Slinking in the darkness of the pre-dawn, the black-cloaked pony made her way carefully through the copse of trees that sat on the tall hill. Placing her hooves on a clear, twig-free patch of dirt, Triple Agent slowly made her way past the rebel camp that sat its edge ten feet to her right.
Because her unicorn magic was completely devoted to changing her outward appearance, allowing her to look like any pony, unicorn, pegasi or brony (male pony); she had to be extremely careful in masking her passage through the land – she still hadn't mastered the art of invisibility.
Her appearance, at this time, was of a jet black stallion, with a Cutie-mark of a grey oval within a white hollow circle. That appearance belonged to a well known rebel faction leader by the name of Nickelback. If anything, the guise would assist her in passing the blockade of rebels; allowing her access to the hidden entrance of the mecha-city of Ponitropolis; where her queen and leader undoubtedly waited for her return from the Canterlot country.
The disguised pony's queen and leader, known verbally as 'The Witch' had sent her to spy on their neighboring country; Equestral and its kingdom of Canterlot. Triple Agent's infiltration mission was a huge success, finding not only five new candidates for the city, but intelligence of Canterlot's weaknesses and strengths. The Witch would be most pleased with Agent's report.
Navigating easily past the blockade, Triple Agent wove her way to the towering stone and steel wall that encircled the metropolis under siege. Silently laughing within her mind, Triple Agent gave a fleeting look at the second-rate camp quality. Those rebels would never break into the powerful city of Ponitropolis, let alone overthrow the Witch and her steel-clad rule. She briefly wondered if her fellow agent, a night-based stallion named Night Scare, had yet discovered how the rebels kept managing to rescue the new-born fillies and colts who resided within the city walls.
Trotting up to a smoothed section of the steel and stone, twelve foot-high, six-foot thick wall, Triple Agent dropped her guise of 'Nickelback' and allowed her natural pony self to be visible. The only thing she kept under disguise was her natural coloring and flank-mark. She still was a black and grey blotched unicorn mare with a trio of red hearts for a mark – nobody but The Witch knew Triple Agent's true color or flank-mark. T-Agent planned to keep it that way.
"In honor of our glorious leader, The Witch, I come to uncheck myself in the name of the Nightmare Stallion." Her silky, dark voice was just loud enough to carry through that thinned section of wall.
It was a section which was carved out enough to allow a portal – a hidden passage – in the steel wall. Unlike the previous city's ruler – the long deceased Eloquent-Mare – the Witch had erased all defining marks that would lead some pony to the location of the secret entrance. Now, the only way to find it was to create a magical 'horn-rapport' with the guard on the inside of the door. Triple Agent had done so, sending out a barely visible ribbon of simple search-magic, in hopes to connect with another Ponitropolis magician.
"The Nightmare Stallion feeds off the power of your flank-mark." Came the replying voice of the sentinel.
"I offer my flank mark in hopes to raise the N. S." Triple Agent finished the spoken code which would gain her entrance to the city.
There was a sound of beating leathery wings as a dregasus dropped down from the sky to lift her into the city.
Triple Agent shied without a sound. Dregasi were three times the size of an average stallion and had claws and beaks instead of snout and hoof. They were an ancient reptilian pegasi breed, carnivorous in nature and drew power from the negative energy of the night. All dregasi alive today could trace their breeding lineage to the Nightmare Stallion. They served The Witch in hopes to find enough unmarked ponies to feed the Nightmare Stallion so that he would one day awaken and rule over the world.
Flinching as the dregasus used its claws to pick up her bulk to carry over the high wall, Triple Agent thought back to the first time she encountered a dregasus.
'Hide, my little filly, and don't move until I return.' Her mother, now only a vague, hazy memory, spoke in earnest fear.
'Why, mommy? I wanted to go out and play with Jar-Shard.' The filly Triple Agent – her name back then was Fair-Curve – asked her mother back.
Outside their brick, steel and wood-built home, T.A. could hear screams of terror and the trample of fleeing ponies and bronies.
'What's going on, mommy?' T.A. had walked over to the window to view the exciting happenings outside. 'Why are ponies running in the street?'
'GET AWAY FROM THAT WINDOW!' Her mother screamed in fear. The green and white mare barely had enough time to yank her young filly away from the window when that room's exterior wall was torn off with a sound of screeching metal and wood.
'Jade-Cup, Fair-Curve!' Her father's strong voice rose above the noise of destruction. 'Get back, take Fair-Curve and run!'
'Daddy!' Fair-Curve was surprised to see her mustang father home early from the steel factory. Her and her mother had just finished their midday-meal when the screams started in the street.
'I said get back!' Thunderwind reared onto his hind legs; his flank stretching his mark of steel I-beam and overlaying fancy silver pen. 'Queen Eloquent Mare has died and her sister has declared herself ruler!'
'Thunderwind!' Jade Cup backed away in terror. 'You don't mean…'
'Yes, the Witch rules the city now.'
The brown and steel-silver mustang screamed in rage a large, dragon-sized something passed over their house, its shadow racing in and over the wall-less opening. 'The Witch is now looking for any and all mark-less fillies and colts to feed to her Cult.'
'No!' Jade-Cup was full of fear now, shoving Fair-Curve down the stairs that led to the cellars.
'GO NOW, Jade-Cup, I love you!' Thunderwind nodded to them once and turned outward to face whatever it was that made the ponies and bronies flee in terror down the paved streets.
What happened next, no pony could have prevented as it played out so fast. The owner of the scary shadow had shown itself and stolen her father. Large, gleaming claws snatched her father from his spot near the broken wall and made him vanish. Her mother screamed in fear and rage, racing over to the place where Thunderwind was just standing. Then, her mother also vanished, in a spray of dust and drops of blood. The screaming on the streets grew louder and more intense.
Fair-Curve was shocked into immobility; her young filly mind completely blank. Standing in the place her mother left her, the grey and green pony remained as still as the state of her mind.
It was nightfall when the screaming and sounds of destruction died down. Faircurve finally had the courage to move. Slowly stepping over debris to the gaping wound that was once wall, she peered out in the five-lane paved street to see the carnage and destruction of the neighborhood she lived in. Fires dotted the lawns, inside houses and around the cityscape. Houses across the street were all missing whole sides of walling; as if some giant dragon pulled off walls to see inside. It reminded Fair-Curve of her three-sided dollhouses.
Walking through the streets, Fair-Curve viewed a very weird creature, one she had never seen before. She didn't know it at the time, but it was Discord standing in the streets, viewing the glorious destruction.
Triple Agent/Fair-Curve didn't remember if or what sound she made, but the beastly Discord turned and looked at her.
'Well, hello there, my dear, why-ever are you standing in such a dangerous place?' the donkey headed chimera asked her.
'Where's my mommy and daddy!'
'Oh, they're around here somewhere.' The dastard replied vaguely. 'I'm Discord, what is your name?'
'Mommy told me never to talk to stangers.' Fair-Curve blinked as the normally colored fires began changing colors.
'Oh, come now, I just told you my name, so that makes me not a stranger, am I right?' Discord turned and began walking towards her house.
'Uhh…I guess so.' Fair Curve thought. What he said did make sense. 'I'm…I'm Fair-Curve. I'm kind of scared and I want my mommy.'
'Awh, so random meeting you, Fair-Curve.' Discord was now at her side, bending down to her level. 'Why are you scared?'
'People were screaming and something was smashing houses.'
'Oh, is that all?' Discord looked at the scene and sighed. 'They do look rather scary, don't they?'
'Ye-yea.' Fair Curve answered.
'Let's make them less scary.' Discord stood up and snapped his fingers. The houses regained their missing sides and began floating into the air. The fires flared larger, giving off sparkling smoke. 'It that better?'
'What did you do?' Fair-Curve asked, being confused.
'Oh, just created a bit of randomness, you like it?'
'Yea, the houses are back to normal now, they have all their walls.'
'Good, because there is some pony I want you to meet. Follow me!' Discord smiled a one-fanged grin and waved for Fair-Curve to follow him.
It was the worst mistake of her life, as she followed Discord to the neighborhood park; a park which had been made into a large cage. Fillies and colts looked like they were screaming and crying, but no sounds emitted from beyond the dome-shaped fence.
'Why are they in the cage, Discord?' Fair-Curve became scared again.
'Well…" the chimera drawled out the word. 'I suppose maybe because it is the safest place? Maybe they all became scared like you and ran here to find such a strong, sturdy haven to sit and wait for their parents to come find them.' He lied. 'In you go!'
Discord picked her up and tossed her into the opened gate and waved at her as the gate closed of its own accord. Inside the cage-dome, Fair-Curve heard it all; the screams of fear, confusion and sadness.
She couldn't make out any familiar words when the dark ponies showed up. The young screams and cries grew louder. They all saw the three dregasi; the minions of the scary Nightmare Stallion. The dregasi spoke briefly to Discord, the sound not being heard because of the magical field around the fence cage, before taking to the dark sky again and lifting the domed cage with their incredible strength.
Below, Fair-Curve saw Discord look at her, wink, and wave guiltily.