It was about midnight in the city of Manehattan. The sky was clear, allowing the moon to shine in it's full splendor along with the few stars that did not have their glow covered by the city's lights. The streets, agitated during the day, were now silent and clear. Here and there, you could see some couples of ponies walking and enjoying the relaxing feeling given by the night.
In the port, however, the situation was far from relaxed. The silence was replaced by the sound of tens of workers unloading materials broth by a cargo ship. Dust Bag, the unicorn stallion leading the operation, was watching the progress with a very nervous expression on his face sometimes rushing the workers in his characteristic way.
''Common fillies! Move these crates already so we can go home.'' he said in his deep voice sounding irritated.
''But sir! We are already going as fast as we can! If I go any faster, my horn will crack! Maybe if you would help us we woul...'' tried a mare that was lifting up some crates with her magic and was just passing by at that moment to say but was interrupted by the manager.
''Did your horn cracked yet Spicy Mane? No? Than stop complaining and start putting your filly magic to work!''
''It's Icy Mane!'' said the mare before walking away silently.
Dust Bag nodded and said like for himself ''Why? Why do they send me fillies to do a stallion's job?'' Than turned to a nearby pony that was holding some paper sheets in his hoofs.
''Butter Hoofs!''
''Yes sir!'' the pony turned showing his surprise.
''Status report!'' shouted Dust Bag.
''We are almost done sir! We only have to unload a few more containers on the main deck and we are done. The whole operation should only take about half an hour.'' Reported the pony.
''Perfect! Twenty minutes then! Don't fail me!'' continued Dust Bag in a tone sounding almost cheerful.
''Of course sir!'' obeyed Butter Hoofs.
Dust Bag walked towards the area where the crates were being transported. Everything was looking as it should have looked. Except for one thing: The pile of crates looked smaller than he would have expected. A lot smaller.
Near the pile, two ponies were staring at the manager. Their faces looked worried. From time to time they were pushing each other seeming to try to tell one another ''No! You tell him!''.
One of them finally started to talk, but not after looking at his fellow to see if he had any intention of starting so ht could be spared from the discussion that might have ruined his job.
''Ummm, sir!'' he started with a little bit of hesitation ''We seem to have a slight problem.''
''Really? What problem?'' asked Dust Bag with a tone that made the two understand that he was aware of it.
''We seem to be missing some containers.'' continued the worker.
''And how could that happen I wonder? Perhaps the cargo was not as large as Butter Hoofs calculated? Or maybe you two idiots have managed to screw up the inventory again?''
''They were here! We swear! This pile was almost two times larger than now when we've last checked! Somepony took them!" intervened the pony that stood silent until that moment.
''And when was the last time you've checked?'' asked Dust Bag.
''Weeeeeeellll... About ten minutes ago.'' said the one that spoke the first.
''Listen up you incompetents!!!'' started the boss with furry ''You two had the simplest objective I could give to somepony: To pay attention to these stupid boxes!!! And what you idiots do!?!? Pay attention to anything else but the boxes!!!!! I'l deal with you two later now follow me! We have to figure out what happened with the cargo!''
After shouting at the two ponies, Dust Bag started to inspect the area in search for clues.
But it didn't take long for them to find the one responsible. After less than a minute of searching, they saw movement in the portion behind the crates. The moon, along with any light source was blocked by the pile of boxes next to them but what they saw was seeming to emit light and also carry one of the crates with it. The shape was seeming to move with relative ease, despite it having to carry a large weight. The silence with which it was moving was also something to be mentioned. No hoof sounds were made by the shape's steps.
Right after seeing the figure, Dust Bag started to shout. ''Hey you! Put that thing down right now!''
The shape turned it's attention to the pony. It turned it's front to him and stared for about five seconds. Than it started approaching them at a cautious speed.
Meanwhile, Dust bag was still talking. ''You're in big trouble sir! You are arrested for stealing attempt. Give up now and this won't get na...''
Dust bag could not finish what he was saying because more lights emerged from the dark. The shapes were moving at the same speed as the one that was first noticed. The three ponies were now having in front of them about two dozens of individual bronze lights moving for them.
When the first shape came at a point where it could be seen, it revealed the view of a metallic-red insect like creature. It was a little larger than a pony, with three pairs of legs, ending in sharp, curved spikes. The head was smaller than the size of a pony's and it was housing a mouth that looked like a pincer, two thirds of the head's size. The other thing that could be seen on the head were two eyes on each side, glowing in a bronze light.
Dust bag suddenly started to back away, along with his companions.
''What in the name of Celestia are these things!'' he started in a silent tone trying not to disturb the creatures.
''I don't know sir. They look like some sort of insects. But what are they doing here in Manehattan?''
''I have no idea! In fact I don't care! I just want them not to be here!'' continued the manager.
The three stallions and the insects were now very close to the area where the debarking operation was taking place. They were all moving at the same speed and were now in the view of the workers.
The ponies did not seem to notice that they were starting to be surrounded. From all around them, more and more creatures were emerging, joining the others. They were not looking all the same. Most of them were matching the description of the first one, about half of that number were having what looked like a long pair of antennas, almost the length of their body, emerging from their heads and heavier armor. About three of four of the creatures were larger than the others and had three pairs of eyes instead of one.
Everypony was scared but they tried not to make quick moves as ordered by their leader. They were gathering in a circle, trying to set up some sort of protection. The creatures also formed a circle around them and they were closing it in as the ponies were forming theirs.
What started as a few insects now became a entire swarm formed by hundreds of these creatures, closing in cautiously with every second.
Suddenly, one of the ponies just could not handle the pressure anymore and started screaming and broke the line, charging at the foes. The insects reacted quickly to the pony's foolish act. One of them opened two hatches on his sides, above his second pair of legs. From these hatches two tubes ending in what looked like a ball on one side and a hole on the side pointed at the pony. The balls connected to the tubes started to glow and a electric blast was shot from both of these guns. After just two seconds of weapon preparing and aiming from the creature, the pony was being shot at with several electric projectiles. Upon being hit, he quickly collapsed, landing close to the source of the bolts.
After that, chaos set upon the two forces.
The insects prepared their weapons. The ones having the long antennas had two pairs of twin guns, unlike the type sharing the same features with the one that made the first move had, located in the same spot and the big, robust ones had a circle formed by six of these guns emerging from a hatch that opened on their back that was rotating, releasing electric bolts significantly faster that the rest.
The ponies were outnumbered and they were not very good combatants but they knew that they needed to stay together if they wanted any chance of getting out of this situation. The unicorns were trying to hit the attackers with their magic and sometimes throw objects at them. The pegasi were trying to distract them, rising above them and trying to doge their shots, sometimes even making daring strikes from above. The ones that were having the hardest time were the earthponies. They had to get close to them without getting shot and hit their thick metal armor with their bare hoofs.
Notable would be the lack of self preservation instinct that these creatures had. They were not even bothering to dodge any of the hits from the ponies. They were even punching their own injured allies aside if they were and stood in their way.
The ponies were taking down more foes than the insects, but still there were to many. One by one, the ponies were falling to the ground as the circle was closing and the insects were gaining ground fast. Soon, all the ponies were down. Except for one.
Butter Hoofs was hiding behind a box at a safe distance from where the battle was going on. He tried to sneak past the insects so he could make a run for the safety of the city.
But it wasn't to be.
As soon as the pony turned backwards, he bumped in one of the creatures. The insect prepared it's guns.
''Please! Let me go! I'm not a figh...'' he tried to say but was than shot by the insect and knocked down by the electric shot.
And than the insects resumed their work, silently moving the crates and the bodies of their fallen allies and leaving the area where the battle took place.
