Author's Note
I'm using the actual Power Ponies from the Annual comic in this (the cover image is also from there). And since they don't have "normal" names, I had to make them up. They can't exactly go around in their everyday lives calling each other Matter-Horn or Saddle Rager. (A bit of a dead give away of who they are.) So this is probably going to be all very confusing but here's a little guide:
Masked Matter-Horn - Summit
Radiance - Divinity
Mistress Mare-velous - Crescendo
Fili-Second - Nimble Hooves
Zapp - Soaring Dove (more commonly known as just Dove)
Saddle Rager - Ambrosia
Hum Drum - Little Drummer
Chapter 1
All was quiet in the city of Maretropolis, it was a bright summer morning, and the Power Ponies were all enjoying breakfast at their favourite diner. Though it wasn’t the Power Ponies at the diner, it was their alter egos; their average everyday selves all enjoying a plate of pancakes covered in syrup along with a steaming cup of coffee.
“Thanks Crescendo! This looks yummy!” Little Drummer said, happy to dig into his food.
“Always welcome Drummer.” The pale coated mare smiled as she filled up the young foal’s glass of milk, her dark blue hair braided and tied up in a bun out of the way, though her fringe still found its way into her eyes. She was working her waitress job at ‘The Water Trough’, and serving her friends as they ate their breakfast’s. The television was playing on the wall above the counter where a morning news report was playing as background ambiance to their normal breakfast.
“Word of new archaeological finds in the Cloven Desert reveal priceless artefacts from the Arabian eras of pony history. The dig, conducted by Maretropolis’ own Dr Forty-Niner, is a big find for him and some of the artefacts will be brought back home to be shown briefly at the Museum of Ancient History, where they will then be taken to Maretropolis’ Sparkle Labs to be studied further. This is a rare opportunity to have a look into the lives of ponies from nearly 2000 years ago and-”
“Oh I would love to go see that,” Divinity said, her emerald eyes stared over her tea to the screen, “Those Arabian ponies had such glamorous tastes in décor, don’t you think?”
“They certainly liked gold, that’s for sure.” Summit noted as many objects coated or even made of gold were shown across the screen. Her head rested in her hoof as she leaned on the counter. “Which means trouble for us.”
“It dost?” Dove enquired over her mug of black coffee, too engrossed in its flavour to let it leave her lips. Ambrosia secretly glared at her for her rudeness, but distracted herself fiddling with the flower brooch on the scarf around her neck.
“Of course it dost.” Summit glared at her, “Every villain in the city will be wanting to get a piece of that gold.” She waved a pink hoof at the screen. “It makes no sense to bring the artefacts back here; they know villains live here. They’re just asking for the items to be stolen. Makes me wonder if that Dr Forty-Niner has any sense at all.”
“You’re such a pessimist.” Drummer stated.
“I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist.”
“Mmhm.” He ‘mmhmed’ while taking a sip of his milk, returning his attention to the TV screen.
“Among the artefacts found, was the remains of an ancient dragon, perhaps the owner of all the lost treasures found within the sunken cave. His collection is vast and most of it will be staying in Saddle Arabia, but among the artefacts that you will be able to see at the Museum of Ancient History are some fine paintings and rugs; believed to be the only intact ones from that era. Golden goblets. Engraved and decorated chests. Antique lamps, and this exquisite hourglass. Standing at over 15 hands high, it is a pinnacle of craftsponyship. Within, it appears that the sand moves and sifts on its own, but experts are saying it is an illusion, cast to make the hourglass more interesting to the eye. All of these items will be on display a month from now at the Museum of Ancient History. That’s all we have time for, but we will be back at 6 for more. I’m Happy Talk of Channel Neigh News.” The report ended and an episode of ‘The Magic Carriage’ started to play, all attention from Little Drummer was diverted to the TV. Summit sighed and planted her face on the table.
“Ay it’s alright Summit. We got a month til any o them mooks tries to steal the artefacts. We’ll just snatch the ones not in jail, and make em stay there when the Museum thing rolls around.” Nimble Hooves stated flicking her spikey orange hair out of her face and cheerfully put a slice of pancake in her mouth.
“Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
“O course I am. Now come on and dig in, your food gonna get cold.”
One Month Later…
“MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” The MANE-IAC laughed as she climbed the sides of skyscrapers making her way across the moon lit city. The Power Ponies raced through sky and street to follow her.
“Come on girls!” The Masked Matter-Horn shouted, aiming an ice beam which froze one of Mane-iac’s locks of hair to the side of a building. It was easy for her to pull it free, but it bought the Power Ponies a moment of time to catch up. “We need to catch her!”
Fili-Second zoomed past her friends and team mates making her way to Mane-iac. It was easy to catch up to her. Stopping her; that was a different matter. She ran at high velocity speeds, Mane-iac was stopped on top of one of the skyscrapers and was being spun around in circles. Angered, she punched her tail outwards into Fili-Second’s path. She slammed into the hair, and Mane-iac was quick to wrap her legs up before she could move. Her maniacal laughter echoed down to the rest of the Power Ponies, their gasps of horror; music to Mane-iac’s ears as she threw Fili-Second into the sky. Super speed wasn’t much help when there was no ground to run on. Zapp and Saddle Rager raced to catch her as the rest watched on. Down and down Fili-Second fell, the wind rushing past her face (honestly; slower than she was used to), but the fear made her heart pump twice as fast. But as soon as she had started falling, she had stopped. Held safely in the grasp of her two pegasi friends. Each member of the team breathed a sigh of relief, intending to return to their chase of Mane-iac, only to find her gone.
“Clay-brained, drunken-eyed, pigeon-livered and TOAD-BACKED DIZZARDS, TIS US!” Zapp bellowed to the heavens. “SHE HAST VANISHED FROM OUR SIGHT AND MADE AWAY INTO THE DARKEST OF SLIME COVERED PITS!”
“Zapp! Calm down will you!” Mistress Mare-velous shouted at her. “Cussing isn’t going to bring her back.”
“And there’s a foal here!” Radiance huffed, holding her hooves over Hum Drum’s ears. “Have some civility!”
“What are we to do?!” Zapp asked, “The exhibition begins on the morrow morning! With the Mane-iac still loose, she could attack or release other brigands and plunder the Museum!” Sighing loudly to be heard, the Masked Matter-Horn stepped up to all of them and said,
“Well then I guess until Mane-iac is caught, we’ll be guarding the Museum.”
“But we have jobs to get to tomorrow.” Mistress Mare-velous said.
“We don’t all have to be there, we’ll take turns. Four of us will watch over it one day, and the next the other three can.”
“I can help tomorrow.” Saddle Rager stated, “That is, if it’s alright with everyone else.”
“Thank you, Hum Drum and I will also be there tomorrow. Can anyone else help?”
“I’m here to help honey.” Radiance spoke up.
“Perfect, now just make sure the rest of you three are free the day after encase Mane-iac doesn’t attack tomorrow.”
“You can count on us!” Fili-Second saluted.
The entire room stopped moving when the hourglass smashed on the ground. Its glass scattered around loose sand. Saddle Rager paused and suddenly shrunk to her normal size, tearfully upset about damaging an ancient artefact.
“Oh, Oh no! Wha-what have I done?! I-I didn’t mean to! It’s broken...” Her eyes glued to the shattered hourglass. As she stared at it, she noticed something… odd. The sand was moving. Shifting over itself, with any stray grains rolling back to the centre. Gasping, she caught everyone’s attention.
“Matter-Horn! Look!” The sand swirled and pulsed. Pulling itself on top into a mound before losing its pull and falling down again. But each time it pulled itself together and then fell apart, the mound got slightly bigger. Soon the sand was taller than Saddle Rager and looked to be forming into something. The more of a shape that developed, the darker the sand became; its colour changing to suit the form.
A tall Arabian horse was standing before them. His coat a pale blackish brown, and his hair a sickly straw yellow, rolling far down his face and over his snout. He wore a traditional tasselled halter and saddle, coloured black and a pale light brown. His blood red bready eyes moved sporadically around the room to stare at every occupant, and a long, twisted grin crawled up his face. His form was solid, but every so often, a bit of him; his mane, saddle or body, would drop flecks of sand, or just shift, showing he was made of the sand. A low, grinding chuckle escaped his dry, parched, unused throat.
“Heh heh hehhh…”
“Who are you?!” The Mane-iac asked, his head whipped around to face her. She stepped back from the suddenly move, Hum Drum swayed in her grip and almost dropped the oil lamp. He grabbed it with his hooves and hugged it to his chest; ever so slightly rubbing the side of it. The Arabian horse had his eyes glued on the lamp. Swiftly, his form was sand again and he drove at the pair of them. A blast of red energy from Matter-Horn hit Mane-iac and sent her flying out of the way, while Hum Drum flew from her grip. A pink cushion appeared from nowhere behind him and caught his falling body before it hit the ground. The cushion floated over to the conscious Radiance; still plagued by a growing bruise on the back of her head, but determined to help her friends.
“Radiance! You’re okay!” His happy grin quickly disappeared upon seeing blue smoke pour out of the oil lamp in his hooves.
“No!” The Arabian horse shouted, shaky and unused to his legs of sand. Glaring at the foal he said; “Give me the lamp, boy!” But Hum Drum was too mesmerized by the smoke. It rose from the lamp, swirling around until out of the mist, a pony figure appeared. A beautiful blue mare similar in appearance to the Arabian, but instead of back legs, her body gave way to a smoky tendril. She was decorated in the finest golden attire with flowing silk around her waist. Her eyes were a deep violet, but looked more like sparkling gems than pupils. When her eyes met the other Arabian pony’s though, she smirked.
Coming forward, she flowed around him, surrounding him in her blue smoke.
“Well isn’t this a surprise? Never thought I’d be seeing you again. How long has it been hmm? One? Two thousand years? Don’t tell me you were in that hourglass the entire time?”
“Get away from me imp! I’ll not let you return me to that wretched prison.”
“That isn’t my choice, now is it? It’s his…” The smoke pulled away to reveal the young Hum Drum, still holding onto the lamp. A smile graced her lips as she returned to Hum Drum. Floating above and staring calmly down at him, she said;
“You, young Master, have awoken the Genie of the Lamp. I have the power to grant any three wishes that you may ask. So I ask, young Master, what is it you wish?” The Arabian pony growled in anger and leapt at the Genie as he shouted,
“I WISH YOU DEAD!” He turned into an anvil of sand and smashed the Genie against the wall. When he formed together again, he saw the Genie glaring down at him, her hair frizzed, and her eyes burning with fire.
“I’LL SHOW YOU DEATH!” What followed was a sudden back and forth of the Genie throwing orbs of burning light at the Arabian, while he followed with numerous attacks attempting to knock out or kill the Genie.
“Matter-Horn!” Radiance exclaimed, “What is going on?”
“I don’t know, but it appears Mane-iac got away.” True to her word, the hair-brained villain and her minions were nowhere to be seen. Along with the artefacts. Saddle Rager shrieked as one of the Genie’s orb attacks exploded near her and she bolted over to her friends.
“Who are those ponies?!” She cried out.
“I don’t know!” Matter-Horn shouted above the fight going on, and over Hum Drum’s head. He flinched back from the noise and stared on gloomily.
“I can’t believe we failed…” He whispered.
“What do we do then?” Radiance asked, “We can’t let them keep destroying the building.”
“I’m not sure anything we do will stop them. We need the rest of the team’s help here.”
“Do we have a plan?” Saddle Rager asked.
“If someone helped me think of one we might?!” Matter-Horn was getting increasingly stressed, there were too many questions for her and not enough answers. Hum Drum sighed to himself before saying.
“I wish we were all back home…” Suddenly the Genie’s eyes glowed white and when she spoke, she spoke with the voice of a thousand.
“Your wish is my command.”
“NO!” The Arabian shouted. He leapt for the Genie, but hit nothing but air.
