Power Ponies: The Shadows of Power Collection

Spike jumped for joy as he and Twilight Sparkle boarded the train for Ponyville.  The sun was setting on another wonderfully successful Rainbow Falls Trader's Exchange.  Thankfully Twilight wasn't called upon to overlook the event so she was able to focus completely on trading away her books.

“Thanks again Twilight! I can't tell you how much this means to me!”  The baby dragon enthusiastically praised

“I still don't think it was a fair trade Spike.” Twilight scolded.  “My entire collection of Daring Do books for a small bundle of comics?”

“Not just any comics Twilight!” Spike assured the princess.  “Power Pony comics!  This is the Shadows of Power Saga, the rarest set of comics ever created for the series!”

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes dismissively.

“Look at it this way Twilight” Spike continued.  “I'm going to love and cherish these comics for the rest of my life, and so will the colt who traded for your Daring Do books.  Otherwise they're just sitting on the shelves in your castle's library gathering dust.”

“They are n-” Twilight was about to protest, but quickly realized Spike was right.  The only pony in town who ever had any extended interest in the books besides herself was Rainbow Dash, whom at this point now had her own collection, including a few signed by Daring Do herself.  Twilight admitted defeat and climbed onto one of the train seats.

Spike sat across from her and lifted up the first comic in the stack.

“You're going to start reading them already?”  Twilight buzzed.

“Well we've got a long way until we get to Ponyville; I could probably finish the first book by the time we get there.”

Twilight shook her head, but Spike caught her putting on a content smile as she looked out the window.

“Now then.”  Spike looked over the title of the comic; as well as the monochrome background that contrasted the vibrantly colored pony super heroes.  “Power Ponies: Stepping Into the Shadows.”

Spike eagerly flipped open the first page which comprised of a series of darkly colored pictures, and a couple of boxed sentences for an introduction.

Like every hero, ever villain has a start.

Sometimes the villain had a bad upbringing.

Sometimes the heroes themselves are to blame.

“Congratulations Mr. Spark.” Complemented an overly husky gray pony in a darker gray suit.  “Not many ponies in Maretropolis can claim their technology caught the eye of our top meteorologists.  You have the potential to do a lot of good with what you have created.”

In the center of a crowd of ponies stood the flippantly flamboyant and absolutely unmodest Rividicous Spark.  The sky blue earth pony turned pegasus was renowned for his technological brilliance, and his almost ironic Icarus like sense of invincibility.  His prim black mane was brushed completely back, and was complimented by his overly formal full body black suit.  Although both of these were contrasted by the vibrantly golden tinted sunglasses which he was never seen without. His presence at the Maretropolis Science Convention was undoubtedly do to his latest invention.  A powerful yet portable weather manipulation machine that used high frequencies and vibrations to manipulate the world around him.  The device strapped around the center of his body using a custom fitted black and red suit, which also featured holes for his archaic mechanical wings.  For now his invention had only a single node which extended from his upper back like a radar dish, but Spark hoped that with funding from the Maretropolis Scientists he would soon have a full body device capable of both figuratively and eventually literally moving mountains.

The chatter of the crowds was silenced by a trio ponies in lab coats with messy manes of various colors and levels of scruff.  One of the ponies, a bright orange colt with dark orange hair and glasses stepped forward to speak with the event's attendees.

“Welcome one and all to the Maretropolis Science Convention, and the Equestrian Sciences of the Future Competition.”

The crowd let out a cheer, and the pony who was speaking raised a hoof to silence them.

“As you know, each year we seek technologies of our scientifically inclined youth to help us usher in the age of tomorrow.  The winner of this competition will receive a scholarship to Maretropolis University, and a grant to help fund their future research and projects.”

Rividicous couldn't help but eagerly rub his hooves together.  This competition was in the bag and he knew it.

“Without further ado my associates and I ask that you gather your inventions in full display so that we may walk around and take note of them.  The judging procedure will take place after...hang on, where is Heat Wiser?”

The two scientists behind the speaker frantically scanned the audience, but there was no sign of their cohort.  After a short moment of organized panic a shout came from the back of the room.

“Sorry! Sorry everypony! Sorry!  That coffee they made downstairs is a real doozie!”

As every pony in the room shared a laugh a dark red pony about as heavy set as the gentlecolt Rividicous had been conversing with earlier stepped up and joined his colleges.  He was escorted by a shady pair of cream colored ponies with off putting green hair.  Rividicous took note of their suspicious appearance, but dismissed it as pre-judging paranoia.

“Right, thank you for joining us Mr. Wiser.  Are we all just about ready?”

The laughter of the room was quickly replaced with cheers.

“Very well then.”  The lead speaker turned back to face his fellow judges.  “Cold Shower, Heat Wiser, Jump Start, please follow me, and assist me with the judging.”

Each of the other ponies nodded and followed.  Of the twelve ponies competing for the Judges' approvals Rividicous was number seven.  His lucky number, another good omen no doubt.  The forth pony to be judged was a professional, yet skinny little mare from overseas.  There was often a stereotype of girls from her home having bland fur, and being short statured with overly long hair, and big dorky looking glasses, and this girl was fitting the bill almost to a tee.  Her invention was a unique magic powered cutter beam whose energy was like that of a lightning bolt, yet it could be used underwater to save drowning sailors, or missing cargo from ships that were going under.  The beam functioned pretty well, able to cut a hole into a chunk of ship hull the girl had set up a few meters away.

The lead scientist turned to address his coworkers.  “Seems pretty effective to me, what do you all think?”

Heat Wiser took on a sinister looking smile.  “I think this is exactly what SHE was looking for!”  He proclaimed.

“She?” Murmurs of confusion began to fill the crowds.

“Alright boys this is it!” Heat Wiser announced.  “Begin phase 2!”

With that the two ponies who had been following Heat Wiser put on gas masks and took out what appeared to be small cans of hair spray, but in reality the contents of each can was none other than portable traces of the Maneiac's Hairspray Ray of Doom.  One by one the ponies of the competition were sprayed stiff by the gasses.  Those few smart enough to run quickly found themselves trapped at the room's entrance as more of the Maneiancs masked henchponies stormed and sprayed the room.  Rividicous alone remained untainted by the attack.  As he jumped behind his own display not long after the assault had begun.

“This is just great...now what do I do?” He asked himself in a hushed whisper.

“Hurry up!” Heat Wiser demanded.  “You lot get this cutter downstairs, and out the building!  BEFORE the Power Ponies show up!”

“Wiser, why are you doing this?” Asked the orange haired lead pony.

“I refuse to play second fiddle to you any longer Johnson!” Heat Wiser aggressively stated.  “With this cutter, and the help of the Maneiace, I'll forge my own name!”

“Really? And what name would that be? Honestly it doesn't get much better than 'Heat Wiser!'”

Wiser spun around to find no one behind him.

“Behind you!” Shouted a squeaky female voice.

Heat Wiser turned around again, but still no one was there.

“Who are you pest? Come out!”  The agitated colt demanded.

Heat Wiser may not have known who was tormenting him, but Rividicous recognized the voice.

It belonged to Fili-Second.

The Power Ponies had arrived.