The Shimmer Effect

Post Flare walked along his patrol route, keeping a close eye on the ponies as they went about their day. He was still flustered about what had happened before, and how mean one pony could be to another. Swift Stream really was a jerk to Pinkie Pie, and he was glad he had intervened in that fight the two were having.

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He had just recently walked into Sugarcube Corner when screaming came bursting out of the room. “Why did you make the cupcakes now? The Festival is in a week, and we have no ingredients for cupcakes, or any cake for that matter! Why, why did you do this Pinkie Pie?”

“I...I just made a mistake is all. I sent somepony out to get more ingredients, they should be back soon. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t make cupcakes now does it? If you would just think for a moment, instead of being a scatter brain, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

Post Flare walked into the back room, now seeing the two ponies arguing. One was Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter. He had know idea who the other pony was though. She was teal, a pegasus, with a dark purple mane, and her cutie mark was a cloud that seemed to be raining confetti.

“Excuse me,” he said, “but if this is a bad time, I can wait outside if I need to.”

“If you could, that’d be great. I need to a have a word with this worthless party planner they partnered me up with,” Swift Stream said as she glared at Pinkie.

“Worthless? That seems a bit harsh.”

“Oh I haven’t even begun to be harsh yet. She ruined the festival. What are we going to do without cakes?”

“Calm down, I have the ingredients she sent out for here,” he laid the bag of groceries out on the table next to him, and then asked, “Why are you so mean? She made a mistake, we all make mistakes.”

“This ‘mistake’ almost ruined the festival. So, if would kindly back off, that would be great.”

“Is that a threat?”

“And if it is?”

“Then I’d have you arrested for threatening a guard.”

Swift Stream stood there for a moment, weighing her options, and then decided that it wasn’t worth it.

“If fresh cupcakes aren’t ready for the festival, then you will never plan a party again, got it?” she spat out as she left the room.

“Thanks for your help back there. I really appreciate it,” Pinkie said as she took the bag of ingredients from the table.

“No problem. The name’s Post Flare by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. Ooo, you’re new here right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then we need to have a party soon! Oh, wait, the festival. Tell you what, after the festival, we’ll throw you a big party welcoming you here. I throw one for every pony who’s new here. That way everypony can know who they are, then become friends!”

“Thank you for the offer, but my duties as a guard come first. I would like to go though.”

“Aw, that stinks. Hey, why did you protect me from that mean pony anyway.”

“Protecting ponies is what I’m meant to to do. That’s why I became a guard, so that I can be there when others need me the most. Protection is actually my special talent,” he said this as he turned his side to show his cutie mark.

“That’s cool. Sure did protect me. Hey why’s the shield on fire?”

“Oh, that’s because I specialize in fire magic.”

“Ooo, can you show me some?”

He turned back around, and started out the door, “I’d love to, but I really have to get back on my patrol. I’ll come by on my break though to show you if you want.”

“That sounds like a plan,” she said, “I’ll see you later then. Bye!”

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That was a couple hours ago, but he still felt irritated. Maybe because it reminded him of that one time, but who knows.

As he kept walking he saw a group of other guards running past him.

“Hey,” he yelped in surprise, “Where’s the fire?”

One of the guards turned around and said, “There’s some kind of commotion going on down in the town square. Somepony is making talks of revolution. We’re being sent into help calm the crowd. You just keep on your route though, we can handle this.”

“Ok,” he said as the group went on to the town square. Why would someone want to start a revolution? He thought. Equestria is almost perfect, and nothing bad had really happened lately. Expected Nightmare Moon returning, and Discord returning, and the Changelings invading, and lord Sombra returning, and the Princesses disappearing for a while there, and Tirek returning. Actually a revolution does seem more likely now. The Princesses haven’t been on top of things for the most part lately.

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Well, that was a complete waste of time, Applejack thought, I can’t believe that the Crystal Empire of all places doesn’t have any information on the past.

Applejack stepped off the train, frustrated after looking in the Empire’s Library all day, and finding nothing of anything dealing with the subject of “Pre” Equestrian history. She had really started to believe that there might not even be such a thing.

She just wanted to go home now. The whole experience was exhausting, and she wanted to get a nap before she had to tend to the apple fields. However, she needed to grab something from town. They had just ran out of milk, and she promised she’d get some on her way back from her duties.

As she walked to the center, she noticed that there was a fairly large crowd in the town square, and that there was somepony standing on a makeshift pedestal shouting something. From what she could see, the pony was maroon, but she couldn’t make out a clear tribe. The closer she got, the more of him she saw, the horn first, and then the wings.

Applejack rushed in to tell whether or not her eyes were playing tricks on her, but they weren't. There he stood, a maroon alicorn with a black mane, and a cutie mark of five four point stars with orange outside and red on the inside.

“And my friends we still have dangerous and wild creatures running a muck in the forests and our lands. They have let the lives of many ponies be in danger by not destroying these dangerous animals that exist solely to kill us. This is yet another reason that we need to rebel and fix the mistakes that the government has made!”

Rebel! Apple Jack thought. Then quickly shouted, “Who in the wide world of Equestria are you, and why are you trying to get these people to rebel against the kingdom?”

The alicorn smiled, “Why, if it isn’t the element of ‘honesty’ herself? Come here to see the light, and help the true nature of harmony be known? Or are you here simply to be a hypocrite?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hypocrite it is then. Tell me Applejack, why do you lie?”

“Lie? I don’t lie.”

“Yes you do. You actually just did. Everyone has lied before, so have you.”

“I admit it that I’ve lied in the past, but I’ve always come forward with the truth. I mean, nopony is perfect.”

“So you are a hypocrite. Just another reason harmony is just a way for the government control and trick you.”

Applejack grunted and yelled at the pony, “Just who the hay are ya anyway?”

“I am the one who will give a new hope to this land. I am the second coming of the dawn, Equestria’s new dawn, I am Dawn Shimmer, and you are a demon of harmony who wishes nothing more than to blind us from the truth!”

“And you’re fool who thinks that he can trick anyone into believing a word you say!” The crowd parted and revealed Malshine in front of Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight, who is this p-”, she couldn’t finish he started at Dawn again.

“Why do you continue to put yourself into this situation brother. It failed once, it’ll fail again.”

“This time, I have a new group of followers to arm, a new cause to fight for, and a new plan to put into motion. This time will be different brother. Why can’t you see it?”

“I can’t see what isn’t really there brother. Harmony is perfect, these ponies are perfect, why do you need to change it to something that’s not?”

“Because you’re wrong. Once you see how these people are, not as you think they are, you’ll come crawling back to me. Don’t worry, I can forgive you, unlike these demons you back.”

“Brother, please.”

“My plan has already been set into motion. I just need to find the two. Goodbye Ponyville, may the revolution be good to you.” With that he teleported away.

Twilight stepped forward, “Where did he go?”

“Couldn’t have gone too far. Probably into the forest to hide and rest. Though I have been wrong before.”

Twilight turned to face the others, “Rarity, run back to the castle, and have spike send a message to the princesses. Rainbow Dash, I need you to fly over head Ponyville to see if you can spot him.”

Applejack cleared her throat then spoke, “Excuse me fer interrupting, but could somepony please tell me what the hay is going on!”

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“So, yeah, that’s why we’re here, and why this is happening,” Malshine explained. They had just arrived at the castle to send the message. On the way, Twilight and Malshine explained Applejack about the time spell, the other kingdom, and about Dawn Shimmer’s plan to start a revolution.

“Just one thing I still don’t get,” Applejack questioned, “how did Dawn know all about Equestria, and the monsters too?”

“I assume that he used a memory reading spell and then just walked around ponyville in disguise while he filtered the information he leaked out from the ponies. That crafty brother of mine, he’ll be the end of us all if we’re not careful.”

“Ok, well I’m tired, and I still need to get some milk at the market. So I’ll leave all this ‘war’ stuff to ya’ll for now. Meeting tomorrow, Twilight?”

“Yeah, same time as today's,” she replied.

“Kay, see y’all later,” she said as she walked out of the front door.

“So what happens now Malshine?” Twilight asked.

“Now, we try to find my brother before he finds us. He’ll want to make a scene as soon as possible. Is there any festivals or town meetings coming up?”

“The Time of Remembrance festival is next week.”

“No doubt he knows about it. We need to make sure that we stay prepared to fight if it resorts to that. Hopefully it won't and we can just subdue him then have him face trial.”

“We’ll have to make more time for meetings, so our jobs will be cut shorter to make sure that nothing bad happens until we capture Dawn.”

Rarity spoke out, “Twilight, I do need to have my store looked after while I’m gone. I don’t need the money, but I do pride myself in being able to provide dresses at a moments notice. ”

“Maybe you can have Sweetie Bell look after the store while you’re away?”

Rarity thought for a moment, and then imagined her younger sister destroying her entire selection of outfits and sewing materials. Cringing at the thought, she replied, “No, I don’t think she’s up to it. Besides, she has school to worry about, so me asking her to do that may interfere with her studies. However, that does give me an idea, maybe I can hire somepony to watch the store while I’m away. Yes, that seems like a perfect idea. I’ll go inform the newspaper that I’m hiring, and to place an ad in it for tomorrow's paper. Well, I best be off then. Lots to do between now and then so goodbye.”

Rarity walked out through the door as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked in.

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash said, “I didn’t find Dawn, but I did find her.”

“Did I miss something while I was gone?” Fluttershy asked.

“It’s been a long day,” Twilight said.

Malshine interrupted, “Hey, I just time traveled. If it’s been a long day for anyone, then it’s been for me.”

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“What is it sister? You seem concerned,” Luna asked as she entered the throne room. Celestia was reading a letter, and had a somewhat worried look on her face. She was holding the letter in her magic, and had actually sent the guards away.

“Luna,” she responded, “glad you came. I want you to read this.” Celestia levitated the the paper over to her sister, who in return to it into her magic. “We are in great danger as of late.”

Luna now had a look of shock and fear on her face,“Sister,” Luna said, “I can’t believe this! A revolution in Equestria? This is unheard of, and needs  to be dealt with right away.”

“I know Luna,” Celestia said, “but I need to know more about these ponies from the past if we’re going to make the right move. We must also know on what basis this revolution stands. Let’s face it sister, we haven’t been the quiet little kingdom we once were for a while now.”

“Yes I suppose you're right. With all these recent events, I find myself actually only somewhat shocked that someone raised an eye to what we’ve been through. But a revolution, I just can’t believe it’s that bad.”

“Nor can I, but we must see this through. Tomorrow we leave for Ponyville at noon. We should arrive around a hour later, but this will still give us plenty of time to investigate.”

“I’ll have messages sent, and tell the guards to be prepared for our departure. Should I tell them why we are leaving?”

“No, I don’t want a panic throughout the city. Just tell them that we want to see how the festival is coming along. However, do send a message to Princess Cadence explaining the situation. I do believe she has the right to know what’s going on.”

“Very well,” Luna started toward the door, but then stopped, “Do you think a war will happen?”

Celestia paused for a moment, and then spoke, “As long as these issues are not addressed, we can not be sure that one will not.”

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“Oh, what am I going to do,” Rarity whined as she walked into her home. She had just gone to visit the local newspaper to find out that there is no room for her advertisement. Now, she’d have to find another way to get someone to look after her store.

“What I need is someone who knows about dressmaking, and can be available whenever I need them,” she paused for a moment, “Oh dear, I’m talking to myself.”

Rarity looked out her window. She saw ponies walk by without a care in the world, having no knowledge of the potential war that might occur. One little colt rushed by try to keep up with his mother, another group of ponies walked by chatting amongst themselves, a pale purple unicorn with green hair walked out of a curtain store across the street. A sour expression on her face as she took off her coat to reveal a needle sewing an invisible cloth as her cutie mark. Passing her was a- Rarity looked back at the pale pony. She noticed more about her know, like how her hair was worn on one side of her head, causing her to adjust it constantly to keep it out of her eyes, which was a dark shade of red.

Rarity burst out of the doors, and then called out, “Wait, you there!” This caused the pony to look back.

“Me?” she replied.

“Yes you. What’s your name?”

“Maldelva Ires. Wait, you’re, Rarity!” she gasped out, “You’re talking to, you’re talking to me!”

“Yes yes, I am. I have a question for you,”

“What?”

“Can you sow?”

“Yes, I can. I actually just got back from a job interview with the curtain store, but I don’t think that I got the job.”

“Ok, do you have experience with dresses though?”

“Yes, I do!”

“Well, then you’re hired.”

“What?”

“You are now my, assistant. You start tomorrow at eight sharp so don’t be late. I need you to look after the store while I attend a meeting.”

“You can count on me Ms. Rarity I’ll be there whenever you need me for whatever you need me.”

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Malshine walked into the apartment that Twilight had arranged with the mayor that he could stay in during his visit. The place was small, but comfy. It had a pool outside, and was close to the castle so that he could get to the meetings as soon as possible. He would rather stay at the castle, but the guards wouldn’t allow it.

He turned on the light to reveal the maroon pony sitting in the chair right in front of him.

“Dawn!” he yelled out in shock.

“Hello brother,” Dawn spoke in an unnervingly calm voice, “We need to talk.”