SOMETHING DANGEROUS IS IN EQUESTRIA! – OR –A NEW ENEMY ARISES

"Did your Phoenix just talk?" Fluttershy asked when most of the ponies had stopped gaping while the rest were now conscious. Burning Sunrise nodded respectfully.

"You ponies act like you've never seen a Phoenix talk, or any animal talk out-loud!" Burning Sunrise's Phoenix exclaimed. When the Mane 6 and Cutie-Mark Crusaders were still shocked at his gangster-like voice, he chuckled. "Then again, you 'Cuties' do you live in a town called 'Ponyville' – where the only creatures that talk are ponies or horse-kin…" Burning Sunrise's Phoenix paused after getting glared at by his owner and by the Mane 6 and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders. "What? It's true!"

"Please, excuse Golden Light," Burning Sunrise said. "He can be… quite rude." The Mane 6 and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders were a bit nervous by Burning Sunrise's behavior towards his Phoenix, but thought better than to question their complicated relationship. The door abruptly opened and Spike appeared, yelling.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the young dragon exclaimed as he handed a letter to his master. "Read it – it's important!"

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

There is trouble all over Equestria! A mysterious power is affecting every-pony! No, it's not just every-pony – all the animals and creatures in the land are also being affected! I expect to see only you and your five friends at your new castle! Please come, this is important!

Sincerely, Princess Celestia

"A mysterious power is affecting the citizens of Equestria," Twilight Sparkle said as she looked up with grief. "Not just ponies but the creatures too!" Every-pony gasped, before she looked down at the Cutie-Mark Crusaders seriously. "The Mane 6 needs to talk with the two main Princesses, so you three fillies need to stay here from any harm."

"What about me, Princess?" Burning Sunrise asked. "Can I come with you six, too?" Twilight was about to agree with him, but thought otherwise.

"With your powers, I would say 'yes'," she explained. "Unfortunately, Princess Celestia doesn't know that you're with us now. Besides, she did say that the Mane 6 had to go meet her at their castle. I'm sorry, Burning Sunrise, but you'll have to stay here." Burning Sunrise looked a bit hurt that his new friends would leave him behind; both the Mane 6 and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders felt pity for him. As the Mane 6 left Sugar-Cube Corner, though, the original members of the Cutie-Mark Crusaders had a huge smile on their faces.

"Hey, Burning Sunrise, you want to go to peek at what the Princesses and their friends are talking about?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah, but what about Princess Twilight's advice?" asked Burning Sunrise. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all gave him the deadpanned looks.

"Oh, come on!" Apple Bloom asked. "Wasn't there some time when you disobeyed a full-grown stallion's or pony's directions?" Burning Sunrise put his right hoof up and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth. "I thought so…" Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo soon trotted out of Sugar-Cube Corner. A soft sound came out of Burning Sunrise. As soon as they were out of hearing-radius, Golden Light had a smirk on his face as he faced his owner.

"I know that sound!" he exclaimed. "You have a crush on one of them, don't you?" A glare was given towards him, but the Phoenix took no notice of this.

The Cutie-Mark Crusaders peeked in from an open window. The Mane 6 and the altered princess siblings were already talking to each other in serious tones.

"There's a new villain who, unlike Lord Tirek, has the power to steal powers from all animals in Equestria," Princess Celestia warned. The Mane 6 all gasped, while Princesses Celestia and Luna looked solemn.

"Shouldn't we call upon recruits from the other species living on Equestria?" Rarity asked. Princess Luna shook her head.

"We need the animals that can talk," she explained. "Griffons and Hydras haven't exactly been there for the pony species… and the Sea Serpents don't really care about anything other than their fashion!"

"Princesses, there is something we need to tell you!" Applejack spoke up. Princesses Celestia and Luna turned towards the Earth pony. "Burning Sunrise is one of our friends now. Maybe we could ask him–" Burning Sunrise was happy in the background. "–if he could help us find our monster?" Princess Celestia shook her head.

"I am sorry, my little ponies, but that is out of question," Princess Celestia said. Burning Sunrise was sad now. "That is, until we know whether or not we can trust him properly. Just like how we trusted Discord in trying to arrest Lord Tirek but they ended up teaming up together in the end, we don't want the same thing happening to him and this new villain!"

"But they didn't team up together in the end!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Lord Tirek had been using Discord the whole time through just to gain enough power to capture Discord's powers too!"

"And if Lord Tirek didn't capture Discord?" Princess Celestia asked. "Then what would have happened?" Fluttershy backed off.

"Well, what about Lord Flamer?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Maybe the Lord of Phoenixes would have something to say about this guy?" Princess Luna shook his head.

"Though Phoenixes and ponies work together sometimes, there are still a lot of major problems we have against them," she answered. "Plus, what if Lord Flamer and this villain worked together and tried to destroy all of Equestria? What if they succeeded?" The Mane 6 all looked at each other sadly.

"Princesses, we have company!" a guard exclaimed as he pointed at an open window. Slowly, four fillies popped out from behind the window…