time to see her before the body slam. His hat casually floated to the ground where he had been standing.

Rainbow sat on Mario as the dust settled with her usual carefree smile. “What’s up? Been awhile.”

Mario’s dizzy eyes eventually settled down as he grabbed his hat. “Nice welcome.”

“When you have an awesome moment like what you just did. You deserve it.” Rainbow fluttered off Mario as he got up. “Seriously though, what is the deal with those guys?”

“Honestly, I-ma not sure. Bowser doesn’t usually do this.” Mario answered honestly. “I was about to ask about your moon.”

“The moon? There’s nothing wrong…” Dash looked up and saw the dark shadow that slowly enveloped the lunar object. “Okay, that’s creepy.”

“Mario!” Twilight called out as the rest of the girls caught up and they all skidded to a halt. 

Except for Pinkie. “Group hug!” A hard love tackle from behind knocked the group over onto the wayward plumber. “Best group hug.”

Dash snickered as the low layer of the pony pile twitched. “That’s a nice welcome.” She lightly bounced to the top of the pile. “Hey Twilight, when you get a second check out the moon. Something weird is going on.”

Twilight teleported out with a quick flash. She steadied herself as her senses returned. “Moon? That...that looks wrong.”

Mario poked his head out. “It tried to grab-a me as I flew past it.”

The ponies got to their hooves as they observed the phenomenon. “Is Bowser behind that?”

“No, little ponies.” A chilling voice cackled behind them. “I just decided to free my servants.”

They quickly turned and paused in shock. “What!? How are you?” Twilight stammered. “You can’t be here!”

Dark mist broke as Nightmare Moon strode forward confidently. “Looking lovely tonight for your little Gala.”

“Nightmare Moon!” A white blur slammed down before the ponies. Celestia’s glare broke her usual motherly frame. “What is the meaning of this? Luna is safe in her room and of sound mind, why are you here?”

“To come to the Gala of course. I’ve been looking forward to it.” Inky blots of shadow formed around the ponies as Nightmare spoke. “I’m afraid I misplaced my ticket, but that shouldn’t be a problem, right dear sister?”

Celestia’s horn glowed as a warning. “You are not my sister.”

“In a way, I am. However, seeing as I am not welcomed I’ll just take the final Power Star you are hiding here and be on my way. I have set my sights on bigger things, Universe conquest.” Nightmare Moon’s shadow minions swirled around the heroes.

“We will stop you like before.” Twilight snorted as she and her friends tensed for a fight.

“Stop me?” Nightmare Moon slasher grin grew. “By all means, try.” She disappeared into the dark mist as yellow eyes appeared and hollow laughter surrounded them.

A Koopa stepped out, but something was missing. “Is that...a skeleton?”

“Those are-a Dry Bones.” Mario answered her. “and watch out for Boos.”

“That is so creepy.” Rarity paled as the jibbering monsters drew closer. “Oh look, they have flying ones as well.”

“Begone!” Princess Celestia became radiant as the shadows were blown away. Her royal voice echoed out and shattered the Dry Bones.

“We only have a few-a moments before they reform.” Mario sprinted towards the castle. “We need to stop her.”

Celestia looked down at Twilight. “I will get the Elements of Harmony. Go help your friend.”

She nodded. “Alright, let’s go girls.”

The ponies galloped after Mario back into the castle. The lights were suppressed under the haze of fog and shadows. Guards of all types tried their best to subdue the monsters, but shadows are tricky, ghosts laugh at their attempts, and the shambling skeletons refused to stay down. They recognized the starry mist of Nightmare Moon as she moved towards the throne room.

Dash growled as she shot ahead and tackled the villain. “I got her!” Nightmare Moon stretched around her as she slipped away.

“I think no--.” Mario jumped on her head allowing her to kiss the floor. Nightmare tumbled into the throne room and quickly bounced to her hooves. “Annoying pest.”

The girls found themselves facing off with her once again. Most of them, Fluttershy was a little less eager. The guards in the room readied their spears against the intruder. “Give up Nightmare Moon.”

Nightmare Moon ignored her as she stared at the large stylized sun imprinted into the marble floors. “There you are.” She raised her front hooves and stomped hard. The shockwave knocked them all over.

“Wow, that’s one way to play hide and seek.” Pinkie rolled back over. “You won purple. Lots and Lots of purple bits.”

“What is this?” Applejack looked around at the random floating purple coins that were dispersed around the room. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen money like this?”

“That’s because it’s not money, but security.” Twilight smirked. “This was set up by Princess Celestia in case anypony tried to steal the Power Star here.”

“Right you are.” Nightmare Moon grabbed a single coin next to her. “The idea is that you have to collect all 150 coins scattered throughout the castle to get the star. A tedious exercise if there ever was one and easy enough to capture anypony foalish enough to try without knowing where they all are.”

“I agree there.” Mario muttered.

The guards surrounded the disinterested alicorn. “Thankfully, I don’t have that problem. My servants bring them to me!” She bellowed out in her royal voice.

A cheerful Boo appeared between the guards which startled most of them. “Got one.”

The ponies looked around as ghosts with purple coins became tangible. Shadow creatures spilled between cracks with their own coins. “That was easy.”

“We need to stop them!” Twilight called out.

“How!? They’re spirits, we can’t touch them.” One of the guards answered as his tackle went through a Boo.

“M-maybe we just take a few coins and run away.” Fluttershy whimpered behind Applejack.

Rarity looked down at Fluttershy with a please smile. “Brilliant, everypony steal a coin and make a run for it!”

Applejack nodded as she took out her rope. “You got it!” With a quick fling of her rope, Applejack nabbed several coins and threw them at the guards.

“Hey, give that back!” A Boo cried out after being deprived of his coin.

“Now you have to play tag with us.” Pinkie bounded away with a delighted ‘weeee’. “Or maybe hide and seek!”

A nightmare shadow flowed around Rarity. “Give me back my coin.”

“You poor thing, you don’t look like you get enough light.” Her horn glowed a bright blue. “Let me help you with that.”


A cry of surprise was heard from Rarity’s general direction as Dash found herself surrounded by a cluster of Boos. “You guys have bad breath, why do you let your mouths hang open like that?”


“Hey, that’sss not fair.” One of the Boos missed a swipe at her. “We can’t ussse mirrors and oral hygiene is hard with ssstubby arms.”

“So you all need some help then. Alrighty.” Dash paused in the air for a moment before she blinked out of view. The Boos looked around until they noticed the air was moving them.

“Hey guys, do you feel that?” The Boo uttered before a few nanoseconds later a rainbow tornado blustered through the group.

Dash landed safely on the ground as the ghosts were carried away. She looked on her dress that was still intact. “Wow, still in one piece. I’m looking good.”

Fluttershy scrambled until she was up against a wall. “Oh no, oh no, oh no.”

A shadow nightmare and a boo approached slowly. “Well Larry I think we got us a lively one.”

“Don’t call me Larry, Moe.” The shadow grumbled. “Anyway, you have a coin. I’ll take that off your hooves.”

Fluttershy trembled as she looked down at the missing coin in her hooves. “...Wait, did I lose mine?”

“Hey look a monkey.” Larry pointed to a brown monkey with a purple coin. The primate flicked the dark shiny coin between it’s feet and paws as it hanged above them on a ledge. “Neat, he’s holding it with his foot.”

“Come here you hairy chimp. Give me the coin.” Moe turned invisible as he approached the monkey, but it swiftly climbed up the pillar and leaped out of the window. “Hey! Get back here!”

“Don’t lose it you dope!” Larry yelled as he misted through the window.

Fluttershy watched as ghost and shadow failed to catch said monkey. “I waited all night to get one animal to talk to me, and the first thing it does is steal from me.” She let out a deep sigh. “I’ll take what I can get.”

Mario and Twilight faced off against Nightmare Moon. They sized her up as she passively stalked them. “You are acting strange. I would have expected you to get angry for taking the purple coins from you.”

“Young mage, the outcome is inevitable. I will win.” Nightmare answered with a toothy smile. “My servants do not sleep, eat, or get tired. There is nothing you can do to change what happens here tonight.”

Twilight glared as she counter-stalked her with Mario. “All we have to do is hold you off long enough until Princess Celestia gets here.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure she will.” Nightmare tilted her head like she was giving the idea some thought. “I wonder why she’s not here yet.”

“She’s getting the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight snorted.

“Ask your alien friend, what happens when Boos claim a building.” Nightmare chuckled darkly. “How hopeless things are.”

Twilight glanced at Mario. “Well-a when Boos have gathered together in a large numbers they can possess the house, and change the insides to trick anyone.”

“Repeating rooms, fake doors, pale lights, and false walls. Your princess is not going to reach your toys.” Nightmare Moon laughed as her mane sprawled violently around her. “This castle is no longer the home you remember. The light will not save you.”

“There is a flaw in your plan.” Mario cut off her laughter.

“Oh?”

Fireballs appeared in Mario’s hands. “You are stuck here with us.”

Nightmare Moon snarled as she jumped away from the flying fireballs. She prepared to fire off a bolt of moon only to land on a trampoline construct created by Twilight. Nightmare Moon spread her wings as  caught herself in the air. With a short gasp she flew up to avoid another set of fireballs.

“You can’t st--AHK!” Nightmare Moon squeaked as Pinkie Pie bounced off her head.

“Tag you’re it! I’m good at this game” Pinkie jumped off as two Boos chased her. Said Boos crashed into Nightmare Moon’s mane sending them all to the ground.

The alicorn crashed hard as she skidded a few meters across the floor. She saw stars for a moment before something grabbed her tail. She looked behind her and saw Mario with a grin much larger than what she was comfortable with. “Don’t you dare.”

He dared. With a quick twist he dragged her across the floor in a circle. Nightmare tried to scramble to her hooves, but found no traction. Then she felt her body lifted off the floor as the plumber continued his rotations. She was thankful that she hadn’t eaten supper. “No, stop!”

With his speed at max Mario let go. “So long Nightmare.”

Ponies jumped out of the way as black bullet streaked past them and through unfortunate Boos and nightmare shades. Nightmare Moon only glimpsed the impervious throne room doors before she slammed into them. They use to swing in, now they go both ways.

Nightmare lay there dazed for a few moments until she noticed the golden shoes of a familiar pony next to her. “Well Nightmare Moon, you have set yourself up for that.”

“Shut your mouth, Celestia.” Nightmare struggled to her hooves. “I take it you couldn’t find your precious elements.”

Princess Celestia stood tall in her radiance. “After a few misdirections I realized something. You are not my sister.”

“What does that have to do with...oh.” A bright blast of light exploded in her face as she was sent careening back into the throne room.

“Your servants all have a weakness, they abore light. So I’ve been going from room to room banishing them from my home, and now I found you.” Celestia strode into her throne room with soft clops. “You think you can come here in my home? Hurt ponies that I protect? Congratulations, you may have shut me off from the Elements of Harmony, but it won’t save you.”

Nightmare stood back up with a snarl. Her minions vanished as Celestia’s radiance spell found them. “Here I thought you had grown soft in your many years.”

Twilight and the rest of the ponies stood by as their ruler calmly trotted by. “You have lost. In your exuberance you underestimated me.”

“I have lost?” Nightmare tilted her head. She peaked at the corner of her eye as the sun rose early. “I was wondering when you would do that.”

Celestia stared at the mockery of her sister a little confused. “You were waiting for me to raise the sun?”

“My power wanes under your light...as does another.” A magikoopa teleported next to Nightmare Moon. “We will meet again. What you witness tonight was but a taste of our future power.”

There was a loud crash as the two teleported away as something heavy stomped around outside.  “As does another? Luna!”

The ponies looked outside to see a giant spiked monster. His laugh shook the foundations of the castle as he held out his prize. Princess Luna was inside a transparent purple orb that occasionally sparked energy. “I love when an awesome plan comes together. I’ll stomp you later Mario. I have another princess to put in my collection.”

“No!” Fire sparked off Celestia’s mane as her eyes glowed white hot. “You will not take her from me beast. I have lived for far too long without her.”

“Ya I was told you were a hot one. Don’t worry I’ll be back for you.” Bowser hovered into the air as she followed in pursuit.

“Sister!” Luna cried out weakly as both her and Bowser disappeared in a purple cloud.

The lone sister hovered there by herself. Shock and despair, long foreign emotions, colored her face. Celestia felt rage about to burn her. She closed her eyes, and took deep breaths. She floated back down as she did so until she touched the floor.

“Mario was it?” She said quietly.

“Yes, that’s-a me.” He answered as he took a step closer.

“What do you need to get my sister back?” Celestia sat down on her haunches, back facing towards them.

Mario rubbed the back of his head. “Well-a nothing really. I’m already good at rescuing-a princesses.”

“Will you get her back?”

“Yes.”

“Please, do so.” Celestia took one last deep breath as she turned around to face them. Muzzle damp from tears. “My sister is most precious to me.” Her horn glowed as all the purple coins converged to her.

“Princess.” Twilight hesitantly drew closer. “Maybe, we should go with him.”

“My precious student, I can’t ask you to do such a thing.” Celestia smiled sweetly.

“Well the thing is princess.” Applejack answered with bold eyes. “With Nightmare Moon running around up there it feels like we didn’t finish the job.”

“If we had the Elements of Harmony I bet that we could take them both.” Rainbow Dash agreed she stomped her front hooves together.

“I don’t know.” Fluttershy mumbled. “Riding on a spaceship would be dangerous.”

“His spaceship.” Rainbow’s eyes light up as the idea. “Mario, can we see your spaceship? I mean if you can ride on it then it should be safe.”

“Now let’s be reasonable.” Rarity nudged herself between the excited Dash and the despondent Fluttershy. “We have lives that we can’t just abandon.”

“We could ask the funny star creatures outside.” Pinkie pointed to the hovering spaceship overhead.

Mario raised an eyebrow. “What is my ship doing here?”

“Mario!!!” The purple luma yelled from the starbow. “That monster just tried to hit the ship with meteors again. We’re fine though.”

“Lubba, we’re having a serious moment here.” Mario sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Well hurry up and finish your business so we can catch the guy.”

“That’s your spaceship?” Dash hovered next to Mario. “Looks like nothing I’ve ever seen in the comics.”

“It looks very green.” Fluttershy slowly observed the details of the entire thing. “...a bunny? A space bunny?” She looked up to Mario with a twinkle in her eye. “Is that a space bunny? May I pet your bunny?”

“Star Bunny actually, and he’s not mine.” Mario backed up as the pegasus closed in on him. “You’ll have to ask him.”

“Mario, darling, please stop enticing her. She’ll want to stay on the ship and she has a job.” Rarity scolded him quickly. He found himself surrounded by mares on all sides.

“The ship has a time travel feature built into it.” Lubba called out. “If you are worried about something as trivial as normal life we can drop you back here the moment you left.”

“Are the ponies coming to help us find mommy?” A baby yellow luma asked as it peaked it’s head out from behind a tree.”

That sealed the deal.

“Mommy? Did you lose your mommy?” Twilight asked as the little star creature floated down to see them.

“The big monster took mommy away. Mister Lubba and Mario have been working hard to get her back for us.”

“Us?” The ponies looked up to see a rainbow of Lumas on the ship. “Oh. Did they all lose their mommy?”

“Twilight.” Rainbow nudged Twilight’s side to get her attention. Twilight turned and could have sworn she saw fire in Dash’s eyes. “Heroes always save everypony.”

“Can you imagine the party afterwards?” Pinkie Pie added. “It be like the biggest thing in the Universe.”

“I hate to see a family lose their mother or sister when I could do something about it.” Applejack stood next to Twilight as she faced Celestia. “I want to go with him.”

Celestia looked at the ponies that had such determined faces. “Do you all really wish to take up this task?”

“Yes.” They answered in unison.

She closed her eyes as she smiled. “Take the Elements of Harmony with you. Mario can you spare them a few moments so they can prepare?”

Mario nodded. “My ship will have everything they need, but if they want to bring personal items they can.”

“Very well. Keep my little ponies safe. This might be their greatest journey yet.” The Power Star formed next to her. “Take this with you. I hope it can help.”

“Thank you.”

Mario turned to his new companions.

“Whenever you are-a ready.”

> Two Princesses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Release us this instant, thou vial brute.” Luna roared at her captor. “Thou shall rue the day thou have lain thy hooves on my royal person.”

Bowser looked down at the her. She was scrawny, long legged, and looked like she was going through puberty, yet she had such pipes with that voice. He bellowed out heartily. “Keep sweet talking me like that and I just might.”

They had just arrived on the capital ship over the distressed planet. Troops scrambled to prepare the ship for departure as the injured arrived in droves. A goomba with bifocals and a large notepad approached. “Lord Bowser, we lost several of our ships. Mostly due to friendly fire unfortunately. Everyone has been extracted and we are ready for departure.”

A bright flash of magic exploded in the the magic bubble Luna was in. Bowser glanced over as the alicorn princess coughed harshly. “Really? Did you really think I would put you in that if there was a chance you could break out? Not too bright are you...then again, you are a moon horse, so it makes sense.”

Luna glared rage at her captor as the smoke dissipated with tears still in her eyes. “We had the same assumption regarding thine wretched foul beast.”

“Is the little princess having a fit?” Nightmare Moon strode with a sharp piercing gaze at Luna. “Might need to put a muzzle on her muzzle.”

“Whay! How!? We laid thine to rest alongside the rest of our demons.” Luna stomped on the front of her force prison. It barely sparked in response.“What black sorcery dredged thine accursed form out of the pits of Tartarus?”

“That was all me shorty.” Bowser flicked the magic ball. “You’re here because of her as well. Ain’t that sweet?”

Nightmare Moon spread her wings as her feathers lightly brushed Luna’s cage. “Did you you think you could leave me behind so easily, after all we’ve been through? I wouldn’t abandon you.”

“I am not going to accept your lies this time.” Luna whispered.

Bowser rolled his eyes as he bounced her in his hand. “Whoop De freaken’ who cares. Buck up little pony princess, because this is your new life.” He snapped his fingers on his other hand and the bubble disappeared. “You are now two million light years from your home, my mages have suppressed your magic, and you are standing in my soda drinking hand. Guards, take her to the holding cell. Princess Peach has company.”

Two Koopas covered in spiked armor saluted their king. “Come with us.”

Princess Luna closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. With head held high and eyes sharp, she followed the guards as regally as possible. She was not about to show any weakness.

They watched her leave before they turned to one another. Bowser couldn’t help but chuckle. “That one is wound tighter than my guts when Kammy makes her special chilli.”

“She’s hiding her insecurity, and for further information please do not talk about your digestive tract. Makes me feel woozy.”

Nightmare Moon shook her head as she returned her gaze to the small window into space. “This body was disappointing, it failed me when I was ready to crush them.” She turned to Bowser as dark shadows stretched around her. “This form is inadequate.”

“We’re ready to go boss!” A Koopa yelled on the overhead. “I had to kick the dashboard a few times, but it’s purring like a kitten.”

“Let’s get going then!” Bowser roared back. “All right then queen--.”

“Queen!?” Nightmare would have done a spit take at that moment. “What are you playing at here?”

Bowser blinked slowly. “Um, well aren’t you a queen?”

“No, I mean, I could be, but I never really gave it thought.” Nightmare promptly sat on her haunches. “Why would you address me with such a title? You wish to be a ruler over everything.”

“Heck yea I do.” Bowser beat his chest with one hand. “I'm the big cheese. The prime rib of all bosses.” He tilted his head and scratched his head thoughtfully. “Alright, I guess you’re new at this thing. I have several kings that work for me and rule in their respective realms. I allow it as long as they know I am boss.”

“The Boos you are so fond of. They have a king, King Boo. He’s big on scaring folks. You might meet up with him. There are a few more...I just can’t remember them at the top of my head.”

“So when you called me queen, you weren’t asking...asking for my hoof?” Nightmare sighed as she dodged a bullet.

Bowser jaw fell loose. “You thought that I was asking you that? Wow.” His belly shook with laughter as the room vibrated. Tears formed at the cracks of his eyes as he pounded his fist on the armrest. “No, no, nothing like that. Like we said you get to rule over your ponies like a queen would.”

The alicorn let her embarrassment die down before she responded. “Truely? No trickery?”

“I’ve had many partnerships in the past. The ones that worked out are still here today. The ones that betrayed me.” He leaned down as a puff of smoke left his nostrils. “Don’t last long.”

Nightmare’s toothy grin showed no sign of fear. “Believe me king, I see too many benefits to this arrangement to cut it so foalishly. Like you though, if you are going to double cross me I will throw you into a star and crush your troops with my servants.”

The Koopa King leaned back into his comfy throne. “Now then, you fine with queen?”

“Queen is a beautiful title that I will use forcefully.”

A goomba on top of another goomba on top of three more goombas and a bob-bomb carrying the star chart for Bowser spoke up. “You wanna be called the Shadow Queen?”

“No man, that one was taken by Peach. Call her The Ice Queen.”

“Does she look like a stereotype? Actually don’t answer that, Queen of Blades is a cool title.”

“Different game idiot.”

She rolled her eyes. “Queen Nightmare Moon shall suffice.”

Bowser grunted as he finally got his drink served to him. “If I need your little shadow guys for anything you better deliver.”

A wicked gleam in Nightmare’s eyes told more. “I have other servants as well, and I am interested in expanding the use of my magic in the troops. Mario will be consumed by darkness.”

---

Princess Luna, for all her bravado, was just a little worried. She was a warrior, and a dangerous princess that vanquished monsters that looked at her funny. Now she is a captive to a powerful monster and her greatest sin, just a little worried mind you. She trotted down the metal halls with a stone face. ‘A princess does not show weakness to her enemy.’

She stumbled.

Defiance in the face of your enemy is hard to do when you are in the body of an awkward adolescent. “Watch your step! Unless you want us to carry you.”

“We would rather you not touch us.” She growled at the guard.

“You know you hardly sound threatening when you squeak like that.” The Koopatrol guard mocked as he pushed her along. “Behave or we will tie you up.”

Luna considered a retort, one that involved her planting them into a wall, but decided against it. “It will not be necessary.”

“Hey, do we even have another princess cell to put her in?” The Koopatrol in front of her asked the guy behind her. “We don’t usually have more than one.”

“Should we just let them share the same cell? Lord Bowser did say the princess will have company.” The guard shrugged. Then he stepped on Luna’s tail and tripped.

Luna’s royal canterlot voice rang true as her wings sprang hard enough to smack a passing goomba over the head. “Thou bumbling half-shelled foal shall not pull on our tail!” She turned to look at her transgressor, to find he was stuck on his back. He wiggled his limbs rapidly in the air as he slowly spun around on his shell.

“...is he really stuck?” Luna tapped him as he continued his rotations. Her anger had left her and in its place, amusement.

“It’s kind of a problem that the newbies have. It’s Ralph’s first day here.” The other one answered her. “Must have slept through shell rolling 101.”

“Help me up, Shelden!”

Shelden grabbed Ralph by the tail and started to drag him along. “Come on Princess. Just a little ways to go.”

Luna winced as the metal spines scrapped along the floor. She stopped when they passed by a window. Nebulas and star clusters moved by at astounding speeds. A supernova collided with a black hole while shooting stars soared overhead. “First time huh.”

She jumped as her guard addressed her. “It’s a big place out here. Now come on, you can watch in your room.”

The alicorn princess nodded. “So, does that king endeavor to control all that is?”

Ralph pointed an eager finger in the air. “Yup, the boss wants an empire to match his ego, but he had to settle for the universe.”

“We would say his desire for power will corrupt him, but it seems he has already crossed that path.” Luna muttered.

“Lady, Lord Bowser dances on that line as much as he wants.” Shelden coldy hissed. “Here is where you’ll be staying. Princess Peach you have company.”

Princess Luna walked past the bars as the door closed behind her. She saw a biped alien in a pink dress waiting for her. “Hello, I’m Princess Peach Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom.”

“Greetings, we are Princess Luna of Equestria.” Luna returned the greeting. Much to her surprise she had to look up to Peach. It reminded her of looking up to her sister. “We see the females of your species are bigger than the males.”

Peach laughed clearly like a bell. “Mario is smaller than than normal and I’m a little taller than most. When did you meet him?”

Luna smiled. “He helped rescued us from myself. How long...have ye been here?”

“You are worried?” Peach nealt down to look her fellow princess in the eye. “I think I’ve been here for almost a month. They will not harm you, and Mario will rescue us. It has always been this way.”

“Always? This has happened to ye before?” Luna balked then caught herself.

Peach nodded with some red in her cheeks. “My kingdom is one of peace and he takes advantage of that often.”

“So when the Koopa King is defeated he still retains his power?” Luna frowned at what might be to her incompetence.

“Bowser’s kingdom is fiercely loyal to him, even in defeat they stay united to him.” Peach sighed as she knew exactly what Luna was getting at. “And he despite his preference for brawn over magic he does have access to necromancy.”

“So our enemy is implacable and has vast resources available to him.” Luna sat on her haunches as she thought more about her situation, and how grim it was getting. “A war of attrition, and now with Nightmare Moon working with him it becomes more dire.”

“Nightmare Moon?” Peach tilted her head as she raised one eyebrow. “Someone from your world?”

“She was us.” Luna took a short breath. “We...we became jealous of my sister and we gave in to dark powers. My raw emotions clouded our mind and we became a monster. It was recently that we were saved from my madness, and we thought it was behind me. Just memories to confront and atone for. Now she is here, alive and functioning without us. My sister, oh creation, my sister.”

“Luna.” Luna looked up to the concern Peach. She was well aware of the tears in her eyes. “May I hug you?”

“Hug us?” Luna sniffled slightly. “Why would ye, I mean we just...all right.”

Peach opened her arms wide and enveloped the lunar princess in a strong hug. Luna was surprised by the strength that she had, then she felt something. A burden being lifted as weariness and ache fled her and clarity returned to her. Like something magical.

“Princess Peach? Did you just heal us?” Luna asked in a whisper.

“You looked like you need a pick me up. How do you feel?” Peach got back up slowly.

“We feel much better, more whole. Your magic? We can use it to escape!” Luna’s cheerfulness returned to full force as she almost pranced in place.

“Luna, where would we escape to?” Peach looked out the window as worlds past by. “I have made escape attempts in the past, but this time we are on a warship in the middle of the universe.”

She paused as that poured cold water on her hopes. “Oh, right. Our situation is still hopeless.”

“For now yes.” Peach went over to a chair by the window and sat down. “This is the first time I had someone else to share a cell with me though.”

Luna sulked over to the other chair and attempted to get on. Much her annoyance it was not made for her build. “If only we had my magic then we could make them regret their choice. What does your magic specialize in?”

“I can do a variety of magic that was taught to me, but the magic I am best at is wish magic.” Peach placed her crown down on the table as she watched the frustrated alicorn continue to fuss with her seat.

“Wish magic? How does that work?”

“Wish magic is what it sounds like. I make a wish for something to happen. The more pure hearted you are the more powerful it is. I can wish for many things, but it is not all powerful and it sometimes doesn’t work.” Peach sighed as leaned her head against the window.

Luna stopped fiddling with her chair as a nightlight sprang to life in her head. “Could you wish for our magic to return to us. We am the moon princess and have many powers that could aid us in our escape.”

Peach leaned back for a moment and thought. “Yes, that could work.” She leaned down and whispered softly. “I have made a wish for an invisible power block to appear in this room, and it is here for emergencies. I haven’t found the opportunity to use it yet.”

“Excellent.” Luna smiled as she imagined returning home soon.

“Like I said we could break out, but we have no way to escape.” Peach reminded her. “But I have a better idea. In the past I have have subverted Bowser’s plans by relaying messages to Mario.”

“Perhaps we can also sabotage some of their designs as well.” Luna pointed out. “At least enough until we can find a way to escape.”

“I like the way you think.” Peach smiled sweetly as they plotted mass destruction on their enemies. “Now please hold out your hoof.”

She did so and allowed Peach to grasp it with both hands. Peach grasped it, closed her eyes, and tilted her head down. Luna waited as the room became quiet. Then Peach let go. “We don’t feel different.”

“Sometimes the wishes take a while, and sometimes it doesn’t happen. I’m sorry.” Peach frowned at her friend’s disappointment.

“It is fine, it was a long shot any..any--” Luna felt dizzy and cold.

“Well isn’t it my favorite little princess.” Queen Nightmare lurked by as the room dimmed. “And you must be Princess Peach.”

“I am, Nightmare Moon correct?” Peach answered as she stood up.

‘Must she be taller than me as well?’ Nightmare Moon grinned sharply. “That is Queen Nightmare Moon, but you are correct.”

“Queen? Queen!?” Luna strode toward the door. “What right does thou have to bear that title? Thou know our history and what Queens have done to our lands. Though given what thou tried to do maybe it fits.”

“You mean ‘we’ princess.” Nightmare glared. “It was always us until now. Don’t forget you made the decision.”

“And look what happened.” Luna swept her wings out as she bellowed. “Banished to our own moon. We tried to kill our sister! We are still understanding the magnitude of my decision all those nights ago. Thou, on the other hoof, still have that knowledge and yet here thou are siding with a tyrant. Remember Sombra?”

Queen Nightmare listened passively as Luna yelled at her. “Seems your emotions have tapped into your power.”

Princess Luna looked down and found she had indeed grown bigger. “We are done here. Leave us.”

Nightmare Moon paused for a moment. “Nothing has changed. Celestia has her kingdom, her ponies, and her law. We don’t have that. I didn’t align myself with a warlord for the thrill of conquering. I am going to have my own kingdom to rule over without being in the shadow of Celestia. Wake up little princess, you are still in a fantasy dream.”

“What kingdom do you intend to create?” Peach spoke up. “You speak of Celestia like you intend on taking her kingdom away from her.”

“Of course, why do you think we took little Luna with us on our journey?” Nightmare Moon turned and started to walk away. “Celestia is not going to allow me to have a kingdom that would appreciate me, so I am going to make sure she doesn’t interfere. We have all the time in the universe, Luna. Think.”

The two princesses stayed silent as the queen left them. Luna snorted as she stomped towards the window. Peach calmly joined her. “So that was Nightmare Moon. What is she?”

“Our rage and jealousy given form.” Luna answered sharply. “There is no harmony to be found from her.”

Luna growled as she bucked the air in frustration. She yelped in pain as she hit something she did not expect to be there. “When did this block get here!?

“That was the invisible block I was talking about.”Peach leaned down to pick up the two mushrooms that popped out. “Boo Shrooms. How do feel about getting out and seeing what Bowser and Nightmare Moon are really up too?”

“We do believe we are up for a little espionage.” Luna grinned as she took the creepy mushroom. “How does this power work?”

“It’s touch and go.”

> We Boldly Go
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’m not prepared to go into outer space! I don’t have the training.” Twilight galloped around the room in a frenzy as a ring of books, saddlebags, and disgruntled dragon assistant orbited around her. Princess Celestia had opened everything in the castle for the ponies to use on their trip. Letters to family and personal belongings shipped in and out of the castle at record breaking speeds much to the agonizing torture of the delivery colt. “What if the laws of space are different in some galaxies? I might need to pack my swim suit.”

A rubber ball bounced off the ceiling and back down to it’s owner. “Relax Twilight, pretty sure if Mario can go in his overalls we won’t need that much stuff.”

“Where are your things?” Twilight stopped to gaze unyielding madness at her friend. “Aren’t you going to bring anything?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t even flinch from that. “My ball.”

“Your ball.” Another misaligned hair sprung from her mane.

“Yup.” Ball bounced off a levitating book and back to her. “Figured when we weren’t doing anything I can bounce it around.”

“What about a tooth brush, comb, and maybe, I dunno, some soap!?” Twilight protested as her disinterested friend continued to casually ignore her. A lick of flames sparked off Twilight.

“Meh.” The ball ricocheted off the ceiling and bounced off Twilight’s rump.

Dash only heard the roar of frustration as she tumbled in the air and out of the tower. ‘What got her all worked up? Oh there’s my ball.” With a simple flip she landed on the little planetoid that was about to be her temporary home for the next few months. “Can we get this trip started? The longer we prance around the farther away the kidnappers get.”

A shadow loomed over her as a peculiar mushroom shaped spaceship orbited above the larger planetoid sized space ship. Rainbow bounced her ball on her head as she ascended. “Hey anypony home?”

“Captain, it’s one of those ponies!” A somewhat scratchy voiced proved to her that someone was on the little ship. The top popped open as a creature that was rounder and smaller than Mario bounced out. “Hi!”

Rainbow waved back. “Ya, hi. So ya some kind of mushroom dude? Looks like it with that yellow hat...unless that’s just your head.”

“Welcome to the starshroom! I’m the captain.” A strobe light glared into Dash’s face before it was quickly shut off. “Sorry. Forgot I had that on, but as captain I can’t go without it.”
“Wait, wait, wait I thought Mario was the captain.” Dash hovered down and sat on one of the seats inside the little ship next to a blue capped toad. If this was a spaceship it was bare of all the junk that Twilight was worried about. ‘Most likely worrying over nothing like an egghead.’

“He’s the captain of that faceship. We’re the Toad Brigade.” The captain answered proudly. “We go on adventures and help Mario out to save the princess!”

The ‘faceship’ as it was called still made her snort in amusement. Those little star creatures sure knew how to play a prank on someone. Though she did wonder what a ship shaped like her head would be like. Rainbow nodded with a small smile. “That’s cool. Guess that makes us teammates. Whatever you guys do I’ll bring the speed. I’m Rainbow Dash, the fastest pegasus in Equestria.”

The captain smiled and took out a green mushroom. “Welcome aboard partner, take this 1-up mushroom as a greeting gift.”

She cringed slightly as she took the odd mushroom. “I’m not really a fungus kind a pony. The fact that is looking at me is not helping.”

“Well you don’t have to eat it. Just do this.” The blue toad pushed the mushroom into Dash’s barrel. It disappeared in a blink of an eye as a little chime rang.

“Whoa! That was...wow I feel like a new mare. I could take on a whole army of Koopas!” Dash pumped her forelegs. “Let’s get this trip going!”

With a gust of speed she vanished from her spot. The toads fell over as the updraft carried them briefly. “She’s fast and really excitable.”

Dash bolted around the ship and found Rarity. “Hey you need help with anything? I'd really like to get this thing going.” She said curtly.

An assembly line of lumas tossed suitcase after suitcase into each other’s wiggly arms. Didn’t matter how big the luggage was, the rainbow colored children alternately carried or bounced them to one another like a game of volleyball. A little jaunty tune was heard amongst them as they cheerfully worked. “Don’t worry Ms. Rarity. We almost got all your stuff.”

“You’re all doing well darlings. Well Rainbow, I’m happy to see you too.” Rarity huffed as the pegasus hovered above her airspace. “Clearly we have everything under control. I will be ready shortly.”

“Where did you even get all this? You didn’t bring it with you at the gala did you?” Dash ducked under a mini fridge with a small yelp.

“A lady is always prepared for any situation.” Rarity had a small grin on her as she raised her head with closed eyes.

“Twilight actually lived here and she doesn’t even have half as much junk.” Rainbow swerved her body out of the path of a flying mirror. “I pretty sure you don’t need half of this stuff!”

Rarity feigned hurt and placed her hoof on her barrel. “I do not do anything thoughtlessly, Dash. Everything here has a purpose. Except for that.”

“Except for--!” Dash turned around just in time for Sweetie Bell to crash into her.

“Ow! What’s going on? Rarity, why are all these creatures taking your stuff?” The squeaky voice of her dearest little sister made Rarity sigh.

“It was an honest mistake, Sweetie Belle. Now then please put her back and tuck her into bed.” Rarity quickly kissed her sister’s cheek. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get back all right?”

A red luma and green luma picked her up with a quick salute and carried her through the portal. Rainbow Dash sat dazed on the ground from the unprovoked tackle from a unicorn filly divebomber. “You got a portal back to your house?”

“Ms. Rarity was worried about not being ready for the trip so we offered to help.” A luma with a bucket holding a list floated by. “She really needed our help with all the belongings she’s bringing.”

Dash swatted the dizzy stars away as she pulled herself together. “Well when you get a chance go talk to Twilight. She needs the help as well.”

“Howdy there Dash. You all right there? Saw you crash pretty hard.” The drawl of her farmer friend quickly made Rainbow bounce to her hooves. Applejack had a friendly smug expression as she leaned up against an apple tree. “Filly took you off guard?”

“Geez, it’s like you didn’t watch me dodge a house load of furniture.” She caught the apple that Applejack tossed to her. “Don’t tell me you got them to bring you a tree from your farm.”

“Eenope. I shared some of my food to these little guys and they loved it so much they made these trees. With a little help from me of course.” Applejack gestured to the dozen of trees around them. “Though given where we are on this spaceship, it sure is weird to be seeing the ground instead of the sky. At least the fruit still falls in the right direction.”

“You plant?” A small wooden voice made Dash jump a bit. She looked down to see a small carved block of wood with strange little eyes.

“Did you just talk?”

“This little guy is a Whittle.” AJ patted the little guy on the back. “Rather down to earth guy.”

“Happy. Meet you.” The alien woodenly held out his appendage. Rainbow tentatively took it and shook slowly. “You. Yellow. Sisters?”

“What?” Rainbow looked behind her to Fluttershy who was gleefully swamped with star bunnies of all colors. “No, we’re just friends.”

“Bird horses. Strange.”

“Hey.” She yelled with indignation. “Pegasus. Not bird horse. Say it with me. Pegasus. Peg-a-sus.”

“...Hard. Bird horse.”

Dash facehoofed with a groan. Her objections were overruled by a giant library tree crashing into the ship. Everyone flopped over as the ground bounced beneath them. Birds scattered in all directions as several apples rained down on Applejack and Dash. They poked their heads out of their respective apple piles after a few moments.

Twilight stood in front of her house with a satisfied grin. “Perfect.”

“Whoa. Twilight your house. You brought your house.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow at the proud unicorn. “So I guess this fills out your list.”

“Yup and then some. This is absolutely perfect.” Twilight’s horn glowed as she helped the tree’s roots take hold into the planetoid.

Applejack rubbed the headache that threatened to attack her. “Sugarcube, isn’t your house technically the town library? Don’t think you can just take government property like that.”

“True, very true.” Twilight nodded. “Thankfully the time machine feature on this ship works like a charm. They won’t even notice it missing.”

“I think I recall Mario mentioning that this ship could do that.” Applejack then noticed a medal that hung around Twilight’s neck. “Hey, that looks like the gold medal from the Running of the Leaves.”

Rainbow leaned closer. “Hey it is…”

“What!!!” Twilight yanked it off her neck and telekinetically threw it hard. She had guilty smile as the two athletes raised a collective eyebrow. “So yes, time travel.”

The medal landed perfectly at her feet after it’s short orbit around the ship. Twilight turned red from embarrassment as her friends pieced together the information. “Twilight, did you race again?”

“Maybe.” Twilight gulped as their gaze bore down on her. “I was testing it. Turns out you can only re-live timelines that would allow you to collect a star. So I may have done a few experiments.”

---

“Ha! In your face!” Twilight laughed maliciously with her winning medal. “The egghead can’t race huh. Well look what I got here. The gold medal. How do you like them apples!?”

The Ponyville racers wheezed around her as most of the town gapped jaws wide open. Particularly her two athletic friends. Twilight couldn’t help, but prance in place with exaggerated movements. Then the obnoxious song started. “I’m the T to the WI--!”

---

“Wow, you actually won the race. Why don’t I remember it?” Rainbow scratched her head.

“Well turns out you can’t overwrite the original timeline, but you can experience the time period as many times as you like.” Twilight explained as her house finally settled in. “And bring a few things with you.”

Applejack nodded slowly as a small smile lined her muzzle. “So Twilight. How many times did it take you to finally win that race?”

Twilight leaned back like she was smacked across her nose before she blushed and answered in a small voice. “25.”

“I’m surprised you managed it at all.” Dash nudged her friend’s side. “Not bad for an egghead.”

Twilight blew a raspberry. “I also got to go back to earlier today to see if anything could be changed to save Luna. It just cemented my fear of ghosts.”

“Sometimes I think you would just test everything if you had the time.” Rainbow chuckled as she opened the door to the library. “Twilight, what exactly happened? I see a mountain of scrolls in here.”

“Dang, did you decide to monitor everything or something?” AJ peaked over Raibow at the brainiac’s work. Spike could be heard somewhere in the depths. Most likely cooking.

“Monitor everything?” Twilight shrill giggle caused her two friends to lean back. “That’s silly. You’re silly. Stop being silly Applejack. You silly pony.”

Their silence added to the awkwardness. “I may have gone back to the day we met and done a few things…”
---

“Raven, I’ve not heard a word from Twilight today. I’m beginning to wonder that she might be buried so deep in her books she didn’t get my message.” Princess Celestia sipped her tea as she surveyed her kingdom on her balcony. Things were about to change soon.

“According to the servants and guards, she’s not in the library or in her usual study area.” Raven flipped through more notes before she found the new information. “Oh, she left for Ponyville around 8:00 this morning.”

Princess Celestia blinked owlishly. “What?”

---

“Twilight, what did you do?” Applejack couldn’t shake the feeling that Twilight may have gone overboard again.

“With you specifically?” Twilight hummed as she looked through the piles of work. “Ah, here’s your pile.”

“Tarnations girl, what could you have found out about me that is worth a mountain of paper.”

“Well I actually stayed for the majority of your family reunion, instead of running away as fast as I could. Got to know the family really well.”

---

“So you’re saying that apple pie does have love in it as an ingredient?” Twilight took the rare opportunity to talk with Granny Smith and a few of the older Apples. “That’s incredible.”

“Eeyup, which is why an Apple apple pie is considered a class A weapon by the government.” Granny leaned in closer with a twinkle in her eye like she was about to share a national secret. “It’s called tough love.”

Twilight bounced like a little filly on a sugar rush. “That’s how you repelled the Ursa Major attack when you first founded Ponyville! You baked the largest pie in the history of Equestria.”

“Sure did sugarcube.” Granny paused a moment. She knew her memory wasn’t always top notch, but this nugget bugged her. “Wait, I don’t remember telling you that.”

---

Applejack chewed on an invisible hay straw as Twilight talked. “Sugarcube, was it really that necessary to revisit the same reunion so many times? I mean I love my family, but that is a bit much.”

“I can’t let this once in a lifetime chance pass me up!” Twilight said proudly as she imagine a patriotic tune in her mind for her work. “This is the day that lead up to us all being friends. I want to know everything!”

“Twilight…” Applejack shook her head at the obsessiveness of her friend. “I know you mean well, but you shouldn’t do that to yourself.”

“Probably, but with how the machine works I don’t get tired and have all the time I need.” Twilight placed her pile of Apple Family knowledge back in the pile. “Also, Sweet Apple Acres has about twenty four billion five hundred sixty seven thousand eight hundred forty two blades of grass.”

Applejack’s jaw dropped as her eyes bugged out. She waited a moment as sanity returned to her before she said anything she would regret. “Are you bloomin’ kidden’ me? You counted all the grass blades on my farm!?”

Twilight snorted with crazed laughter. “Counted? Don’t be silly. Only a foal would do that. I used math.” She flipped several black boards around to reveal a row of needless math. “It was a challenge that I sure enjoyed.”

“Why would you even do that?” Dash closed AJ’s mouth.

“Big Mac.”

“What’s my brother got to do with all this?”

“You know how he had the last apple cider at reunions?” Twilight continued before AJ could answer. “Well I got it from him. He thought he had an impossible challenge, but I showed him.”

“You took the last cider from Big Mac?” Dash saved herself from drooling for a moment but forget her job to keep Applejack’s mouth from hanging wide open like a barn door. “Wait a moment, you said there wasn’t any cider!”

Applejack winced as she took a step back. “I said that huh?”

Twilight casually stepped between them and patted them on their heads. “The cider was brought in by somepony else in the family. It was a surprise anyway so don’t worry your feathers.”

“Still, wish I could have known.” Rainbow grumbled with ears flat.

“If you want I could go back and give some to you. I’ll even take a picture of...oh wait I have it right here.” Twilight flashed a very giddy Rainbow Dash drinking down a mug of cider. “That was the fastest, no wait, second fastest friendship connection I made. Pinkie will be Pinkie. She went out of her way to greet me every time I deviated from my path.”

“You gave me cider and it didn’t count.” Dash sucked in a deep breath to stabilize herself. “I’ll be fine. Just fine.” She sounded a little squeaky.

“Pinkie huh.” Applejack snickered as her imagination galloped free. “I bet you did all sorts of things with her.”

Twilight chuckled darkly. “Oh when I turned my attention to her I learned all sorts of things.”

---

Ear flapped, knees knocked, mane wiggled, and tail frazzled. The full body alarm woke Pinkie Pie up from her sleep to another morning. The frantic body gelagulations threw Pinkie from her bed with a scream from the pink mare. She landed on the floor with a heavy thud as the last vibrations left her for another day. “Wow, that was a dooooooozy.”

She willed her straight mane and tail to the bouncy curliness that she loved. “I’m about to make friends with a unicorn visiting Ponyville for the first time then something crazy will happen.”

Pinkie bounced her way over to her special closet door as her pet greeted her with his usual routine (gumming her noggin).“This day is going to be so exciting. Wonder if she likes hot sauce on her cupcakes.”

The closet door opened up. “Hi, Pinkie.”

Pinkie blinked a few times as the strange lavender unicorn draped on the party cannon. Pinkie Pie closed the door slowly. Opened it, and she was still there. Rinsed and repeated a few times with varying speeds and tricks. Same results. The unicorn had the sweetest smile that Pinkie would have welcomed any other time. It even twinkled for her. 

Pinkie’s eyes narrowed. “...You’re early.”

---

“That moment of confusion on her face was worth it.” Twilight giggled like a little foal that played a silly prank. “I found out how incredibly busy she is. I mean look at her.”

They all turned to look at Pinkie Pie, the pink pony sat at a humble round table. A golden robot and a silver robot kept her company, or she kept them company.
“I say, you are a pink pony.” The golden robot clicked cooly as the gear in his head turned rhythmically.

“I am a pink pony. You’re good, and you’re a gold robot with a gear for hair. Just like your brother, but he’s chrome.” Pinkie Pie took a quick gulp from one of the tea cups that was between one of the robots. “Hmm, needs sugar.”

The silver machine’s pressure gauge eyes flickered a moment as he briefly contemplated his lost drink. “I’m Silver Gearmo--”

“Gearmo! I get it, because you have a giant gear.”

“and he’s Gold Gearmo. I’m afraid we are not siblings like most organic bodies, but our serial numbers can both be expressible by the sum of two cubes.”

“Neat.” Pinkie grinned as she poured a bag of sugar into her cup of tea. “So you two like parties? Outside of this little tea party which I’m sure Fluttershy would love, but she is currently hugging all the animals here.”

Gold Gearmo cranked his head 360° degrees. “Parties are enjoyable. I take it you are a party pony of sorts?”

“I’m the pink party pony. What I want to know is, “Pinkie Pie leaned in a restrained and comically serious tone. “Can you dance the robot?”

Silver Gearmo whistled steam from his ears. “The robot? Young hairbag I was ready to do the robot before I was assembled.”

“Those are some weird robots.” Applejack shook her head as Pinkie and her new found friends danced like well oiled machines. At least until Silver Gearmo’s arm flew off.

“I know right. Our roommates are strange aliens with all sorts of new ideas and a whole culture to discover.” Twilight squeed as she pranced. She stopped quickly as she engaged her serious scholarly voice. “I also figured out that Pinkie ate 2846.3 cupcakes the day we meet. She shared some with me.”

“Flying feather! Are you for real?” Rainbow Dash puffed her cheeks like a sour lemon had just graced her lips. “She must be made of pure sugar.”

“I’m afraid to test it for myself. Science and Pinkie get along like a match surrounded by explosives.” Twilight explained as they followed her out of her treehouse. She casually gestured
up above her tree home to a collection of clouds. “Also took some clouds with us, so if you want to build a simple dorm room go right ahead Dash.”

“Huh, thanks. The clouds here are a little weird. So what did you do when Nightmare Moon showed up?”

---

Ponyville waited in town hall for the arrival of their Princess Celestia, who was not about to appear anytime soon. Twilight waited behind a curtain with Pinkie Pie who was persistent in her goal to make friends with the newcomer.

“So when Nightmare Moon comes we surprise her?” Pinkie Pie stealthy whispered as loud as possible.

“Yes, Pinkie.” Twilight folded her ears at her partner. She neglected to tell her that she also set up an complex array of magic spells to trap the alicorn. “Now when you see the dark alicorn laughing on the balcony pull the welcome cord.”

“After waiting a thousand years by herself on the moon I bet she’s ready for a great welcome party!” Pinkie Pie played with the red rip cord.

“Shh, the mayor is speaking.” Twilight nudged her as they hunkered down. Mayor Mare went through her standardized greeting for Princess Celestia only for her grand appearance to be nought. “Get ready.”

On the balcony that overlooked the population of Ponyville, Nightmare Moon strode forward with a confident sharp smile. Mist wrapped around her form as revealed in the shock of the ponies beneath her. “Am I not royal enough for you? Don’t you know who I am?”

“Surprise!” Pinkie pulled her cord. An explosion of streamers burst into Nightmare’s muzzle as a splatter of cake batter engulfed her. “Darn, I mixed up the streamers and cake batter again.”

“That’s just fine Pinkie.” Twilight’s horn glowed. The plentiful streamers came to life as they wrapped around Nightmare’s horn and legs. The batter quickly hardened thanks to the mixture of added rainbow liquid (which Nightmare currently enjoyed a mouthful of) and semi-solid foam cake surprise. All courtesy of the strange kitchen from Sugarcube Corner, with a touch of magic.

“What is the meaning of this!?” Nightmare Moon gagged out as she found her body quickly entangled by the strange trap. The surprisingly hard materials severely restricted her movements, the she noticed the ring of sigil around her that started to power up. “No! It will not end like this!”

“Equus, Robur, Robur, Robur, Excipio, Robur, Robur, Robur, Theia.” Twilight chanted as the glyphs glowed before they shot a column of light through the roof of the building with Nightmare in the center. She broke free from her constrains and attempted to fly out. Petrification stopped her long before her wings fully spread. A perfect statue of Nightmare Moon stood on the balcony now.

Pinkie’s jaw dropped as she slowly turned her head to Twilight. “What did you do?”

The sun rose on schedule. “I found a way to imprison Nightmare Moon, and it looks like a complete success.”

The ponies murmured below as Pinkie Pie puffed out her cheeks. “But what if she wanted to party?” Twilight gave her a long even look. “Well ok maybe she looked like a big meanie.”

“It doesn’t really matter anyway. This was all just confirming my experiment.” Twilight sighed with a happy smile. All her research finally bore fruit. This will help with rescuing Luna and beating Nightmare Moon once and for all. She heard a hush move throughout the herd of ponies as the doors opened.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight look up to her mentor. This was the first jump back in time where she meet her tutor. Celestia’s face remain passive as she looked up to the statue before the dam of emotions broke. Despite her tears, she spoke clearly.

“Twilight, what have you done?”

---

Twilight paused at Rainbow’s question as she seemed to droop. “I did a few tests and found a way that could help us beat her.”

“Awesome, way to go egghead.” Rainbow nodded in approval.

“Did you ask Mario to bring all this with you?” Applejack asked with a slight hint of uneasiness.

“Um...might have been a little bit eager before I discussed this arrangement with him.” Twilight blushed. She looked around with a raised eyebrow. “In fact, I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“I see him, look up...or is it down? This is going to be annoying.” Rarity answered her she inspected the last of her things. “I think I have everything I need. Thank you very much.”

A chorus of children chirped happily. “You’re welcome Miss Rarity.”

“Mario!” Twilight yelled out. Mario walked away from the castle as he whistled a little tune. He paused when he looked up at his ship. The tree was definitely not there before. “I brought my house with me, hope you don’t mind.”

‘...Why didn’t I think of that.’

“It’s-a fine. Can you gather everyone to the deck? I have something to share with them.” Mario jumped up building then leaped up to the planetoid ship next to a pile of happy animals. “We got some new information.”

Fluttershy poked her head out. “Oh, um alright. I was just hugging your friends here. I’ve met a bee that could talk back.”

“Yoshi.”

“Oh and your friend that you brought with you the last time you came and never bothered to see me. It’s fine though I’m not upset, I know you are very busy. I’m sure the race was very, very important.”

Mario shook his head as he grabbed Fluttershy by her hoof. “Come on.”

“Ok, bye friends. I’ll see you you all later.” Fluttershy waved as she haphazardly followed the plumber. “You met them all on your adventure?”

“That I-a did. Raced with penguins, climbed honeycomb homes, and flew with a condor. You never know what you might-a find out there.” Mario and his companion reached the deck with relative ease. As a pegasus, it slightly unnerved her that she was walking up a slope vertically. Their friends greeted them with the usual exuberance.

“Hey dude, what’s going on?” Rainbow asked as she spinned the helm freely.

Twilight pulled her away before any ill fated tragedy struck. “Did something important happen?”

“I just got some mail from our Mail Toad here.”

“Hey there newcomers.” The little guy smiled. “If you want to send anything back home I’m your guy.”

“The mail was from Princess Peach and Princess Luna--”Mario quickly got a face full of concerned mares.

“Really! How is she?”

“Did she escape? We need to rescue her now.”

“Oh dear. She’s not hurt is she?”

“She give those brutes a proper beating?”

“Clever girl.”

Twilight pulled Mario’s face uncomfortably close. “Tell us everything!”

“Princess Peach is capable of sending letters despite being captured. Here it is.” Mario pulled back as he waved the letter in front of them. Twilight yanked it with her magic and read it out loud.



Dear Mario,

I have recently been introduced to a new friend. I believe you know her as Princess Luna. We are safe for the moment, but the new partnership of Nightmare Moon and Bowser is a bit concerning. To aid you in your travels we have combined our talents to best find a way to sabotage their efforts to evade you and prevent them from conquering the rest of the universe. They are currently inbound to Recycle Matter Galaxy to collect old materials. Please be safe.

Yours truly,

Princess Toadstool ‘Peach’



“This is perfect! We can go rescue the princess.” Twilight exclaimed as her other friends whoop in exuberance. “Let’s go now...where is Recycle Matter Galaxy again?”

Lubba chuckled at the enthusiastic mares. “That place is in the middle of nowhere. Considering just how big space is that is really out of the way.”

Mario peeled himself out of the herd as he grabbed the helm. “If we are ready let’s get going.”

A collective nod answered him. The powerful ship purred to life as they ascended beyond the heavens. A collection of ponies cheered down below in the courtyard. Twilight saw Princess Celestia on the highest balcony with her usual serene smile. Pleased to see her teacher smiling again, Twilight watched on as the ship breached the clouds and her home became smaller and smaller.

“Ooooh, the stars are getting shinier and there are lots of them now.” Pinkie Pie munched on some popcorn as her head darted every which way to catch all the sights. Countless stars greeted them in far greater numbers than what was possible in a clear night in the country.

“Our home is absolutely gorgeous. Gives me the shivers just looking at it.” Rarity grinned calmly as the world hung above them like a suspended ornament. Reds, brown, green, and blue.

With the biggest grin on her muzzle Rainbow lightly noogied Mario. “Amazing view dude, but let’s see this baby blast off.”

“Wait, don’t we need to be safely secured before we activate the warp drive?” Twilight squeaked as the trance of seeing her home broke.

“Nope!” Mario punched the activation pedal. “We-a go for it!”

Power coursed through the ship as space, matter, and time started to warp around them.

“We go boldly!”

> Hitchhiking
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

No good deed goes unpunished. A cruel idea that ponies happily ignore for the most part, but every once in a while an act of simple kindness can bite them in the dock in the most unusual ways. This can only end well.

“I can’t bring you anywhere Lyra.” Decked out in a fabulous sweet dress Rarity gave (after a harsh round of bargaining in which no underhoofed deals were made) to her on discount, Bon Bon planted her face in the table. Said dress was now burnt, tattered, and worst of all wrinkled.

“Hey, I didn’t ruin anything. You can’t blame me for aliens attacking on the one night we go to the Gala.” Lyra for her part, looked like sunshine from Celestia came down on pristine dew anointed roses. “Besides I saw your face when you conked that one over the head with a frying pan.”

Bon Bon scowled angrily, the table took the full brunt. “Just one, all the others screamed and ran away. I think one of them even said ‘Not again!’ in their stupid dull voices.” The glass table squeaked as she dragged her face upright to glare at Lyra. “Don’t think you are off the hook. I saw your lab and I’m sure you were trying to get in contact with aliens. What else would you use my whisk and an aluminum foil hat for?”

“I wasn’t trying to call aliens.” Lyra huffed. Her bravado crumbled under Bon Bon’s gaze. “Ok, ok maybe I was. I just wanted to get to know them.” The face of judgement did not go away. “What? That’s all. I have nothing else to add. No, no stop it. You can’t prove anything.”

“You tried to call an alien to ask them out for a date for this very night.”

Lyra nearly gagged on her fruit smoothie. “No, no! No, no, no, no, no, well yes maybe.”

The earth pony stepped on a smouldering flame that nibbled on her dress before she continued. “Oh I remember your face when that first spaceship arrived. Jackpot alien boyfriend acquired. Too bad about his buddies showing up to trash the place.”

“I didn’t say jackpot.” Lyra puffed out her cheeks.

Bon Bon’s face finally broke into a pleasant smile as she giggled. Lyra huffed but laughed after a few seconds. They rested in a restaurant in the commons of Canterlot away from the congested crowds at the train station and the uptight locals. They were not going anywhere anytime soon.

Something broke their attention. “Lyra, do you hear a crying child?”

Her ears twisted behind her as the sound echoed from an alleyway. She took one quick gulp from her drink as her hardheadedness blocked the brain freeze like a luchador champ. “Come on. Let’s see if we can help.”

The wide alleyway allowed the street lights to filter through with ease. Not that it was needed, they could see the lost baby rather easily. It glowed with celestial radiance. “I think I missed them. Mommy would come back for me if she wasn’t gone.”

“He looks like a little star.” Lyra whispered to Bon Bon who nodded in agreement. “Hello? Are you lost?”

The little blue Luma sniffled as it looked up. “I got a little distracted with some of my siblings and now my home has left the galaxy.”

“Your Home? You mean that ship that those other ponies left on to go save Princess Luna?” Bon Bon asked as she carefully approached the little guy. She took out a piece of candy she had made that morning and offered it to the Luma. It looked up and tilted his body at the gift. With the tenderness of a sugar happy child in a candy store he plopped it into his mouth with a happy hum.

The unicorn plopped down next to him. “So you need a place to stay little guy?

“Well no, I can get back home, but it is so far away and besides.” The Luma rubbed his little limbs together as it whispered quietly. “Mom always said to not to travel without an adult I can trust.”

There was a quick gleam in Lyra’s eye that vanished before Bon Bon could notice. “Consider yourself lucky then. You got two responsible trustworthy adults that will help you out!”

“Lyra, what are you doing?” Bon Bon growled out the corner of her mouth. The bile that was about to rise dissipated to the joyful expression from the child in front of her.

“Really!? You’ll take me home! Mom always said the pony folks were nice. Though she only told us about them in picture books with Aunt Celetia and Aunt Luna.” The little guy projected an aura of happiness very visible to the two ponies. Said aura of happiness was not a figurative thing as gravity seemed to went on a coffee break with sanity at that moment. Lyra and Bon Bon started to hover close to the star child.

“We’re going into space!” Lyra somehow matched the fever glee of the child as she started to prance in place.

“Lyra!!!” Bon Bon smacked Lyra over her head with her tail with a loud ‘crack’. “I am telling mother when we get back!”

“Don’t care! Space!”

---

It was a hectic night that was one to remember for sure. Vinyl Scratch laid muzzle down on her turn table, she hadn’t anticipated having a crowd this large. Due to the nature of her work, she had reinforced her building to be sound and earthquake proof, resist heavy weapons fire, and be able to contain an adult dragon (even she got the rare guest that liked to party hard). Scratch didn’t anticipate her place being used as an emergency bunker. Alien invasions know how to ruin a fun night.

“Uge, up tight ponies that are freaking out are so annoying.” She looked up to the ground floor to see the workers cleaning up and a few stragglers that mulled around. “Try to give them a show so they won’t worry about the bad guys and most of them just complain.” A ghost of a grin flickered across her face. “At least a few new customers got to enjoy themselves. Should be seeing them again in a week.” Her usual manic energy was gone and she just felt chilled.

Vinyl looked over to the brown pegasus as he tinkered with her timer equipment that had gotten broken during the confusion. His handy blue toolbox seemed to have almost everything he needed. “Hey boss, we found something interesting.”

The bouncer pointed towards a strange creature she had not seen before. It looked like a chubby red star. It had fallen asleep from exhaustion with glow rings around his head and arms. “Think that is one of the aliens that was attacking our city?”

“Don’t think so. According to the news, those guys were turtles. He looks like a child.” Vinyl delicately poked it in it’s flabby baby belly. “Now that I think about it, I remember him dancing in the crowd.”

“That’s actually a Luma.” The pegasus with the blue box grunted as he tightened up the last kink. He tossed his odd tool into his toolbox. “And you are right, he is a child. One that is very far from home right now.”

“I thought you were an engineer, not a xenomorph specialist.” The bodyguard raised an eyebrow.

Turner simply chuckled. “I’ve seen a few things in my travels.”

The Luma stirred as he yawned loudly. “I think I just took a small nap. Oh, hi Miss DJ pony. I enjoyed your show.”

“Thanks little guy. Though I think you are bit under the age level we allow folks to come in here.” Scratch shooed away her bouncer to go to another job as she sat on her haunches.

“Oh that’s not a problem, almost everyone was put in here when the bad guys started to cause problems.” He started to spin one of the glow rings around his right limb. Then he dropped it with a small gasp as tears brimmed in his eyes. “Oh. Uh oh. I fell asleep and I forgot to go home! Mommy told me to be careful and I forgot again!”

Scratch and Turner winced and folded their ears down from the childish wail. “Geez kid, you could give my bass cannon a run for it’s money.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem for you, right?” Turner watched as Vinyl quickly enveloped the Luma in a hug to not only comfort the little guy but muffle its scream. “I mean you can quickly hone in on your home.”

After a few sniffles the Luma pulled away from Scratch’s mucus stained barrel. She tried to wipe it off with a towel as best as she could. “Well I could, but I need an adult to walk me home. It’s not safe otherwise.”

“Walk you home? That doesn’t sound too bad. I’m done with my work so I’m free to help you out little guy.” Scratch didn’t see the shocked expression from Turner.

“Thank you! Mommy always said ponies were good folks.” The little Luma started to glow brighter than his glow sticks.

Turner simply shook his head. “Ms. Scratch you really have no idea what you just agreed to. Young Luma I would like to accompany you. Just to make sure you both get there safely.”

“Thanks Mister smart pony. Brace yourself, it’s a wild ride!”

“I thought you said it was just a walk? How wild could that even be?” There was an intense glow as what appeared like a shooting star shot out and broke through the building. Ponies dove out of the way of falling debris as they disappeared into the morning sky.

---

Down in the sleepy village of Ponyville…

Panic.

Ponies do not make good hitchhikers.

“Calm down, Ponyvillians. Calm down!” The mayor rallied the frantic herd. They had all been corralled into the alien invasion bunker the moment that Canterlot had been attacked. After what happened during the Nightmare Moon attack the townsfolk were quickly open to the idea of a bunker disguised as a barn in case of another alien attack. Granted, the aliens attacked the Everfree Forest the last time, but that was too close for comfort for most equines.

“According to reports, the aliens have been repelled once again. You may stay for punch, but you can’t sleep here tonight.”

“What’s the point of building this bunker when those aliens never hit us?” Another random civilian with the ever most helpful observation. The mayor knew those well from the large pile of suggestions that she had waiting for her back at the office. If it wasn’t for her cutie mark…

“Ya, that was a bronze bit tax increase on public singing licenses. I expected my hard earned money to be useful!”

“Worst alien invasion ever.”

The mayor snorted as she looked to her assistant by the front door. “Please look outside.” Millions of shiny bronze bits went into the sophisticated defense to protect those inside.

The mare stuck her out of the crack of the door for a quick look. “Well, it’s night. No alien ships. No rampaging star bears--”

“We’re sorry!”

“Just a random glowing star creature floating down Mane Lane.”

The Mayor Mare’s expression softened. “Oh that’s all...Lock the door!”

The assistant slammed it shut and threw the bolt lock closed in one shift tail swipe. The panicky pastel pony pile pressed predictably per peer pressure. Immediately, the herd started to whisper the worst possible outcomes to what could be out there. Mares hugged stallions protectively as the foals huddled to each other under them.

“Do we have anyone here that is trained in these kinds of situations. Please? Anypony?” The Mayor cleared her throat from the middle of the pile. “I’m sure we could compensate you!”

“Dear ponies, please show no fear,” Zecora, who stood out amongst the colorful cast, called out, “The young assistant stated it was a star creature so do nothing severe. The monsters that attacked the Everfree Forest were large turtles nothing more than brutes, let me see this creature and make this problem moot.”

There was some protest as she peeled herself from the bundle of ponies. Most said it was not worth the risk. Quite a few fainted. Zecora simply nodded and smiled her way to the front door as she popped the lock. She cantered out the ‘barn’ and the door slammed shut behind her. Then it cracked open again with pairs of eyes behind it.

Zecora saw the little star creature. It looked like a plush toy that a foal would get as a reward for a carnival game. On top of that, it was not alone.

“And that big tree over there is the town library! Also the place where every pegasus in town has crashed into. I think I fly into it at least three times a week on my paper route.”

“Wow Ms. Derpy, that tree is tough to withstand all those wing ponies hitting it. Made to last.” The green star had a young boyish voice that hid no tint of malice. Zecora felt her tension leave as she approached casually.

Derpy simply laughed as she hugged the little child. “You are so cute. Oh hi Zecora, this is Luma. Luma this is Zecora. She’s a little strange, but very nice.”

“Ms. Hooves, did you forget to join the others? Did you not see ponies rushing to safety with foals held tight by their mothers?” Zecora knew the mail mare was a bit scatterbrained, but to not witness Canterlot being attacked.

“That explains why I couldn’t find you. I had this emergency package and I was flying all over the Everfree Forest.” Derpy held out said package as Zecora tentatively accepted it. “Then I found this little guy wandering around.”

Zecora hummed as she studied the alien creature. “I presume that you are a child, your friendliness and nature is beguiled.”

 “Um, ya I’m a little Luma. Mommy said I would grow up to be big someday...I miss mommy.”

“Aw, what happened to your mommy?” Derpy nuzzled the child’s cheek as it started to sniffle.

“A giant monster captured her so now we have to live in our new home until Mario can rescue her.” Luma squeaked when a little remindered crossed his brow. “My home! It’s not here anymore!”

“Did your house move?” Derpy tilted her head at the idea of a house moving, normally you move from house to another house not the other way around.

Luma shuffled under their curious expressions as blush colored his cheeks. “I may have wandered off on my own with my siblings to go exploring without telling anyone.”

“Ah young one you should take more care, especially this night of all nights when there are monsters you must beware.” The adults gave the Luma a shared disappointed glare.

It nodded as he sighed. “I understand. Do you two mind if you walk me home? Mommy always said to ask for help from an adult I can trust.”

Derpy smiled as she stood tall. “I would love to help you and I’m sure Zecora has no problems as well.”

Back at the barn, the entire town witnessed an abduction by the alien. Panic ensued.

---

If you want to travel to the next galaxy, your ship has to be fast. Fast enough to make light crash and burn into a hopeless heap of abused physics. Portals are also a nice easy way to get to one place quickly. All that needed to be done was fold the vastness of space and all of its contents into itself to connect the two points. Like playing connect the dots but with folding the paper to do so and instead of paper it is the known universe you are folding. Mario’s ship does both, and scientists everywhere weep and gnash their teeth every time they think about it.

The ponies couldn’t care less. They enjoyed the ride like anyone else would, though Twilight would later collapse into a furry ball of ‘this is not possible’ mode when she stopped to think about it.

Matter warped around them as the glow from hyperspace highlighted everything with a gamma like hue. Stars once in set positions blurred as they streaked past them. Colors of both known and unknown blended together as nebulas, supernovaes, and black holes swirled around. 

Rainbow Dash’s foal like wonder left a permanent smile on her face the whole trip as she soaked up every detail around her. Twilight was almost at the same level of bliss as Rainbow though for completely different reasons from the speed demon. “So many different constellations and worlds that are impossible to see from Equus. I want to know them all!”

“Please, do you not see the colors around us? This is just magnificent.” Rarity felt her creative spark tingled at the back of her mind as the possibilities rolled around.

Applejack chuckled nervously. “I’m glad this thing protects us from traveling this fast. I’m still getting queasy, though. Hope we don’t have to do this often.”

“AJ, this is just too awesome to not fly like this every chance we can!” Rainbow replied, her excitement oozing in her voice.

“Look at that! No, look at that! That’s neat! Mario, Mario can we go that way? Or maybe we go that way.” Despite the pink pony sitting on top of his head with his hat on her, Mario piloted his ship with no issue. Massive sweets consumption did little to add to Pinkie’s weight, thankfully.

“We have a set destination, remember? We are going to save Princess Luna. We can’t waste any time playing in other galaxies.” Twilight grabbed her bouncy friend and gently placed her next to Mario. “And don’t jump on his head! He’s trying to drive faster than light.”

“Come on Twilight, don’t you want to see what’s out there?” Pinkie pouted, bottom lip started to quiver as her soulful eyes pleaded with the egghead.

Twilight frowned as her left eye started to twitch. “Of course I do. I’m practically living my foalhood fantasy, but Princess Celestia trusts us to rescue her sister. After we do that, I am so going to see what is beyond that second star to the right even if it takes me until morning.”

“Fluttershy, dear, you have been awfully quiet. Are you alright?” Rarity spoke up as the idea that her friend might not enjoy this crossed her mind. Her voice of concern caused the rest of the ponies to turn their attention to their friend as well.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Fluttershy seemed beside herself. “Oh me? I’m just fine. All these creatures are too amazing for me to panic at the moment.”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head as she looked at the animals around Fluttershy. “You mean the ones you are hugging?”

“No, just the ones we just passed. Like the herd of space whales.”

The group knew Fluttershy was not one to make up stories, but they looked up and saw nothing they couldn’t help but wonder. “Fluttershy, I know animals. Maybe not as much as you, but anything that can live out here is far stretch. Especially going this fast.”

 The moment she said this Fluttershy saw an enormous turtle with an entire world on his back fly over behind her friends’ heads.

Mario shrugged. ‘Partners. They do all the talking for you. Companions are always a chatty bunch.’ He slowed the ship down as their stop closed in. Twilight eyes widened as their destination came into view. Unlike the many galaxies they just passed, this one appeared to have no theme. Planets made of translucent pure water, fields of flowers larger than cities orbited small cluster of red dwarf stars, and desolate alien war ships of another age sat forever forgotten. A mish mash of jigsaw pieces.

“This is-a Recycle Matter Galaxy.”

“Whoa, that place looks all kinds of strange.” Rainbow Dash dropped back down to the ground.

Rarity couldn’t help but slightly gag. “It’s like when Sweetie Bell decides to take full control of my entire stock of fabric.”

“You’re right.” Twilight spoke up as she walked next to Mario. “Is this natural? Something about it is off and not just the random placements of worlds. The magic here is garbled and clashes with itself.”

Mario pulled the parking brake as he took out what appeared to be a book. Twilight read the large bold words ‘DON’T PANIC’ inscribed on the back. “Here you-a go, Twilight. Read the entry.”



Recycle Matter Galaxy

Went out of your way to see this place. You are either a thrill seeker or a looter. Both if you happen to be Daring Do, no you are not an archeologist go get a real job you hack. For everyone else you’ll find nothing but junk and junk collectors. Yes the saying is that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, but those people are merely justifying their need to hoard. Hmm, I noticed I didn’t actually say anything relevant about this galaxy. Stay clear of this place; the coffee is blacker than a black hole, staler than week old donuts, and smells like old people. You know the smell.



“This isn’t helpful at all.” Twilight exclaimed. For the first time, she found literature that disappointed her. “Mario, what are we supposed to do with this information?”

“From what I gathered, we don’t want to stay here long.” Applejack cleared her throat to get Twilight’s attention. “Nightmare Moon and Bowser are probably trying to hide out here.”

Twilight breathed in deeply and gave her friends a sharp nod. She took out a chest from the stuff she brought with her. “Right, lets go save Princess Luna. Princess Celestia gave us the Elements of Harmony to use.” She levitated out the sacred artifacts. They glowed with the homely presence that held familiar power to Mario and the ponies. Twilight gave the elements to their appropriate bearers. “With these we can stop Nightmare Moon once and for all.”

“M-mario?” A hesitant voice brought the heroic showing to a halt. “Why do we have so many ponies here?”

A record player that a luma had scratched violently to a stop. A scrawny awkward man with pale skin shuffled his feet. 

Rainbow squinted her eyes at the dweeby fellow. “Dude, who’s the guy that failed to imitate you? Some kind of weird fan?”

“Rainbow, that’s no way to talk to someone you have never met.” Rarity glared at her blunt friend. “Clearly this fellow in unsightly clothes is Mario’s...um...understudy.”

“You mean like a sidekick?” Applejack drawled with a hint of amusement.

“No, this is my-a brother.” Mario groaned inwardly as once again Luigi’s innate bad luck in most social situations turned on to full force. ‘Can never get a break.’

“Um, h-hello.” He waved pathetically as he gulped. “I’m-a Luigi.”

“Your brother!?” Twilight exclaimed a little louder than what was necessary. “That’s...nevermind we don’t have time to meet and greet. We need to get going.” A flash of light interrupted her. “What the!?”

Several ponies appeared on deck with them with three lumas in tow. Their sudden trip had left them in a mixed state of nausea and shock. All except for one. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!”

Lyra Heartstrings was exactly where she wanted to be as she bounced around like a filly at the playground. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! This is exactly everything I dreamed.” Bon Bon, for her part, seethed silently as she plotted Lyra’s comeuppance.

“Yup, you were right, Turner. I was not ready for this.” Vinyl Scratch sat on her haunches as she rubbed at another headache. “I’d rather not know how far from home we are yet. Oh, hi Rarity, fancy seeing you here.” Rarity instinctively waved hello, but her mind was still in a state of confusion.

“At it appears we weren’t the only ones to ‘walk’ a few lumas home.” Time Turner noted wryly at the group of mares around him.

Derpy Hooves’ eyes were still spinning like she had just been through a cozy run in a dryer. “So many stars. I think I need to lie down for a moment.”

“My goodness, that was a ride I will never forget.” Zecora looked up to see familiar faces all with a shared expressions of shock. Except, Pinkie. The party got even better for her. “Certainly glad to see friends after taking that sudden roulette.”

“What happened? Why are you all here?” Twilight’s head bobbed up and down as she followed the bouncing Lyra.

Lubba groaned as he spotted the three bashful lumas trying to sneak off. “Did you three forget to come home again?”

“Sorry. We lost track of time, but we had these nice ponies help us home.” One of the lumas answered as the other two nodded in agreement.

“Weee, space!” Lyra continued to chatter in the background as the adults talked.

“That unicorn has enough enthusiasm for all of us.” Time Turner’s smile betrayed his amusement.

“And enough common sense to put her horseshoes on backwards.” Bon Bon snarked as she took in her surroundings.

“You know what.” Twilight stomped her hoof loud enough to get their attention. “We still need to go save Princess Luna. You all stay here until we get back then we can all go back to Equestria. This shouldn’t take us long. Come on Mario, we need to go.”

Twilight started to push Mario along with her head, horn poking him the whole way. He barely got the chance to wave bye to his brother. “Ok, ok we'll-a go.”

“Aw, well I’ll throw us all a ‘welcome to the ship and we saved Princess Luna’ party when we come back.” Pinkie told the new group as she bounced away with her lovely singsong tone. “There are cupcakes on the table so enjoy yourselves.”

“We’ll catch up, but we must be prompt, so excuse us.” Rarity trotted on as the rest followed suit.

“Ok, that was strange.” Rainbow hovered overhead as she played with her brilliant red element. “So how are we going to get to where we’re going?”

“With this.” Mario punched a button on the driving wheel. A hum of energy grew as a ball of light formed in front of them. A ring with a multilayered stars design inside the circumference glowed brightly as it floated before the group. “This is a Launch Star. It will fling us to our destination.”

“Fling us?” Applejack snorted at the dangerous and absurd idea. “Sugarcube that doesn’t sound the least bit like a good idea.”

Mario scratched the back of his head. “It has a perfect track record. Do you want me to-a show you?”

“I think I want to hold on to somepony if we do have to do this.” Fluttershy gulped as every hair on her body stiffened.

“Don’t worry. We will all support each other through this.” Twilight said as she stepped closer to the device. “So how does the spell activate?”

“Just step up to it and it will carry us all.”

Twilight lifted her front left leg as she drew close to touch it. She hesitated a few centimeters before she finally made contact. It felt warm. Gravity decided to look the other way as they all started to hover in midair. The ring started to spin as the inner star designs expanded outward. It felt like everything around them paused for a moment. Then there was explosion of power. They flew away from the ship almost as fast as the ship was moving before.

Needless to say, they were all screaming. Yes, even Rainbow Dash, though she will never admit it.

Back on the ship, the other ponies watched in awe as the rainbow shockwave shook the planet. Rainbow Dash alone created three sonic rainbooms from the sudden blast of speed, leaving everyone on the ship to witness it. “Momma Mia, what just-a happened.”

“That would be the Elements of Harmony...or perhaps Ms. Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom at full effect.” Turner explained as Luigi picked himself up. “By the way, I am Dr. Time Turner.”

Luigi took the hoof offered to him and shook. “I’m-a Mario’s brother. Luigi.”

“Did you just introduce yourself as your brother’s brother earlier?”

“Er, well, um, yes. Sorry.” Luigi kicked the ground. He then tensed up as he felt a wet nose on his neck. He only shrieked a little bit. Honest. “Did you just sniff me!?”

Lyra nodded with a gin. “Yup, wanted to get to know you. You smell a little bit like pasta.”

Bon Bon grabbed Lyra by her neck and pulled her down. “Sorry, my sister is a bit crazy. I am Bon Bon and you may call this lime loon Lyra.”

“Hey I’m not lime.”

“Dude, you look like you need to hang out in a nightclub.” Luigi jumped at the surprise unicorn that appeared next to him. “Never meet anyone so wound up tight. Name’s Vinyl.”

Zecora, on the other hoof, did not take the approach that would make his heart spring around like Pinkie on an energy drink. “You do seem to have trouble being calm. I suggest relaxing breathing exercises with soothing balm.”

“I already do that.” Luigi slumped. He looked at the muffin offered to him. “Um, thank you?”

“No problem!” Derpy smiled.

“Mario!!!” A shrill scream cut through the air as a frantic toad with a letter ran around like a frantic child. “You got a letter from the princess. It is marked urgent!”

Lyra stopped to pick up the little guy “Awe, you are so cute.”

“Stop! I’m trying to be serious. Super serious face right here!” He looked over to Luigi. “Mar--um...hold on. Green Stash. No Luigi. Can you take this? The princess shouldn’t mind.”

“O-ok.”

Derpy gasped. “You can’t take somepony’s mail!”

Luigi winced at her loud voice next to his ear. “It’s-a fine. The princess address the letter to the Mario Brothers, see?”

She looked at it closely with both eyes. Turned the letter in several directions for no apparent reason. “So you are called Mario Luigi?”

“No, just Luigi. When we go anywhere that’s how we introduce ourselves. By my brother’s name first.” Luigi slumped as he remembered how pathetic it sounded. He opened the letter and started to read it out loud.



Dear Mario and Luigi

Bowser and Nightmare Moon have laid a trap for you in Recycle Matter Galaxy. There are local monsters that capture anyone that travels through the galaxy. They are known to suck the emotions out of you, so please be careful. Nightmare Moon is searching for something that will counter the Elements of Harmony. Please work together on this mission and keep each other safe. I’m afraid the traps of this galaxy will need both brothers.

Signed,

Princess Toadstool ‘Peach’
Princess Luna



Luigi gulped as he dropped the letter. “M-m-monsters!? Ok, ok Luigi you can do this. M-mario needs you.”

“Something that can counter the Elements of Harmony?” Time Turner looked over the letter. “Very bad news. Luigi, do you mind if I go with you to provide some assistance?”

“You want to help me? That would be-a fantastic” Luigi brightened up as his new partner strapped his blue box to his back.

“If my friends are in danger, then I, too, will not be a stranger.” Zecora answered calmly.

Derpy nodded in agreement. “That’s right. Those ponies are some of my bestest of friends. We should help them.”

“Oh, oh, I’m going on this adventure too!” Lyra pressed up against Luigi and almost knocked him over. “It’ll be fun! We’ll fight bad guys, go rescue each other in the nick of time, and maybe find out what space smoothies taste like.”

Bon Bon opened her mouth to object, but abstained. “You know what. You look like you need all the help you can get.”

“O-oh, um thank you. I think.”

“I’m not one to be left out of a party. Besides,” A large speaker impacted in the group next to Luigi. Vinyl Scratch laid on top of it with a smile that was slowly becoming deranged, “I got the tools we need to take care of annoying monsters. There is a reason my place was a safe house during that alien invasion.”

“That maniac energy coming back?” Turner asked as he slowly took a step back.

“It hasn’t even begun, buddy.”

‘Do I even want to know where she was hiding that?’ Luigi looked around and realized he had a herd around him. “All right then.” The last time he had partners of his own, it did not end well. Most of them stuck around so they could keep him from screwing something up. He hoped this will be different.

“Let’s-a go!”


> Recycle Matter Galaxy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In space, others usually can’t hear you scream. This time was an exception. At first, it was a rainbow colored comet that streaked across space at a speed multitudes greater than that of light. The ethereal cone of magic slowly became narrower as energy sparked off of the comet. Reality rippled like a bed sheet in a breeze and gave an audible crack. Spider webs formed from rainbow lightning which tattooed the universe for the rest of time.

The comet zig zagged like a bolt as it approached its destination. Multi-colored rainbow shockwaves exploded behind it as the comet approached a barren wasteland of a moon. Impact happened in an instant with a blinding explosion akin to a supernova. Then silence followed. Despite the massive display of power, there was no crater in the moon. Six ponies and a plumber stood perfectly still at the epicenter of contact.

Rainbow Dash took deep rapid breaths like the rest of her friends. “Whoa. I mean just...whoa.”

“Twilight.” Rarity hissed from her frozen position. “How do I look? I’m afraid to check at the moment.”

“J-just fine...actually you don’t look like you just flew a billion times faster than light straight into a moon!” Twilight screamed as she started to sway from the adrenaline dump. Hair started to curl bounce out of place like a supernatural being with life of it’s own. “How was that possible!? Multi-layered magic spells that allow us to ignore the consequences of all forces being applied to our bodies? Mario, what just happened?”

Mario brushed off the star dust off his pants as he looked up at their handiwork. “Cosmic magic; though the reaction we had was-a different.” He pointed up at the phenomenal rainbow anomaly that stretched beyond their sight. “That’s-a new.”

Applejack, after she gathered her wits, for her part did not freak out outwardly. She was quiet and still as an alligator ready to ambush it’s prey.“I will accept that you did not mean to scare the horseshoes off of us, Mario. Next time sugar cube, warn us or I will show you how I get apples off my trees.”

“It’s-a perfectly safe. I’ve done it many-a times.” Mario backed up with raised open palm hands. He bumped into Pinkie as she tried to sort out her friend in her mane.

“Fluttershy... Fluttershy?” Pinkie poked her yellow friend hind leg as it stuck out of her mane. “Aunt Pinkie needs that space in her mane for her party gags.”

“No, no, that’s quite all right. I think I will be much safer in here. Sorry.” Fluttershy whimpered as she continued to shakily eat the cupcake she found. It was a sweet and very relaxing treat. The idea of asking first crossed her mind, now forgiveness will have to do.

“Those cupcakes are for emergencies!” Pinkie Pie clamped down on Fluttershy’s tail and tried to tug her out. “We are a million light years away from an oven. I can’t make more out of nowhere!”

The frustrated cowpony gave Pinkie her signature no nonsense deadpan glare. “Didn’t stop you last week.”

“Applejack, let’s-a help out your friend.” Mario smiled worriedly as the farm pony glared at him. “I’ll warn you next time in the future.”

There was a slight twitch of an eyebrow. One that conveyed practiced dominance over anyone that dared opposed her authority. Having Applebloom as a younger sister helped in that regard thanks to her energetic stubborn streak. “Ya better.”

Applejack took Fluttershy’s tail into her mouth and with a quick smooth motion pulled her out of Pinkie’s mane. Fluttershy landed in Mario’s outstretched arms, her wings smacking his face with a light ‘pomf’. “Oh, hi.”

Mario put her down carefully. Most of the ponies seemed rather peeved from the stress of traveling multitudes faster than light. In hindsight it was a little obvious.. “Maybe from now on you all should take a smaller space ship to follow me.”

“I prefer that idea, thank you very much.” Rarity’s hoarse pleas earned her a sympathetic pat on the head from Pinkie.

Twilight’s chest heaved as she collected herself. “No, no that’s alright. After we save Princess Luna we won’t have to do this ever again.” She looked around and noticed the odd world they had landed in. “Ok, that is a floating mountain with a volcano mirroring it just orbiting a gas giant. Flowers the size of asteroids enjoying the refracted light from a water world as they rotate around it. This place really does feel like the dustbin of ideas left behind.”

“Oh, you didn’t mention the barn floating by us.” Pinkie pointed to an insultingly simple red barn with a sign on it. “Hmm, ‘Cow Tools here’. Cows have tools? Applejack do cows have tools?”

AJ ignored Pinkie as Twilight groaned. “I was trying to ignore that Pinkie. Anyway, we have a job to do so let’s get going.” Twilight turned to walk away. Her steps were quick and eager, until an important detail stopped her cold. “We have no idea where to find them.”

“You have to go this way!”

Twilight screeched as she jumped away from a luma that was in her face. “Where did you come from!?”

Like a child appearing by your side in an empty field, a Luma floated casually in Twilight’s personal bubble. “The monsters you are looking for are beyond that castle in the swamp. Please hurry!”

“Oh you poor thing. What are you doing all the way out here?” Fluttershy scooped up the Luma like a baby. “Here have a cupcake.” Pinkie’s face scrunched feeling like she was one upped but said nothing, point to the shy pegasus.

“I’m just here to help.” The Luma took a small nibble from the cupcake. “See there’s nothing wrong.”

Twilight’s lips drew a straight line as she barely contained her outburst. “Why are children allowed outside the safety of the ship where it is especially dangerous?”

“Lumas do show up to help, and I’m not sure we can dissuade them.” Mario pointed out as the Luma floated out of Fluttershy’s grasp. “They sometimes offer hints, directions, or powerups. Nothing unusual.”

“Yup, nothing unusual.” The Luma nodded rapidly. “Hurry! Go, go, go!”

“You heard the little guy. We need to get going.” Rainbow Dash was already over the next hill waving for them to follow. “Princess to save ponies, hop to it!”

The rest of the ponies gave their appropriate sigh as they galloped after their headstrong friend. “Be careful on your way home, we don’t want you to get lost or hurt.” Applejack yelled back at the bobbing Luma.

The Luma nodded as it watched them fade from sight, lightly holding the cupcake. There was a green aura that oozed off the little star’s body as the cupcake landed frosting first on the ground. “How kind of them.” A sickly cracked hoof stomped down on the cupcake. “Though they will be singing a different tune soon.”

Green flames erupted around the ‘Luma’ as it transformed into a twisted image of a pony, holes in legs, jagged horn, and translucent wings buzzed. “Time to get ba--.”

A red hot metal mushroom broke the tranquillity of the moment as it struck the earth like a blazing comet. An eruption of dirt and stardust flung the creature into the air before it face-planted a few meters away from ground zero. The smell of smoldering atmosphere made the air putrid. Then the hazardous spaceship’s top opened up.

“You said you could drive!” Bon Bon pulled herself up, a little green around the edges. A light stream of smoke poured from the hatch as she coughed some more. “I even asked you twice.”

“I-a said I could drive a go-kart-a pretty good.” Luigi, a little worse for wear, jumped out with a dizzy Turner in tow.

Derpy happily floated out with hardly a scratch to show. “I’ve been in worse.”
“Don’t you mean you’ve caused worse?” Lyra squirmed out like a slippery wet cat until she tumbled over the ship. “I think we could have asked those Toads to drive us instead.”

Luigi flinched as he put down the queasy time engineer. “They’ve crashed it before too.”

“I suppose that’s what we get for a hasty trip. Had we been more careful, we wouldn’t have had such a slip.” Zecora helped Vinyl Scratch out carefully.

“Party has just begun and already my head is spinning. Hope we didn’t wreck our ride, because we need it to get back home.” Vinyl shook her head before something caught her eye. “Hey did we land on that dude over there?”

Turner popped up from his dazed state with scholarly clarity. “That appears to be very similar to our own, Parasitihippus horribilis. What is one doing all the way out here?”

“A changeling? Cool!” Lyra poked the creature with a stick until Bon Bon smacked it out of her magical grip.

“I’m glad one of us knew what he said, but what is a changeling?” Bon Bon studied the odd being, a modified exoskeleton but with joints for an endoskeleton. “Looks like an insect trying to be a pony.”

“They’re more like fairy creatures. Though I am not sure if it’s like the ones that make cookies and shoes or the eat your teeth variety.” Lyra stated proudly. Hours of sleeping through Mythical Creatures 203 finally paid off.

“I don’t know what fairy stories you have been reading, but changelings are emotovores.” Turner rolled his eyes. “They are also very dangerous creatures that kidnap ponies. They are most likely the trap the letter was referring to, but to what end I am not sure.”

“We could ask him.” Derpy smiled before she stopped short and blinked. “Her, it. I can’t tell.”

“I use dude. Works everywhere I go.” Scratch shrugged.

Bon Bon growled. “Bug is more like it. Zecora, do you have anything to make sure it stays asleep so it won’t follow us? Speaking of, where are we going? We lost track of the others by a couple of light years due to bad driving.”

“They went that way.” Luigi pointed to the painted sign with an arrow on it. He didn’t see looks of disbelief from the ponies behind him.

---

“‘Swamp of Sadness’. Really that’s what they are calling it? Place is creepy.” Rainbow Dash read the sign as she did her best to ignore the petulant oder. Dead trees littered the unmoving landscape with a heavy unyielding fog covering it like a blanket. “Mario, who leaves these random signs around the place.”

“Couldn’t tell you. Do you see the castle we need to reach?” Mario called out to the ascending pegasus as she looked over the large area.

“Oh ya it’s definitely there. I see one of those airships too.” Rainbow hovered back down to the rest of the crew. “So how are we going to cross this? I’m fine as is.”

“Of course you are Rainbow.” Rarity rolled her eyes as she stayed behind the group away from the icky mud. “I would rather not touch the stuff.”

“We really shouldn’t, I don’t like the feel of this place.” Applejack touched the surface of the pliable waste land and flinched back. It appeared to be only ankle deep, but something told her that her eyes were being lied to. “It feels dead and unfriendly like.”

Twilight’s horn glowed as she prepared a spell. “Don’t worry. I have something just for this, this spell turns mud into stone.” It did exactly as written. A straight cobblestone street stretched before them to the other side.

“Could you give it some life, Twilight? It’s a little drab.” Rarity’s lower lip quivered as Twilight gave her an unamused glare. “Mud grey is so last year. Well actually it has never been in style.”

“Fine.” Twilight’s horn flashed. “Is yellow good?”

“That does bring some much needed life to the place. Good work darling.” Rarity patted her fellow unicorn on the head. Twilight rolled her eyes as walked on the bridge and gave a confident stomp. She made a mock curtsey and beckoned her friends to follow. Mario for his part, liked the yellow bricks.

Fluttershy hovered back down to the yellow road (about a half inch descent) and gave it a decisive tap. Satisfied with the strength of Twilight’s road she followed behind Twilight. “Is it just me, and it might be, but is it a little too quiet? I haven’t heard a bird’s song or an insect’s buzz.”

Pinkie popped up next to her and wrapped a foreleg around her withers. “They probably didn’t want to hang around a dull place like this. They might even be all hanging out on a planet of their own nearby. Right, Mario?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bee colony close by. They are friendly.” Mario replied as he took back his hat off Pinkie’s head.

Mario jumped over them and landed nimbly next to Twilight. He checked his head as he looked behind at a smiling Pinkie. “Fluttershy does have-a point. It has been quiet.”

“I am aware. Nightmare Moon did not hesitate to attack us on the night she returned.” Twilight shook her head and simply pressed on. “We have faced her before. Let’s go everypony!”

Twilight broke into a heavy gallop. The rest of the girls reared back and charged forward with unbridled abandon. The edges of the yellow road unseen by them had a sickly green glow to them. That is until they were closer to the middle of the swamp. “Twilight, your bridge looks sick.”

“Don’t be silly, Rainbow. Spells don’t get si--!!!” Twilight’s hoof broke through the dissolving yellow bricks. She braced herself for a faceplant into brick only for a mouthful of swamp mud to welcome her. Twilight lurched her head back up as she gasped for air, between her coughing fits she was able to get out a few words. “Somepony dispelled my bridge.”

“Don’t worry girls. The mud barely even comes up to our hooves.” Pinkie bounced over to Twilight and picked her up out of the mud. “Silly Twilight, mud pies are not for ponies.”

Rarity remained still like a statue as a chill went over her spine. “Absolutely the Worse. Possible. Thing. Pinkie, please stop splashing mud everywhere.”

“Sorry! Come on girls...lets...get...I.” Happy prances turned into a lumbering trot as her mane straightened out. That bright twinkle in her eye fell as Pinkie’s coat lost it’s natural shine. “I am useless as a friend.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said you were useless?” Rainbow flew down to eye level with a slight worry ting in her voice. “The mud is up to your knees now. Twilight make your bridge again!”

The horn didn’t even fizzle as Twilight’s breathing became more rapid and shallow. “It failed. I failed my spell. I failed! I can’t do it.”

Rainbow looked over to Twilight as she tugged on Pinkie. “What do you mean you can’t? Of course you can do it. You’re Twilight.” Dash froze up when she saw the state of the rest of her friends. 

Fluttershy was already up to her withers in mud, Rarity was on Applejack’s back who was up to her knees in mud. “I knew this place was bad. Rainbow, I can feel my will being being sucked dry from this swamp. Don’t touch it no matter what.”

“It’s this whole place. The air feels heavy on my wings. It’s like I just flew to Cloudsdale and back.” Rainbow gritted her teeth as she heeved up once more on Pinkie who seemed to have not bothered helping herself. “Come on, Pinkie. We are not stopping here.”

“Rainbow, I don’t remember you looking so grey.” Pinkie murmured. Rainbow made a quick check to confirm she was still as colorful as she remembered. “I’m sorry. I just feel tired right now. Maybe a nap would help.”

“No! No nap! We have a...party! Yes, a party when we get back to the ship. Save Princess Luna then we have a huge party to celebrate how amazing we are.” Rainbow strained as she slowly pulled her friend up. She almost flipped in the air when there was a sudden lurch up. “Mario!?”

Mario’s hat covered his eyes, but it did not hide his grit. On his shoulders and head he carried Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, and now Pinkie. “Come on. We-a need to get going.”

“Dude, that’s awesome.” Rainbow gained a bit more altitude away from the swamp.

“Well I have live up to my ‘super’ title. Just-a make sure they don’t fall off.” Mario took a step, the earth swallowed his foot. “Need to last long enough to make it to the other side.”

“We got this.” Rainbow nodded as she pushed from behind.

---

Watching the prey from the edge of the swamp, the changelings poured their magic into amplifying the effects of the swamp. Positive energy seeped from the victims as some collectors gathered it up. Quiet chirps between them was all the communication needed.

Changeling number 2 watched as the mustached man carried the ponies. <”This one resists. Focus efforts on him.”>

<”What of the flying pony?”> #3, always the chipper one, asked.

<”We get the herd that one will follow.”> #2’s eyes narrowed on the target.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.”

<”Did that bush just say something?”>

“Lyra, you dolt what are you doing?” The bush next to that bush rustled angrily.

“Speaking their language, hush. Chirpy chirp chirpen chirp.”

<”I’m not fat!”> #1 reared back and blasted the bush revealing a blushing unicorn.

“Chirp on this ugly!” A left hook sent the changeling soaring into another one. Bon Bon stomped her hooves together with a totally healthy grin “All right, who wants some more?” Her smirk faltered slightly when over twenty popped up. “Ah buck.”

Luigi decided he would continue using his grass disguise for the moment.

“Nom.” Bon Bon looked over to Lyra as she bit down on a flower.

“What are you doing?” She raised her eyebrow at her sister.

“Wait for it.” There was a spark in Lyra’s eyes, a spark that turned into a warm glow. In a blink of an eye, her colors changed into blazing red with a white stripe running down her mane. The strings that made up the harp on her cutie mark glowed bright. “Fire power is the best kind of power.”

“Where did you find a magic flower!?” Bon Bon took a step back as her worst fears were realized.

“Won it in a card game against one of the toads back on the ship.” Flames erupted around her like an aura. The changelings followed Bon Bon’s example and also took a step back. “Let me play you all the song of my people.”

Luigi decided playing grass was not going to be a good idea. “Mamma Mia, find cover!”

“I’m already way ahead of you.” Bon Bon and Luigi leapt behind a boulder. Bon Bon took out a small watch. “This is Sweet Treat calling in over.”

Time Tuner’s electronic voice answered back promptly. “This is Overwatch.”

“We are cleaning up just fine, stealth option was a complete failure.”

“The others have been more successful by that regard. Paralytic gas is taking care of the changelings.”

“Understood, Sweet Treat and Second Banana out.”

“Why do I have to be Second Banana?” Luigi sighed as he peeked around cover with shaky resolve.

Bon Bon pocketed Turner’s device into her saddle bag. “I think it fits you. How is she looking out there?”

“Her fire form has-a good ground coverage, but no real anti-air.” Luigi gulped as he bounced up on the rock. “I hope they don’t see me. Here I-a go.” The flying changeling fired bolts at Lyra, though not with the best of aim. Until it noticed there was a shadow over it. It was already too late.

“100.” Luigi stomped on the changeling then kept his momentum going.

“200.” That changeling impacted head first into the swamp mud.

“400.” This victim crashed into one under him.

“500.” Bon Bon sighed as this “Lyra’ screamed in shock from a plumber attack.

“800, 1000.” Luigi almost flopped but the presence of the next one kept his aerial mobility going.

“2000.” Oddly enough made the sound of a duck when struck. Luigi decided to not think about it.

“4000.” He was getting closer to that precious 1-UP.

“8000!” Luigi made sure to press extra hard on the spine of this changeling. He reached his feet out for the last lone flying changeling as it looked around for it’s comrades, then it looked up. Seeing it’s impending doom it screamed, Luigi froze up at the ear-piercing screech and for that brief moment closed his eyes.

He missed. Bon Bon rolled her eyes and shot it with a jawbreaker candy gun (buy it now at Pinkie’s Candy Surprise for only 19 bits).

“Hi Luigi! Thanks for dropping by. Get it? You just landed next to me and I said ‘thanks for dropping by’.” Lyra produced another fire shockwave that cleared out the rest of the changelings.

Luigi sighed in resignation. “I-a get it.”

---

Mario breathed heavily as he dragged himself ashore. Everything just felt heavy, though he was not about to say that out loud. He was pretty sure the mares wouldn’t appreciate him saying that. “Finally, I felt so slow flying over that. How are you holding up.”

“Fine. How about-a them?”

“You can put me down now.” Applejack groaned under Pinkie Pie. “Please.”

The girls stretched their legs as they tried their best to clean themselves off. “I can’t believe I was so careless. I’m so sorry.” Twilight’s head hung low as she pawed at the ground.

“Aw come on, Twilight. It wasn’t your fault.” The still smooth haired Pinkie rubbed up against her and nuzzled her neck. “Your bridge was great until some mean pony decided to break it.”

“If I was paying attention I could have stopped that from happening.” Twilight sighed as Pinkie’s head pushed hers up.

“Darling, it was a dreadful experience yes, but dwelling on it not going to help.” Rarity combed out the mud from Twilight’s mane before chucking that mud back into the swamp.

Mario placed his hat on Pinkie’s head and there was an immediate ‘pomf’ when the fuzzy curliness returned to full force. He was rewarded with a ‘squee’ and a hug. Applejack shook the rest of the crud off before placing her own hat back on her head. “We still got a castle to go through. I’m sure Nightmare Moon has something ready for us in there.”

Twilight nodded as her posture straightened up. “Right, we can’t be careless. If we work together we can overcome anything she throws at us.”

---

A heartbeat thumped in the darkness.

Pitch blackness where light was a foreign concept, not even shadows flited about. Nothing moved in the empty chamber, not even a layer of dust was present. Yet there was a heartbeat in the tomb.

The living had no place there, the dead did not dwell there. Stagnant air eons old slept like the stone. Time was meanless for there was no need for it in the deep darkness. Yet there was a heartbeat in the tomb.

Something rustled as stone spoke a guttural language long forgotten. Someone exerted life. A door was thrown open and the darkness was free. The heartbeat was not alone anymore.

A Koopa Troopa carried a torch into the deep. Sweat blessed the stone beneath him from his tireless efforts. Shadows were born from his presence as he whipped his torch around until his eyes fell upon the bag.

The Koopa Troopa hesitated to grab the bag that pulsated like a living heart. It felt like something that should have stayed buried in the deep darkness. “Well this is what that Nightmare Moon was looking for. I found it guys!”

> Ghosts and Games
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We are the best!” Lyra hugged Luigi with a sweet sounding squee. “Stomped those big bad bugs.”

“It was pretty-a good.” Luigi inched his head away from that pointy horn of hers as it danced around him like a rapier.

Lyra let go as she did a silly jig. “Oh ya. Fire powers rock. Boom, floosh, hot stuff.” There was a loud dead crunch that made her freeze in place.

“L-L-Lyra, I think shooting off anymore-a fire shockwaves is a bad idea.” Luigi could feel the ground beneath him sink slightly. 

“But this is so cool. Pew, pew, pew!” Lyra fired off a particularly large concussive blast.

Then the earth opened up like a jagged maw taking Lyra and Luigi into the abyss. “Momma Mia!”

“NO!” Bon Bon screamed with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

---

“Excellent. All changelings have been neutralized.” Time Turner observed the primary group through his magnifying specs. “Strike team will confront the villains and save Princess Luna.”

“Turner, we have a problem!” Of course something went wrong at the last moment. He noticed that Bon Bon had dropped the use of code names all together. “Lyra and Luigi fell! A giant hole opened up beneath them and just swallowed them!”

“Is the hole still there?” Turner asked, hoping his calm voice would keep her from becoming further agitated.

“I think Lyra was a little too fire happy with her power. It’s like looking into an abyss. I have no idea how to get down.” She was prancing in place, looking ready to bound in after them.

“We are coming to you. Do not go in alone, it is connected to this swamp and we have no idea what lies beneath it.” Turner switched to the other channel. “This is Overwatch. Dropped Bass are you on?”

The chilled voice of his former client spoke. “Dropped Bass here. What’s up Doc?”

“Situation has come up with team B.” Tuner sighed wearily. “Meet up asap. Before their team leader decides to do something rash.”

---

“Wow, that was a good catch, but how come I didn’t get hurt when we landed?” Lyra wiggled her hooves as Luigi held her like a bride.

“I’ve-a never been hurt by falling that often.” Luigi placed her down. There was a small struggle when her hooves got tangled up in his arms. “As for you, I was holding you so it just works.”

“Hmm, I’m thinking magic, and if you don’t know maybe I can study it.” Lyra giggled as she looked around. Sadly, that sweet smile turned into confusion. “Where are we? If it wasn’t for the weird green glowing ooze and my firepower, this place would be pitch black.”

“I was trying to ignore it. Blissfully.” Luigi whined as his knees started to shake. “You can barely see the top where we fell from.

“Yup! We fell a pretty long way.” Lyra nodded as her horn glowed brighter to reveal more of the area. “Large chamber filled with pony size pores, perfect for anything to crawl in and out of or drag us off into.  Green ooze seeping from cracks everywhere and it’s most likely toxic. Foul smelling air, and skeletal remains. This place is pretty creepy. Awesome creepy.”

“W-w-w-why!?” Luigi blubbered as he shrunk more into himself as she described everything. “Aren’t you at least a bit scared?”

“Of course I am. When I am frightened out of my mind I just start talking non-stop and analyzing stuff. Bon Bon says I have some serious issues, but what pony doesn’t?” Lyra smiled at Luigi. It slowly grew bigger as her eyes became pinpoints. “Case and point.”

“W-w-wait. Don’t tell-a me.” Luigi’s teeth chattered as he moaned. “There is a giant monster right behind me?”

“What a rude guest.” Luigi creaked around in a stuttered manner as his gaze slowly turned up. More legs than what should be necessary, this creature had holes on all of her appendages, a lovely set of mandibles to grip anything in her mouth. A mouth that had trouble keeping green ooze in when she smiled sweetly. “A living pony and human lost in my kingdom? What a rare treat.”

Luigi’s knees buckled as he gripped his hat tightly. Lyra scooted up next to him as tightly as possible. “Terribly sorry to fall in your home. We didn’t mean any harm.”

“Ho, ho, ho.” Stilted noblemare laughter if Lyra had ever heard one; it made her hair stand up on end, and made the itchy spot on the back of her neck come back too. “No harm they say. Not when they were so busy burning our children away from our food.”

“Momma Mia.” Luigi scooted back on the floor with Lyra in tow.

“Now, now. No need to be shy. I’m not one to hold grudges for too long.” There was a flash of green flames as a normal human hand grew from her ‘chest’ towards the two with an outstretched palm. There was small pink liquid that rippled in her hand. “Shall we play a game? Empress of the Changelings demands your participation.”

---

“This place seems to be built for atmosphere.” Rarity stated as the group stood outside the large castle doors and hidden behind some cover from any prying eyes. “Thunder clouds waiting for us to walk inside, those horribly ghastly gargoyles, and I’m fairly certain the front door will lock shut on us the moment we all walk in.”

“That’s terrifying!” Fluttershy had somehow found a way to fit her entire body under Mario’s hat while he wore it with only her tail poking out from behind.

“More like predictable is what Rarity is going at.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “I bet they have traps waiting for us. Trying to separate us and pick us off one by one.”

“I’m glad everypony is feeling better, though a bit more sarcastic than usual, but I’m not sure we can do anything else.” Twilight sighed, not all too confident with making a plan at the moment. She turned to walk away for a short distance only for her face to smash right into something akin to a metal block if it was invisible. Muzzle smashed, tears forming, and horn throbbing; Twilight was sure that today was not Tuesday when she checked, but it sure felt like it.

“Sugarcube, I think you may have found our answer.” Twilight felt Applejack give her a consoling pat on the back, but she was too busy nursing her nose to reply.

“Boo Shrooms.” Mario picked up the ghastly smiling mushroom. “Perfect for our-a needs.”

“Looks positively ghastly.” Rarity repeated the previous description. “Those Fire Flowers, as you call them, made us look radiant, but I doubt the same can happen with this.”

“I dunno, I think I make a good ghost.” The ponies gasped and held each other tightly. Pinkie Pie ‘smiled’ big from the reaction she got. “See, I spooked everypony here. Imagine what I would do to them?”

“Pinkie, y-y-you just have a bedsheet over you.” Twilight released her hug. Poor Mario found himself the center of a mass pony compression courtesy of his friends. They were all good huggers, like natural vices.

Pinkie tilted her body in confusion as she poked around for her head, her hoof repeatedly pushing down on the fabric. “Aw, this is a Nightmare Night costume that an amateur would throw on. Wait a moment.” She flipped up the bedsheet to find nothing underneath it. “Oh I get it, a bedsheet ghost. I’m pretty spooky.”

“Mario, please tell me that this isn’t permanent.” Twilight asked as Mario caught his breath.

“A light source is-a good enough to dispel, though getting hurt enough can do it.” Mario wheezed as he patted his chest. “Though that is nothing like how it works for me. Guess you all will have different powers with each power-up. She is not a bedsheet ghost though, sort of-a.”

“Really? There are more than one type of ghost?” Twilight raised an eyebrow as she watched Pinkie ‘wooohing’ Applejack, who rolled her eyes.

“Give it a moment and…” Mario motioned her to watch the goofy specter until there was a flash. Two Applejacks now stared at each other like a mirror image come to life. “She is a duplighost, she can turn into a copy of anything she-a sees, within reason.”

“Howdy Applejack, I’m Applejack. You looking pretty good sugarcube.” ‘Applejack’ shook the hoof of the dumbfounded Applejack with hospitable glee.

“Pinkie, please change back. That’s creepy.” Applejack was sure her face shouldn’t be able to make a grin that large.”

“Okie, dokie, loki!” Pinkie said in that sweet southern twang before changing back to bed sheet form.

“Creepy power? I’m game.” Rainbow Dash grabbed hers with mischievous glee. There was a ‘poof’ and a deep purple mist before Rainbow Dash stepped out. Pale yellow eyes was the only sign of life as the skeletal pony stretched her bony limbs. Skeletal wings flapped in the air out of instinct. “A skeleton pony? Kind of scary I guess.”

“Very scary.” Pinkie Pie answered with hush awe. “Come on everypony let’s see what we can get!”

Rarity backed up as she laughed in a completely non-stilted manner. “Now, now, dear. Something like that is not for me. Losing all of your fur and your mane is clearly just ghastly.”

Pinkie giggled. “Ghastly. Good one, Rarity.” Then she threw the pale mushroom at the shrieking mare. The whining stopped abruptly. Icy wind nipped at the ponies as Rarity opened her eyes. Transparent blue form seemed to radiate the winter spirit, Rarity’s mane seemed to curl more at the ends into neverending swirls. “Ooooh, pretty.”

“Like a windigo.” Twilight hummed as Rarity conjured up a small mirror. Her cutie mark glowed like morning sun on ice. “Hopefully you don’t have the urge to cause hate.”

“Not a bad look, and I feel absolutely fabulous.” Rarity delicately pushed up on her curly mane. “Don’t worry, this ice queen has a warm heart.”

“You’re most likely still emotion based with your powers.” Twilight scanned Rarity as Pinkie placed a party hat on Rarity’s head. “I wonder if you can move through small spaces due to your seemingly incorporeal form.

Applejack raised an eyebrow when the party hat was strapped to Pinkie’s muzzle in a blink of an eye. “That is some kind of interesting power, but Ah guess it would help us get inside without Nightmare Moon and them knowing. My turn.”

One Boo Shroom later and Applejack’s head was gone. “Ah don’t feel no different.”

Twilight resisted, truly fought hard to keep her mouth shut. “It’s ok, Twilight. Double negatives happen.” It was a long day.

“So does-a speaking without adjectives.” Mario whistled as he rocked back and forward.

“Hush. Mr. Accent is so thick I can make pasta with it.” Twilight stuck her tongue out a little.

Applejack rolled her eyes (pretty impressive without a head). “Seriously sugarcube, what did I get?”

Rainbow Dash crept up next to her with a low voice. “You are the creepy headless mare. You don’t actually get a power, in fact nothing worthwhile was lost. Ouch! Hot, hot, hot!”

Deep purple flames sparked around Applejack as a fiery pumpkin head popped into existence over her. It seemed to leer at Rainbow Dash with an impressive stink eye. “That’s rich coming from empty skull head.”

“Spectral flames. That is interesting, and the pumpkin is storing a lot of energy. Enough to be extremely explosive.” Twilight swiped then froze a flame sample in a preservation test tube before putting it into her saddle bag. “Applejack, if we get into a bind, try throwing the pumpkin.”

“I, um, got bat wings.” Fluttershy squeaked out. Her yellow coat was darker and the blood red eyes seemed to pierce through any form of darkness. “Ow, these teeth are sharp.”

“Bat-pony?” Rainbow Dash tilted her bony head. “Oh right, remember those from the history class shy? That’s pretty cool.”

“You slept through that class, though.” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “You barely listened to me when we studied during flying lessons.”

“Well yeah, that class was boring, but those things were pretty neat.” Rainbow Dash shrugged as well as any skeleton pony could. “Bet you can fly in complete darkness.”

“Probably.” Twilight picked her own boo shroom. “Let’s see what I get.” A puff of purple smoke obscured her from the others. Gone was the lively lavender, her coat was now inky black that lacked defining features. Outside of her blindingly yellow eyes, Twilight looked like a solid shadow.

“What a striking form.” Rarity swirled around Twilight like a cold wind. “The simplicity of perfect black mane and coat makes your eyes pop!”

“Thanks, but what can I do now?” Twilight prodded the tip of her hoof, expecting some kind of weird reaction.

“You-a look like a Bomb Boo.” Mario said as he grabbed his mushroom, poof of smoke revealed a mustacheo boo with his signature hat. “They are-a pretty dangerous and can blow up most things.”

“Well explosives are always fun.” Twilight grinned. “Alright, time to sneak inside a fortress and rescue the princesses. We need to stay together for this. Let’s go, girls!”

The shadow of the castle loomed over the heroes as they charged. Lightning crackled overhead, illuminating the decrypted haunt. They were sure that their nemesis was ready for them, but their new powers were about to throw a kink in Nightmare Moon’s plans and Bower’s forces.

---

“That’s-a Splatter Matter.” Luigi gulped as the Changeling levitated the goo from her hand. Lyra glanced at him quickly before snapping back to the Empress in front of them.

“Ah, very good. You are well traveled.” She bounced the drop up and down with a lovely toothy grin. “It can be used to create a multitude of things, but I mostly enjoy creating death traps for any guests that come by.”

The liquid matter started to vibrate rapidly and change colors like a kaleidoscope. It fell back into the changeling’s hand and oozed over and around her palm before hitting the group. The earth rippled with a distinct drip. Chains ripped out from the ground, spikes grew from the walls, and towering platforms fell from the inky black sky. What was one drop became a flood of splatter matter as it seeded itself everywhere.

Starry blue clones of Luigi and Lyra formed like reverse unmelted wax. Their chilly unnatural laugh made their presence known. At the top of the cavern, there was an opening to freedom. “Now dance! Wiggle, squirm, and struggle to survive! Provide sport for my amusement .”

“You don’t scare us!” Lyra snorted as she pawed the ground. “Come on, Luigi. Let’s get it on!”

Changelings crawled out of the openings in the walls, watching the super duo. Luigi was yanked up next to her by his wrist. “Lyra, try not to go overboard. This looks-a dangerous so we need to be careful.”

Her manic grin returned as her fiery green magic glowed around her horn. “Neigh my green friend! We are about to go crazy.”

Luigi gulped as the large empress roared at them; bringing up a clawed talon to strike. He remembered Mario as his leg muscles readied. “Let’s-a go.”
> Changeling, Clones, and Chases
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is said that Luigi is far braver than most give him credit for. This was made evident by the tears as they flew behind him, the shrilled scream, and squeaky shoes that repeatedly hammered the ground. It takes a very brave man to run away from his fears with little regard to his dignity. Luigi was that man who bravely ran away. He also had a pony being toted over his head.

“Luigi! We did a cool pose and everything, so why are you running away?” Lyra wiggled her hooves in the air as the plumber’s hands gripped around her barrel. She looked up to see the insidious grin of the changeling empress as she raised a wicked scythe of a limb. “Jump left! Jump left!”

He didn’t hesitate as he bounced over a cosmic clone of himself. All Luigi heard was the short cry of pain where he was moments ago, followed by his grunt as he landed on a rising platform. “How do we get out of here?”

“How do we get out of here?”

“How do we get out of here?”

“Yes, how do you get out?” The changeling laughed as hundreds of Luigi cosmic clones echoed the question.

The blue floating island turned a dull dead green as it fell apart under his feet. Some of the Cosmic Lyras bounced up with them, charging their own fire spells. Luigi sprung off to a vertical wall, kicked off it into a short screw, planted both shoes on another vertical rising wall launched himself to a ledge, and grabbed it with one hand to fling himself over in a triple roll.

Luigi landed perfectly on his feet, until his cargo kicked out of his hands and he landed on his rump. Lyra was no longer a lime green. “My stomach. Why won’t the spinning stop. Warn a mare next time. Uge.”

“Ow.” Luigi rubbed his lower back. “I’m-a sorry.”

“First of all, don’t carry me.” Lyra pointed at him as her normal color returned. “I can take care of myself.”

“You can jump all the way up here without-a a problem?” Luigi pointed over the ledge. Lyra peeked over at the five story tall height and simply shook her head. “We can’t stay here long. These platforms disappear quickly.”

“She controls them.” Lyra heaved slowly. “That drippy bluey bouncy sticky stuff.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Splatter Matter.”
“Right! We need to steal some to get out of here.” Lyra scooched away from the ledge as the platform started to melt away into nothing. “Time to run!”

Thin spindly claws wrapped over the edge leaving behind ravenous scratches. “Are you two trying to hide up here?”

“Go, go, go!” Lyra crash landed on Luigi’s shoulders and wrapped her legs around his head.

His high pitch scream was her only vocal confirmation as Luigi sprinted away. They heard the buzzing of oversized wings as the empress lifted up in the air. “Seems my little game is leaving you a little bored. The floor is now dark matter, that’s a classic for little ones. Don’t fall now, I wouldn’t want the game to end too quickly.”

Far below them, dark oozing matter bubbled to life ready to consume anything that would touch it. It already claimed a few victims from the shadow clones. Luigi jumped up to the next land mass as the previous one vanished. “Looking at our options, without that-a Splatter Matter we have maybe five minutes. With her destroying the platforms we are quickly losing ground, and none of them go up to the hole in the ceiling.”

“I could get us up there if we get some Splatter Matter.” Lyra ducked her head as a fire ball whizzed overhead. “They are getting better at shooting those!”

Lyra’s piggyback ride nodded desperately as he jumped on to a slippery ice slide and started to skate down. It lowered their elevation and brought them closer to the dark matter below them. “Hold on-a tight! This is gonna be a big jump!”

“I hope you know what you are doing!” Lyra squealed as her mane and tail danced from the increase speed. Luigi didn’t answer as he short hopped a twirl. The second jump only increased the momentum until they hit the rising slope at the bottom. “I want off this crazy ride.”

Seconds before slipping off the ledge, Luigi leaped up. They soared higher, higher, and higher. Lyra had a distinct feeling that this was what a pegasus felt like when they took off. There was some appeal to it. Luigi grabbed the ledge of the floating island closest to the top, but still too far to escape.

“I’m ok,” Lyra repeated to herself over and over.

“Then please loosen your-a grip around my head.” Luigi asked as he pulled up to safety. “I feel my-a head swimming.”

The mare let go and landed with a heavy thud. “Ok, need to catch my breath.” Breath captured. “What’s the plan?”

“That bug queen knows we are-a here.” Luigi panted. “We are going to drop a surprise on her. We sneak by and steal some of the splatter matter she has on her.”

Lyra peaked to see the changeling rapidly gaining altitude to catch up with them. “What’s the surprise--?!” Luigi landed on her back. “Hey! What do you think you are doing!?”

“We are going to build a big-a fireball.” Luigi pointed at her horn. “Charge up your fire-a spell. Bro and I do this together.”

The Empress rose up, undeterred by the land masses shattered on her and any cosmic clones bounced off her. Her toys made an impressive leap to the very top of the boundaries. Any closer to the top and they could escape, but she wasn’t about to make that mistake. “It is all downhill from here. There is no where you can escape to.” She leaned back with a razor shard limb and dug into the foundations of the duo’s hiding spot. “Here I co...me? Oh dear.”

“Eat-a spicy meatball!” Luigi held up a large fireball. Sparks flew off angrily as he threw it straight down at her as the platform shattered from her claws.

Claws crossed as the fireball plowed into the Changeling Empress. Sharp teeth scraped against each other as she forced her wings to beat harder against the attack. Muscles tensed as she threw her claws out slashing the fireball away. The blazing hot spell shot up through the hole in the ceiling exploding a few seconds later.

“Clever trick, but it will do nothing for you.” The Empress growled as she looked around for her toys. Her horn glowed green for a moment before she looked down. “There you are, from the highest point to the lowest. What did you hope to accomplish with such theatrics?”

Under the watch of numerous soulless eyes from clones and a cruel monster, Lyra’s grin was almost from ear to ear. “How about beating you at your own game!”

“You!” The Empress snarled out a roar when she noticed the splatter matter in the unicorn’s magical grasp. The momentary loss of composure was quickly replaced by her confident demeanor. “You actually got your little hooves on splatter matter. If you plan on escaping with just that, I’m afraid you are fooling yourself.”

“Oh yeah! We got your secret weapon on our side now.” Lyra demonstrated as she painted a small planetoid into existence.

The changeling smiled. “Your only hope to escape is right behind me, how do you plan to get past a thousand clones and ME!? I have mastered the use of splatter matter in over a millennium while you have just learned about it a few moments ago. Your best attack was merely an inconvenience for me. By all means, struggle some more. You will fall.”

Poor choice of words would have been the Changeling Empress’ next thought if she had any. When a spaceship plays chicken with you, things start to get fuzzy afterwards. It was an audible thunk sound that echoed in the chamber when the mushroom shaped spaceship crashed on top of the changeling’s head. Stars danced around her head as she started to fall.

“Lyra!!!” Bon Bon opened the top hatch and yelled down to her sister. “Get your minty tail up here now! Luigi, you almost fried us with your fireball.”

Luigi sighed as Lyra gave him a quick pat on the back. “Don’t worry. I know it wasn’t your fault. Also, there is a giant falling bug queen right above our heads. It’s time to do what you do best.”

“Jump?”

“Run away.” Lyra smiled as she created a slope with some splatter matter and ran. Luigi drooped a moment before hustling after her.

The Changeling Empress crashed behind them, all the dark matter evaporated before she could be consumed. “Too close.” Her wings flared as she got back up, rubbing her sore noggin. “Playtime is now over.”

An aqua flash sparked behind Luigi and Lyra as they ran up their own splatter matter slopes. Lyra glanced briefly, only for Luigi to pull her back completely. Her yelp was overshadowed by the large spike that drilled where she was a few moments ago. “Ok, we should have been gone yesterday. Luigi, you are faster than me. You carry me and I’ll make our path out of here.”

“Okie dokie!” Luigi nodded as he allowed himself to be piggybacked once again. He dashed off just as claws sliced apart the platform. Fireballs from clones rained down on them as they closed in. “Why!? Why do-a things get-a worse when everything was going our way.”

“Just keep running and jumping. I’ll tell you when we are safe.” Lyra created a wall that blocked several clones from catching them. “In fact, you need to run faster! She’s gaining on us.”

“I see! I see!” Luigi’s legs blurred as claws and teeth grasped after him. “I also see fire raining down on us, dark energy copies of me trying to destroy us, and spikes ripping up what little running room we have left!”

“Well you don’t have to yell at me.” Lyra huffed. “Oh hey, I can create objects with this splatter matter stuff just like she can,” Lyra said as she had just materialized a rubber ball that bounced off the Changeling Empress’ head.

“Spring! Please make-a spring.” Luigi pointed ahead as the surrounding army converged on them like a swarm. “One that will let us-a go really high up.”

“One super fast spring coming up.” A lime green spring with a lyre picture on top. “Express Lyra Heartstrings, now boarding. Up, up, and away!”

Luigi short hopped on to the board, then shot up like a bullet. The spring immediately dissolved as a cosmic clone tried to mimic him. The Changeling growled as she created portals for her clones. “Mere tricks.”

As soon as Luigi landed on a higher platform, clones of Lyras and Luigi rained down. Momentum saved him from any hesitation as they flew past the storm. “A sling star! That will keep us going.”

“Sure.” Lyra smiled. “What’s a sling star?”

He pointed directly at what Bon Bon, who was holding it like she was ready to throw it like a baseball player. “One of those.” Luigi was partially wrong, Bon Bon threw it like a ninja star straight into his noggin.

“Oh. Gotcha. Thanks Bonny.” Lyra concentrated as she made duplicates.

“I thought she was trying to help us,” Luigi whimpered as stars spun around his head.

“She is. Sling stars coming right up!” One sling star, lead to another. Each was far too quick for the Changeling Empress to catch up, despite her spitting fire and rage. Until finally. “Home base! We win.”

“This isn’t a game, Lyra.” Bon Bon pulled her sister up. “That monster is trying to hurt you.”

“Luigi was protecting me, and he did a very good job.” Lyra dragged Luigi up behind her. “Anypony got a plan for that big bug?”

“I have found pest control works well with a hard stomp.” Zecora pointed to the splatter matter. “Perhaps turnabout will send her back to her swamp.”

“Whatever you decide, you better do it quickly,” Time Tuner yelled as he shifted the ship to fly straight up. They rocketed out of the crumbling hole with the crew holding on tightly.

Luigi heaved air into his poor lungs. “Fire didn’t a-work. She slashed it away, and I don’t have my hammer.”

“If you want hammer time, I’ll set the appointment.” Lyra concentrated on the splatter matter and a hammer popped into existence in Luigi’s hands.

Time Turner stopped the ship 60 meters above the hole. “I’m sure a second concussion would do wonders for our nasty friend. Going down in three.”
Luigi yelped as he reared the hammer over his head, he remembered that his brother was very effective with oversized hammers. “Bigger!”

Lyra’s horn glowed as the hammer doubled in size. 

“Two.”

“Bigger!”

Quadrupled in size as Lyra grinned. 

“One.”

“Bigger!” The ponies gulped as the massive mallet eclipsed them, blocking the sun from view.

Luigi strained when he realized something important. “I think it may be-a too big n-whoa whoa whoa mama mia!”

“Geronimo!” Turner yelled as the ship plunged towards the ground. 

An abyssal clone Lyra scurried out of the cave maw before her mistress and its fellow clones. If it had a snarky mind, it would have asked its mistress if she wanted two lumps for her drink. A more philosophical abomination Lyra clone would have mused if there was a greater evil that would take it to a horrific place to terrorize normal fleshlings for eternity. A paradise for its deep empty being, but sadly it didn’t have a mind, so the sight of a hammer eclipsing the sun and ready to impact the world didn’t phase its formless noggin.

The cosmic Luigi clone right behind it seemed to share some traits of its squishy non-dark matter counterpart with trembling knees and a pitiful scream. The changeling monarch ripped through the entrance of the cavernous chamber. “Your interference has cost you your liv--oh sweet creator, I’m in for a pounding.”

The swamp jumped from the impact as if tectonic plates shifted like during the days of creation. The ponies covered their ears and winced as the changeling queen disappeared under the hammer back into the underground cave. Luigi’s grip finally gave away and the hammer followed the creature and her minions.

“Wow, I think we just made a new fault line. The swamp is actually pouring over that hive.” Vinyl Scratch whistled as she watched the cursed swamp seep into the cave. “That’ll put that monster down for a good while.”

“That was-a too close.” Luigi rubbed his wrists. “Not sure how Mario does that so often.”

“Aw, you did just fine.” Lyra wrapped an encouraging foreleg around Luigi’s shoulders. “I mean sure you ran and screamed a little bit, complained the whole time, and closed your eyes. In fact, I think I still have tear stains on my coat, but you did beat her.”

“Yes, yes. That is all fine. Back into the ship,” Turner said as he shifted it into gear. “I’m sure the other group needs our help. After this trap, I fear what other encounters this world has in store.”
> Ghostly Infiltration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A patrolling bale of koopa troopas rounded the corner to another empty dusty hallway. The green shelled one yawned. “Man, the wait for Mario is probably worse then when the dude actually shows up.”

“No way dude, it is when you see the shadow above you. Those few seconds when you realize that you are about to be stomped on is the worst.” The yellow shelled koopa shuddered. “I can only imagine how bad that is as a goomba.”

“Bro, it is so much better now. With that shadow queen pony lady around we get all that awesome umbra magic.” The red shelled koopa grinned as he quickly glanced out one of the windows for Mario. “I heard that we will be getting some upgrades like the others soon. We can really knock Mario for a loop with all that shadow stuff.”

“Wonder how her pony shades will hold up in action.” The black shelled koopa mused out loud. “They seem a whole lot like Boos, though they are more tangible.”

“Dudes, do you hear something?” The red shelled koopa hushed his comrades. “Do we have bats in this old castle. Could’ve sworn I heard something flying by.”

“Pony skeletons, man. I just saw a Dry Pony over there. I think. It was pretty fast so it could have been anything.” The yellow shelled koopa yelled as he pointed at fleeting shadows.

“Howdy, y’all!” The disembodied head of Applejack hollered in the middle of the bale. 

All the koopas screamed as they jumped into each other’s arms, forming a nice shell tower. 

“Fancy meeting you all here in this spooky castle.”

“Bob, the pony is missing the rest of her body.” The green shelled koopa stated the obvious.

“She’s also on fire, and my name's not Bob, it’s ‘Frank’!” ‘Bob’ snapply corrected. “You do have a point though, where is the rest of you!?”

“Ah shucks, I had to pay a toll fee to get entry. You mean to tell me I was hoodwinked out of my body?” Applejack’s head bobbled pitifully. “I guess I’ll take one of yalls.”

“What!? No, I love my body.” ‘Frank’ hugged his shell.

“Naw, I’m just messing with ya.” The purple flames turned a shade darker. “Just here to give y’all a nice--”

KABOOM

Applejack, the headless mare, trotted past the knocked out koopas and grabbed her head. “Now to find where they’re hiding Princess Luna and Princess Peach.”

Down the hall, Fluttershy gulped as she watched these strange enemies march. They heard the explosion so she had to react quickly. Those unnerving masks barely muffled their seemingly mindless chatter. “Ok, I can do this. Just have to be scary. Like a bat. A cute little fuzzy bat. Who would rather be snacking on a tasty apple.”

Shy Guys marched under her, their training had prepared them for this moment. Though they lacked weapons, were a little slow, and not really all that big. What was important was that they had heart, and the vain hope that nothing was actually wrong. “One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.”

Red leader marched in front as they counted their march. “One, two, three.”

Yellow echoed with the others. “One.”

Blue rhythmically continued. “Two.”

Green finished eagerly. “Three.”

The pleased red Shy Guy restarted the march with Yellow and Blue. “One, two, three.”

Red Shy Guy thought it was odd that Green missed his step.

“One, two, three.” As did Blue just now.

Frustrating him further, Red Shy Guy was ready to turn around to dress down his men. “One, two, three.”

Red about face to face an empty hallway, with no other Shy Guys. “One?”

“Two.” His voice echoed down the corridor. Red looked around, he doubted his men were cowards.

“T-three?” Red trembled as his hesitate steps followed each other. Something struggled in the darkness above him. He dared to look up. His comrades were tied up by curtains around the hanging chandelier. A creature with leather wings stared at him with glowing scarlet eyes, hanging by her flexible tail.

The only reasonable response was to scream, so he did. Red screamed hard enough for his mask to pop off, which led to Fluttershy screaming. “Eeek, sorry!”

Fluttershy wobbled until she fell down, directly on the Shy Guy wrapping him in leather wings like a blanket.

---

“See. This is why we don’t work in ghost houses.” The echoes of screams reverberated down the hallway to a troop of Goombas. “Darn goofy ghosts are always pulling pranks. They are on the other side of the hall and we can still hear them screaming.”

Private ‘Undertoe’ Goomba nodded in sage like agreement with Private Goombro. “Too be fair, it sounds like that got them pretty good. Those Shy Guys sound like Lord Bowser just told them to give him a sponge bath.”

“Don’t joke like that. You haven’t lived that.” The thousand yard stare of Private ‘Gloomba’ said everything that needed to be said.

“What’s with the look?” The slightly thick headed Private ‘Underfoot’ asked as he ignored the above explanation. Granted being thick headed might give him a chance to survive being jumped on. “Besides, scaring a Shy Guy is easy mode.”

“Why is the new guy narrating everything?” ‘Underfoot’ read the nametag on the weirdo goomba wearing an oversized mustache and glasses. “Private Gummy, and I’m not thick headed! I just need extra time to think about stuff. Like what we want for lunch. Hmm, chimichangas or enchiladas?”

“How about some chimicherry or maybe cherrychanga. Those are both really good. Well, they’re actually the same thing just with a different name depending on which thing is more fun to say. Chimmmicherry.” The oddly pinkish goomba was making her comrades a bit peckish.

“Wait, cherrychanga? Chimicherry? That sounds like a dessert.” Goombro poked Gummy much to her confusion. “You gonna get tubby eating only desserts.”

With a fake gasp of surprise, Private Gummy took a step back. “I’m shocked. Shocked I say. The very tone of my voice should convey how shocked I am.”

‘Underfoot’ glared at ‘Gummy’. “I dunno. I’ve seen shockier.”

“Pretty sure it is just more shocked, or maybe more shocking. Darn it, your stupidity is spreading.” Goombro yelled at his teammate.

“By the way, I’ve lost my map and I can’t find my way around this big old castle. Could one of you fill me in on where the important locations are?” Gummy smiled sweetly as she took out her cannon.

“Oh no problem.” ‘Gloomba’ snapped out of his thousand yard stare as he took out his pamphlet. “Lord Bowser has a few traps ready for Mario here. Lady Nightmare made some traps for the ponies here. Team Delta did a sweep for hidden power-ups so the heroes won’t find them.”

“Interesting. Please go on.” ‘Gummy’ filled her cannon up with ammunition.

“The Princesses are being kept here and the super secret special weapon is with Lord Bowser and Lady Nightmare at the end of the level. I think Larry Troopa found in deep in this castle somewhere.” ‘Gloomba’ closed the pamphlet. “Does that answer everything?”

“Yuppers.” ‘Gummy’ started to try and light a match.

‘Underfoot’ tilted his head. “I have a question. What kind of name is Gummy?”

“A great name for my pet alligator.” Pinkie finally got her match going. “There we go.”

“You’re one of those ponies aren’t you?” Private Goombro gulped.

“My apologizes.” Pinkie aimed her party cannon as her disguise fade away. “I was never really on your side.”

“Pinkie!” Twilight yelled at her friend startling everyone as she snuffed out the cannon. “What are you doing? Are you actually going to use a cannon on them!?”

Pinkie looked down at her cannon and back up to the goombas that once believed her to be their comrade in arms, even if they lacked arms of any kind. “Well, I wanted to be all cool after I got the intel. Here by the way, they told me everything.”

“Good job, but this is unnecessary. Goombas are hardly a threat and using a weapon like that is overdoing it.” Twilight took Pinkie’s hastily written crayon drawn notes. “Just bop them on the head, there’s no need to use resources like that. According to the minion's list provided by the brochure, they are underlings to underlings.”

“Oy’, we’re plenty dangerous.” Private Gloomba protested. “We may not have tough shells, fireballs, magic, spines, or any kind of weapons, but we have something that is the most important factor.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “If you say ‘heart’ I’m going to throw you all out the window into the swamp.”

“Hea--er, no of course not. Determination.” Gloomba stuck up his chest. “We stand bravely against any threat against Lord Bowser and we attack with enthusiasm. Goombas deserve just as much respect as any of Lord Bowser’s minions.”

“Yeah, Twilight. Stop being mean.” Pinkie poked Twilight. “They all deserve to have our full attention without holding back.”

“Yeah, Mario treats us all equally under his jumps.” Undertoe retorted. “Unless he is speeding through a section like he’s trying to avoid rush hour, or you have spines then he just uses a shell on you.” 

Twilight groaned. “Fine, Pinkie, have at it.”

With a squee, Pinkie reignited the cannon. The goombas’ eyes widened “Crud! I think we shouldn’t have defended our pride!”

“All right, so there is a secret weapon that we really should learn more about before rushing head first into trouble.” Twilight talked away as the explosion blew her mane and tail dramatically. “I’m confident in our ability, but I’d rather not leave anything to chance.”

“Good-a job clearing out the first area.” Boo Mario would have patted Applejack and Fluttershy on the back if he still had hands. “Especially using a new super-a power for the first time.”

“Ah, shucks. Wasn’t a problem.” Applejack blushed as she balanced her head on her back.

Fluttershy sighed from the ceiling. “I didn’t mean to scare them all that badly.”

“Guys, I scouted ahead and there are a ton of skeleton dudes that are walking around.” Dry Dash landed next to them. “I mean, I think we can take them, but it could get hairy.”

“So they look like you?” Twilight tilted her head. “Necromancy is so scary. Mario any advice?”

“Fire doesn’t bother Dry Bones, but ice magic can-a freeze them solid.” Mario looked over at the ghostly form of Rarity.

“Well then, I suppose it is time for me to pull my weight.” Rarity grinned a smile that would chill spines. “Watch me work, ladies and gentlecolt. Applejack and Twilight, if you both wouldn’t mind cleaning up the riff raff after I am finished.”

Rarity glided a few inches from the ground as she turned the corner to the next hallway. Sure enough, skeleton forms of Koopas, Piranha Plants, and Spinies marched the halls. Their pale light gaze turned to her. “Good Evening. I’m sure you all were told to be good hosts, but we can’t stay and chat.”

The closest Dry Bones lunged, only to be frozen a few steps away with a simple wave of Rarity’s hoof. “Colder than your sense of humor. Well, I hope you appreciate if I create a winter wonderland!”

Like a heat consuming hunger, ice stretched from Rarity with vicious wrath. Ice moved by her will as it enveloped the hall and foes. Not missing the beat, Applejack threw her head at the rows of frozen undead and blew them to pieces. Twilight hesitated, her power was something related to explosions. “Welp, for science!”

While Twilight wouldn’t call what she did an exact science, the results did meet her approval. Her yellow eyes glowed as a hazy orange mist blanketed the ground like an ankle high fog. The back draft from Rarity’s ice magic aided the spread of the mist as it clinged to the enemies. “Combust!”

Twilight stamped her hoof, like a spark. A healthy glow of orange erupted into a raging inferno. The windows blew out, the walls buckled, and the floor got dangerously close to collapsing. Undead bones scattered anywhere. Rarity turned around, prompting Twilight and Applejack to do the same and bowed like an actor. “Hope that performance was satisfying.”

“Whoa. That was awesome!” Rainbow Dash couldn’t help to do an aerial loop. “I mean, I’m pretty sure we lost any element of surprise, but with that kind of firepower who needs it?”

Pinkie Pie whistled as she held a trembling Flutterbat. “Well, maybe if we held off of doing something like that for a while. Very impressive though.”

Rainbow patted Flutterbat on the back “Aw, don’t worry, Fluttershy. That explosion was not as big as the one time we had those fire powers against Nightmare Moon.”

Fluttershy nodded as she looked up and gave Rainbow a sweet smile, a cute scene if Rainbow Dash wasn’t a skeletal abomination. Twilight sighed “Sorry, but it looks like we took care of the ones here. I want to go find some information before we take on Bowser and Nightmare Moon. We need to find a library or a study hall.”

---
In the library where dust bunnies were choking on the dust, a few color coded magikoopas toiled away with old scrolls. “Hurry up, four eyes, I don’t know how long we have until Lord Bowser tells us to pull out of this dump.”

“Don’t call me four eyes. You wear glasses too!” Red retorted as he scrolled over the scrolls. “Pointless history, useless spells, and dull art. The only thing we have found worthwhile are these recipes for pastries.”

Blue tapped his wand in his hand. “Well it’s not like we are going to see Mario. Dude has tunnel vision for princesses, flag goals, and power stars.”

“There was that explosion we heard a few halls away from here. We won’t be seeing him or any of those ponies.” White adjusted his glasses again. “Well when we are done here just burn the place. Gotta meet our pillage quota from Lord Bowser.”

“Excuse me. Did you just say you are going to burn all this!?” The magikoopas jumped in surprise when Twilight appeared when Mario released his invisibility off both of them. “I hope you didn’t!”

“Oh shell, the ponies found ghostshrooms, run!” Red teleported off the ladder and appeared in front of the door. White fired off a spell at Twilight, narrowly missing her and nailed Mario, causing him to lose his ghost form. Red quickly opened it to reveal Applejack waiting. “Ah, not the rope!”

Applejack quickly lassoed in Red with a quick flick of her rope. “Now hold your saddles. No need to get all antsy now.”

White wildly threw out a green spell at the group that was smoothly dodged by them. “Ha, nice try, beak face!” Dash taunted. They completely missed the spell turning into a green shell that ricocheted off the wall straight into her back. Rainbow’s pained gasp was next punctuated by her collapsing into a pile of bones.

“Dash!” Applejack yelled with fear as she tightened her grip on her rope.

“I’m ok.” Dash’s skull piped up. “Give me a few moments to pull myself back together.”

Rarity glared with ghostly blue eyes as ice creeped over the white magikoopa before he could escape. “Don’t go anywhere. I’m sure Twilight has a lot of questions for you.” Rarity grinned icily, making White gulp.

“Mario!” Fluttershy floated down next to the plumber on leathery wings. “Are you ok?”

Blue’s wand was yanked by Twilight as she glared at him. “Please tell me I heard you wrong about burning books.”

“It was a joke! Ha. Ha. See, just a funny joke Ms. Lavender Unicorn.” The sweat poured down his features as those yellow eyes gleamed furiously. “We were just here to make sure nothing valuable to Lord Bowser was overlooked after we stole the ancient artifact of doom from the basement. Turns out listening to Lady Nightmare was a good idea so now we have all these shadow powers and stuff which will really help out with the trap we prepared.”

The room was silent. Everyone stared at the magikoopa until White facepalmed. “You idiot.”

“Sorry. I talk a lot when I’m scared.” Blue gulped. Twilight’s glare turned one of outrage to one of pity glare. “We’re not going to burn them now.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, only to find it holding a pink tail. “All right buster. Bad cop Pinkie time. When’s your birthday? Is this a no party zone!? Why do you wear blue? Is it like a gi that represents your level of magi-kungfuoee. I’ll have you know, Twilight here is a black belt in highest magicability-kungfooness. She’s even wearing black right now with glowing yellow eyes.” Pinkie yanked Blue by the noggin and stared deeply into his eyes. “So whatever sneaky shadow super power meanie queenie is cooking up you better spill it!”

Blue squealed as he leaned as far as possible “Yes! I will tell you. Please stop changing into different people with your weird ghost powers! I had my birthday two months ago, yes the party was nice. Red is having a surprise birthday party tomorrow!”

White gritted his teeth. “Dude, shut your trap. That’s supposed to be a secret.”

“I like to wear blue. Take long walk on beaches. Nightmare Moon’s weapon is supposed to mind control and transform creatures into monsters. Though with some work with Lord Bowser’s R&D we made it so it upgrades his army without the whole turn into a monster deal. I want to work in R&D one day. It’s not easy, but making a flying battle ship space worthy seems like it would be really fun.”

Blue’s yapping was silenced by a lollypop being stuffed into his mouth. Pinkie patted him on the head. “That’s all we needed. Wow, I make a good interrogator.”

Twilight sighed as she duplicated Applejack’s rope to tie up the three magikoopas. “I guess that’s all we needed to know. Don’t worry girls.” Twilight teleported a box into her hooves. She took the jewels out and handed out the appropriate necklace until she fitted the tiara on her head. “Princess Celestia gave us this to make sure nothing went wrong. The Elements of Harmony helped us defeat Nightmare Moon before. Come on, everypony let’s go save the day.”

Mario watched the mares leave with renewed enthusiasm for their mission. He glanced over to the magikoopas who quickly looked away. Not even bothering with a shrug, Mario moved over to the front of one of the bookcases and jumped. An invisible block popped into existence as a single coin bounced up. The magikoopas’ jaw dropped as Mario sprinted after the mares.

“How!? How does he know where to find those things? I’ve never been able to find hidden blocks.” Blue whined as he struggled against his ropes.

“Mario has been doing this for a long time.” White shivered. “So cold.”

Red sighed as he gave up struggling. “I hope some koopa comes by to help us. Good job by the way, Blue. They took it hook, line, and sinker. Except for my birthday part. Was that really necessary?”

Blue snickered “Well the best kind of trick is one where you tell the truth. Also, sorry I do talk a lot when scared.”

“Hey, did someone leave a cupcake here?” Red noticed a candle crowned treat sitting on the table. “It’s out of reach.”

---

Twilight Sparkle never felt more confident, she had all of her friends behind her and the Elements of Harmony. Nightmare Moon was dangerous, but as previous history had proven, she was not unstoppable. Bowser was very scary, but thankfully Mario knew how to deal with him. Though, with the Elements of Harmony, they should be able to defeat both of them.

Applejack kicked open the door at the end of the hall leading the group to an open courtyard. “Well it looks like we have a party here.”

Fluttershy squeaked when she noticed an army of minions around them with an unhealthy haze of purple. “Oh my.”

“So this is where you jokers were hiding.” Rainbow Dash clopped her boney hooves together. “Looks like your bosses are here too.”

Twilight looked up at the menacing duo, and gasped with shock. “Princess Luna!”

Floating above Bowser’s scaly palm, Princess Luna and Princess Peach floated in a purple bubble. “Well look what dragged in from the mud. A herd of good doers that match a crayon box.” Bowser’s jovial mocking laugh stopped when Mario ran up behind the ponies. “And an annoying pest.”

“My dear little ponies.” Twilight cringed when she heard Nightmare Moon speak familiar words. “Welcome to the end.”

“Pish posh you stitched together rag doll.” Rarity’s icy words slipped out. “Being company to a lizard tyrant hardly makes you any different than the little ghosts we scared off coming here. The princesses have more important things to do than sit and listen to your grade school gloating so hoof them over.”

Silence reigned for a few moments until Applejack dethroned it. “Rarity, those ice ghost powers of yours doesn’t mean you have to also be an ice queen.”

“Sorry, not sure what came over me.” Rarity coughed polity.

“I am going to enjoy watching you fail.” Nightmare Moon growled a hiss.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Not today. We brought the Elements of Harmony and with our friendship this will end today!”

“Excellent.” Nightmare Moon grinned toothily. “Such an awesome power to have at your beck and call. I should know, I still have the memories of when I used them.”

“When We used them with our sister thou harlequin.” Princess Luna retorted.

Nightmare Moon glanced angrily over to Luna before taking out a small bag. A heavy beat like that of an elder dragon echoed from it. “Yet, there are powers far older. That eons have forgotten.”

“Friendship is timeless! Let’s go!” Twilight yelled as her Element of Magic glowed. Despite the otherworldly appearances, the ghost powered ponies rose as they gathered power.

Bowser grumbled to Nightmare. “Are you going to use it yet?”

“Witness the Rainbow of Darkness!” Nightmare Moon roared as she threw open the small bag. A stream of darkness poured out, consuming light like a black hole. Specks of energy danced off the twisted corrupting force.

In contrast to the writhing void, the ponies glowed white as the world rumbled from the intense magical pressure. They floated up as their ghostly qualities were accented by the overwhelming power of the Elements of Harmony. A rainbow wrapped around them before shooting up towards the villains. The shadow ponies and Bowser’s minions looked away from the supernova power.

Twilight’s yellow eyes beamed like miniature star clusters against her black coat. Rarity’s ice form acted like a prism that further sprayed rainbows in every direction. Rainbow Dash looked like a ball of energy outlining her skeletal body. The faint glimpse of eyes could be seen on her skull. Pinkie Pie’s bedsheet turned into a coat of many colors. Applejack’s rainbow flames illuminated her head like a halo. Fluttershy didn’t really have anything unique for batty form. She apologizes.

Mario couldn’t even see the ponies anymore as he was forced looked away. He could feel the ground beneath him quake. Then it stopped. He hazarded a glance. “Oh no.”

Bowser didn’t growl, but he radiated disappointment. “That’s it? A fancy light show?”

The main six stood on wobbly legs as they all breathed like they just ran a Running of the Leaves. “Did we win, cause it doesn’t look like it. I’m not up for another shot.” Pinkie groaned.

“I don’t understand. This power was used by a demon king of old to conquer magical lands.” Nightmare Moon felt the bag that contained the Rainbow of Darkness “It’s recharging.”

“Go for a mulligan.” A random goomba from the crowd of minions shouted before being hushed.

“No.” Bowser stood up. “The ‘rainbow of disappointment’ had its turn. I am not going to risk Mario saving the princesses. Attack!”

Princess Peach gasped when she felt herself floating away “Mario!”

Koopas, goombas, hammer brothers, magi-koopas, bob-bombs, dry-bones and other minions jumped into the arena. Mario sprinted towards the villains until he was intercepted by a pair of goombas. With the classic leap, Mario tried to land on them both, but much to his surprise they melted into the floor like shadows and oozed away from his attack.

Twilight shouted out to him “Careful, Mario! They have all been enhanced by dark magic.”

“Careful to us too!” Applejack yelled as she dodged a single Koopa Troopa that seemed to spawn on her in multiple directions. “These jokers mean business.”

Mario dodged a few spinies being thrown at him from above thanks to Lakitus. There stormy dark clouds crackled with electricity until they also shot down with a bolt. Hammers bounced back and forth like over eager footballs around Mario’s noggin as he ducked and weaved.

Rarity threw down a sheet of ice magic towards encroaching dry-bones. They countered with a sickly blue flame breath that halted the advancing ice. Twilight teleported between spells being fired at her from magi-koopas. Their spells pulled 90° turns and moved through solid objects chasing after her.

“That’s how you do it.” Bowser encouraged. “Nightmare Moon, send in your Shadow Bolts.”

“Already done.” Nightmare Moon nodded mutely, still absent mindedly playing with the bag. Rainbow Dash was doing her best to protect the slower Fluttershy from the flock of fake ponies.

Dash yelped in surprise when a Shadow Bolt blasted through her, knocking a leg off. Followed by a slash that took off her bony wings. “Ow! Hey, where did you all come from!?”

“Disappointed in your weapon? Well don’t worry about it, when you’ve been around as long as I have you know how much baloney the ‘power of friendship’ can be.” Bowser grumbled. “Hey! Take out the weak ones first! The yellow one is a wet blanket!”

“I’m pretty sure I’m older” Nightmare Moon tried to correct him, but was drowned out by Bower’s explosive command.

Fluttershy froze when she heard herself being called out. “Oh no.”

“Hay bales.” Rainbow Dash bemoaned as she punched a shadow pony away. All eyes pointed straight up at the duo. “We need to go fast, Shy!”

“I know!” Fluttershy yelped as she cleanly dodged a swipe from behind. Her batty ears twitched as she pinpointed all the flying Shadow Bolts around her. Fluttershy felt like she could see them all with her ears. A quick aerial twist to dodge a side attack, a duck from buzz above her, and a quick dive to avoid a pincer attack. “Please stop attacking me.”

“Don’t you dare bully Fluttershy!” Pinkie yelled as she pulled out her party cannon. No time was given to the wick as the cannon immediately fired off. Lakitu and flying Koopas dodged out of the way as a bright yellow explosion lit up the night sky like a miniature sun. Fluttershy and Dash ducked down towards the group to reform the herd.

A rogue Shadow Bolt was distracted by the explosive charge as it banked after the two pegasi. Its wings sliced through the air making a whistling sound as it got closer to Fluttershy. Tunnel vision allowed for an opening. Dash somersaulted using her skeletal body to ignore the g-force for a tight maneuver and landed directly on the Shadow Bolt’s muzzle.

Mario saw an opening when that Shadow Bolt crashed down in front of him. Grabbing it by its hind hooves, he spun in place, giving Bowser a brief flashback. Mario and his victim turned into a cyclone blur. Koopas and goombas that had surrounded him were all knocked away. Hammers reflected back with eerie precision to the thrower. “So long, little pony!”

The Shadow Bolt went flying in an uncontrolled spin straight into a charged lakitu. With a yelp, the lakitu flipped, sending out a wild discharge into the air. Several of the lakitus close by were also hit by the blast sending out their own discharge into their allies. Then a stray bolt hit a bob-omb. Like the notorious double edged sword, it blew up.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash landed next to the rest of the group as enemy explosions danced all around them. Twilight was panting hard as she shielded another attack. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t think I have the stamina to use the Elements of Harmony and fight an army.”

“Not to mention we still have the big evil duo up there who I’m sure will be throwing nasty things our way soon.” Applejack grunted as she bucked a koopa shell away. “With the princesses gone I’m thinking retreating might be the best plan.”

“Well if we are going to do that, now will be the time with all the chaos happening around us.” Rarity ducked another hammer. “Those bombs are causing more problems for them at the moment.”

Fluttershy pointed a shaking hoof up. “They might be able to help.”

The mushroom ship screeched to a halt above the ruined castle. An aquamarine unicorn came out the top with a megaphone. “Hey guys! We’ve come to pick you up. This place is boring!”

“Lyra, is that horn drilled into your brain!? Now the bad guys know we’re here.” Bon Bon yanked Lyra down.

“There’s our ride outta here!” Pinkie hollered as she shoved her party cannon into a safe place. A fireball flew overhead and crashed into the side of the castle.

Bowser’s flames licked from the side of his mouth as he roared “Get them!”

With very little incentive necessary, the group ran towards the ship as minions poured out from every nook and cranny. Mario patted his hat comfortably down as he sprinted, jumping and bounding from platform to platform. Regardless of the hoard, years of practice made it a breeze for him to reach the roof. Mario looked back down to see his companions struggling. “Momma-mia.”

“That’s right, annoying plumber.” Bowser laughed as he jumped down into the arena with a earth shaking thud. “You might be able to escape, but we’ll get one of these ponies.”

Rainbow Dash turned around after helping Twilight up. “Oh yeah big guy? Think you are so tough being the biggest jerk in the room.”

“Compliments are welcomed, but won’t save you, skittles.” Bowser brought his fists together. “Just keep fleeing, unless you think you can take me.”

Dash looked to her friends, back to the approaching army, and gave her friends a feigned grin. “Keep going. I got this.”

“What!?” They all yelled, but any further protests was lost on Dash as she took to the air.

“Time to even the odds.” Rainbow dived down before pulling up. Her dry-bones form gave her agility that was normally impossible with her normal body Dash ignored the flames, spells, hammers, and shells that were flung at her with ariel spins. She flew around the arena tightly, igniting bob-ombs randomly. A mini tornado formed as it blew dust up in the area.

“Keep flying around you pesty little gnat.” Bowser scraped his claws together. “Got a few squishier targets here.”

“Who are you calling little you ox faced turtle.” Rainbow Dash stomped a hoof down. “I think I have you by a few hooves.”

Bowser paid her a glance before nearly stumbling in surprise. “What the!?”

Nightmare Moon tilted her head as she watched the goliath monstrosity of a pegasus square off against the Koopa King. “She absorbed all of your undead minions after she blew them up.”

Like a jagged bony puzzle piece of skeletons fused together, the colossal Dry-Dash reared up and slammed her hooves right into Bowser. The pale glow in her eyes seemed to convey satisfaction with each hoof strike. The smaller minions tried to steer clear of the titanic fight, but she was making sure her swings were wide enough to catch as many of them as possible.

A claw hand caught a hoof in mid-swing. “Showtime!” Bowser threw his head forward, headbutting Dash. “I’m actually impressed, but I’ve done that before too.” He balled up his hand and swung up into Dash’s jaw knocking it loose.

Dash jerked back from the hit before returning the favor with a roundhouse kick. “Yeah, but I make this look good.”

Bowser rubbed his face before sucking in some air. “Burn!”

Rainbow yelped as she dodged to the side. Not fast enough as the explosion took over her left front leg. She coiled her hind legs before launching herself like a missile into Bowser’s gut.

Having the air knocked out of him forced Bowser to stumble backwards from the blow. He glared at the defiant pegasus before he roared. “I’m going to end this with one punch. Game over!” He leaned back with a hard fist.

Dash jumped up and spun around to give her punch some momentum. Hoof and fist collided violently before Bowser’s punch piled through Dash’s leg past the shoulder, before he dusted her collar bone separating the skull from the lower body. The body wobbled for a moment before exploding into a swarm of bones. “Oh yeah! Looks like you are boned!”

A puff of smoke and a normal Rainbow Dash landed on the ground. “Ow. Ow. Ow. Feels like I just got run over by the train.” Dash got up and saw that a shadow pony was already charging at her, but before it could tackle her Mario swooped her up.

“It’s-a ok. I got you!” Mario kicked off the wall and up to an upper walkway. With an outreached hand he grabbed onto Applejack as they swooped by on the mushroom ship. The ship hummed with power before it dashed straight into the stratosphere and became a twinkle in the night sky.

“There they go with tails between their legs.” Bowser laughed heartily. “Well I had my fun for today. Time to be back to work.”

“Plan B should take care of them.” Nightmare Moon concluded as she pawed her Heart of Darkness.

“It will rock their world.” Bowser agreed as he cracked his knuckles. “Troops, we’re pulling out of this dump. Time to take the universe.”

The magikoopas charged their wands for a mass teleport spell and all the minions vanished. Bowser and Nightmare Moon used their own teleport spells to leave the empty galaxy behind.

The ruins of the ancient castle remained sentinel to the remains of Recycle Matter Galaxy. The wind carried the song of the world with only a lone creature to listen to it. A single forgotten shadow pony.

---

“Thanks for the pick me up, Luigi.” Mario patted his brother on the back. “You’a really came through for us.”

“T-thanks, Mario.” Luigi shuffled his foot.

“It was one big old mean trap in the end.” Lyra bounced up between both of them. “Who would have thought the villains had something that could counter the Elements of Harmony. That’s crazy!”

“While it was a brash move, you did a fine job protecting us.” Rarity said as the group hugged Dash.

“At least I got to knock the big jerk around, but he throws a mean right hook.” Dash rubbed her jaw. “I’m just glad those ghost powers protected me.”

“Let’s not get in a situation where that is necessary.” Twilight took out some books she took from the castle. “I need to figure out how we can counter the Rainbow of Darkness.”

“True. Very true. It was fortunate that their primary goal failed. We must research this as thoroughly as possible.” Time Turner trotted off with his own stack of tomes.

“Well if there is anyone that figure out this, it’s you, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie grinned wide. “You are the smartest pony I know, after all.

“Thanks, Pinkie.” Twilight opened up the first book and wandered back into her cabin.

Pinkie Pie watched Twilight leave before turning a slow gaze to Mario. Her eyes had an unusual red tint behind them. Her hoof reached out and grabbed--- (\ d /) ---_

“Finally. I was hoping this _ay woul_ come. My comeback for revenge.”