Mysticism of the Faltering Land

"Hey, Applejack?" Fluttershy looked worried. "Have you seen Twilight?"

Applejack gave the colt his change before responding. "Ya didn't hear? She's out at Canterlot. Had to handle some things with Celestia."

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I must have missed that some how. Any idea when she'll be back?"

"Should jus' be a day or two. Not too long."

"Okay. Thank you," Fluttershy blushed as she turned away.

Applejack really hoped that didn't mean what she thought it meant.

Fluttershy made her way towards Pinkie Pie's house. About a year ago, Pinkie had finally gotten her own place (due in no small part to being everypony's friend, particularly Twilight Sparkle's). It was the largest house in Ponyville (aside from Twilight's Castle, obviously). Every room on the bottom floor was large enough to hold at least a quarter of Ponyville's residents. Oddly enough, there wasn't too much in the way of decoration; she just did it on the fly. And just when Fluttershy thought she had seen every theme Pinkie had, a new one would pop up at the next party!

What was even more odd was that the top floor was the opposite: it had decorations fitting for Pinkie, but not that many ponies ever saw it more than once. Her house, as a whole, had nine bedrooms (mostly for new residents, looking to move in to town), five bathrooms (including two that were like the ones in supermarkets), two kitchens (one on each floor), a walk-in pantry (spanning both floors, with a staircase and dumb-waiter in it), a dining room, a theater room (for anyone that wants to get up and perform), and a "secret room" that Pinkie spends a lot of time in (It's actually her master bedroom, which spans both floors and is large enough for a large scale sleep over if she wanted one).

... Yeah.

Fluttershy decided to spend time with Pinkie because Rarity was way too busy with her work, and Rainbow Dash was holding an impromptu stunt flight competition. Applejack, obviously, was busy, which really left her with one choice, since Twilight was in Canterlot.

"Mommy!"

Fluttershy slowed to admire an adorable scene; Pipsqueak and his best friend, Dinky, were both running towards his mother. When they got to her, she hugged her son, and affectionately nuzzled him. Dinky tried to nuzzle Pip's mother, only to get her chin caught on Pip's mother's leg. They all giggled at the silliness.

"Your parents are coming home today, aren't they Dinky?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna miss spending time with Pip. Kinda wish I could live with him forever."

Fluttershy giggled. Ah, the innocence of children. She couldn't wait for them to get married.

Dinky's parents had gone out to an event in Manehatten, alongside a small number of other Ponyville citizens. The event finished yesterday, and everypony that had gone was on their way back.

Fluttershy was so touched by the scene (as small as it was) that she almost missed something significant; The massive shadow passing over them.

Fluttershy looked to the sky, and saw something terrifying; A massive, spider-like thing, with its eight legs positioned around the outskirts of Ponyville, and some glowing, round thing on its underbelly. Ponies started talking to each other, wondering what that thing was.

Fluttershy, however, decided to run. She wanted to get to Twilight's castle, expecting the glowing part to do something that wouldn't reach the-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She barely made it five steps.

Pinkie looked out her bedroom window. Everypony was sooooo busy! She just wanted to start a song! She wanted to get them- What was that shadow?

She leaned out her window, seeing a giant, spider-like thing above her.

She waved at it, "Hello!"

It responded with electricity.

Rarity looked at her bolt of fabric. She would need the full length of it, but not the full width. She lifted a knife she used for precision cuts, knocking a few holding pins and tacks around on her table, and stuck it in the fabric, shearing off the part she needed gone.

"Why'd you do that?" Sweetie Belle walked into Rarity's room, speaking with mock horror. She had grown quite intelligent and wise over the last year (or was it two?). She knew why Rarity cut it off, but decided to be silly.

"Because it was off by a shade!" so Rarity responded in a dramatic tone, replying to silliness with silliness.

"Nooooo!" both of them giggled.

Rarity lifted the ribbon of fabric over to Sweetie, returning to her normal tone. "Do you want this for anything?"

"Well..."

A sudden flash of light filled both of their visions.

"That was so cool, girls!" All five of the mares that had shown up for the competition were cheering. Thunderlane, however, didn't receive much praise. And for good reason; He accidentally tumbled through a cloud and into two of the other competitors, spraining his wing in the process.

"Special note to you, Stormwalker!" The mare in question giggled, as her best friend, Flitter, wrapped her in a wing-hug. "Come up here, you two!"

The other competitors cheered them on as they made their way to Rainbow Dash's side.

However, nothing else could be said or done before the shadow was cast over them. They all looked up at the spider-like thing towering above them.

Stormwalker and Flitter hugged each other, fearing for their lives.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Dash took each of their hooves, with their other hoof still on the other's. "It'll be alright! Nothing bad is going to-"

Dash didn't get to finish her tempt at fate before fate responded. And that response was pure pain over her entire body.

Applejack was irritated. After Fluttershy left, traffic died down. There were maybe three ponies nearby, and two of them had just bought apples! This was usually a busy part of town at this time, but-

She halted her thoughts when a giant shadow covered the town. Applejack stared at the massive thing above her in confusion.

A few moments later, she had trouble distinguishing her scream of pain from those nearby.

Twilight was worried about leaving an impression of her hoof in her face. The "inventor" they were hearing out was trying to present his "special, world changing" method of transporting packages, including a "brand new" device to help! But, throughout the entirety of his presentation, it was apparent that he paid no attention to history.

"Sir," Celestia was more composed than Twilight and Luna, but both could tell she was just as frustrated with this guy. "We thank you for your time, but-"

"Then you will consider it?"

"S-sir, I-"

"Thank you so much for considering it!"

"Sir-"

"This is going to be a new era in-"

Luna slammed her hooves on her part of the table. "This "new" method is not new at all! It was around when I was banished, and has been obsolete for generations! That very device with it!"

The stallion suddenly turned red in the face. "B-but this is different from that! You see-"

Celestia, having had enough of this guy, slammed her head against the table. "It's not. It's not different in any way," she turned her head up to look at him. "Get with the times."

"B-b-but this-"

Celestia slammed her hooves on the table, lifted herself into a hunched over position, and spread her wings, giving off an intimidating aura. "I'm giving you one chance to leave with what's left of your dignity intact, or I'll have the guards drag you out."

"Please! I promise this is worth-"

"GUARDS!"

Two guards came into the room and grabbed the stallion, who struggled and started rambling about how he can "change the world." As soon as he couldn't be heard anymore, all three princesses present let out a huge sigh, Celestia and Luna returning to a sitting position.

Twilight gave them a slightly pained look. "How often do those kinds of ponies show up?"

"About once a month. "This will change the world!" No it won't because it already exists," Celestia rubbed her head. "The stubborn ones are blessedly more rare."

"Is this why I'm here?" Twilight tilted her head in confusion. "To help with petitions?"

"Uh," Celestia sorted through her notes. "No. There is something else I want to show you."

Twilight looked at her for a moment before shrugging. "Alright. Next!"

The next inventor, who looked vaguely familiar to Twilight, barely made it three steps in before a lookout guard rushed into the room, knocking her aside.

"Your Highnesses! Something is attacking Ponyville!"

Twilight's eyes went wide. "What!"

Celestia rose from her seat, Twilight and Luna following suit. "Luna! Handle the petitions and inventors! Twilight! Come on!"

Both Twilight and Celestia followed the guard back to his post. Luna walked up to the inventor, who looked startled.

"P-Ponyville is under attack?"

Luna pet the mare. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"B-but my friend lives there!"

Luna pulled the young mare into a hug. "Have faith in them, little one. Have faith."

Celestia and Twilight both made it to the lookout post and saw the terrifying sight.

A giant, metallic spider was shooting out electricity, seemingly coating the entirety of Ponyville in lightning.

"Oh, no! No no no no no!"

Celestia surveyed the town. It was impossible to make out anything inside the town, but she noticed a violet bubble, no doubt a barrier, surrounding what looked to be a stopped train. She turned to the lookout. "Gather as many doctors and pegasus guards and send them to that train, as quickly as possible! Once they've arrived, send out a full troop of other guards into town!"

"Y-yes, your highness!" the guard immediately made his way back into the castle.

Celestia turned back to Twilight. "Are you going in, or-"

Twilight took flight. "You have to ask? I'm going in!" And with that, Twilight took off.

Celestia watched Twilight take off... and felt her heart sink as Twilight got close enough for the thing to strike her with lightning, bypassing several barriers and auras Twilight placed around herself. The lightning kept on her as she tumbled into the center of town.

Celestia turned her eye to the sun. This may cause damage to Ponyville... She looked back to the town. But I think it would be doomed entirely otherwise! She reached her magic out to the sun...

Amethyst Star held her magic barrier as strong as she could. Thankfully, in spite of the train being fully in range when it stopped, the spider didn't take any sort of heed to her barrier or anypony within.

"What is that thing doing?"

"I think it's killing everypony in town."

Golden Harvest nuzzled her husband, Written Script. "Our daughter... She's still in there."

"I know, Gold," Script looked out at the town. "We can only hope at this point."

White Lightning looked at the lovers, then back to the thing over their home. "... What the-"

Everypony else looked just in time to see a massive ray of light strike the thing.

"Is that the power of love?"

"Maybe it's friendship!"

"No! It's coming from the sun!"

Amethyst traced the ray. Sure enough, it seemed to be coming from the sun. "Princess Celestia?" she turned back to the thing, and looked as closely as she could.

"Oh, Celestia! Thank you so much!"

"That's not going to destroy the town, is it?"

"It may not matter at this-"

"It's not contacting!"

Everypony turned to Amethyst, giving either shocked or baffled noises.

"It set up some kind of barrier! It's actually holding off the ray!"

Everypony looked, and, as Amethyst said, there was a barrier holding it off.

"What?"

"No way!"

"How?"

"What is that thing?"

"I call hacks! That thing is hacking reality!"

"So that ray is worthless?"

Amethyst tried to look for damage, but that was a definite chore with how far away she was.

"Maybe it is doing something..." she squinted, looking for any sign of hope.

"Oh, no. Please."

"Let it have some effect. Please."

"... OH! That ray is doing something! That ray is definitely doing something!"

"What?"

"How can you be sure?"

"Look! Just above it!"

"What?"

"Do you say anything other than "what"?"

"What?"

"Is that... Smoke?"

Sure enough, the thing (which Amethyst finally put together as a machine) had smoke coming off of it. The ray of light vanished, but the machine seemed to spew more smoke. Soon enough, it stopped shooting off electricity, and seemed to start falling apart.

"It's falling apart! It won't hurt anypony-"

"It's going to crush Ponyville!"

Everypony there screamed. It was!

"It's going to-"

As the pieces fell, they rapidly disintegrated, leaving only dust.

"... Or not."

Amethyst finally dropped her barrier. Then she just dropped.

"Amethyst!"

"I... I'm fine. Just a bit... tired."

"Get some rest."

"Come on! Let's get into town!"

"HALT!" a pegasus wearing royal armor landed between them and the town. "We need to conduct investigation first! You all need to remain here!"

"WHAT?"

He really doesn't say anything else.

"MY DAUGHTER!"

"BUT MY SISTER-"

"QUIET!"

Amethyst's voice rang out louder than anypony else's.

"Let them do their job. If our friends and family survived, they'll be fine. If not, there's nothing we can do anyway."

"Amethyst..."

"..."

"I trust her."

"... Me too."

The guard nodded. "Good. We'll set up a camp here, so you will have somewhere to stay while we investigate," more guards started arriving, with tents and cots. "Also, we may need to quarantine the town, but we will update you on whoever you want us to."

Ponies crowded the guards, listing off names, as Amethyst laid on her side, rubbing her head while a pair of guards lifted her onto a cot.

Why would someone do that? Why here? Why now?

Applejack slumped over onto her stall. What just happened? Her whole body was numb. She couldn't move. She eventually opened an eye.

She was heartbroken by what she saw.

Pinkie was clenching her window frame the whole time to keep herself from falling to her death. Her mane had mostly deflated from the pain, and once it was over, she was very numb, but at least she was alive.

She sipped her hind legs forward until she saw them touch the wall, then let her rump it the ground, and finally let go of her window frame, laying her chin on it. This made her feel safe.

She opened her eyes and looked out over the herd of ponies. Her mane went fully flat at the sight.

Rarity watched her vision come back. She was dizzy, and felt numb, but she was at least alive. She didn't have the energy to keep sitting up, so she let her head slam onto her table.

Only for a tack to be just in the wrong place.

Sweetie heard her sister suddenly scream, followed by a thud. She looked up, and saw something that sent chills down her spine; Rarity laying on her back, with a tack sticking out of her left eye. She leaped forward and wrapped her hooves around Rarity.

"Rarity! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just have a tack sticking out of my eye."

Sweetie knew she couldn't let Rarity suffer like this. She pulled some cotton that Rarity had for stuffing the occasional stuffed animal commission she got and placed it between Rarity's eyes.

"Ready?"

"Go for it."

Sweetie pulled the tack out and quickly placed the cotton ball over Rarity's hurt eye. She then took the ribbon Rarity had cut earlier and wrapped it around Rarity's head to keep the cotton ball in place.

"You're a wonderful sister, Sweetie."

Sweetie tied off the ribbon, cut off the excess, and then nuzzled Rarity.

"Not as good as you are."

The sun shining through the holes in the ceiling warmed them both as they drifted into sleep.

Dash didn't want to open her eyes. She heard Stormwalker's crying. She heard the other ponies' crying. She didn't want to look.

It was going to be painful. She knew it would be painful.

"Rainbow?" Stormwalker was still tearful. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't wanna look."

"Dash..."

"I know what happened, and I don't want to see it."

Dash was crying. If there was something Stormwalker had learned about tears, it was this; When the weak cry, they hurt their hoof. When the strong cry, their resolve is collapsing.

Then again, if Stormwalker had realized what Dash had, she wouldn't have opened her eyes either. She looked back at Flitter's remains.

At the skeleton laying in a pile of ash.