The Great Lepidopteraby EarthBound PwnyChaptersArc One, Part One: Foiled, Arrival, ChangeArc One, Part Two: Assistance, Watching, Artifact, RiskArc One, Part Three: Flight, Battle, Victory, NapArc Two, Part One: Awakening, Reading, MeetingArc One, Part One: Foiled, Arrival, Change10,000 years before modern-day Equestria Fearsome dragons swooped down from the sky, chasing after the small, technicolor horses. "Leave them alone!" shrieked Megan, beating futilely upon one of the beasts with her fists. One dragon dove down and snatched her up in its talons, as she continued to scream defiantly. "I'm coming, Megan!" cried Firefly. Zooming after the dragon, she did a double inside-out loop in order to confuse it. It worked for a little while, but when the dragon realized what she was up to, it snorted and ignored her. The pegasus began to pummel the dragon, butnit didn't even seem to notice. Firefly, reaching the point of exhaustion, began to glide down to Dream Castle, head hung in shame. "I-I lost her," she whimpered, eyes brimming with tears. "S-she could've saved us. I just know it!" "We should try again," Twilight said, catching the attention of the other ponies. "We should send Firefly back over the rainbow and find another human." "Oh please!" said Whizzer, rolling her eyes. "She'll just mess up agai-" Ribbons clapped a hoof over Whizzer's mouth. "Hold your tongue! You'll make her even more upset than she already is," Ribbons scolded. "No, no," said Firefly. "She's right. Send somepony else over." "I'll go!" cried North Star. "I've never been to the human world! I would love to explore at least a little bit of it!" "You can go," replied Twilight. "But there is little time to explore." "Wasting time is illogical," droned Wind Whistler. "Don't worry. I won't let you down!" With that, North Star flew off into the dark sky and over the rainbow. The other ponies watched the small patch of sky, their hearts full of hope and doubt. "I just know she'll succeed," murmured Twilight, smiling softly. I adjusted the headband, then took a look in the mirror to get a good look at the whole thing. I was dressed in a blue kimono, complimenting my blue eyes. My normally brown hair had been dyed orange, except for the bangs, which were white. In my hair was headband, with two attennae attached. Completing the whole costume was a pair of brightly-colored wings, which I had cut out of cardboard and painted myself. Overall, it wasn't perfect, but I thought it was pretty good. The only problem remaining was the shoes. Wiggling my bares toes, I pondered whether I should wear a pair of black flats with short socks or just not wear any shoes at all. Before I could make up my mind, I heard a voice overhead cry, "INCOMING!!!!" A loud SPLASH, followed by "Oh dear!" came from the backyard. I hurried out, not bothering to put on normal clothes or shoes. Even for Wisconsin, raining British people is pretty strange weather. I skidded to a stop in front of the pond, ready to jump in and save the foreign visitor. I didn't have to, however, as they climbed out of the pond and shook themselves off. It was then I did a double take. The British person was a pegasus. Things were getting curiouser and curiouser. "Hello!" she said, trotting boldly up to me. "I'm North Star, and I need your help!" "M-me?" I stuttered. "What could I possibly do?" "I'm not sure," she admitted. "But if I crashed in your pond, it must mean that you can do something. Climb on!" She turned sideways, beckoning me to mount. "Well...okay," I said, clambering on to her back. I doubted the logic of her statement, but then again, North Star was talking, pink and purple pegasus. Perhaps whereever she came from, landing in someone's backyard actually meant something. I clung to her neck, waiting for takeoff. She quickly began galloping, flapping her wings furiously. We came up a hill, and she leapt at the top, finally becoming airborne. She sped through the clouds, towards a rainbow. "What's that?" I shouted over the wind. "The rainbow will take us back to Ponyland, where I come from!" she shouted back. As we flew over the rainbow, I began to feel tingly inbetween my shoulderblades. The feeling spread over my whole body, fuzzing out my mind, slowly fading to black. I was laying on my stomach when I came to. I groaned softly. There were voices over me, saying things like "She waking up!" and "She's real pretty, Twilight!" I blinked once, and tried to move. I was overtaken by dizziness, and a bossy oice, this time with a South American accent, scolded, "Stop moving, I want to make sure you haven't been hurt badly by that fall!" I sighed, and sat still, feeling hooves gently palpitate my body, checking for injury. The voice said, "You can sit up now." I gladly obliged. Every movement made me feel like I was going to throw up, but I ignored the feeling, not resting until I was finally in a sitting position. The world look fractured, like I was seeing through multiple lenses at once. This was alarming, but I figured that maybe things looked weird because I hit my head, and my eyesight would return to normal. I then took a look at the owners of the voices. I was unsurprised to see more colorful ponies. After all, North Star had to have come from other ponies. What was a little surprising were the different varieties. Some had wings, like North Star. Others had horns, and some had neither. A few ponies of the three different types had eyes like gemstones. Even more interesting were the symbols on their flanks.Each pony had a different one. I guessed that it to do with their personalities or skills. They seemed too detailed to be mere decorations. "H-hello," I managed to spit out through a mouthful of cotton. I really could've used some water. One of the unicorns ran off, and came back with a glass full of crystal-clear liquid. I gratefully took the glass, and swallowed it in two gulps. Refreshed, I decided to try and stand up. As I did so, my wings brushed against the wall. It felt quite...odd. I could feel the wall's coolness with my wings, despite them not having any nerve endings. I should've merely felt the pressure of the wall on the wings, not the temperature of the wall! I suddenly had a thought. "Excuse me," I said. "I know you need my help, but first...could I get a mirror?" "Yes!" piped up a pony. She was smaller than the others, and had no symbol on her flank. She trotted up the hall, and I followed. After a few minutes, we came upon an ornate, full-length mirror. I looked myself over, and then I became really alarmed. For starters, my brightly-colored hair looked more natural. Like it had always been orange and white, instead of dyed. I felt around in my hair, searching for a headband. I didn't find one. The attenae were rooted in my skull. I had glowing, blue compound eyes. Then, I turned around. I poked at the base of my wings, feeling a small hole near each. I probed through these hole, and felt the bases of my wings connected to my shoulderblades. "Oh, my," was all I could say. It seemed as though I had been fused with anthropomorphic Mothra costume. Arc One, Part Two: Assistance, Watching, Artifact, Risk"Um...are you okay, miss?" asked the small pony who showed me the mirror. "Yeah...I'm fine..." I replied in a small voice. I actually wasn't. I'd been turned into a moth-human-thingy and I was stuck in a land of magic ponies who wanted my help. It was then I realized I didn't even know what they wanted me to help with. "Let's go back to the others," I said. "I need to ask them something." "Sure!" said the filly, trotting back down the hall. When we reached the other ponies, I took a deep breath, and asked the burning question: "What do you need me to do for you?" A pink unicorn with crystal eyes stepped forward. "We need to defeat Tirek for us," she said, shuddering at the name. "Tirek?" I inquired. "Who's that?" The unicorn replied, "He's a demon. He kidnapped some of the other ponies, as well as a young girl named Megan." "I see. So, what does he want with the ponies and Megan?" "We don't know," said the unicorn. "We brought Megan bere, thinking that maybe she could help us. We were wrong, and she was captured." A pegasus in the corner hung her head at this statement. I guessed that she brought this Megan here to Ponyland, and blamed herself for the girl's capture. "Well, my little ponies," I began. "I don't know if I can beat Tirek..." the ponies' ears began to droop, "but I sure as hell am going to try." Their ears pricked up again, and they cheered. "LET'S GO KICK SOME DEMON BEHIND!" I shrieked. A dark castle stood above most everything else in Ponyland. Within the castle stood a handful of ponies, and a girl named Megan. "You'll never get away with this, Tirek!" she snarled. "You'll be beaten, somehow! I just know it!" The centaur merely chuckled. "I believe that I have already gotten away with this, you silly child!" he laughed. "Take her to the dungeon, Scorpan. I'll figure out what to do with her later." The winged demon bowed. "Yes, my lord." He took Megan by the wrist, and led her off to the dungeon. Megan almost thought she saw a flash of pity or regret in his eyes, but now they were blank stones. Tirek smiled, and stroked the small bag on his lap. "Soon, my precious," he murmured. "Soon, the world shall kno-" He stopped mid-sentence, sensing a new presence enter the world. "What is that?" he wondered. The power radiating from the presence was incredible...and in opposition to his own dark powers. "Who dares to defy Lord Tirek?!" he roared. Summoning his crystal ball, he glared daggers at it, wishing to see just who threatened his supreme reign. The sight that greeted him was not what he was expecting: A female human with orange and white hair, a pair of colorful insect wings, and glowing eyes. He was shocked into silence. He would've expected an especially powerful unicorn, maybe a dragon who did not follow him, even the mythical goo pony seemed more likely than...this. But Tirek didn't care that much about how unusual his opponent was. What he cared about was her strength. She practically glowed with divine power. "Well, well, well," he hissed. "Looks like taking over the world will be more fun than I thought." His face twisted into a ghastly smile. "I've always loved a good challenge." "So," I said. "This...Moochick...possesses the only artifact that can save this world?" "Yep," replied Firefly. She had insisted on coming along, in order to redeem herself. "I just hope he can find it. He's kind of forgetful." "I'm sure that since the situation is so dire, he'll remember where he put it." I said this mostly to reassure myself, though it seemed to raise the spirits of the ponies as well. We eventually came upon a little clearing filled with mushrooms. An odd little man popped out of a mushroom, and introduced himself as the Moochick. "And this," he said, gesturing to a rabbit, "is Habbit." As I tried not to roll my eyes at such an uncreative name, I asked, "Where is the Rainbow of Light?", which I believed was an equally silly name. "Why, yes! I do," he said excitedly. "I have it right..here." He pulled his pocket inside-out, but it was full of nothing but lint. "It seems as though I've forgotten where it was," he sheepishly said. I sighed. "Does Habbit know where it is?" I inquired. "Pfft! He's just a silly rabbit!" the old man said dismissively. "Well, that doesn't mean he doesn't know where the Rainbow is," I shot back. I turned to the rabbit. "Do you know where the Rainbow is?" He hopped up and down excitedly. I heard a small voice in my head cry, Yes! Someone finally recognizes my intelligence. It's in my pocket. I blinked in confusion. Where had that voice come from? Had I finally cracked? As Habbit pulled a heart-shaped locket out of his pocket, it clicked. I was hearing Habbit's thoughts! I had somehow gained telepathy. I wondered what else I could do... "There it is!" cried the Moochick. "I now remember giving it to Habbit so he wouldn't lose it like I would." I took the locket from the rabbit and draped it around my neck. "Now then," I said. "Let's get Tirek." Several hours later, we stood at the base of a huge, intimidating castle. We were trying to figure out how to get there without a bridge. "Can't you teleport, Twilight?" I said. "Yes, but I can't bring other ponies with me," she replied. "I'm strong enough to carry a pony with me," piped up Firefly. "But I can only handle one." She then picked up Bow Tie and began the journey across the treacherous river. "How am I supposed to get across?" moaned Applejack. I did have an idea...but it was dangerous. I hadn't tried what I was about to do, with or without a pony. But I couldn't just leave her there. "I'll carry you, Applejack," I announced. "But-" she began. "No buts," I said firmly. "I refuse to abandon you." With that I wrapped my arms around Applejack, and hoisted her up. She wasn't nearly as heavy as I expected. I began running as fast as I could, and when I reached the edge, I leapt with all my might, spread my wings... ...and I flew. Arc One, Part Three: Flight, Battle, Victory, NapFreedom. That was my only sensation. I was no longer shackled to the earth. I was one with the wind and sky. I didn't feel Applejack's weight, or hear the cries of the ponies. I was suspended in pure bliss...but only for a moment. I suddenly felt Applejack's weight pulling me down, and quickly began flapping my wings in an attempt to remain airborne. We were nearing the shore, but the river was just below us. I panicked. We'd be swept away by the current! I pumped my wings harder, straining to stay aloft. We eventually crashed onto opposite shore. It was painful, but at least we were still alive. "Ugh," muttered Applejack, rubbing the back of her head. "Hold on," I said. "Lemme check that." I gently grasped her skull, making sure she didn't have any bumps or bruises. When I was satisfied she was okay, I let her go. Twilight teleported across the river, and we were all there. And then, we began to climb up the steep cliffs towards Tirek's lair. Tirek gazed into the crystal ball, smiling wickedly. His prey would be here soon. After he had imprisoned or enslaved them all, he would then be able to carry out his plan. Then, the world would be his to rule. The dark lord wondered what he would do about the moth-woman. She was too powerful to merely turn into a beast for his chariot. She'd break the spell and return to normal. She could probably break out of his strongest prison. "Well, then I'll just have to kill you," he chuckled. He entertained the thought of slowly ripping her wings off. This was going to be the best night ever. Gasping, we eventually clambered over the top of the cliff. I sat up, and surveyed the surrounding area. We could be easily sighted from our current position, and probably already had been. Out of one of the windows flew a chariot, pulled by four dragons. A demonic centaur was seated in the chariot. "Tirek," I growled. This was the fiend threatening the ponies. He held a small, twitching bag up in the air. I somehow sensed that it contained a good deal of dark magic, which would be unleashed if he opened it. I was not about to let that happen. I shot up into the air, speeding towards Tirek. I slammed foot-first into Tirek's face, breaking his nose. He oofed and dropped the bag. I did a 360 and dove towards the bag. Tirek did likewise. We got closer...and closer... and closer...we both reached for the bag...and then Firefly caught it in her mouth and zoomed off. Tirek roared in rage as I cheered. Then I felt something grab my ankle, and I was yanked downwards, finally meeting face-to-face with the tyrant. "You've caused me more trouble than you're worth, moth-woman," he snarled. His hand lit up with magic. "Pesky insects like you need to be exterminated." Before I could make a move, he shot a blast of magic at me, but something jumped between me and the magic. It was some kind of flying monkey. He shrieked in pain, and began to spiral downwards. I punch Tirek in the face, then dove after the monkey. I caught him, then lowered him gently onto a random pile of hay on the roof. "Thanks for sa-" I began. "Don't," he groaned, "thank me yet. Save...the ponies first." He gently touched the locket around my neck, then his arm fell. I couldn't believe it. This...thing...whoever he was, just died to save me, and I didn't even know his name. I looked up, and watched as the dark chariot pursued Firefly, practically on top of her. I saw Tirek grin manically as his fist began to glow again. Tirek. I clenched my fists. This was his fault. And if I let him, another innocent would die today. Screaming, I charged at the chariot, flying faster than I thought possible. I crashed directly into Tirek, smashing him through the floor of the chariot and slamming onto the roof. I managed to pin him for a second, before he threw me off. I landed neatly behind him. "You bitch!" he screamed. "I will wipe you off the face of this planet!!!" He lunged at me, but I jumped out of the way, and he strangled thin air. I did a spinning back kick, smacking him hard in his back. Something there snapped, and he howled in pain and fury. I then grabbed his tail, spun him over my head a few times, and smashed him against the ground. "It's over Tirek," I said. "Now, ge-" A dragon's tail smashed into me, and I was sent flying. Another dragon picked up Tirek in its talons, dropping a small bag into his hands. I quickly surveyed the area for Firefly, and spotted her limp body several yards away. If I hadn't been angry before, I definitely was now. They had hurt one my ponies. The locket around my neck had begun to glow. I ripped it off and opened. Out fluttered a little piece of rainbow. I stared at it in disbelief. How could such a little thing stop Tirek? Tirek, laughing, opened the bag, crying, "BEHOLD THE POWER OF DARKNESS!!! Living darkness flowed out, swirling all over the place. Its power was incredible. I couldn't possibly stop it. I took the small rainbow in my hand, whispering, "Please...save us...do it for the ponies...for the strange monkey that saved me...please...help us..." Tears streaked my face. A tiny voice, clear and joyful as a bell, said I can only do it with your help. "I-I'll do anything!" I cried. "Tell me what to do." The voice said, Just give me a boost. I didn't have the slightest idea what the voice meant. It's not like I had any rainbow recharging powers or anything. "Wait a sec," I murmured. On this crazy journey, it seemed as though I had gained the powers of the divine moth I had intended to portray. One of her powers was that she could fire magic beams. Perhaps I could somehow channel magic into the Rainbow, powering it up. The darkness began to snake down towards me and the Rainbow. I closed my eyes and began to focus, trying to channel my energy into my hands. After what felt like ages, my hands warmed up, and began to glow. I sensed the Rainbow absorbing my power, and it began to brighten. Eventually, I sensed it had more than enough power to overcome the darkness. I drew my hands back, and then launched the Rainbow at the darkness. The two collided, and struggle for dominance between light and dark ensued. It seemed as though neither was winning. Sometimes one would seem to almost win, only for the other to make a comeback. It was a terrible stalemate. I stood by and watched, unable to do anything. Channeling my magic into the Rainbow had drained me almost entirely, and I doubted that giving it anymore would be good for my health. Tirek watched from above, looking smug. The darkness seemed to be winning. The Rainbow began to crack. "NO!" I summoned all the energy I had left in my body, and blasted the darkness with it. It flinched, and everything was consumed by the Rainbow. My last memory was of Tirek screaming, and then I blacked out. Something heavy sat on my chest. "Wake UP!" squeaked a familiar voice. I opened my eyes. I was surrounded by ponies. The small pony from earlier was grinning from ear to ear. "You saved us!" she cheered. "I-I did?" I whispered. "Indeed you did," a deep voice said. I sat up, and saw a man dressed in royal garments. "W-who are you?" I asked. The man replied, "I was a prince who Tirek enslaved and turned into a demon. I was the one who saved you." My eyes widened. "And thanks to you," he continued, smiling, "I have been restored to my human form." The ponies cheered, and I along with them. I had saved the world. The weeks following the battle at Midnight Castle, I had explored Ponyland and Dream Castle. I also gave the Rainbow of Light to Megan, since she planned on staying in Ponyland longer than I did. Every day we searched for the rainbow that acted as a portal between Ponyland and Earth, but to no avail. One day, I was especially exhausted. I floated down onto a mountain, and lay beneath a large rock, with the intent of taking a short nap. Arc Two, Part One: Awakening, Reading, Meeting9,000 years BM-DE I yawned, stretching all my limbs. I had an odd dream that after the time my ponies passed, the three races argued constantly. Then, the country froze up. They searched for a new one, and then they argued over it. It began to freeze, but three ponies, each from the different races, became friends, which got rid of the cold. The three races became friends, and they founded a place called Equestria. My gaze wandered towards the horizon, where the sun had begun to set. Firefly will be wondering where I'm at, I thought. I spread my wings, and soared off towards Dream Castle. As I flew, I noticed something was...different. The air didn't smell the same. It seemed older, somehow. The landscape had also changed. I was beginning to panic. Just how long had I been asleep?! I sped up, hurrying towards the castle. I got there in no time-or at least, what was left of the castle. I spiraled down through the hole, landing in the ballroom. Vines covered everything. Drapery and furniture had rotted away. The only living things I sensed in the castle were insects and rodents. No ponies. I wandered through the decrepit halls, memories flooding back. Some of my most recent memories were of this place, but it looked like the events took place ages ago. In one of the rooms, I spotted a glass case, which contained an ancient book. I recognized it as the journal I gave to Ember, the littlest pony. I smashed the glass and removed the book. I sat down on the floor and opened to the first page. I don't know how long I sat there, reading about Ember's life. It spoke about love, loss, hardships, and joys. It spoke of my disappearance and various speculations of where I had gone. Even though there were various wild theories concerning my whereabouts, not once did she say that I had abandoned her and the other little ponies. She always thought I would return. After reading the diary, I put it back in the case and stuck the glass back together with silk, in memorial to the most faithful little pony. I then decided to explore the world, see what things had changed. I had just purchased some groceries and was weaving through the streets of Trotchester, back to my house. I had taken up residence in the small town several months back. A few ponies were still supspicious of me, but most of them accepted me as a part of everyday life. I earned my living as a weaver, making beautiful cloth out of my silk. I also would sing on the side. Turns out I have quite a lovely voice. I often spent my free time in the library, reading up the events I had missed. This particular day seemed no different from any other, but I felt like something significant was going to happen. As I neared my home, I thought I heard rustling and faint voices in the alley, but I paid no heed to the sounds. Suddenly, something tackled me from behind, knocking me over. I dropped my things, heard the sounds rustling paper, and then hooves galloping off. When I looked up, everything I had bought was gone. I spotted the end of a blue tail vanishing into an alley. "Oh no you don't!" I snarled, giving chase. The thief was going to get a nice kick in the flank if I caught up to them. Which was surprisingly difficult. They obviously knew their way around Trotchester better than I did. The only reason I found them at all was because I saw a few strands of hair in a small hole in an old brick wall they had wiggled through. I leapt over the wall with ease and landed in front of culprit-or, should I say, culprits. One of them was a unicorn filly with a bright pink mane. The other was a blue pegasus, who looked younger than her partner. "Excuse me," I said coldly, glaring at the blue filly. "But I bought tho-" "Yell at me," cut in the unicorn. "I told her to steal from you. I said that she needed to learn how to steal to survive. I take responsibility for her actions." She hung her head, awaiting the sting of my wrath. My glare softened at their predicament, but there was one question in the back of my mind. "Why aren't you two at the orphanage?" The pegasus spoke this time. "They wouldn't take us in. It's overflowing as is." Her ears drooped. "We don't have anywhere to go." I blinked, then uncurled my fists. What was wrong with me? I should've known that the only reason anybody/pony would take something that wasn't theirs would be if they really needed to. These fillies had no parents, no home. They weren't amoral, just desparate. Within a second of this realization, I made a crazy decision. But first... "What are your names?" I asked. "We don't have any," the older filly said. "We've just always called each other 'sister'. We don't even know if we're actually sisters!" "Well, then," I responded, kneeling down to their eye level. The ponies shrank away, but I smiled warmly. "We'll just have to change a few of those things."
Arc One, Part One: Foiled, Arrival, Change10,000 years before modern-day Equestria Fearsome dragons swooped down from the sky, chasing after the small, technicolor horses. "Leave them alone!" shrieked Megan, beating futilely upon one of the beasts with her fists. One dragon dove down and snatched her up in its talons, as she continued to scream defiantly. "I'm coming, Megan!" cried Firefly. Zooming after the dragon, she did a double inside-out loop in order to confuse it. It worked for a little while, but when the dragon realized what she was up to, it snorted and ignored her. The pegasus began to pummel the dragon, butnit didn't even seem to notice. Firefly, reaching the point of exhaustion, began to glide down to Dream Castle, head hung in shame. "I-I lost her," she whimpered, eyes brimming with tears. "S-she could've saved us. I just know it!" "We should try again," Twilight said, catching the attention of the other ponies. "We should send Firefly back over the rainbow and find another human." "Oh please!" said Whizzer, rolling her eyes. "She'll just mess up agai-" Ribbons clapped a hoof over Whizzer's mouth. "Hold your tongue! You'll make her even more upset than she already is," Ribbons scolded. "No, no," said Firefly. "She's right. Send somepony else over." "I'll go!" cried North Star. "I've never been to the human world! I would love to explore at least a little bit of it!" "You can go," replied Twilight. "But there is little time to explore." "Wasting time is illogical," droned Wind Whistler. "Don't worry. I won't let you down!" With that, North Star flew off into the dark sky and over the rainbow. The other ponies watched the small patch of sky, their hearts full of hope and doubt. "I just know she'll succeed," murmured Twilight, smiling softly. I adjusted the headband, then took a look in the mirror to get a good look at the whole thing. I was dressed in a blue kimono, complimenting my blue eyes. My normally brown hair had been dyed orange, except for the bangs, which were white. In my hair was headband, with two attennae attached. Completing the whole costume was a pair of brightly-colored wings, which I had cut out of cardboard and painted myself. Overall, it wasn't perfect, but I thought it was pretty good. The only problem remaining was the shoes. Wiggling my bares toes, I pondered whether I should wear a pair of black flats with short socks or just not wear any shoes at all. Before I could make up my mind, I heard a voice overhead cry, "INCOMING!!!!" A loud SPLASH, followed by "Oh dear!" came from the backyard. I hurried out, not bothering to put on normal clothes or shoes. Even for Wisconsin, raining British people is pretty strange weather. I skidded to a stop in front of the pond, ready to jump in and save the foreign visitor. I didn't have to, however, as they climbed out of the pond and shook themselves off. It was then I did a double take. The British person was a pegasus. Things were getting curiouser and curiouser. "Hello!" she said, trotting boldly up to me. "I'm North Star, and I need your help!" "M-me?" I stuttered. "What could I possibly do?" "I'm not sure," she admitted. "But if I crashed in your pond, it must mean that you can do something. Climb on!" She turned sideways, beckoning me to mount. "Well...okay," I said, clambering on to her back. I doubted the logic of her statement, but then again, North Star was talking, pink and purple pegasus. Perhaps whereever she came from, landing in someone's backyard actually meant something. I clung to her neck, waiting for takeoff. She quickly began galloping, flapping her wings furiously. We came up a hill, and she leapt at the top, finally becoming airborne. She sped through the clouds, towards a rainbow. "What's that?" I shouted over the wind. "The rainbow will take us back to Ponyland, where I come from!" she shouted back. As we flew over the rainbow, I began to feel tingly inbetween my shoulderblades. The feeling spread over my whole body, fuzzing out my mind, slowly fading to black. I was laying on my stomach when I came to. I groaned softly. There were voices over me, saying things like "She waking up!" and "She's real pretty, Twilight!" I blinked once, and tried to move. I was overtaken by dizziness, and a bossy oice, this time with a South American accent, scolded, "Stop moving, I want to make sure you haven't been hurt badly by that fall!" I sighed, and sat still, feeling hooves gently palpitate my body, checking for injury. The voice said, "You can sit up now." I gladly obliged. Every movement made me feel like I was going to throw up, but I ignored the feeling, not resting until I was finally in a sitting position. The world look fractured, like I was seeing through multiple lenses at once. This was alarming, but I figured that maybe things looked weird because I hit my head, and my eyesight would return to normal. I then took a look at the owners of the voices. I was unsurprised to see more colorful ponies. After all, North Star had to have come from other ponies. What was a little surprising were the different varieties. Some had wings, like North Star. Others had horns, and some had neither. A few ponies of the three different types had eyes like gemstones. Even more interesting were the symbols on their flanks.Each pony had a different one. I guessed that it to do with their personalities or skills. They seemed too detailed to be mere decorations. "H-hello," I managed to spit out through a mouthful of cotton. I really could've used some water. One of the unicorns ran off, and came back with a glass full of crystal-clear liquid. I gratefully took the glass, and swallowed it in two gulps. Refreshed, I decided to try and stand up. As I did so, my wings brushed against the wall. It felt quite...odd. I could feel the wall's coolness with my wings, despite them not having any nerve endings. I should've merely felt the pressure of the wall on the wings, not the temperature of the wall! I suddenly had a thought. "Excuse me," I said. "I know you need my help, but first...could I get a mirror?" "Yes!" piped up a pony. She was smaller than the others, and had no symbol on her flank. She trotted up the hall, and I followed. After a few minutes, we came upon an ornate, full-length mirror. I looked myself over, and then I became really alarmed. For starters, my brightly-colored hair looked more natural. Like it had always been orange and white, instead of dyed. I felt around in my hair, searching for a headband. I didn't find one. The attenae were rooted in my skull. I had glowing, blue compound eyes. Then, I turned around. I poked at the base of my wings, feeling a small hole near each. I probed through these hole, and felt the bases of my wings connected to my shoulderblades. "Oh, my," was all I could say. It seemed as though I had been fused with anthropomorphic Mothra costume.
Arc One, Part Two: Assistance, Watching, Artifact, Risk"Um...are you okay, miss?" asked the small pony who showed me the mirror. "Yeah...I'm fine..." I replied in a small voice. I actually wasn't. I'd been turned into a moth-human-thingy and I was stuck in a land of magic ponies who wanted my help. It was then I realized I didn't even know what they wanted me to help with. "Let's go back to the others," I said. "I need to ask them something." "Sure!" said the filly, trotting back down the hall. When we reached the other ponies, I took a deep breath, and asked the burning question: "What do you need me to do for you?" A pink unicorn with crystal eyes stepped forward. "We need to defeat Tirek for us," she said, shuddering at the name. "Tirek?" I inquired. "Who's that?" The unicorn replied, "He's a demon. He kidnapped some of the other ponies, as well as a young girl named Megan." "I see. So, what does he want with the ponies and Megan?" "We don't know," said the unicorn. "We brought Megan bere, thinking that maybe she could help us. We were wrong, and she was captured." A pegasus in the corner hung her head at this statement. I guessed that she brought this Megan here to Ponyland, and blamed herself for the girl's capture. "Well, my little ponies," I began. "I don't know if I can beat Tirek..." the ponies' ears began to droop, "but I sure as hell am going to try." Their ears pricked up again, and they cheered. "LET'S GO KICK SOME DEMON BEHIND!" I shrieked. A dark castle stood above most everything else in Ponyland. Within the castle stood a handful of ponies, and a girl named Megan. "You'll never get away with this, Tirek!" she snarled. "You'll be beaten, somehow! I just know it!" The centaur merely chuckled. "I believe that I have already gotten away with this, you silly child!" he laughed. "Take her to the dungeon, Scorpan. I'll figure out what to do with her later." The winged demon bowed. "Yes, my lord." He took Megan by the wrist, and led her off to the dungeon. Megan almost thought she saw a flash of pity or regret in his eyes, but now they were blank stones. Tirek smiled, and stroked the small bag on his lap. "Soon, my precious," he murmured. "Soon, the world shall kno-" He stopped mid-sentence, sensing a new presence enter the world. "What is that?" he wondered. The power radiating from the presence was incredible...and in opposition to his own dark powers. "Who dares to defy Lord Tirek?!" he roared. Summoning his crystal ball, he glared daggers at it, wishing to see just who threatened his supreme reign. The sight that greeted him was not what he was expecting: A female human with orange and white hair, a pair of colorful insect wings, and glowing eyes. He was shocked into silence. He would've expected an especially powerful unicorn, maybe a dragon who did not follow him, even the mythical goo pony seemed more likely than...this. But Tirek didn't care that much about how unusual his opponent was. What he cared about was her strength. She practically glowed with divine power. "Well, well, well," he hissed. "Looks like taking over the world will be more fun than I thought." His face twisted into a ghastly smile. "I've always loved a good challenge." "So," I said. "This...Moochick...possesses the only artifact that can save this world?" "Yep," replied Firefly. She had insisted on coming along, in order to redeem herself. "I just hope he can find it. He's kind of forgetful." "I'm sure that since the situation is so dire, he'll remember where he put it." I said this mostly to reassure myself, though it seemed to raise the spirits of the ponies as well. We eventually came upon a little clearing filled with mushrooms. An odd little man popped out of a mushroom, and introduced himself as the Moochick. "And this," he said, gesturing to a rabbit, "is Habbit." As I tried not to roll my eyes at such an uncreative name, I asked, "Where is the Rainbow of Light?", which I believed was an equally silly name. "Why, yes! I do," he said excitedly. "I have it right..here." He pulled his pocket inside-out, but it was full of nothing but lint. "It seems as though I've forgotten where it was," he sheepishly said. I sighed. "Does Habbit know where it is?" I inquired. "Pfft! He's just a silly rabbit!" the old man said dismissively. "Well, that doesn't mean he doesn't know where the Rainbow is," I shot back. I turned to the rabbit. "Do you know where the Rainbow is?" He hopped up and down excitedly. I heard a small voice in my head cry, Yes! Someone finally recognizes my intelligence. It's in my pocket. I blinked in confusion. Where had that voice come from? Had I finally cracked? As Habbit pulled a heart-shaped locket out of his pocket, it clicked. I was hearing Habbit's thoughts! I had somehow gained telepathy. I wondered what else I could do... "There it is!" cried the Moochick. "I now remember giving it to Habbit so he wouldn't lose it like I would." I took the locket from the rabbit and draped it around my neck. "Now then," I said. "Let's get Tirek." Several hours later, we stood at the base of a huge, intimidating castle. We were trying to figure out how to get there without a bridge. "Can't you teleport, Twilight?" I said. "Yes, but I can't bring other ponies with me," she replied. "I'm strong enough to carry a pony with me," piped up Firefly. "But I can only handle one." She then picked up Bow Tie and began the journey across the treacherous river. "How am I supposed to get across?" moaned Applejack. I did have an idea...but it was dangerous. I hadn't tried what I was about to do, with or without a pony. But I couldn't just leave her there. "I'll carry you, Applejack," I announced. "But-" she began. "No buts," I said firmly. "I refuse to abandon you." With that I wrapped my arms around Applejack, and hoisted her up. She wasn't nearly as heavy as I expected. I began running as fast as I could, and when I reached the edge, I leapt with all my might, spread my wings... ...and I flew.
Arc One, Part Three: Flight, Battle, Victory, NapFreedom. That was my only sensation. I was no longer shackled to the earth. I was one with the wind and sky. I didn't feel Applejack's weight, or hear the cries of the ponies. I was suspended in pure bliss...but only for a moment. I suddenly felt Applejack's weight pulling me down, and quickly began flapping my wings in an attempt to remain airborne. We were nearing the shore, but the river was just below us. I panicked. We'd be swept away by the current! I pumped my wings harder, straining to stay aloft. We eventually crashed onto opposite shore. It was painful, but at least we were still alive. "Ugh," muttered Applejack, rubbing the back of her head. "Hold on," I said. "Lemme check that." I gently grasped her skull, making sure she didn't have any bumps or bruises. When I was satisfied she was okay, I let her go. Twilight teleported across the river, and we were all there. And then, we began to climb up the steep cliffs towards Tirek's lair. Tirek gazed into the crystal ball, smiling wickedly. His prey would be here soon. After he had imprisoned or enslaved them all, he would then be able to carry out his plan. Then, the world would be his to rule. The dark lord wondered what he would do about the moth-woman. She was too powerful to merely turn into a beast for his chariot. She'd break the spell and return to normal. She could probably break out of his strongest prison. "Well, then I'll just have to kill you," he chuckled. He entertained the thought of slowly ripping her wings off. This was going to be the best night ever. Gasping, we eventually clambered over the top of the cliff. I sat up, and surveyed the surrounding area. We could be easily sighted from our current position, and probably already had been. Out of one of the windows flew a chariot, pulled by four dragons. A demonic centaur was seated in the chariot. "Tirek," I growled. This was the fiend threatening the ponies. He held a small, twitching bag up in the air. I somehow sensed that it contained a good deal of dark magic, which would be unleashed if he opened it. I was not about to let that happen. I shot up into the air, speeding towards Tirek. I slammed foot-first into Tirek's face, breaking his nose. He oofed and dropped the bag. I did a 360 and dove towards the bag. Tirek did likewise. We got closer...and closer... and closer...we both reached for the bag...and then Firefly caught it in her mouth and zoomed off. Tirek roared in rage as I cheered. Then I felt something grab my ankle, and I was yanked downwards, finally meeting face-to-face with the tyrant. "You've caused me more trouble than you're worth, moth-woman," he snarled. His hand lit up with magic. "Pesky insects like you need to be exterminated." Before I could make a move, he shot a blast of magic at me, but something jumped between me and the magic. It was some kind of flying monkey. He shrieked in pain, and began to spiral downwards. I punch Tirek in the face, then dove after the monkey. I caught him, then lowered him gently onto a random pile of hay on the roof. "Thanks for sa-" I began. "Don't," he groaned, "thank me yet. Save...the ponies first." He gently touched the locket around my neck, then his arm fell. I couldn't believe it. This...thing...whoever he was, just died to save me, and I didn't even know his name. I looked up, and watched as the dark chariot pursued Firefly, practically on top of her. I saw Tirek grin manically as his fist began to glow again. Tirek. I clenched my fists. This was his fault. And if I let him, another innocent would die today. Screaming, I charged at the chariot, flying faster than I thought possible. I crashed directly into Tirek, smashing him through the floor of the chariot and slamming onto the roof. I managed to pin him for a second, before he threw me off. I landed neatly behind him. "You bitch!" he screamed. "I will wipe you off the face of this planet!!!" He lunged at me, but I jumped out of the way, and he strangled thin air. I did a spinning back kick, smacking him hard in his back. Something there snapped, and he howled in pain and fury. I then grabbed his tail, spun him over my head a few times, and smashed him against the ground. "It's over Tirek," I said. "Now, ge-" A dragon's tail smashed into me, and I was sent flying. Another dragon picked up Tirek in its talons, dropping a small bag into his hands. I quickly surveyed the area for Firefly, and spotted her limp body several yards away. If I hadn't been angry before, I definitely was now. They had hurt one my ponies. The locket around my neck had begun to glow. I ripped it off and opened. Out fluttered a little piece of rainbow. I stared at it in disbelief. How could such a little thing stop Tirek? Tirek, laughing, opened the bag, crying, "BEHOLD THE POWER OF DARKNESS!!! Living darkness flowed out, swirling all over the place. Its power was incredible. I couldn't possibly stop it. I took the small rainbow in my hand, whispering, "Please...save us...do it for the ponies...for the strange monkey that saved me...please...help us..." Tears streaked my face. A tiny voice, clear and joyful as a bell, said I can only do it with your help. "I-I'll do anything!" I cried. "Tell me what to do." The voice said, Just give me a boost. I didn't have the slightest idea what the voice meant. It's not like I had any rainbow recharging powers or anything. "Wait a sec," I murmured. On this crazy journey, it seemed as though I had gained the powers of the divine moth I had intended to portray. One of her powers was that she could fire magic beams. Perhaps I could somehow channel magic into the Rainbow, powering it up. The darkness began to snake down towards me and the Rainbow. I closed my eyes and began to focus, trying to channel my energy into my hands. After what felt like ages, my hands warmed up, and began to glow. I sensed the Rainbow absorbing my power, and it began to brighten. Eventually, I sensed it had more than enough power to overcome the darkness. I drew my hands back, and then launched the Rainbow at the darkness. The two collided, and struggle for dominance between light and dark ensued. It seemed as though neither was winning. Sometimes one would seem to almost win, only for the other to make a comeback. It was a terrible stalemate. I stood by and watched, unable to do anything. Channeling my magic into the Rainbow had drained me almost entirely, and I doubted that giving it anymore would be good for my health. Tirek watched from above, looking smug. The darkness seemed to be winning. The Rainbow began to crack. "NO!" I summoned all the energy I had left in my body, and blasted the darkness with it. It flinched, and everything was consumed by the Rainbow. My last memory was of Tirek screaming, and then I blacked out. Something heavy sat on my chest. "Wake UP!" squeaked a familiar voice. I opened my eyes. I was surrounded by ponies. The small pony from earlier was grinning from ear to ear. "You saved us!" she cheered. "I-I did?" I whispered. "Indeed you did," a deep voice said. I sat up, and saw a man dressed in royal garments. "W-who are you?" I asked. The man replied, "I was a prince who Tirek enslaved and turned into a demon. I was the one who saved you." My eyes widened. "And thanks to you," he continued, smiling, "I have been restored to my human form." The ponies cheered, and I along with them. I had saved the world. The weeks following the battle at Midnight Castle, I had explored Ponyland and Dream Castle. I also gave the Rainbow of Light to Megan, since she planned on staying in Ponyland longer than I did. Every day we searched for the rainbow that acted as a portal between Ponyland and Earth, but to no avail. One day, I was especially exhausted. I floated down onto a mountain, and lay beneath a large rock, with the intent of taking a short nap.
Arc Two, Part One: Awakening, Reading, Meeting9,000 years BM-DE I yawned, stretching all my limbs. I had an odd dream that after the time my ponies passed, the three races argued constantly. Then, the country froze up. They searched for a new one, and then they argued over it. It began to freeze, but three ponies, each from the different races, became friends, which got rid of the cold. The three races became friends, and they founded a place called Equestria. My gaze wandered towards the horizon, where the sun had begun to set. Firefly will be wondering where I'm at, I thought. I spread my wings, and soared off towards Dream Castle. As I flew, I noticed something was...different. The air didn't smell the same. It seemed older, somehow. The landscape had also changed. I was beginning to panic. Just how long had I been asleep?! I sped up, hurrying towards the castle. I got there in no time-or at least, what was left of the castle. I spiraled down through the hole, landing in the ballroom. Vines covered everything. Drapery and furniture had rotted away. The only living things I sensed in the castle were insects and rodents. No ponies. I wandered through the decrepit halls, memories flooding back. Some of my most recent memories were of this place, but it looked like the events took place ages ago. In one of the rooms, I spotted a glass case, which contained an ancient book. I recognized it as the journal I gave to Ember, the littlest pony. I smashed the glass and removed the book. I sat down on the floor and opened to the first page. I don't know how long I sat there, reading about Ember's life. It spoke about love, loss, hardships, and joys. It spoke of my disappearance and various speculations of where I had gone. Even though there were various wild theories concerning my whereabouts, not once did she say that I had abandoned her and the other little ponies. She always thought I would return. After reading the diary, I put it back in the case and stuck the glass back together with silk, in memorial to the most faithful little pony. I then decided to explore the world, see what things had changed. I had just purchased some groceries and was weaving through the streets of Trotchester, back to my house. I had taken up residence in the small town several months back. A few ponies were still supspicious of me, but most of them accepted me as a part of everyday life. I earned my living as a weaver, making beautiful cloth out of my silk. I also would sing on the side. Turns out I have quite a lovely voice. I often spent my free time in the library, reading up the events I had missed. This particular day seemed no different from any other, but I felt like something significant was going to happen. As I neared my home, I thought I heard rustling and faint voices in the alley, but I paid no heed to the sounds. Suddenly, something tackled me from behind, knocking me over. I dropped my things, heard the sounds rustling paper, and then hooves galloping off. When I looked up, everything I had bought was gone. I spotted the end of a blue tail vanishing into an alley. "Oh no you don't!" I snarled, giving chase. The thief was going to get a nice kick in the flank if I caught up to them. Which was surprisingly difficult. They obviously knew their way around Trotchester better than I did. The only reason I found them at all was because I saw a few strands of hair in a small hole in an old brick wall they had wiggled through. I leapt over the wall with ease and landed in front of culprit-or, should I say, culprits. One of them was a unicorn filly with a bright pink mane. The other was a blue pegasus, who looked younger than her partner. "Excuse me," I said coldly, glaring at the blue filly. "But I bought tho-" "Yell at me," cut in the unicorn. "I told her to steal from you. I said that she needed to learn how to steal to survive. I take responsibility for her actions." She hung her head, awaiting the sting of my wrath. My glare softened at their predicament, but there was one question in the back of my mind. "Why aren't you two at the orphanage?" The pegasus spoke this time. "They wouldn't take us in. It's overflowing as is." Her ears drooped. "We don't have anywhere to go." I blinked, then uncurled my fists. What was wrong with me? I should've known that the only reason anybody/pony would take something that wasn't theirs would be if they really needed to. These fillies had no parents, no home. They weren't amoral, just desparate. Within a second of this realization, I made a crazy decision. But first... "What are your names?" I asked. "We don't have any," the older filly said. "We've just always called each other 'sister'. We don't even know if we're actually sisters!" "Well, then," I responded, kneeling down to their eye level. The ponies shrank away, but I smiled warmly. "We'll just have to change a few of those things."
