The Ballad of Xyclone

Ponyville, Equestria, early morning

Twilight Sparkle runs through the town square of Ponyville in the land of Equestria. Spike the dragon sits atop her back as she runs, holding the Elements of Harmony in his claws. Twilight ignores the welcoming calls of the other ponies as she makes her way to her library in the near distance.

“Wow, it’s so great to be back home in good old Ponyville,” Spike says. “It feels like an eternity since we’ve been here, even though we’ve only been gone for a couple of weeks. I didn’t think we’d get such a welcoming return, either.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Twilight replies. “But we don’t have time for greetings. We need to get the Elements of Harmony somewhere safe, pronto.”

“Yeah, we probably should. I didn’t like the look on Princess Celestia’s face when she woke us up at 3 a.m. this morning for an emergency meeting. I’ve never seen her look so paralyzed with fear.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing. Nothing I, my friends, and the Elements of Harmony can’t fix!” says Twilight confidently.

“Yeah, but still…” worries Spike, his voice uneasy.

When the two of them reach Twilight’s library, Twilight uses her powerful alicorn magic to barge through the door. The room is pitch-black dark.

“Shoot! Where the hay are my candles?” Twilight says frustratingly, squinting her eyes trying to find a light source.

“SURPRISE!!!” exclaims Pinkie Pie as the lights come on, illuminating the library.

Twilight is so…er, “surprised” that she bucks Spike off her back, flinging him back onto the entrance door. “Oh my gosh, Spike! I’m so sorry!” Twilight exclaims. “Pinkie! What—”

“Oh Twilight, you’re so silly!” interrupts Pinkie. “I’m throwing you a ‘Welcome Back to Ponyville’ party! You’ve been so caught up in your duties at Canterlot that I haven’t been able to throw you any parties, so…”

“Pinkie—!” interjects Twilight.

Pinkie continues rambling on. “…So I decided to throw you a ‘Welcome Back to Ponyville’ party! Isn’t that fun?!”

“Pinkie—”

“Oh, my goodness! You should’ve seen the look on your face!”

“Pinkie…”

“…I was all, ‘SURPRISE!’ and you were all, ‘AAH!’ and Spike was all, ‘YAAH!’ and—”

“PINKIE PIE!!” screams Twilight, causing Pinkie to finally shut up. “Pinkie, this is serious business! Princess Celestia sent me to put the Elements of Harmony in safekeeping!”

“…B-But why…?” Pinkie interrupts again.

“I DON’T KNOW!!! I’M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT, BUT YOU WON’T LET ME GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE!!!” Twilight screams at the top of her lungs.

“Well, jeez, Twi, there’s no need to yell,” Pinkie mutters into the air.

Twilight overhears her and turns around. “Um…Pinkie? Who are you talking to…?”

“Them, silly!” she replies. “See, guys? I think Twilight’s starting to lose it…” Pinkie whispers to the air again.

“Who is ‘them’?!” yells Twilight, walking up to Pinkie.

“THEM! The bronies, silly-billy!"

“’Bronies’? WHAT THE HAY IS A BRONY?!”

Pinkie starts backing away slowly.

“PINKIE, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR—” Twilight is suddenly silenced by a blinding flash of light that shoots out the top of her library. The blast sends her hurdling to the front door where Spike was just now regaining consciousness. Twilight lands right on top of him. “Ooooo, shiny!” exclaims Pinkie, mesmerizingly. “Twilight, lookie!”

“W-Wha…??” asks Twilight groggily. She slowly gets up and walks toward the light.

Spike once again tries to get up, but is once again knocked over as the door flings open and Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash enter.

“Twah? Wha-What’s goin’ on?” asks Applejack as she enters. “Ah was buckin’ some apple trees when Ah saw this huge flash of blindin’ light, an’--” She stops, as she finally notices the light.

The mane 6 all stare silently at the light for a minute, in complete awe and disbelief. After a minute, the light begins to flash and contort violently until it eventually starts to reveal some sort of room.

“O-Oh my, it looks like…some sort of portal…” muses Rarity aloud.

Twilight gasps. “Oh, no!” she cries. “Not again!”