Power Ponies: The Shadows of Power Collection

“These comics are really starting to get interesting.” Twilight complimented as she watched Spike read over his shoulder.

“I don't know Twilight, so far they've just been introducing villains.  Not a whole lot seems to be going on, and there's a lot of build up for these characters we wont ever see after this arc.”

“Well maybe they're just building up for an epic finale.” Twilight hinted.

“I guess.” Spike shrugged and picked up the next book.

“So who's the next villain?” Twilight asked.

“Terror Two-Hoof; the half changeling.” Spike responded.  “Honestly he's probably my least favorite of the bunch.”

“Why's that?” Inquired the unicorn.

“Well I mean, his power is shape-shifting.  That's really not all that impressive considering any changeling can do that.”

“Any CHANGELING can.” Twilight pointed out.  “But transformation spells are incredibly difficult for ponies.  Even I can't transform another pony into something, let alone change my own appearance.”

“I guess it is pretty special for a pony to be able to change.”  Spike admitted.

“Let's give the comic a chance.” Twilight suggested.  “Maybe Two-Hoof will grow on you as you read.”

Spike nodded and opened the book.

Sometimes It's not the pony that makes the villain.

Sometimes it's the misfortune that happens upon them.

Sometimes it's the story behind their birth.

“Not many people know the origin of my creation.” Claimed a voice from seemingly nowhere.  “There are plenty of rumors of course, but only a small hoofful of them are anywhere close to accurate.  You ever hear the one about the siamese twins born to a changeling and his pony mistress?  Yeah...that one's pretty funny...”

The door to a convienent store rings as it opens.  A dark blue colt in a red uniform greets his coworker behind the register before slipping away into the back room.  The cashier on a whim decides to check the schedule.  “Huh...he doesn't work today...” He looks back then shrugs dismissively.  “Must be after extra hours.” He tells himself.

A few minutes later the manager appears from the back.

“I'm doing a bank run, do you mind opening the safe under the register for me?” He asks.

“You're the only one who knows the code for it.” The cashier responds with hints of confusion in his tone.

Blast it.  There's always something.

“Excuse me for a second.” The manager waves his hoof then returns to the back of the store, leaving the cashier to wonder what exactly his boss was doing.

~~~

Ace Specs was hard at work in his specially designated laboratory.  Having always had a fascination with the mysterious insectoids that were the changelings, Ace was the prime candidate for the Research and Discovery department of Spark's Labs.  A department dedicated to expanding pony knowledge of various races.

“Poor Sparks.” Ace melodramatically mused to himself as he worked.  “I heard his son drove himself insane trying to live up to his father.  Genius is easily inherited, but impossible to duplicate.”

Several sources of Changeling DNA were laid out for Ace to interact with as he saw fit.  Be it with tech, tools, or magic.  Ace wasn't the best magic user in maretropolis, but what he lacked in the quality of his spells he easily made up for with quantity.  Ace boasted an accelerated memory, complimented with the tactical mind of a professional chess player.  All compliments of his research into the talents of various unknown creatures.

“How's it coming Specs?”  A familiar orange coated pony in a lab coat and glasses approached the enthusiastic worker.

“Wonderfully Johnson.  I think Mr. Spark will be thrilled with the progress I am making.”

“Have you been able to ascertain what allows changelings to change their shape?” Inquired the scientist.

Ace Specs shook his head.  “It's very clearly as a result of a branch of magic.  A spin off of the branch used by Unicorns.  But I would need a live test to break down the specifics in order to expand my research.  And it's not like we can just drag a changeling in here and have it cast spells for us.”

Johnson giggled to himself almost manically.  “You'd be surprised what Spark Laboratories is capable of my friend.”  The head scientist turned around and headed out the door.  “But I'm sure it won't come to that.  Best of luck with your research.”

A chill climbed Ace Spec's spine as he went back to work.

~~~

Of all the ponies we recruited to the cause,

the hardest by far to get was Terror Two-Hoof.

In all honesty, if Thunderstep hadn't informed me of his father's research

I never would have found him.

The manager of the convenient store emerged once again from the employee only rooms.  “Sorry about that, it's been a long day.  Let me get that safe open and I'll do my run.”

“You don't usually empty this during your bank runs.” The cashier noted.

“I'm aware of that!” The manager snapped.

The cashier took several steps back and let the manager do his thing.  After the safe was open the manager emptied it, then thanked the cashier for his cooperation before heading out the door.

The police arrived on the scene two hours later.   They were escorted by the Masked Matterhorn and Mistress Marevalous, who overheared on the police radio that the cashier had called in a robbery.

“Can you describe the pony?”  Asked the interrogation officer.

“I can't really explain how.” The quizzed worker began.  “But the guy who robbed us looked exactly like our store manager.”

Several police ponies exchanged looks, making the store clerk nervous.  “B-but it wasn't him! He's...not smart enough to pull something like this.” The worker prayed his actual boss wasn't within earshot.

“Inspector! Come quickly!”

The pony questioning the clerk followed several cops and the two present Power Ponies to the employes only part of the store.  There they found the real store manager tied up and gagged in the bathroom.

“What do ya make o' this Matterhorn?” Pondered Marevolous to her companion

“There's no doubt about it.”  Matterhorn turned and took off running to find her friends.  “That monster has returned....The half changeling.”

~~~

The police feed buzzed with activity, as all units were called to respond to Pony Spark Laboratories, where an explosion in the Research and Discovery department had resulted in a bonfire that was currently consuming the entire left half of the building.  The ponies working in  that neck of the area had all gone missing, and all were presumed to have perished in the initial explosion.  On a live broadcast over the Maretropolis news, anchor ponies shared their concern for the lost researchers while an angry Mr. Spark openly accused his son of fowl play.

Ace Specs awoke from unconsciousness not long after the explosion, and was laying among the ruins of what was once his research.  His front left and back right legs were cold and felt lifeless, and he couldn't feel the left side of his face at all.  Had it been blown away? Or Melted?  Ace lifted his left leg and rubbed it against his face, to his relief he felt everything accounted for.  But to his horror, the leg he saw wasn't the leg he was use to.  His legs were that of a changeling.  Holes and all.  He found his reflection in a broken piece of glass, and to his shock the left half of his face was the same.  The shock caused him to jump backwards, and he found himself hovering in the air with the aid of transparent insect like wings.  He wasn't sure what had happened, but somehow he ended up with changeling DNA intertwined with his own.

“Someone?! Anyone?! Help me!”  Ace Specs pleeded for help, but any attempts to seek aid were met with ponies screaming and running at the sight of a hideous deformed monster.  Eventually the commotion caught the attention of the Power Ponies, but even they responded aggressively at the sight before them.  An attempt to bring the changeling into custody resulted in him running for his life, and ultimately escaping.

“No one will help me?”  Ace Specs asked himself.  “It's as if all they see is a changeling...Do they not see the pony who is suffering?”

“We see that pony.”  Came a chilling voice from behind Ace.  The disfigured pony turned to face the mysterious colt whom spearheads The Shadows of Power.

“Who are you?”  Asked a cautious Ace Specs.

“We are ponies just like you.” Assured the colt.  “Ponies like yourself, whom have been dealt a bad hand.  We see the pony that you truly are, and I seek to give you a purpose.”

“A life of crime?” Ace guessed.

“In a matter of speaking.” Admitted the shadowy pony.  “We are taking a stand against the Power Ponies, in an effort to dethrone them.”

“Dethrone?” Echoed Ace.

“Remove them from their pedestal.” The colt clarified.  “Retract their god like status among the common colts of Maretropolis.  I can give you shelter among those who are just like you; in exchange I request the aid of your...new found abilities.”

“I'm not even sure if I have any new abilities.”  Ace Specs admitted.

The colt nodded slowly.  “In time.  They will make their presence known.  In the meantime, I would like to introduce you to your new allies.”

Portals appeared on either side of the colt, and out walked the other three runners of the Ponies of Shadows: Thunderstep, Madam Encre, and Siren Silence.

“Everyone, say hello to your newest partner.”

“Shoot son” commented Thunderstep.  “You're a terror to behold.”

“Terror?” Ace let the word sink into his mind.  “I like it...Terror Two-Hoof.”

Their leader formed a smile from underneath his cloak.  “A fitting name.  Come! It's time we set our plans into motion.”