The Power of Six

Twilight woke up with a shock, her mind was dazed and racing at the same time and felt a cold sweat. Her heart was running a marathon right now. Was it just a dream? She wondered. If it was it was the most vivid dream ever. She noted just how cold her room felt and sat up in her bed but something was wrong- or felt wrong. She looked around her room it looked the same. Books everywhere, all of her research stuff and her furniture as well. The only difference was that her floor was carpeted. “I don’t remember doing that.” She noted out loud. As she continued to look around her room trying to figure out just what was wrong with the picture chills ran up her spin from the she grabbed her forelegs to try to keep herself warm when she realized that she felt different. As odd as it was, she personally felt different, she looked down at herself and had to mentally keep herself from freaking out.

She was in a body she had never seen before. Bare skin with a layer of hair so light it night as well of not been there. Skin that was a dark tan kind of color and no hooves instead she had appendages like Spike, she had hands! She put them out in front of her in confusion and fascination mixed with a tinge of fear. She looked them over front and back and flexed her fingers, then sensation was odd having that many joints in only two limbs. She used her unfamiliar hands to touch her face. It was rounder than before and had a pointed nose. Her ears weren’t where they should have been and were on the side of her head instead. Despite the very bald body she still had her mane for some odd reason. The body just even more strange the further she looked down her body. Hair was thicker in bizarre places rather than just being covered in fur like a normal creature.

She was snapped out of her concentration by the sound the doorknob being twisted. As the door opened what came through surprised her even more. A creature that had the same body shape and skin tone as her came through. She had blue eyes and a smart looking mane style just like her own. The only difference was that this one was fully clothed unlike herself. The creature was just as surprised as Twilight and dropped the books on the floor slack jawed. “Wha- how… who, you look like me!” The creature pointed in shock.

“It speaks!” Twilight screamed fear again returning to her and she backed up as far she could on her bed till her back touched the wall.

(~#)

Elsewhere something similar was happening. Three children observed something that they had never seen before “What is it?” said one with blond curly hair.

“It looks like a person, don’t ya think?” said a red head country looking girl with a bow in her hair.

“But how many people have blue wings?” said the third dressed in orange.

“An Angel maybe? She has Rainbow hair.”

“Ah’ don’t think normal Angels have tattoos on their butts, Belle”

“Oh! Maybe it’s an Alien!” the kids got closer as their curiosity got the better of them and poked and pulled at the wings. “Belle, Ashleigh the wings are totally real!” It was at that moment the crumpled, unconscious body picked itself up groaning in pain.

“Ah, my head.” She groaned in pain “What happened?”

“Beats us.” The red head named Ashleigh responded.

The rainbow hued oddity quickly turned around to see three creatures she’s never seen before. “Oh!” she screamed and crawled backwards from the initial shock. “What the heck are you things?” Ashleigh looked offended.

“Hey, you could be nicer.” Rainbow Dash fell silent as she studied the three faces. They looked familiar.

“Apple bloom? Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo?” The kids exchanged confused looks.

The blond spoke up “No I’m not Sweetie Belle, my names just Belle. Only my sister and parents ever call me that.”

“I’m not Apple Bloom either, I’m Ashleigh. I live on an Apple farm though.”

“Why Scootaloo?” the darker skinned one spoke.

“It sounds close to your nickname, Scoot.” Belle said matter-of-factly

Rainbow Dash realized plenty of strange things about them and the place she was in. She looked around and it reminded her of Manehattan, more specifically the alleys of Manehattan. She was surrounded on both sides by tall concrete buildings and the ground was concrete. Trash cans both standing up barely holding anything and trash cans with their content spilled out on the ground. The alley was long and she could see other strange forms far off outside of the alley. They stood and walked in the same manner as the three in front of her. She had no idea what in Equestria happened. One moment a monster and an army was invading and burning down their homes and then… she’s here. She rubbed her arms as an uncomfortable chill came. She looked down to her surprise she had a body almost like the three. Except she was taller and had two strange utters. She was glad the she managed to keep her wings but the purpose of the two strange oddities on her chest confounded her. Were these creatures somehow related to cows? Did she just transform into a cow monster?!

Belle gasped loudly and covered her eyes blushing furiously “I was too distracted by everything else I didn’t even realized you were naked!”

Ashleigh covered her eyes too when the realization came to her “We have tah get ya cloths.” She mumbled.

Scoots looked horrified “Ah! You remind me of my idol Rain, now I can’t stop picturing her as you!” They turned away from Rainbow and talked in a panicked manner to each other. “We have to tell someone about this! We have to tell people we found an actual angel.”

“But they wouldn’t believe us. Nobody ever listens tah us.” Ashleigh whined

“What if we just showed them her.” Belle suggested

“But she’s naked you can’t go around naked.” Scoots reminded

Why not? Rainbow wondered. Nothing like that was ever an issue before. Then her thoughts went down to the utters and concluded that it must have something to do with those. They were a little distracting after all.

“We could take her to my sister’s place she loves to make cloths.” Belle suggested

“She would freak out if a strange naked person came in. She might freak out even more if she found out it was an angel.” Scoots pointed out. Belle let out a sigh that confirmed the suspicion.

It was then Ashleigh got an idea “Mah big sister! She’s the most natural down tah earth person there is!”

“You sure Jackie would help?” Belle asked. They were all in agreement. Rainbow Dash was getting stuck on multiple parts of their conversation. Their names sounded similar to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They looked almost the same and they mentioned two other people with familiar names. Rain and Jackie. Something wasn’t right here but she couldn’t quite figure it out.

“But wait,” Belle said interrupting the girls’ moment “there’s still the problem of how where going to get to the farm without anyone noticing.”

Rainbow smirked and shot up on two legs but quickly started teetering backwards. Her arms did windmills till she got her balance and continued without missing a beat “Did you forget these?” she said triumphantly spreading her blue wings “I can get us there in a flash.”

(~#)

On the aforementioned farm that was covered in apple trees was a blonde haired farm girl hard at work taking care of the apples. It had been most of the day she’d been working. “Apple picking season” her family called it. A job that fit her family’s namesake so wonderfully. Jacqueline Apple, or as everyone called her Jackie Apple. It was a clear Saturday and barely even noon, this was one of the warmer days she’s had since the weather started to cool.

She had taken a break and sat on the ladder she’d been using. The family business was apple farming and their certain ways to do things but there were times when it seemed like a better idea if she could just knock them all down instead of just picking them. She was told many times by many people that she and Rain were both very strong. Speaking of which she wondered where Rain could have gone.

Her eyes went over to the stables, she dreamed about it when she was a kid. Being a horse, it seemed like fun sometimes. Every now and then she still entertained the unrealistic thought. Her day dreaming was broken when she saw an unfamiliar figure walking around the stables. It was too far for her to make out from the distance she was at. Without much thought she shot to the ground and ran over. The person didn’t seem to take notice but kept staring into the stables. “Hey! Who are ya? Ya ‘can’t jus’ wander onto the property!” Jackie yelled as she got closer. The intruders head shot up in surprise and looked at her with an expression of disturbed fear. They both stopped dead in their tracks as their faces locked onto each other. It wasn’t like seeing a ghost, or even your own reflection. It was seeing a bare clone of yourself out of the blue with no warning or reason.

Nothing was said for a long time, they just stared at each other. There was fear but also… fascination.

(~#)

On request of the odd creature Twilight covered herself with the bed covers. The two were talking to each other for a while. They were both trying to find out why Twilight was there and the story was a little too hard to believe for the human, as Twilight found out they were called. Twilight also discovered the girl’s name which sounded similar to her own, Tara Sparks. “So let me get this straight,” Tara said sitting on a chair in front of the bed. “You say that your name is Twilight Sparkle… and you’re a Unicorn?”

Twilight new that it probably sounded weird “I know it might sound strange but it’s the truth. I think it’s strange that I’m talking to an actual human.”

“How come?” Tara asked

“Well where I come from Humans don’t exist, or at least not in the typical way. They’re just old ponies tales, stories that you would tell a little filly or colt.” Tara found it strange that a supposed magical world found it hard to believe in something as simple as humans.

“So anyways, how did you get here? If you really are a unicorn how come you aren’t one now? And why are your eyes colored differently like that?”

“Purple eyes aren’t normal here? Weird.” She muttered to herself. “To be honest I don’t really know myself. It all happened so fast I can barely wrap my head around it. The weather acts weird, I look around the Everfree forest, I see a strange pony, she talks to me cryptically then vanishes, next thing I know all of Tartarus is breaking loose and then I wake up her in a strange body.” She said skimming through the major events that led up to this point “Also I find a human with a name close to mine and I happen to look almost like her.”

“Do strange thing like this happen normally to you?” Tara asked still apprehensive on believing this story. What sane person would honestly believe some stranger if they run around claiming that their a Unicorn?

“Strange things? Yes. Like this? Then no.”

Tara felt like she had some sort of idea of what this sounded like, it was a classic fiction plot. She had an idea of how to support this idea “You said that you had five other friends, right? What were their names?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion but answered anyways “Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.”

Her friends had similar names “My friends names are Rain Dash, Jackie Apple, Pinky Pie, Fiona Shy and Rachel Rare.” She could hardly believe it, both of them. Twilight was starting to catch on to what Tara was trying to say. One of her friends had the same exact name. Was Pinkie’s equivalent really the same exact thing no matter what? Pinkie was a human name as much it was a ponies? “Constants and variables.” Tara said to herself in thought. “Though I would of never have thought of such a variable as this.” As if able to tell what Twilight was going to say next Tara spoke up again “No, I’m still not entirely sure if I believe any of this yet, although that Pinky Sense incident makes me question the believability of this even more.”

‘So even some of my own events have crossed over.’ Twilight thought to herself

Twilight was startled when she heard a strange rhythmic beeping. Tara quickly pulled out a strange device of square plastic “A cellphone… I’ll explain later.” Tara said quickly before answering “Fiona hi- what is it?” Tara’s face showed one of shock “Uh-huh,” she said slowly “No, no, no, listen- trust me I believe you. Yeah, something similar is happening right now- hold on I got another call.” Tara messed with her phone some and talked into it again. Twilight was stunned by the actions, was some form of magic or advanced technology? “Rachel? You too? Yeah me and Fiona both- sorry another call. Pinky? Pinky calm down I can barely understand. A copy of you? Poof? There are two at the apple farm? Tell everybody to meet at Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight couldn’t help but think that Tara spoke oddly. Tara pulled out some clothes from her dresser and handed them to Twilight “I want you to meet some people.”

(~#!)

At an entirely different side of the city in an old warehouse a woman laid half-conscious against a wall. Barely clothed with the exception of a few bits of blackened armor. Unnatural red hair trailed out from the helmet and three shady men had surrounded her. She peeked open an eye magenta eyes were revealed as she saw them. “Look at this find, guys.” One of them said presumably the leader of this pathetic group. She moved slightly wincing in pain and growling with a combination of anger and pain.

“You… presume to… have the power, uh, to victimize me?” she growled pushing through the pain, knowing full well these lowlifes intentions. The men said nothing but there silence as well as the looks on their faces said all that was needed. “FOOL!” her voice boomed and in a golden aura they were cast across the warehouse and into an old broken down piece of machinery. Their bodies crumpled to the ground as the fell unconscious. She grabbed on to a dusty shelf next to her and pulled herself slowly and painfully to her feet.  She could barely stand and it wasn’t just because of the body itself. Her body was covered in various injuries all fresh. Bruises, burns and cuts all of them superficial injuries but the pain was still there. “Those princesses were stronger than the others.” She muttered to herself “I was too confident, I got sloppy.” Damn those two to Tartarus. They made a decision she never saw the others make before, instead of protecting the single city they rested in they chased her. They could have derailed the entire plan if she fell to them. It was by sheer luck of time that she won. Even then she couldn’t call this a victory, she was beaten, battered, humiliated and she won’t stand for being insulted. An echoing laugh rang through and snapped the former Alicorn out of her thoughts.

A dark skinned creature walked through, she had long blue hair and piercing green eyes. She wore a black dress-like outfit with florescent green wrapped around her stomach area. It bore resemblance to what some human called, if the Alicorn remembered correctly, a Kimono. It was tattered across the arms. “It seems that the big, strong Empress isn’t so big and strong after all.” She said in a sarcastically sympathetic tone.

“Chrysalis, you would do best to watch your tone of voice with me. I may be hurt but I can still do the same to you.”

“Of course my lord, I simply mean that this should be a lesson in humility at the very least.” She toned down the sarcasm but it still remained nonetheless. “I see you made some friends.” Chrysalis said looking over at the three easily disposed thugs.

“Feel free to do with them as you wish.” The Empress said casually “Though only after you gather our forces again.” Covered herself in a golden aura and in another feat of magic produced clothing on herself, it was a simple black suit. “I’ll never understand universes so obsessed with clothing.” She said mostly to herself.

“Being almost completely bald must be embarrassing to them as a race.” Chrysalis responded “And as for our forces that last attack scattered them, it would be a while before our numbers return.” Those princesses ruined everything! It didn’t go according to plan and everything is behind now! The Empress clenched her fists but put on a stoic face.

“Then go find them, you’re their Queen, yes? Summon them.” The room was silent and the dust seemed to just hang in the air “I know you’re there, come out.” She called out

An amused laugh came from seemingly everywhere “Oh, still haven’t loosened up? You really need to get into the spirit of things, it really is quite boring.” A man with wild black and white hair and a small white goatee appeared out of thin air. He wore a suit that seemed like several suits patched together. “Queenie and Commander Hothead,” he laughed some more. “At least we know you have a better half.” He looked at the Empress.

“You help or when I find my Six once more you’ll meet your fate like all the other, Discord.” She threatened calmly. Discord struggled with the decision but in the end agreed.

“I suppose you have a point.” He let out a heavy sigh.

(~#)

Tara led Twilight just outside of the city to the Apple farm. It was a little slower than expected because Twilight had to stop and admire several things. Car’s being one of the major ones. The ponies had motors to work stuff like floats but they were difficult to make and start, plus they used magic. As far as she could tell Humans don’t have magic, what made them move? There were so many of them too.  Everyone wore clothes too; she was getting a stronger feeling that it wasn’t as much of an option here. Eventually they made it was greeted by doubles of all her friends as they entered the barn. A normal brightly colored version and the dull colored version that all humans seem to have. Humans really had no color other than in their clothing; it was all boring and simple. Two Pinkies’ the more human one had strawberry blond hair as did Fluttershy’s double. The Rarity double was still as fashionable as ever as was the actual Rarity at that moment. Dressed simply yet still managed to look her best. Rarity’s double had black hair though. It was impossible to tell the two Applejack’s apart, they looked the same. They were both dressed the same even. The only difference was one of them was wearing a hat and the other wasn’t.

Then Rainbow Dash, she was actually the only one without a double standing in the room. And she was dressed in farming cloths just like the Applejacks. It was odd for Twilight seeing her friends in human shape and it was strange for Tara two see doubles of themselves from a magical world. Tara was pretty sure this wasn’t an elaborate trick anymore when she saw the Rainbow one with red looking eyes and blue wings sticking out of her back.

Rachel spoke up “well I certainly wouldn’t have believed a word of it if I didn’t see all this.”

“Ah hear ya’ if ah din’t see, um… Rainbow Flash fly over with Scota, Ashleigh and Belle ah’m pretty sure ah would have called the cops on Applejack.” Jackie agreed

Rainbow crossed her arms “My names Rainbow DASH, not flash.”

“Speaking of Rainbow Dash,” Rarity spoke up “Why are you dressed like that?”

Jackie laughed a little at the memory “when she flew over here she was only wearing a white bed sheet. With those wings and the way she was dressed you would have thought she was an angel. Speaking of which She explained that in her world she’s a Pegasus and also said Fluttershy was too, why don’t I see any wings on you?” Jackie asked Fluttershy.

She looked down at the ground and played with her new fingers nervously “Well Fiona said humans don’t have wings and this yellow sweater was the only thing big enough to hide them.” That hadn’t occurred to either Rainbow or Jakie. Jackie had just sacrificed a shirt when she didn’t need to.

“Where’s Rain?” Tara asked

“Who?” Rainbow asked

“Rain Dash, I’m pretty sure that she’s your double. She should have been here.” Tara explained.

“We all tried to call her but she wouldn’t answer.” Pinky answered. Rain was usually out running around and goofing off but where was she? It wasn’t like her to just ignore them like this and she always kept her phone on her no matter what she was doing. Where is she?