Power Ponies: The Shadows of Power Collection

“So we have this crazy unknown villain who wants to collect ponies who have been wronged by the Power Ponies and turn them into villains to fight the Power Ponies?!”  The whole plot of the comics was starting to get overwhelming to Spike.

“It’s a pretty mature concept” complimented Twilight. “The idea that despite being super the heroes ponies can still make mistakes; what’s the next story Spike?”

Both Spike and Twilight Sparkle peered at the slowly dwindling stack of comics.  Spike took the top book off the stack and showed it to Twilight.

“Concert of Banshees” Twilight read aloud.  “The origin of Siren Silence.”

“I heard about this villain in another book.”  Spike claimed.  “Apparently her voice is so powerful it can destroy any technology, and even disable super powers!”

“How does that work?”  Pondered Twilight.  “I thought that their super powers were a part of them.”

“Not all of them.”  Spike pointed out.  “Siren’s cries can short-circuit Radiance’s bracelets, and the noise causes interference with Marevelous’ telepathy.  And-”

Twilight placed a hoof over the mouth of the enthusiastic dragon.  “I get the idea.”  She assured.

Spike nodded with satisfaction and quickly flipped open the comic.  Just like the others, it started with a few boxed in sentences and darkly colored drawings.

There are many reasons why villains exist.

Some villains exist simply to do wrong.

While others…

Because they have been wronged.

Thunderstep emerged from his labs within the secret safe house of his team The Shadows of Power, and made his way to the large center meeting area.  There his recruiter, the shadow shrouded pony of mystery, and their latest acquisition Madam Encre awaited him.  Encre was wearing a beautiful, and expensive looking black dress that covered most of her front legs, and all of her back ones.  Though it appeared to be made out of the most expensive of black silks, Thunderstep assumed the dress was probably made out of Ink.  Like everything else Encre ever had on her.  There were also various other henchponies wondering around making themselves useful.  Though Thunderstep and Madam Encre were the only ones their leader felt comfortable sending out into the field.

“You rang?”  Thunderstep quipped while sending an overly friendly smile and wink towards Encre.

“Another recruit will appear soon” commented their leader.  “You two need to be ready to pick her up when she does.”

“You won’t be joining us this time?”  Thunderstep remarked.

“No.”  The colt answered.  “I have my own group of people to process in.  It seems the mane-iac has lost favor with a lot of her followers.  I will be attempting to provide them with…a greater purpose.”

“Our purpose?”  Madam Encre assessed.

The leader nodded.

“So where will this new recruit be located?”  Inquired Thunderstep.

The colt turned away from them and muttered the words “Maretropolis Concert Hall” before vanishing into the nether.

Lillian Keys was prepping herself for the most important performance of her life.  She had spent her whole life making a name for herself through her beautiful voice, and brilliant piano skills.  From talent shows in her youth, to a debut on Equestrian Idol; music was her life, and she was at her happiest while she sang.  Although she was a well-established singer and performer, her talents never really flourished outside of contests and charity concerts.  Though when she was involved she was often kept as the finale, and her victories in competitions were often uncontested, but despite her overwhelming superiority she was a modest mare, and when questioned about why she took contests so seriously she would always answer: “because it’s what I love to do.”

“But there’s more to it than that this time.”  Lilliana reminded herself.  “This wasn’t just any contest; it was a contest with a celebrity judge.  This time on top of the standard four judges she had to impress, she also had to impress the one and only Saddle Rager of the Power Ponies.  Lilliana was nervous, there was no doubt about that, but as always she was one of the last ponies to perform so she had plenty of time to get herself into the right mind and calm her nerves.

“Who do you think it’s going to be?”  Madam Encre asked Thunderstep as they prepared their disguises backstage.

“One of the singers I’m sure.”  Thunderstep responded as he donned his signature golden glasses.

“You know those things stand out pretty well.  Don’t you think they might give us away?”  Encre interrogated.

“Got ya’ covered gorgeous!” Thunderstep donned a security detail hat that was a size too large.  The extra sized caused the cap to dip downwards from his head concealing his glasses.

Encre rolled her eyes unsure if she should be grateful for the compliment, or insulted by the flirting.

“What do you make of our leader?”  She buzzed.

“There’s not much to make.”  Thunderstep confessed.  “He’s confident though, and he puts his faith in us to get this done.”

Madam Encre nodded.  “But we know nothing about him.  Do you even know his name?”

“I haven’t needed to ask.”  Thunder replied.

Encre was about to protest but Thunderstep cut her off.

“Showtime” he whispered to her.  “Let’s get out into the crowd.”

The concert took off without a hitch.  Saddle Rager was obviously new to the “Celebrity Judge” thing because while the four other judges were critical if not harsh, Saddle had very few negative things to say.  With the exception of one off key mare whom Saddle Rager declared was “just awful.”

Lillian Keys took a deep breath in then exhaled.  “My time to shine” she told herself.  “If I can impress a Power Pony then there is nopony I can’t impress.”  With that whisper of confidence Mrs. Keys took to the stage and took a seat at the Piano.  Her performance started out stronger than any she had ever put on before.  She had spent weeks prior to the event creating a brand new song for the occasion, as well as spending hours perfecting the matching piano rhythm.  The climax featured a beautiful series of downward notes both from her voice and the piano both in perfect sync.  Liliana took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and…nothing.

Nothing?! Liliana began to panic and fanatically beat on the highest pitch keys, but the first five keys to the piano produced no noise at all.  What’s going on?!  This can’t be happening!!  Liliana and the piano fell silent; attempting to turn the mishap into a dramatic pause.  While the audience looked on in anticipation, and confusion, Thunderstep and Encre spotted exactly what they were looking for.  A pony dressed up in the same security get up as the ones they had stolen approached the judges.  While at a distance the untrained eye would see only a hushed conversation; Thunderstep using his newly modified glasses was able to zoom in on the pony and see what was really going on.  An under the table transfer of bits from the guard to the judges; in other words…

“Sabotage” Tunderstep whispered to Encre.

“There’s no way.”  Encre protested.  “Saddle Rager’s a Power Pony, and while they make mistakes there’s no way they’d ever do anything illegal.”

Thunderstep glared at Madam Encre from behind his teched-out shades.  “If you believe that then why are you here?  Remember at the end of the day the Power Ponies are still just ponies.”

“I suppose you’re right.”  Encre thought back to her encounter with Radiance at the museum. It’s one thing to think you’re better than somepony, but to openly boast that you are then challenge anyone who tells you otherwise…Encre couldn’t even remember if that was what actually happened.  She was blind with rage when everything occurred causing most of the events of that day to be fuzzy at best.

Liliana was still panicking over what had happened.  She frantically ran over the piano with her keys and discovered the only ones that worked were the lower pitch keys which she had been using up until that point.  At this point, the audience had begun to realize she was not pausing, and began to assume that instead she was choking.  Liliana managed to throw together a climax comprised of only the working keys, but it was sloppy and improvised, and in the end resulted in performance that ended on the bare minimum rather than her usual over the top extravagance.  Crushed by what had just occurred Liliana sulked off stage, not even remembering to take a bow on her way out.  The audience applauded her of course, but she knew a pity applause when she heard it.

The final results of the contest were not pretty.  Saddle Rager declared a winner, and the rest of the judges immediately got on bord, and of course when Liliana took her case to the judges they passed her off as a sore looser.

“How dare you!” Liliana cried.  “This was clearly sabotage!”

“That's not all.” Thunderstep and Encre stepped forward still under the guise of security guards.  “We saw one of the guards hand bits out to all the judges.  So it seems this was a joint effort.

Liliana Keys looked at the judges with murder in her eyes.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”  Saddle Rager protested.

“Sabotage and bribes?” Liliana told herself.  “I never expected the judges of this contest to stoop so low.  Especially a member of the Power Ponies!”

“I told you I wasn't bribed!”  Saddle Rager insisted.

Hushed whispers filled the crowds as the judges silently paniced among themselves.

“This is unforgivable!” Shouted Liliana Keys with furious tears in her eyes.  “Do you have any idea what this will do to me?”

“You need to calm down.” Saddle Rager pushed.  “You're thinking irrationally, and I know from experience that's not a good thing.”

“My mind has never been clearer.” Keys insisted.  “And mark my words; you will ALL regret the crimes you have committed today!”

With that Liliana keys stormed out of the concert hall.  With Thunderstep and Madam Encre on her tail.

“Excuse us just a second ma'am.” Thunderstep tapped Liliana on the shoulder with  his hoof as they made their way into the street.

“Oh you two...” Liliana put on a warm, but clearly damaged smile.  “Thank you both for bringing this to my attention.  I only wish there was some way I could repay you.”

“There is dear.” Madam Encre explained.   “You're not the only one the Power Ponies have wronged.  Why not join us?”

“Join you?”  Asked the confused mare.

The villainous mare and colt removed their disguises revealing who they really were.  Liliana fearing for her life began to slowly back away. “I...I know you two...You were the ones that destroyed the Maretropolis Museum.”

“A necessary step.” Madam Encre boasted.  “That place was a hive of people blinded by the over abundant light of the Power Ponies.”

“But for every pony that kisses the ground they walk on.” Thunderstep continued.  “There are ponies they have shoved aside due to their blind superiority.  We are those ponies.”

“So how can I help you?”  Asked Liliana.  “I don't have any super powers.”

Thunderstep approached the girl and put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.  “Your voice is what they tried to steal from you.  I can turn it into you weapon of judgement.”

“Thunderstep is a master of technology and augmentations.” Madam Encre translated.  “With funding from our organization, and the tools available to him at his lab, we can help you get what you need to help us.”

Liliana thought the offer over, then submitted a proposal of her own.  “I'll accept on one condition.  My beef is with the Power Ponies, I will not hurt random passers by.”

Thunderstep shook his head.  “We wouldn't even consider harming anyone who would be a potential recruit.  If the Power Ponies are the only ones you will fight that is good enough for us.”

Liliana donned a smile of relief.  “Thank you.  Now I don't have to become a monster.”

Thunderstep shrugged in response.  “Maybe not, but I must warn you, the procedure to amplify your voice WILL change you forever.  The old you will most likely cease to be.”

Liliana mimicked the shrug.  “Then I will forge a new identity.  Those ponies tried to silence me.  So maybe it's time I embraced the silence.”