Prologue: Who are you? (Part 1)
Princess Twilight Sparkle stepped out of the portal once again, as a human. Spike followed behind with his familiar doggy self.
"Hmm..." Twilight wondered to herself as she pulled out the letter written especially for her.
'Twilight, we need your help once again. I feel something bad is going to happen, and we need your assistance once more - Sunset Shimmer'
"What do you think Twilight?" Spike barked.
"I'm still confused. First she stole the crown, then those sirens attacked, then there was the incident with the other me, what more could possibly go wrong? At least..." As she looked at her palms, she managed to create a purple magical aura around her hands "my magic is running smoothly..."
"Hey!" A girl's voice chirped from afar, Twilight and Spike turned to see a girl that has similar hair colour to Fluttershy galloping up to her presence. She wore what seemed to be a blue pleated skirt, and what looks to be like a sailor's shirt.
"Umm... Hello there, who are you?" Twilight spoke nervously
"I should be asking you that!" The girl replied, "I was on my way to school, then I saw you come out of that mirror! That's cool! Are you a magician?"
"Well... Not exactly..." Twilight replied "I think I should be on my way now..."
"You look like you're in a hurry! Are you looking for someone? I can help!" The girl persisted,
"Well, I know where she should be and I really shouldn't trouble you with my problems, since you have to go to school and all..."
"No worry! My school's right there!" The girl smiled and pointed to the doors of Canterlot High School.
"Th-There!?!?!?" Twilight gasped,
"Technically, I'm just an exchange student here" the girl continued, "I still don't understand why schools here allow students to wear casual clothing in Equestrian schools."
"W-Wait... That's your school uniform?" Twilight pointed "you look like a sailor!"
"Yeah! Though everyone now thinks that these are my casual clothes. When I put my casual clothes on, I would look much better than I am now! In your language, this would be called Sailor Fuku. Traditional Neighponese School uniform!"
"N-Neighpon? I've never heard of such a land..."
"You don't? Don't tell me you sleep during Geography classes! I'm from all the way in Neighsia! The very East of the World!"
"East of the world? I thought Equestria's the only world..."
"WHAT!?" The student yelped "have you been living under a rock? The world's much bigger than Equestria!"
"I-I didn't know!" Twilight jumped to defence "I'm so sorry if I've offended you."
"Apology accepted," The girl smiled back,
"So, I don't believe I have learnt your name..."
"My name? Tell me yours first! As interest for your apology!"
"Okay then, my name is Twilight Sparkle" Twilight introduced "nice to meet you"
"And nice to meet you too! My name is Athena Asamiya. Remember it well! Although... You probably would since I'm the only foreign student around here." The girl greeted,
"O-Okay... I'd better start finding my friend... I shouldn't let you be late to class..."
"See you later!" Athena waved goodbye as she dashed up the stairs and into the school.
"Wow, she seems cheerfully upbeat," Twilight noted to herself before following behind.
As Twilight walked through the schools halls, she found a familiar face... With three other familiar faces.
"Sunset!" Twilight greeted "... and... Adagio, Aria and Sonata... What are you girls doing here?"
"Hello Twilight!" Sonata greeted cheerfully "It's good to see you again!"
"Tch..." Adagio and Aria grunted,
"It's good to see you too as well Twilight." Sunset smiled back,
"Did you say you have a concern?" Twilight asked,
"Yeah, but I still have no idea. I had this mysterious dream where the entire city was torn like paper by this large 8-headed snake! It was frightening. Turns out that even the sisters here had the same dream as I did!"
"A large 8-headed snake? That's something that would probably happen in my world..."
"Yeah? Well in the dream, it felt pretty real to me." Adagio rasped, "seeing everyone we know slaughtered and decimated by that snake and other numerous elements of fire, water, energy, earth, 8 different elements!"
"Not only that, some mysterious figure was also putting its hand through people's body and pulling out some kind of flame! I don't know about you, but even as an ex-siren, I'd find that too crazy!" Aria added,
"I'd also like to add that there was this terrorist-like group contributing to the destruction too." Sonata piped up,
"And... Is that why I'm called? If I have any knowledge about this situation?" Twilight asked,
"Yes, do you know?" Adagio answered
"Sorry, I don't really know... But I'll try to help either way!"
"That's good to know" Aria sneered,
"By the way... Where are the others?"
"Well..." Sunset started "Each of your friends seem to be very busy with other people that you may not know... But I know where they mostly hang out. Let me tell you..."
After receiving the locations of her friends, Twilight's first target was Applejack. She finds herself outside a single door with what looks to be two coconut palm trees and a large name sign decorated by glass tubes for neon lights.
"Pao Pao Illusion Cafe..." Twilight read the sign, "Interesting..." And opened the door. The interior of the bar was very vast and was decorated with a Chineighse oriental taste. A few other people were idly sitting by, drinking their drinks or eating dishes.
"What is this place?" Twilight gasped as she examined the large dragon statue wrapped around a pillar "I've never seen this type of creature before. Is it from another one of those 'foreign countries' that Athena was talking about?"
"Excuse me," a burly man wearing bartender's clothes called to Twilight "may I help you?"
"Oh, sorry..." Twilight replied, "I thought this place would be crowded."
"It does at night time, as this is a nightclub" the man continued "but even so, we're open in the day and afternoon too."
"I see..."
"You're quite an unfamiliar face, may I know your name?"
"M-My name's Twilight Sparkle."
"Richard Meyer, welcome to my nightclub." The man greeted back "I highly advise you to refrain from drinking... I've seen many students come to by humble abode and come out wasted. I even received a large number of complaints from their Principals. Only students who watch their conduct and refrain from liquor are allowed here."
"Speaking of students, I'm looking for a friend. Have you seen a girl called Applejack? She blonde hair, orange skinned, wears a Stetson hat..."
"The Cowgirl that always visits King? Yes, she is just over there."
"King?"
"We decided to combine my nightclub branch as well as her bar just for Equestria. My original cafe is in Southtown, which my apprentice is taking care of. Her original bar in Great Spritain is being taken care of by her employees."
"I see... Wait, King is a lady?"
"I wouldn't say 'lady'..." Richard chuckled "she's awfully too violent for one, but her feminine side is always present whether she likes it or not. She's over there,"
"Thank you!" Twilight thanked as she walked up to the female bartender with blonde hair. There, she found a familiar girl wearing a familiar outfit sitting on one of the bar stools.
"Applejack!" Twilight called, to which the southern girl turned around.
"Well ah'll be gobsmacked! It's you Twi!" Applejack greeted back,
"How have you been?" Twilight asked,
"Doin' jus fine" Applejack replied,
"Excuse me Miss," the female bartender known as King butted in "but pets are not allowed." She looked at Spike,
"I'm no pet!" Spike retorted back, shocking King a little, but she continued her stern look.
"Regardless, even if you can talk or dance, you're still an animal, and that's not allowed."
"But..." Twilight protested,
"No means NO," King interrupted, her stern voice much louder this time, then turned to Spike, returning to her original volume "Sorry little tyke, rules and regulations."
"That's okay..." Spike whined "I'll be outside..." And he trotted towards the exit.
"Sorry about that Miss..."
"King," King introduced, "you may call me 'Miss King', but I'd prefer you call me King. Are you a friend of Applejack?"
"Yep, she is!" Applejack answered, "remember the times ah've told you how a lot of wacky things were happenin' in our school? Well she was the girl from another dimension helped us all!"
"Oh come on!" Twilight blushed, "you, Rainbow, Sunset and the rest also helped me out as well! I couldn't do it alone!" She realised what she had just said and changed tone "I thought you were supposed to keep that secret!"
"Ah know Twi, hold yer horses... Get it?" Applejack chuckled,
"Applejack..." Twilight sighed, "that's not helping in anyway..."
"Sorry 'bout that." Applejack chuckled, "But anyway, ah trust King. Ever since you've gone back, ah've had to return to mah issues on the farm with Big Mac, Granny Smith and Applebloom and all. Then ah met King."
"The beverage of the Apple Family has been quite an interest as a new product and ingredient for the bar..." King continued "but that's not the reason why Applejack's been visiting me all the time, neither was it the deal with selling Apple Family beverages."
"It's a long matter, and it's made us indebted to each other." Applejack finished.
After a few more minutes of learning about Applejack and King, Twilight decided to say goodbye. As she found Spike sitting patiently near a lamppost, Rainbow Dash was the next person to find. Through a silent alley, Twilight was oblivious to a creeping shadow behind her.
"Gah!" Twilight yelped as a thug took her by surprise and covered her mouth.
"Quiet there little lamb. Just give me your wallet and phone and I'll you slide."
"Grr!" Spike growled at the thug.
"You don't scare me you little mutt!" The thug kicked Spike with a nasty laugh, "What do you think you are huh? A dragon? A wolf?" The moment the word 'wolf' flew out of his mouth, a large hand grabbed the thug's hand and pried it away from Twilight's mouth, while another hand dealt with the thug's other arm wrapped around Twilight.
"Guh!" Twilight fell to the ground. Looking behind her, fear spread across her face as she saw a big foul-looking man wearing dark clothes, tangling his hands against a bigger, muscular man with blond hair, dark blue jeans, a sleeveless singlet with a red jacket covering the sides and sporting a red-white cap.
"Are you okay?" Another voice came from behind, Twilight turned to see a young blonde boy about her 'age' asking her from a distance. He was wearing a black shirt, jeans, an orange-white jacket, and fingerless gloves. His arm cradled around Spike.
"Damn you!" The Thug growled, "to think I'd fall to you, of all people! You're the one who beat up my friends and left them to be picked up by police!"
"And you'll be joining them!" The man replied as he grabbed a hold of him and threw him to the ground, knocking him out in one hit.
"Wh-Wh..." Twilight stammered as she saw the unconscious thug lying before her. The man simply grabbed a phone and dialled a number.
"Emergency services?" The man talked "yeah, there's a thug committing attempted robbery... Yes... I took him down... Really?..." As the man continued speaking, Twilight turned to the young boy in front of her.
"Sorry about that, the crime rate in Equestria has been high recently. This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for my dad. Now he, Kim and I have been beating down punks and thugs that are threatening innocents."
"OK!" The man loudly exclaimed as he closed the receiver, then turned to Twilight. "You shouldn't be walking through these alleyways young lady. A lot of these bad guys are lurking around."
"I-It's just that I have to get to where a friend is." Twilight explained,
"Better safe than sorry though." The boy answered, offering a hand to pick her up. As he pulled her up, he looked at her with a puzzled face.
"Wait... Aren't you?"
"I-I'm Twilight Sparkle" Twilight introduced "and I believe you are holding my dog Spike." Spike barked a greeting "thanks for saving us."
"So it is you!" the boy jumped "Looks like the legends and rumours were true!"
"W-What rumours?" Twilight asked, fear and embarrassment building in her muscles
"My friend at school has been talking about this mysterious purple girl that has magical powers and was actually a talking pony princess from an alternate dimension!"
"O-Oh! I-I believe you must be mistaken!" Twilight quickly countered "I'm the actual human Twilight Sparkle. If it's an alternate dimension, then there is always a human and pony counterpart!"
"Is that so?" The boy tilted his head "I'm sorry, I thought Princesses don't lie."
"I-I'm not a princess though..."
"About that, I'm sure that human Twilight spot is already occupied" the boy continued "unless you are twins, she sports a much different hairstyle than yours. And your hairstyle matches the description of the rumours and legends."
"Oh..." Twilight sighed in defeat "yeah... I am..."
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." The boy comforted "just don't lie again. Right?" He turned to Spike,
"What he says!" Spike replied "and what Applejack says too!"
"Eh?" The man wondered what was going on, "do you know this little lady Rock?"
"Rock?" Twilight became confused again,
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rock Howard, and this is my foster father, Terry Bogard."
"Nice to meet you!" Terry greeted,
"Nice to meet you too!" Twilight greeted back
"Yes dad." Rock continued, "well, through reputation..."
"I'm just looking for a friend..."
"Rainbow Dash?" Rock answered, "because I see my friend hang around with her quite often now, and since he's my friend, I tagged along and I got to know her."
"Interesting. Sunset hasn't even told me about all this..."
"Anyway, I know where she hangs out, so I'll take you there." Rock replied, "can you handle this without me dad?"
"No problem!" Terry replied, giving a thumbs up. Rock nodded in response and guided Twilight out of the alleys.
"So..." Twilight broke the silence "are you another student at Canterlot High School?"
"Scholarship, since my Dad barely gets us by with constant Part-time jobs." Rock replied "really nice atmosphere, friendly students, hardly need to put up a fight."
"Thanks for taking me here!" Twilight thanked as the boy named Rock Howard waved goodbye as he walked down another road. Twilight stood at the door of a generic, white-painted concrete apartment building with a garden full of hanging clothes.
"Interesting place. Looks like these people constantly do laundry" Twilight noted as she reached for the doorbell. The moment she pressed it however, a red stick was pressed on her throat as another man with a striped bandanna stepped out from the corner.
"What do you want?" The man growled,
"Why is everyone attempting to sneak up on me!?" Twilight glared,
"Big Brother," a calm voice came from the front door. A blonde girl that looks about nineteen to twenty wearing a pink dress stood at the porch with another familiar girl behind her. "Don't act so hostile to our guest. She is Rainbow's best friend."
"Twilight!" Rainbow exclaimed as she pushed aside the man's stick to embrace her friend.
"Hi Rainbow..." Twilight smiled back, as she returned the embrace,
"So..." The man stood his staff up, now calm and less-threatening. "... Is this the girl?"
"Yep!" Rainbow replied,
"Forgive my brother's hostility." The girl apologised "he's very protective of me. When he met Rainbow for the first time, he was like this too. It took about quite a few weeks for him to accept that Rainbow is a good friend of mine."
"Hmph," The man sharply declaimed, "you always tell me that someone's always coming. At least tell me that someone is a friend or not before I go out the door."
"... You knew I was coming?"
"I can sense people whenever they are coming or not" the girl replied, "whenever it's the postman or deliveryman, Billy would chase him away. It can be very troublesome..."
"So your name is Billy huh?" Twilight turned to the man "it's nice to meet you!"
"Can't say the same for meeting you though Missy." Billy snapped back, "I don't recall you telling me your name either."
"Oh! My bad! It's Twilight Sparkle. And this is Spike!" Twilight introduced herself, Spike barked once more as a greeting.
"Aw! Isn't he cute!" The girl happily giggled, petting Spike while he licked her hand.
"And you?"
"Kane. Lilly Kane" the girl curtsied "me and my older brother were born in England, so our formal habits come attached to it."
"So, how did you get to know Rainbow?" Twilight asked,
"Well..." Lilly started...
After the story and Twilight saying goodbye to Rainbow and the group, she set her sights on Rarity. Until she realised that a familiar figure was charging straight towards her and quickly tackled her to the ground.
"Ow! What was that for!?" Twilight grumbled until she laid her eyes on a familiar uniform and hair.
"You sly girl you!" Athena giggled "you didn't tell me you were that Princess Pony!"
"You're kidding me..." Twilight sighed "does everyone know my secret now?"
"Don't worry, I have my own secrets too!" Athena winked, "two of them in fact. Did you know that I'm a popular idol back in Neighpon?"
"An idol? Of what?"
"I'm a singer!" Athena explained, "though... My fame is mostly known in Neighpon. You see, since I've been singing a lot in my career, I've dropped on my academic studies like... A lot."
"Uh..." Twilight's face turned into shock "... That's quite a disturbing and dreadful mental image for me..."
"Oh! So you're a bookworm!" Athena giggled, "how quaint! That's exactly what my exchange partner is like!"
"Really?" Twilight looked up in delight,
"That's right!" Athena nodded, "she's been a very nice girl, taking me around the School. Taking a break from showbiz and fighting to concentrate on my studies in another country is the best thing that I can ever experience!"
"A-And what is your second secret?"
"Well..." Athena replied, "since you're a Princess Pony of Magic, why don't you show me some of your magic skills?"
"B-But--"
"No one's around!" Athena encouraged, "come on! Aim it at me!"
"At you!?"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine!" Athena comforted, "that way, I can show you my secrets!"
"Well then..." Twilight gulped as she started to focus. A purple aura enshrouded her hands.
"Wow!" Athena gasped in excitement.
"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Twilight replied as she fired a Magic beam from her hand,
"You never did!" Athena laughed as she created a ball of energy the size of a basketball and launched it at the beam. The two forces of energy collided against each other and completely nullified each of their powers with a small echo of sound.
"Wh-What!?" Twilight looked at the result, "did... Did you just... Stop my magic... With magic of your own?"
"That's correct!" Athena nodded in a quick bowing gesture, "I have 'magic' of my own, but it's best you know it as Psychic or Psycho powers as everyone does!"
"Psycho powers?" Twilight tried to think hard of the word, "I've never heard of such a thing in my own dimension!"
"Well I've never heard that Monarchy is still ruling in your dimension." Athena countered, "and the things that me, Kensou, master Chin, Momoka, Bao and most of the competitors I've fought against in the King of Fighters would consider by most of the population 'magic'."
"Really..." Twilight wondered back, "then what can you do with your Psycho powers? I can levitate anything and anyone if I focus enough, I can channel my magic through energy and sometimes illusions... And I can teleport!"
"Hmm..." Athena thought about it, "there are a few similarities to yours... But my power is mostly used for combat!"
"Combat... You mean fighting right?"
"Hai!" Athena replied, "I can mostly channel my energy into different shapes and forms, I can cover myself in energy and use my own self and surroundings as a weapon and... I can teleport too!"
"Really?" Twilight gasped, "you're the first human that I have heard to claim to use such methods of transport!"
"I can't travel through long distances though. Does the same apply to you?" Athena asked with Twilight nodding back. "Hmm... Why don't you and I try something... Interesting?"
"Uh... I don't really like the sound of where that's going..."
"From the look on your face, you still have some more places to go right? I bumped into Rock when I was trying to find you. Said you'd be heading off to the Kane residence to find a friend."
"Yeah I do... I thought of heading out to a certain area. Are you familiar with the Blanctorche Estate?"
"Ooh! That's quite far from the main area. It's mostly up on the hills overlooking the city. But that's what I'd like to try. If our teleportation range is short. Why don't we try combining our teleportation powers?"
"C-Combine!?" Twilight gulped, "that doesn't sound so safe..."
"Relax! It's just an experiment! Why don't we try that now?" And she grabbed a hold of Twilight's hands. "I know the location, so direction is all covered!"
"I... I guess I don't have any other choice now do I?" Twilight looked around, "okay then... But just this once Athena! And It's your responsibility if things go wrong!"
"I promise!"
"Then here goes... Hold on Spike..." Twilight focused, a small sphere of light emanating from her forehead. As she focused more, the sphere grew bigger and bigger, ready to swallow up the two girls and the Purple Dog.
"I'm going to release it... Now!" Twilight signalled as she let loose the sphere,
"Teleport!" Athena chanted and with one big visual explosion with Purple and Pink energy combined, what was left was a large smudge on the concrete road and a trail of smoke rising up. The girls and dog however, completely vanished from view.
"Huh," Billy secretly watched everything from his garden while doing laundry. "So that girl's another one of those Psycho Brats..."
