Deep in the Everfree Forest a steel wrapped figure slowly got to its feet. Captain Grive al’Tera slowly looked at the forest around him blinking the spots from his eyes caused by the bright sun shining into his eyes when he opened them. His grip on his sword tightened as he tried to make sense of how he got from a last stand in a temple at night to a forest at mid-day. The Republic wouldn’t have left him here; they’d either have executed him on the spot to keep him as a prisoner to interrogate later, though unlikely as even the lowest ranking soldier is trained to resist all known forms of interrogation.

No the lack of any sign of an army having moved through here, and the fact he still was armed an armored meant he wasn’t captured, and there was that bright light he saw just before he lost conciseness told him this wasn’t the work of the Republic. Someone or something else did this.

A twig snapping to his left caused Grive to raise his sword, ready to attack whatever it was that was moving towards him.

A woman dressed in black and silver armor stumbled out of the bushes holding a crossbow to her chest. She looked up and her eyes were filled with relief upon seeing Captain al’Tera. “Captain!” She put her fist over the small raven taking flight over her heart in a salute.

“Report.” Grive said as he kept his eyes on the surrounding forest still holding his sword at his side.

The crossbowomen licked her lips. “um…I’ve been awake for about ten minutes now and been walking for about five. You’re the first person I’ve seen since waking up captain.” She said standing straighter. Grive nodded, about what he’d expected.

“At ease…”He looked at her.

“Tasil” She filled in and Grive nodded.

“If you are here Tasil then that means any other survivors should be too, though it seems we are scatter. Our first priority is finding anyone else who survived.” He told her, normally he wouldn’t explain things as he did but they were in an unknown situation and it was better to steady Tasil’s nerves by showing things were under control even if they weren’t fully. Tasil nodded as expected and Grive turned and started walking in the same direction she had been with her falling in behind him crossbow at the ready without needing to be ordered to do so.

<<>>

Storm Chaser stared at the strange purple horned and winged horse that had called herself an ‘Alicorn’ by the name of Twilight Sparkle, She knew she was taking a risk in not pressing the attack but the thing had dropped its shield when it could have kept it up and done who knows what else with its magic and they needed information and beating it out of them would take too long, though the option was still on the table till further notice.

Twilight blinked at her as dud the rainbow maned winged horse beside her and the other group of horses looking confused. They all looked stranger to Storm Chaser being multi-colored some with wings, one with a horn and one even wore a hat! What kind of a horse wore a hat?

“well…you’re at the edge of the Everfree Forest near the town of Ponyville.” Twilight spoke a bit slowly eyeing her and her companions wearily, seems she was trying to avoid another fight.

Storm Chaser tilted her head. “Ponyville?” She looked back at the two Stallions and they both shrugged so She looked back at Twilight.

“Yes, it’s the town over there. “Twilight pointed and winced a bit; seemed buck Dark Night had given her at the start of the fight was still hurting her. Storm Chaser looked where she had pointed her hoof at the small colorful town with the large crystal castle beyond it.

Storm Chaser nodded and eyed the other strange horse and pointed a hoof at them. “And they are?” She looked at Twilight.

“My friends, um…why don’t you introduce yourselves girls?” Twilight looked at them all.

The cyan and rainbow maned winged horse stepped force with a slight glare at Storm Chaser and her three companions “I’m Rainbow Dash.” She said, it was clear she was rather mad about having been beaten so easily by Dark Night.

An orange horse with a yellow mane and three apples on her flank stepped forward and spoke with a strange accent. “My names Applejack. “She eyed them with suspicion Storm Chaser noted.

Then the white horned horse with a purple mane and three diamonds on her flank stepped up and spoke with an accent that Storm chaser was also unfamiliar with. “I’m Rarity, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance…”She said leaving the air open for Storm Chaser and her companions to fill with their names, a fact they ignored and she gave a sigh.

The small yellow winged horse with the pink mane and butterflies on her flanked just squeezed and hid behind her mane whimpering. Storm Chaser wasn’t sure what to make of that so she merely shrugged and looked at the aggressively pink horse with strange circles on her flanks that was bouncing up and down of all things. “HI I’m Pinkie Pie! IT’s super good to meet you and I can’t wait to throw you a welcome to Ponyville and thanks for stopping beating up our friends party!” She said in one breath judging by the fact she had to take a deep breath after speaking. The fact she had been bouncing around her and the two stallions while speaking was unsettling to Storm Chaser to say the least.

Storm chaser looked back at Twilight who was looking at them expectantly, wasn’t hard to figure out she was waiting for their names. Storm Chaser pointed at Gorp. “Gorp.” Then to Dark Night. “Dark Night.” Then at herself. “Storm Chaser.” Twilight looked as if she expected more but as the second ticked by she realized Storm Chaser was done speaking.

“Well…I guess we should all head to Ponyville rather than continue to talk out here.” She said a bit hesitantly and Storm Chaser nodded, it would be easier to figure things out at the town and maybe their Riders were there, humans were always in towns.

As Twilight and her friends started to walk Storm Chaser got to her hooves. “Form up! “She barked and the two stallions did so, this earned the three odd looks from Twilight and her friends and Storm Chaser just looked back till they group started walking again with Strom Chaser, Gorp and Dark Night following behind them

<<>>

Twilight lead her friends and the three strange ponies into Ponyville. She winced a bit as she walked still hurting from the short fight with the Storm Chaser and her friends. She had never seen ponies react that way and it made her nervous how easily the three of them had beaten her and Rainbow Dash, Rainbow was grumbling under hear breath about it as she walked behind Twilight.

The way the three of them acted was very strange. Glancing back at the three of them walking behind her friends she could see their eyes constantly shifting as if expecting an attack any second. As if knowing Twilight was looking Storm Chaser’s eyes met Twilight’s with that same intensity she had had back when she has been asking Twilight her questions when she had her pinned down. Twilight knew she was ready to launch into another attack within a second.

“Something wrong?” Storm Chaser asked, her voice was cold and twilight realized she was staring as they walked.

“Oh...um…no nothing.” Twilight said blushing a bit in embarrassment at having been just staring at her group and she looked forward again. She noticed that other ponies in the town was eyeing the three new comers with curiosity but thankfully no one moved to speak to them as Twilight wasn’t sure how’d they react.

“They seem like a friendly bunch.” Rarity said as she walked up beside Twilight, keeping her voice low.

“Yeah they seem so sad ill need to make their party super extra fun.” Pinkie said on Twilights other side, thankfully keeping her voice low as well.

“And what party are you talking about?” Twilight and her three friends jumped a bit as Storm Chaser spoke up from the rear of the group and Twilight looked back seeing her once more focused on her, ears forward the other two still scanning their surroundings.

Pinkie was the first to recover and bounced over to the three of them. “I told you silly your ‘welcome to Ponyville and thank you for stopping beating up our friends’ party!” Pinkie said bouncy around the three causing them to stop eyes tracking her.

“That sounds like a dumb reason to celebrate.” The tan one, Gorp said and pinkie stop bouncing looking at him and opened her mouth to say something but she was cut off by Dark Night.

“Come now Gorp, clearly it is their custom and how they welcome guests, which we are currently. It’s only polite we attend.” He said calmly and Gorp looked at him.

“Still a stupid reason and why should I even go?”

“Because it is polite.” Dark Night responded as he looked at Pinkie. “Forgive my companion miss Pie; he doesn’t know the slightest thing about being polite.” He bowed his head slight and Gorp gave an annoyed grunt and started to open his mouth to speak.

“Shut up both of you.” Storm Chaser said sounding annoyed as she glared at the two of them who went quiet before looking back at Twilight. “Now I believe you were leading us somewhere so we could talk?”

Twilight nodded and turned to start walking again. “RUN AWAY CART!” twilight looked up the road ad saw a cart loaded down with creates speeding down the hill. Her eyes went wide as she saw Applebloom, Sweetiebelle and Scootloo right in its path looking up at the cart baring down on them eyes going wide the three fillies turned to try to get out of the way but they weren’t going to make it. Twilight horn started glow as she began to cast a spell as fast as she could then a white blur shot past Twilight and her friends and she watched as Storm Chaser shoved the three fillies out of the way then started to brace herself but wasn’t able to get her hooves under herself completely before the cart struck her.

Author's Note

If the characters are acting a bit wrong I apologize. Im trying to think of how they'd react to the situation they are in.