My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (The Other Mane Six)

by MyLittleAces

Rating: everyone
Tags:
Length: 5442

Lyra, Bon Bon, Derpy, Doctor Whooves, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch are the mane stars here

Have you ever wondered what Lyra, Bon Bon, Derpy, Doctor Whooves, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch do when the Mane Six are off having thier adventures? Well, you're about to find out.

We follow the Other Mane Six (Lyra, Bon Bon, Doctor Whooves, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch) on their adventures in Equestria. They learn more about friendship and grow closer along the way.

We begin with the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. The six ponies all meet at the train station and prepare to celebrate the longest day of the year in Ponyville. But something goes wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

I tried to make it as much like the actually show as possible, just with six different mane characters.
This is my first fanfic EVER.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-04-03 00:54:32 UTC

Friendship Is Magic Part One (How the Other Half Meet)

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (The Other Mane Six)

Chapter one: Friendship Is Magic Part One (How the Other Half Meet)

By: MyLittleAces

Warning: Derpy and Doctor Whooves may or may not break the fourth wall in this chapter due to poor story planning!

Lyra Heartstrings and Amethyst Star were walking across the bridge together, talking about Moon Dancer's party in the West Castle Courtyard that they would be attending later in the evening. They had just returned from shopping for the perfect present that Amethyst carried in her mouth. Lyra and Amethyst weren't the closest friends, but the mint green unicorn did enjoy helping other ponies, and the light purple unicorn really needed it.

“It sure is a great gift!” Lyra said enthusiastically.

“Mmhmm! Mou met!” Amethyst mumbled. She was trying to say 'you bet', but the handle from her bag muffled her speech.

“Say, isn't that Twilight Sparkle running toward us?” Lyra waved as the lavender unicorn galloped passed with a book clutched in her magic, but Twilight didn't seem to notice her. “I wonder where she's going in such a hurry?”

“Mho mows?”Amethyst placed the bag on the ground. “Who knows? That pony always has something more important to do.”

Lyra nodded in agreement.

“Oh yeah! I've been meaning to ask you!” Amethyst levitated the bag with her own magic, and the two continued their stroll. “Is it true that you're moving from Canterlot?”

Lyra nodded again and smiled. “Eeyup! I'm moving to Ponyville, where my Earth pony cousin Harper lives.” She glanced at a small grandfather clock that stood just outside of a conveniently placed clock shop. Her eyes suddenly widened. “And I'm supposed to catch the morning train, which leaves in ten minutes!” The mint green mare jumped in excitement and galloped away. “Tell Moon Dancer I can't make it to the party!” Lyra shouted to the purple unicorn behind her.

Amethyst shrugged and walked in the direction of the West Castle Courtyard.

“C'mon, Tavi, I don't wanna be late!” Vinyl Scratch, who was levitating two suitcases with her magic, lifted her sunglasses with a hoof to get a better look at the slow moving Earth pony before her. They were heading to the train station to get a ride to Ponyville so they could make it to the Summer Sun Celebration that was to take place there.

“I'm trying, Vinyl! And don't call me Tavi!” a very annoyed Octavia said. “I don't know if you've noticed, but its kind of hard to carry a cello and violin case when all you have are hooves!”

“Oh... Well, why didn't you just say so?” Vinyl levitated the instrument cases with her magic, and Octavia smiled gratefully.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Now, let's go!” The unicorn started running, and the Earth pony struggled to keep pace.

“Vinyl!” Octavia shouted. “Slow down!”

Bon Bon and Golden Harvest walked through Ponyville, chatting about the Summer Sun Celebration. The light cream-colored mare was particularly excited because Princess Celestia was supposed to be there herself.

“Isn't this exciting, Goldie?!” Bon Bon 'squeed' to emphasize her delight.

Goldie rolled her eyes and nodded. “To be honest, I'm a little bit more curious about Harper's unicorn cousin that's supposed to be moving here from Canterlot. I hear they look a lot alike.”

“Yes, that's nice. But the PRINCESS is coming! To PONYVILLE!” Bon Bon 'squeed' again and looked at Golden Harvest for similar enthusiasm. But before the yellow mare could reply, a golden chariot pulled by two pegasi flew across the two ponies and descended into the center of the town.

“I wonder who that could be?” Goldie thought aloud.

“Is it the PRINCESS!?” Bon Bon exclaimed, overjoyed and 'squeeing' all the more.

“I doubt it. I bet that's Harper's cousin. Come on, let's go take a look.”

The Earth ponies approached the carriage, but they stopped when they were close enough to see its passengers. “That's not the princess,” Bon Bon said in disappointment.

“And I highly doubt that's Harper's cousin 'look-alike'.”

“Speaking of Harper, look!”

A mint green Earth pony was running up to them, and she was clearly exhausted by the exercise. Harper skidded to a stop just before she collided with the other two ponies. “Goldie! Bon Bon!” she panted. “I need a favor!”

“What is it?” Goldie asked curiously.

“I need you to meet my cousin at the train station in ten minutes! I promised to show her around, but something came up, and now I have to go to Manehattan for a few days!”

“Gee, I'd love to help, Harper,” Goldie said as her ears laid back in apology, “but I have to meet up with the Apple family to help deliver the food for tonight.”

Harper's ears also folded in disappointment. “Oh dear... What about you, Bon Bon? Can you help me?”

Bon Bon smiled and nodded her head. “I'd love to help!”

Harper's ears perked up at this. “Great! But you better hurry because the train will be arriving soon! I have to hurry, too. Thanks, Bon Bon!” With that, she galloped off in the opposite direction.

“I wonder why she doesn't just take the train herself instead of running? That way she could just meet her cousin and tell her what's up.” Goldie shook her head and laughed. “Well, I gotta go, too. See ya later, Bon Bon.” She waved before walking toward Sweet Apple Acres.

Bon Bon waved in return and made her way to the train station.

Doctor Whooves lifted his hoof to wipe the sweat from his brow. “Alright, let's see if that fixed it.” He flipped a switch on the control panel, and the large machine in the center of the laboratory began to hum and vibrate slightly. “Finally!” Doc picked up a quill in his mouth and started writing in a logbook on the control panel: TARDIS fixed.

“HEY, DOC!!!”

Doctor Whooves jumped, dropping his quill and rearing up on his hind legs. When he brought his hooves down, they smashed into the control panel and agitated several switches and buttons. The machine in the center of the room began to buzz loudly and started to shake. Smoke permeated the air.

“Horsefeathers!” Doc shouted as he flipped the starting switch again. TARDIS slowly began to stop shaking, and the buzzing started to quiet down, but smoke continued to erupt from the machine, and electricity pulsed through its wires. Doc coughed and pressed a button on the ground that activated the emergency ventilation system. He turned around. “Derpy!”

The gray, wonky-eyed pegasus stood before him, smiling and clearing smoke around her with her wings. “Come on, we gotta go!”

Doc raised an eyebrow curiously. “Go? Go where?”

“We have to go to the train station!” she stated as if it was the most obvious thing in Equestria.

“Why?”

“Well, duh! We need to be there if we want to be a part of the 'other mane six' for the story!”

“Other mane―? Story? How did you know about―?”

“Never mind!” Derpy cut him off. “We gotta go!!” With that, she flew from the lab, only to peek her head around the corner to make sure Doc was following.

The brown Earth pony sighed, picked up his quill from the floor, and made one last entry in his logbook: TARDIS broken...again. Then he quickly ran after the pegasus to go to the train station.

------Insert epic pony theme song here------

Lyra sat uncomfortably across from two other ponies, a white unicorn and light brown Earth pony. The unicorn wore sunglasses, and her cutie mark appeared to be two bridged, backward eighth notes. The Earth pony wore a white collar with a pink bow tie, and her cutie mark resembled a treble clef. All three ponies retained an awkward silence, except when the white unicorn would scratch behind her ears with a back hoof, like a dog, and the Earth pony would scold her.

Octavia and Vinyl Scratch were uncomfortable as well. The mint green unicorn with a lyre for a cutie mark was sitting across from them in a strange slouched position with her back hooves dangling over the edge of her seat, kind of like how a small dragon would sit. She would also occasionally glance out the window, and her pupils would shrink, and an overly excited smile would spread across her face.

Finally, Vinyl decided to break the silence. “Soooo... Weird how they got all the musical ponies in one room, huh?”

Lyra looked at the other unicorn and nodded. “Eeyup. Sure is...”

“I'm Vinyl Scratch; you might know me as DJ Pon-3, and this here is Tavi.”

“Octavia!” she corrected. “Don't call me Tavi!”

“Whatever.... Tavi.”

The Earth pony flashed the white unicorn an annoyed expression, and she was answered by a look of mild, mischievous amusement from her companion.

Lyra held back a slight snicker before she replied. “I'm Lyra Heartstrings.”

“Nice to meet ya, Lyra.” Vinyl held out her hoof, and Lyra shook it.

Octavia, not wanting to seem rude (especially in comparison to Vinyl), also held out her hoof, which Lyra shook as well. “Yes, nice to meet you.”

“Its nice to meet you guys too!” Lyra grinned. “You guys going to Ponyville?”

Vinyl nodded. “Eeyup! Can't wait for the Summer Sun Celebration! What about you?”

“I'm moving there. I have a cousin who said I could stay with her.”

“Attention passengers,” a booming voice erupted from the intercom. “We have now arrived in Ponyville.”

Octavia and Vinyl Scratch looked at each other. Vinyl was already collecting their luggage with her magic. Lyra retrieved her lyre with her own magic and followed the other two ponies out the door of their room and through the train until they were standing in the center of the station's platform. “I suppose this is goodbye, then,” Octavia said, turning to the mint green unicorn.

“Eeyup,” she replied. “I guess I'll see ya around.”

Just as they were about to part ways, somepony shouted, “WATCH OUT!!”

Lyra turned around and, suddenly, a gray pegasus crashed into her and Octavia, sending them to the ground with an, “Oomph!”, the unicorn dropping her lyre from her magic as she fell. The pegasus laid on top of them while the two musical ponies laid next to each other on the cold cement platform. The pegasus shook her head and looked at the two beneath her. “Oops,” she said as she stood.

“Bahahaha!” Vinyl didn't even try to contain her laughter. “That was awesome!” She fell over onto the floor and laughed that much harder.

The gray pegasus stepped away from the grounded ponies, her ears laying back in apology, and a sheepish smile spreading across her muzzle. “Sorry.”

Vinyl, still laughing, approached Octavia, grabbed her hoof, and hoisted her up. “Ya okay, Tavi?”

“I'm fine,” Octavia replied, brushing off her coat. “And don't call me Tavi!”

Lyra held her head in her hooves and shut her eyes. When she opened them again, a cream-colored mare with a blue mane containing pink streaks stood over her, wearing a friendly smile. “I guess you're Harper's cousin, huh?”

Lyra blinked. Her vision was a little blurry, so she shook her head. The Earth pony standing over her offered her a hoof. She accepted it gratefully and was pulled to a standing position. The cream-colored pony then picked up the lyre in her mouth and gave it to Lyra, who took it happily, clutching it with her magic. “Thanks...uhhh...?”

“I'm Bon Bon,” the cream pony said with a smile.

“Thanks, Bon Bon. I'm―”

“Derpy!”

The five ponies turned to see a brown Earth pony stallion trotting up to them, panting and sweat pouring from his body. The skew-eyed pegasus took to the air again, and when the stallion got close, she flew toward him and collided with him as well. “Oopsie. Sorry, Doc.”

“Maybe,” he spoke between gasps, “you should,” gasp, “stick to the ground,” gasp, “from now on!” gasp. “And get off me!!” The other four ponies giggled as Derpy got to her hooves and helped Doc stand and brush off his coat.

Bon Bon looked at the sweaty stallion and clumsy pegasus and beamed. “So what're you two doing here? Are you on a date?” she asked earnestly.

Derpy blushed a deep red but quickly recovered, and Doctor Whooves just rolled his eyes at the Earth pony, only a slight pink tinting his cheeks. “Actually,” he said, “I don't really know why we're here.” He looked at the pegasus suspiciously. “She just burst into my lab and told me we had to go to the train station so we could be in the sto― I mean, for no real reason, and she made me chase after her on the ground all the way here, while she flew!” He pointed an accusing hoof, still saturated with perspiration, at the pegasus. Derpy merely grinned.

Bon Bon put a hoof to her mouth to stifle a laugh. “I see,” she snickered. The Earth pony quickly composed herself and turned back to the mint green unicorn. “What were we talking about?”

“Uhhh...” Lyra replied. “I don't remember.”

“Oh! That's it! You're Harper's cousin from Canterlot, right?”

Lyra nodded. “Eeyup! That's me! Speaking of Harper, she was supposed to meet me here...”

“Mmhmm. She had to go to Manehattan for a few days for an emergency, so she sent me to pick you up and show you around.”

“Oh, that's great!” Lyra turned to Vinyl and Octavia, who were standing awkwardly next to Doctor Whooves and Derpy. “You guys wanna come with us?”

Octavia smiled gratefully and nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. What do you think, Vinyl?”

“Sounds good to me, just as long as we stop somewhere to get something to eat. I'm starving!”

“There's a great place to eat in the middle of town,” Bon Bon said. “We can stop there.”

Lyra looked at Derpy and Doctor Whooves. “What about you guys? Wanna come too? You said you weren't really doing anything, right?”

Doctor Whooves cleared his throat. “Well, that wasn't really what I sai―”

“Sure!” Derpy interrupted. “We're not busy! Right, Doc?”

“But I was going to...” He looked at the pegasus' expectant face. He sighed, defeated. “Fine...”

Bon Bon giggled but tried to suppress it when given a cross look from Doc. “Well, everypony,” she said, “follow me to Sugarcube Corner!”

In the middle of town stood a cheery little bakery known as Sugarcube Corner. Bon Bon  gleefully led the other five ponies there (after stopping at Vinyl and Octavia's hotel and Harper's house to drop off their things), despite Derpy's clumsy, chaotic flying from above and Doctor Whooves' irritated mumbling about something he called TARDIS from behind. Vinyl Scratch and Lyra appeared to be ecstatic about all the activity going on in the small Ponyville, everypony bustling around to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration. Octavia, however, was more interested in the beautiful sound of singing birds in some kind of choir somewhere nearby.

Nopony was really talking to one another, causing an awkward silence to befall the troop as they marched to the sweets shop. Well... almost silence. Derpy, in hushed tones, was trying to convince Doc to lighten up, but her efforts were to no avail, for the Earth pony was determined to grumble on.

“C'mon, Doc. This is fun!”

“How?”

“Well...” She thought for a moment, hovering next to the colt as he walked behind the rest of the group. “We're making friends!”

He stopped momentarily, causing the pegasus to drop to the ground before he continued. She walked beside him and waited for a reply, but Doc said nothing more, his grumbling also falling to silence.

The six ponies entered Surgarcube Corner, the awkward feeling following close behind. Bon Bon didn't like that feeling, so she decided to try to disrupt it. “Okay, what's everypony want to eat? My treat!”

“Awesome!” Vinyl said with a grin.

“Vinyl!” Octavia scolded. “We shouldn't let somepony else pay for our food!”

“Its alright, Tavi,” Bon Bon said. “I'd be happy to!”

Octavia scowled but quickly righted herself with an annoyed smile. “Octavia. And we couldn't ask you to do that.”

“Why don't we just get the Ultimate Muffin Platter?” Derpy recommended. “That way we can all share.”

Octavia shook her head. “I don't think―”

“That's a great idea!” Bon Bon  approached the counter before she could be opposed. “Hi, Mrs. Cake! Is Pinkie here?”

“Oh hello, Bon Bon. No, I'm afraid she's out planning a party. What can I do for you?”

“My friends and I would like the Ultimate Muffin Platter, please.”

“Let me guess. Derpy suggested it?”

Bon Bon nodded and smiled.

Mrs. Cake chuckled. “I'll get right on it. Why don't you and your friends take a seat, while you wait?”

As Mrs. Cake disappeared into the kitchen, Bon Bon left the bits on the counter and led the group to a table by the window. Derpy and Doctor Whooves sat closest to the window, while Octavia and Vinyl seated themselves next to the pegasus and Earth pony. Finally, Lyra and Bon Bon placed themselves by each other on the other side of the pair.

Octavia suddenly stood. “Oh, Bon Bon, I forgot to ask. Where's the restroom?”

Bon Bon pointed with a hoof. “In the back by the kitchen.”

Octavia nodded and turned, but she stopped. “Ahem. Vinyl?”

Vinyl Scratch looked at the Earth pony curiously. “What?”

The musical mare gestured with her head toward the restroom with an annoyed expression on her face.

Vinyl groaned and hopped from her seat, mumbling to herself. “I'll never understand why you can't go to the bathroom by yourself.”

When the unicorn and Earth pony disappeared behind the door, Mrs. Cake emerged from the kitchen, carrying a huge pyramid of muffins on a platter in her mouth. She placed the platter on the table and quickly returned to the kitchen to finish her orders.

Seemingly from nowhere, Pinkie Pie burst into the bakery. “Hiya Bon Bon and Derpy and Doctor Whooves and Harper!” She bounced to the table and grinned in her typical Pinkie Pie way. She eyed Lyra curiously. “Say, Harper, there's something different about you. Did you get a manecut?”

Lyra opened her mouth to answer, but Bon Bon held up a hoof and giggled. “Hi Pinkie. What's up?”

“Oh! I met a new pony today, and I'm throwing a PARTY for her!! You guys should come too! Its gonna be in the library this evening, which is good because I was gonna throw a party for the Summer Sun Celebration tonight, anyway, but now I can have a party for the new pony too! Its gonna be GREAT!!” Pinkie took a deep breath and beamed.

Lyra stared, wide-eyed, at the pink speed-speaking Earth pony. She'd never heard anyone talk quite that fast before. What did she even say?

Bon Bon nodded. “That sounds like fun, Pinkie. We'd love to come. Right, Harper?” She looked at the unicorn seated next to her and grinned.

Lyra looked back confusedly before she nodded in agreement. “Uhh, sure?”

“Great!” Pinkie bounced toward the exit. “Don't forget: tonight at the library!”

When Pinkie vanished from the room as suddenly as she appeared, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch returned to the table, eyeing something behind Lyra and Bon Bon with peculiar looks. Bon Bon turned around to see the pyramid of muffins reduced to four simple morsels and Derpy and Doctor Whooves chewing. Both ponies had crumbs around their mouths. She gasped, but Lyra started to giggle.

Doc swallowed, and his ears flattened against his head, a slight pink tinting his cheeks. “I only had one,” he said with a sheepish smile.

Derpy also swallowed and smiled. “I had fifteen!”

Bon Bon face-hooved, but she soon laughed and pushed the remaining muffins with her hoof to each pony that hadn't eaten yet, including herself. Vinyl scarfed her muffin and belched loudly, Octavia promptly scolding her. The rest of the ponies ate their food in relative silence, giggling as the two argued.

“Why do you always have to scold me?”

“Because your a mannerless slob!”

“WHAT! I am not!”

“You are to!”

“Am not!”

“Are to!”

“Am NOT!”

“Are TO!”

The two were in each others' faces with narrowed eyes, Vinyl having placed her sunglasses on the table so Octavia could see her angry expression. She stuck out her tongue and made a rather rude noise. Octavia giggled, but she quickly stopped herself and glared. Vinyl smiled, put her sunglasses back on her face, and reclined back in her chair. Octavia rolled her eyes and took a bite from her muffin, stifling her own smile. The others grinned at the pair amusedly.

Mrs. Cake returned from the kitchen and retrieved the now empty muffin platter. Lyra stood and stretched, happy that her belly was full and her lunch was so entertaining. The others stood as well, starting to make their way to the door.

Outside the bakery, Bon Bon suddenly stopped and faced Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. “Oh! I almost forgot! We were invited to a party while you two were in the bathroom. You guys can come too.”

“Cool!”

“That sounds lovely. When is it?”

“This evening at the library. Everypony's gonna be there.”

Vinyl nodded. “Sweet! We'll be there too!”

“Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it,” Doctor Whooves interjected. “But I hope you all have fun.”

Everypony looked at him confusedly. “Why not, Doc?” Derpy asked.

“Well, for starters, I have to fix my machine that SOMEPONY broke earlier today.”

Derpy smiled sheepishly. “Oh yeah. Oops.”

Doc rolled his eyes and continued. “At any rate, I need to get back to the lab. I suppose I'll see you all at the Celebration.” With that, he turned in the direction of his laboratory and proceeded to walk away.

“Hey Doc, wait for me!” Derpy shouted, flying after him.

The remaining four looked at each other and shrugged. “Want me to show you around Ponyville?” Bon Bon asked.

“Sure!” the other three said in unison.

Back in his lab, Doctor Whooves quickly got to work. He approached TARDIS with a wrench in his mouth. He opened a panel on the machine, revealing its intricate inner workings, and stuck his head inside.

“What can I do?” Derpy asked from the control panel. She was just about to take a step forward.

Doc dropped the wrench from his mouth. “Stay right―oomph!” He smacked his head on the panel. He pulled his head out of the opening slowly and faced the pegasus. “Stay right there. This could be dangerous.” He slipped his head in again and retrieved the wrench.

Derpy stayed put and watched Doc as he worked. It was absolutely fascinating. He would occasionally pull his head out and leave the wrench on the ground while he circled the large blue machine that was smoking and sending off violent charges of electricity. When he came back into sight, he'd pick the wrench back up and dive into the opening once more. Sometimes, he would start coughing and have to come out again, his face black from the smoke.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the smoke and electrical impulses began to die down. When it was  all finally clear, Doc emerged from the machine, setting the panel back into place. “I think that should do the trick.” He approached Derpy and the controls, glanced back at TARDIS one more time, and threw the switch. TARDIS hummed and vibrated happily. Doc sighed with relief, picked up his quill, and wrote in his logbook: TARDIS fixed.

Derpy sat on her hunches and applauded as Doctor Whooves turned off the machine and took a bow. “That's great, Doc! And we still have enough time to make it to the party!”

He shook his head. “Sorry, Derpy, but I still have a lot of work to do. You can go ahead if you want to, though.”

“You sure, Doc?”

“Yeah. Just because I can't go, doesn't mean you shouldn't.”

Derpy stood and smiled. “Okay. I'll see you at the Celebration, though, right?”

Doc nodded. “Eeyup.” With that, Derpy trotted from the lab. Doctor Whooves, however, sighed and picked up his wrench again.

“SHE'S COMING! EVERYPONY HIDE!!” Pinkie shouted.

The lights went out and the muffled sound of talking could be heard through the door. Suddenly, the door swung open, and the sound of fluttering wings could be heard in the dark. However, something zoomed in and pushed the fluttering wings out the door again, speaking in the entrance.

“Yes, yes. We'll get right on that. Well, goodnight!” The door slammed shut as the voices continued.

“Huh. Rude much?”

“Sorry, Spike. But I have to convince the princess that Nightmare Moon is coming, and we're running out of time! I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time! Now, where's the light?”

The lights flickered on. “SURPRISE!!”

Lyra gasped when she recognized the pony as Twilight Sparkle. “Didn't see that coming.”

“Didn't see what coming?” Derpy asked, walking up to her new friend.

“I know that pony from Canterlot. She's the princess's protégé, Twilight Sparkle. I wonder what she's doing here in Ponyville?”

“She must be here for the Summer Sun Celebration.”

“Hmm.” Lyra thought for a moment. “Well, that sounds plausible.”

“What sounds plausible?” Bon Bon asked, seeming to appear from no where.

“That the princess's protégé is here for the Summer Sun Celebration,” Derpy answered.

“That's the princess's protégé?”

Lyra nodded. “Mmhmm.”

They looked at Twilight Sparkle, who was drinking from a cup on a table. Abruptly, the lavender unicorn turned a bright shade of red, and she jumped, her mane and tail seeming to catch fire.

“Oh dear,” Bon Bon said. “I hope she's alright.”

“I'm sure she's fine.” Lyra waved a dismissive hoof.

Bon Bon looked up the stairs. “If you say so,” she said uncertainly.

“Anyway,” Derpy said as she glanced around the room, “where are Vinyl and Octavia?”

Bon Bon peered around the library as well. “Huh. I guess they're not here yet.”

“That's odd,” Lyra chimed. “Didn't you show them where the library was when you gave us a tour of the town?”

“I thought I did...”

“They could've gotten lost,” Derpy suggested.

“Should we go look for them?”

“I don't think so,” Lyra answered. “Its not long until the Celebration, and we know they know where to go.”

“Its kind of rude not to look for them, isn't it?”

“I agree with Lyra,” Derpy said. “They're probably just arguing about whether to turn left at Sugarcube Corner or right.”

The three ponies giggled. “Yeah. You're probably right. Ooo, look! Pinkie's starting pin-the-tail-on-the-pony! C'mon!”

Meanwhile, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch were standing outside of Sugarcube Corner.

“We're supposed to go right,” Vinyl said.

“No,” Octavia countered, “the library is left.”

“Right.”

“Left.”

“Right!”

“Left!”

“RIGHT!”

“LEFT!”

“We are supposed to go RIGHT!”

Octavia sighed in exasperation. “Look! This is getting us no where! Let's just go to the town hall. Its almost time for the Celebration to begin, anyway.”

Everypony gathered in Ponyville town hall. All was fairly quiet.

“Hey Lyra, where'd Derpy go?” Bon Bon looked around the crowded room in search of the wonky-eyed pegasus pony.

“She went looking for Doc. He said he'd be here, right?”

“Should we look for Vinyl and Octavia too?”

“Don't have to.” She pointed with a hoof. “Here they come.”

The two musical mares were trotting up to Lyra and Bon Bon, Derpy and Doctor Whooves not far behind. When they stopped, Octavia collapsed onto the floor. “Too much,” gasp, “running!” Vinyl hoisted her to her hooves with her magic, and a chorus of birds led by a yellow pegasus began to sing.

The lights shifted to the stage where the mayor stood. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” she began, “as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” The crowd cheered. “In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this: the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria.”

Lyra was bouncing up and down excitedly, her pupils contracting. Bon Bon shared in her enthusiasm, looking up and smiling broadly.

“Princess Celestia!!”

A white unicorn pulled a rope that flung the curtains away, and the spotlights directed themselves to the balcony while the bird choir began to sing again. However, the princess was not there. The crowd started to murmur.

“What's going on?” Vinyl asked. “Where's the princess?”

“Remain calm, everypony,” the mayor said. “There must be a reasonable explanation.”

Lyra and Bon Bon looked at each other in shock.

The white pony on the balcony stepped forward. “She's gone!” The crowd gasped. The six ponies stared at the stage in horror.

Just then a dark blue aura began to engulf the balcony, and, suddenly, a stark black alicorn pony wearing some kind of armor appeared. “Oh, my beloved subjects. Its been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces.”

“What did you do with our princess?!” A rainbow-maned pegasus leapt at the dark pony, but she was stopped by an orange Earth pony grabbing her tail in her mouth.

The alicorn laughed maniacally. Doctor Whooves started to feel uneasy. Something was vibrating around his wrist. He looked at the small device that was barley noticeable under his coat. It indicated that something was happening with the inter-dimensional vortex. Something was happening with TARDIS.

The dark pony on the balcony continued. “Why? Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?” She leaned into the yellow pegasus with the birds. “Does my crown no longer count now that I've been imprisoned for a thousand years?” She leaned to the white unicorn. “Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

“I did!” The princess's protégé, Twilight Sparkle, stepped forward. “And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon!”

The crowd gasped again. Doctor Whooves nudged Derpy with his foreleg. “Derpy, there's something wrong with TARDIS. We need to get back to the lab!”

“Well, well, well. Somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here?”

“You're here to...to...” Twilight gulped.

“Bon Bon, Lyra, Vinyl, Octavia,” Doc whispered. “Derpy and I must get to my lab immediately.”

The alicorn laughed again. “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment fourth, the night will last FOREVER!” Lightening struck, as the pony laughed once more, and her mane and tail erupted into dark rivers.

Everypony stood, absolutely shocked. Doc and Derpy shook their heads and made their way to the exit. The others, not knowing what was going on, followed close behind. The six ponies ran in the direction of Doc's laboratory.

“What's happening?!” Vinyl shouted.

“I don't know!” Doc answered. “Something with that alicorn is disrupting the inter-dimensional vortex! We have to get to my lab!” Just outside of Ponyville, Doc stomped on the seemingly bare ground, and a cellar door popped open. “Everyone inside! Quickly!” They all clambered into the cellar, electrical pulses surging passed their heads. In the center of the room, a large blue machine was emitting the electricity.

“You gotta shut it down, Doc!” Derpy shouted to be heard over the noise.

“It wasn't even on!”

“What do we do?!”

“You all stay here! I'm going to try to get closer to TARDIS to see what's happening!” Doctor Whooves edged his way to the machine, a powerful force of wind trying to blow him away with every step.

Derpy ushered the others behind the control panel for cover. “What's he doing?” Bon Bon shouted.

“He's going to try to shut TARDIS down,” Derpy answered, still barely audible.

They all peeked over the panel to watch Doc as he struggled to get close. Suddenly, a huge flash of light and overpowering boom rocked the laboratory. The five ponies ducked under the controls again. Just as suddenly, the electricity stopped surging, the noise died down to silence, and the wind disappeared. The mares peered over the panel once more. What they saw shocked them all.

Doctor Whooves was gone.