"I'm tellin' you it's right there!" Applejack said as her friends stared across the field in confusion. "Real early this mornin', a whole city appeared out of no where and then it disappeared just as fast. I saw it from my bedroom window as I was gettin' ready to start my chores. I can't explain it but I swear it happened, even if Granny Smith thinks it's a dream."
"The palace guards reported the same thing, AJ," Twilight Sparkle said. "I sent some scouts into the area but we haven't heard back from them yet."
"Some pegasi guards woke me up this morning with the same story," Rainbow Dash said as she hovered above her friends.
"What did they say?"
"I don't really remember. I fell back to sleep half way through their report."
"Well I know what I saw!" Applejack said. "That's why I woke you all up so early. This ain't somethin' ta take lightly."
"I think you're getting a bit too worked up," Rarity said. "Look at poor Fluttershy, she's terrified!"
Rarity put a calming hoof on her friend's shoulder, though Fluttershy paid little heed as she shivered in fear. After a moment she took notice and gave Rarity a thankful smile.
"I-I'll be fine. It's just that all this talk of disappearing cities is… rather frightening. What if this is like the Crystal Empire and King Sombra all over again?"
"But what if there are a lot of new friends to make in there?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I woke up with the shudders this morning and saw these huge buildings out of my bedroom window. It was like the buildings in Manehattan but with more holes and smoke. But my Pinkie Sense didn't make me think it was anything bad, though I did have that nightmare about evil cake monsters right before I woke up... Oh, what if we ask my crystal ball for advice?"
Pinkie Pie pulled her crystal ball from the depths of her mane and sat it down gently on the ground, her eyes wide with anticipation. The next moment her tail began twitching. She looked at Twilight in sudden surprise and the princess side stepped as a flowerpot crashed to the ground next to her.
"They're attackin' us with flowerpots now!" Applejack yelled. "Next they'll start tearin' up my apple trees and hurlin' 'em at houses. Come on, Twilight. You have to call in reinforcements from Canterlot!"
"Flowerpots tend to fall on my head out of nowhere when I'm around "Madame Pinkie"," Twilight said as she smiled and rolled her eyes. "No one is attacking us, AJ. The only way to understand this phenomenon is to go to the source."
"No! We can't go in there without the Royal Guard. It's too risky! At least call one of the newly formed regiments from Ponyville."
"Sounds like you're scared," Rainbow Dash taunted. "I wonder; would you go in if this were a challenge for the title of Most Daring Pony?"
"You guys are still tied, you know," Pinkie Pie said, looking up from her crystal ball with an eager smile.
"In that case, I challenge you to go in there without the Royal Guard, Applejack! We all know I'm brave enough, but are you?"
"A challenge? Shoot, why did you have to go and pull that card?" Applejack said as she stamped her hoof on the ground. She looked around in frustration, as if she couldn't believe what she was about to do. Finally, she sighed and looked Rainbow Dash in the eyes.
"Well, I'm not about to lose to you, Rainbow. If this is a challenge, then I have no choice but to go."
"Oh, you have a choice. You can chicken out if you want. Besides, I'd rather not make you do something that you're too scared to do."
"Gosh darn me and my pride… Fine, lets go in there and get this over with; with or without the Royal Guard!"
"That's fine, I think I'll just stay out here," Fluttershy said, shaking once more. "Discord is coming over later and we were going to have tea…"
"Nonsense," Rarity said gently. "We've braved all manner of danger together, darling. This should be no different. We're unstoppable as a team, you know that."
"You might send a letter to Discord, though," Twilight said. "He can keep tabs on how long we're gone, that way we have somepony on the outside to act as backup. Spike was up late helping me with some work, so I let him sleep in. I left a letter with Owlowiscious, though. He'll have Spike send it to Canterlot, but for now Discord can help us."
"I still don't want to go," Fluttershy moaned as she continued to shake on the ground. Her friends looked at one another in concern, then Applejack stepped forward and knelt down beside the frightened Pegasus.
"Now, now Sugarcube. You don't have to go if you don't want to. Maybe you should go find Discord yourself and you can keep an eye on us together. Come find us if we're longer than an hour. How does that sound?"
"That… sounds like something I could do," Fluttershy said, as she slowly stopped shaking. Applejack helped her to her feet and the six gathered together for a group hug.
"You girls promise you'll be careful?" Fluttershy asked.
"Of course we'll be careful," Twilight responded. "We'll meet up with the scouts I sent in, get an idea of the situation, and then we'll return to discuss our next course of action. We won't do anything unnecessary."
"But first," Rarity said. "I have some outfits I've designed. They're crafted from magically reinforced mail forged by the blacksmith ponies in Canterlot. And I've crafted some thick, temperature resistant cloth that acts as a second layer of protection. To top it all off, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence enchanted each suit to survive the most dreadful conditions imaginable. And they're gorgeous, of course."
"Walking into the unknown would be better with some protection," Pinkie Pie said. "Does it have balloons and streamers?"
"Your armor has balloon, confetti, streamer and cupcake patterns forged into the steel, dear."
"Woohoo! Even if I can't eat the cupcakes, that's still so cool."
"Rarity made battle armor?" Rainbow Dash said, excitedly. "I gotta see this!"
"Then we'll have to go back to the farmhouse. I had Sweetie Belle bring them up."
The six walked off toward Applejack's farmhouse, talking excitedly about their prospects for adventure in the mysterious new city.
The group walked through the orchard in high spirits, talking excitedly about what they might find on this new adventure. Rarity had just convinced Fluttershy to wear her fashionable new armor even though she wouldn't be joining them on the trip when three panicked screams and the sound of fighting reached their ears.
"What in the world?" Applejack said as she paused a moment before charging off in the direction of the sound.
"It's coming from your barn," Rainbow Dash said, her wings bracing as she prepared to fly ahead of the group. She stopped when Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle came into view, the fillies screaming at the tops of their lungs. Rainbow darted down to land in front of them and they stopped. The other ponies ran up beside her, fear etched on their faces.
"Whoa there girls. What's wrong?" Rainbow asked in concern.
"M-monsters!" they screamed together.
"Little red and black ones…" Scootaloo said.
"And a big one that's blue and yellow…" Sweetie Belle said.
"And they're all covered in blades…" Applebloom said.
"And they're attacking Big Macintosh!" the girls yelled together.
"Big Mac's being attacked? We have to help him!" Rainbow Dash said as she rose into the air once more.
"He stayed behind to let us escape," Applebloom said as she looked over her shoulder toward the barn. "Those things tried to stop us, but he jumped in the way and then…"
"We were so scared, we ran out without looking back," Scootaloo said, disappointment in her voice as she admitted her fear in front of her idol.
"Don't worry about it, Squirt," Rainbow Dash said with a comforting smile. "You did the right thing in finding us."
"Where's Granny Smith?" Applejack asked.
"She's in town," Applebloom said. "She left to inform the mayor of your story, like you asked her too. Please, you have to help Big Mac!"
"It's ok. Our brother's tough. We'll get to him in time."
"Run to town and get help," Twilight said. "And stick to the roads! Come on, girls."
The six friends charged forward as fast as they could, with Rainbow Dash leading the way. Even Fluttershy forgot her fear as she ran to help Big Mac. When they arrived at the barn they saw that the fight had already begun. Eight small, chubby, black and red creatures lay on the ground, their arms ending in blades with two rows of blades sticking out of their chests. Sixteen more stood in front of a taller creature whose shape was similar, but clearly more mature. Big Mac stood in a corner, his head bowed low and his right hoof stamping at the ground menacingly. His coat was covered in bruises and slashes, but his thick hide had not been pierced. He panted heavily from exertion, and Applejack smiled with pride as she saw that her big brother still had lots of fight left in him.
"Come on!" Big Mac yelled in defiance.
The larger creature raised its bladed arm and pointed at the angry stallion. Its subordinates obeyed immediately, lowering their bladed heads and charging. The first line was met with a flying roundhouse kick from an angry blue pegasus that sent all eight of them flying. Applejack followed Rainbow's attack by laying into the second line of creatures with a low, sliding sweep that sent them crashing hard to the floor. The little monsters made strange noises as they were hit, each one landing to the ground with a metallic thud. A couple of them tried rising to their feet but only fell back down. The large blue creature scowled as it crossed its arms and swung them in a straight line. Two blades of dark energy shot forth at the three ponies in the creature's path and crashed against a white shield of magic.
"Nice barrier spell, Rarity," Twilight Sparkle said as the creature began yelling at its subordinates.
"Thank you! I learned it while helping the princesses enchant our new armor. Why don't you round them up, Twilight?"
"Gladly."
The smaller creatures had begun to rise, clearly afraid of their leader. They grouped up once more and prepared to charge. With a simple thought Twilight set the floor around them ablaze, trapping the creatures in a circle of purple fire almost as tall as their leader. She held the fire in place with her magic, keeping it from spreading to any other part of the barn. The leading monster made a harsh "Bisha" sound as it ruthlessly urged its subordinates forward. Several of the smaller creatures stepped to the edge of the fire, their eyes fearful and cautious. Twilight increased the power of her spell and sent the wall of fire roaring to lick at the ceiling of the barn before letting it die down to its previous size. The tactic worked and even their leader seemed to be afraid.
"Their cries are kinda weird," Rainbow Dash said as she descended to stand beside her friends.
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed as he and Applejack joined the rest. Applejack had a concerned hoof on his shoulder as she helped her exhausted brother lay down on a nearby haystack.
"They're so cruel," Fluttershy said with a shudder. "The big one is so mean when she yells at the smaller ones. They obey out of fear and a shared desire to be cruel."
"Can you ask them why they're here?" Twilight said.
"Yes, but I can't promise that I'll get anywhere."
Fluttershy stepped forward, and with some effort she put on her kindest smile. But before she could speak the larger creature yelled "Bisha" and slashed through the air at her. A blade of dark energy soared through the fire and crashed against Rarity's shield, causing Fluttershy to step backward and trip in terror.
"They're not here to make friends!" she said, her voice shaking. "Definitely not here to make friends."
"But why are they here?" Twilight asked. "We need to understand them, somehow."
"We are here to gather those of your world who can help us," the tall creature said, her voice cold and metallic.
"You can speak our language?" Twilight said in surprise.
"We will take what we want by force, no matter what the council says," the creature continued. "I follow Lord Mewtwo. He told us that we have no need to befriend the inhabitants of this land, nor do we have the time. I have found you, but there is one left to find. When the others have what we seek, we shall take it, and you. Then we shall leave this land to return to our own. If your people stand in our way, they will be crushed."
"Wow, that's right neighborly of ya," Applejack said as she rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you want us for, but whatever plans you lot have, we won't let it happen."
"Yeah, we've beaten some pretty dangerous bad guys," Rainbow Dash said. "We'll beat you too, so bring it on!"
"Hahaha," the creature said, the little ones joining her as she laughed. "You stand no chance! This paltry fire is not enough to stop Mewtwo. He will drown your world in an endless storm!"
"Endless storm?" Rarity said, raising an eyebrow at the statement. "We control our own weather here in Equestria. I am a fashion designer and even I can use weather magic. Naturally, I can dispel it as well."
"You can?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Since when?"
"Since I began borrowing Twilight's spell books shortly after she moved to Ponyville. How else do you think I was able to move the clouds into such wonderful patterns when our cutie marks were switched?"
"It didn't have anything to do with, I dunno, you having my cutie mark?"
"That little mishap only confused us. It didn't give us any special powers, darling, or else Applejack would have made a selection of dresses rather than a selection of torn circus tents."
"Hey!" Applejack said.
"You claim to be able to counter my lord's powers?" the creature said in disdain. "You will regret your arrogance, fool!"
"I doubt that," Twilight said. "At any rate, I think I'm calling Canterlot on this one. I was hoping that we could handle this ourselves, but now I think we had better approach this more cautiously."
"What if more of these guys show up before help from Canterlot does?" Pinkie Pie said. "I hate to say it, but I don't think a party is going to slow them down much, no matter what I put in the punch."
"More of my master's servants will be here soon! Mewtwo will have what he requires!"
"I guess we should see to the defense of Ponyville first," Twilight said as she considered her options.
"Then we had better don our armor!" Rarity said as she ran out of the barn excitedly.
When she came back inside she was pulling three clothes racks that were sturdier than the ones she normally used. They each had two suits of mail armor on them, with each suit decorated in patterns and colors that matched the pony it was meant for. Underneath the mail was a beautifully matched layer of thick, woolen armor, with a layer of silk beneath that.
"Now, I know that these don't look like the strongest suits of armor, but they are quite beautiful. Their real power, however, comes from the enchantments placed on them. They used the shards of a petrified dragon's tooth as a focus to grant protection to this armor. Only a few pieces remain. The spells that the princesses cast upon these suits will allow them to endure the absolute harshest punishment imaginable. From powerful magic to extreme heat, cold, or force this armor will protect us. Naturally, the other princesses have their own suits."
"Wow, you've really outdone yourself on the coolness factor," Rainbow Dash said as she flew over to her suit and began putting it on. "This is way better than those ridiculous dresses you tried to make our team wear for the Equestria Games."
"Just because they weren't appropriate for the setting doesn't mean they were ridiculous. But I will agree that these suits are a better product. They emit a powerful magical shield when worn. With it, we can swim in the center of the sun or walk through a meteor storm without harm. The princesses and I tested them thoroughly. It was quite fun!"
"Wow, that's amazing!" Twilight said, as she looked her suit over carefully, trying to divine the spells they had used just by staring at the metal.
"If that's true, then maybe I will accompany you into this… city," Fluttershy said. "Discord probably needs his sleep, afterall. I'd hate to wake him."
"Awesome!" Rainbow Dash said. "That means the six of us can go in and wreck some blade monsters together! It'll be easy."
"Why didn't you tell us about these before?" Twilight asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "I wouldn't have minded helping in the creation process…"
"This project was decided by Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance. They asked for my expertise in design to make them beautiful. It was meant to be a surprise for the anniversary of your coronation as princess, Twilight, though I was given permission to give them out early if the situation was dire. But don't worry, I designed these outfits so that they are fully customizable for the wearer. From new armor pieces, to new enchantments, to new designs; there is plenty of room for personal improvement."
"A surprise for my anniversary?" Twilight said, a smile appearing on her face as she forgot her disappointment. "That's so sweet! Thank you, Rarity."
The others thanked their friend as they began to don their armor. After recovering for a few minutes, Big Mac brought some thick chains from the back of the barn to tie the monsters up. But the moment Twilight removed the circle of fire a group of small, brown, mole-like creatures dug up through the wooden floor. The largest of them began speaking in a rough, feminine voice. Her words made no sense to the ponies, and they quickly assumed defensive stances, ready for another fight. The bladed creatures responded angrily in their own language, yelling at the moles in harsh, sarcastic tones. Then the floor gave way underneath them and they fell through a large hole, surprise and indignation on their faces. The ponies ran forward to try and stop them, but they were being dragged through the new tunnels too quickly. A moment later, the mole-like creatures turned their bladed heads to the ground and vanished through the holes they had created. Loud cries of "Bisharp" and "Paawniiii" could be heard as the creatures were carried away.
"I suspect they know we're comin' now," Applejack said as she looked down one of the holes cautiously.
"Then we'll have to be sure we make the most of the time we have before they attack again," came a strong, gentle voice from outside. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence walked into the barn wearing their own suits of armor. Spike came running from behind them out of breath and worried, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders close behind.
"I was about to send the letter when they arrived," he said. "Sorry, Twilight. I guess you tried to wake me but I wouldn't wake up…"
"It's alright Spike," Twilight said as the other ponies knelt before the approaching royalty. "I didn't try to wake you because you were up so late last night working. I knew you needed your sleep. I also underestimated the situation quite a bit."
She walked to stand before the new group and looked from one worried face to the other.
"I take it you saw that city appear out of nowhere?" Twilight asked the other princesses.
"Our guards did," Celestia responded. "They alerted us to the situation, and through the Dream Luna and I divined a bit of information about these creatures. Then we contacted Cadence and had her meet us in Canterlot before coming over to see you."
"What did you discover?"
"We weren't able to learn much," Luna said. "They seem to be blocking us, even in the Dream. But we did learn that this city holds a great evil. If left unchecked, it will destroy all of Equestria and the entire world along with it."
"That sounds awful!" Pinkie Pie said. "Surely there's a way to stop it. Oh, what if Rarity makes wigs for all of the monsters? Cranky really liked his, and they might like them too. Those blade guys did seem pretty bald."
"I don't think wigs are going to save us," Cadance said with a gentle smile. "We need to discover all that we can as quickly as possible. I have Shining Armor leading a regiment of Crystal Empire forces our way, but we can't send them into an unknown situation."
"Then we need to make contact with the scouts I already sent," Twilight said.
"Agreed," Celestia said. "The Canterlot guard is already amassing near the border of Sweet Apple Acres. We will make contact with your scouts, and then escape to our own defensive lines."
"Be careful," Sweetie Belle said as she, Applebloom, and Scootaloo ran to hug their sisters.
"We'll be fine, Sweetie," Rarity said as she comforted the filly.
"Take care of the farm, big brother," Applejack said as she hugged Applebloom close.
"Eeyup," the stallion said. He gave his sister a big hug and joined the fillies and Spike as they waved goodbye.
With their three powerful editions, the group left Sweet Apple Acres. The morning clouds cast dark shadows on the horizon, and the ponies thought they could almost make out the shapes of damaged buildings in the distance. Armed with their new enchanted armor and a desire to protect their people, they marched into the unknown.