Lions of Lambsby ArguingPizzaChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1Princess Celestia stood alone on a small rise as she stared into the distance. The moon was absent in the night sky above; the only light available coming from the stars. Miles away, on a blood soaked ridge line a battle raged as the ponies of the 1st, 3rd, and 7th Equestrian Legions engaged the fearsome Black Talon Griffon flock. The ridge, known by most as 'The Farrier's Way', marked the border between Equestria and the Griffon lands to the north. Celestia watched in silence as half a dozen Bomb Spells detonated in rapid sequence. Screams of pain and anguish followed. If not for her enhanced hearing, Celestia never would have been able to hear the cries. The distance was enough that, even with her excellent eyesight, she could barely make out individual figures, outlined by a dozen fires started by flaming arrows and Incendiary Spells. The war with the Griffons, fierce and bloody though it was, was not what had drawn the Sun Princess to the frosty north of Equestria. "My Princess, she is ready." Celestia turned her head away from the battle and looked down at Thunder Wing, the Captain of her Royal Guard. Celestia gave a slight nod, and glanced at the large gathering of ponies which had formed a rough perimeter around her. A hundred white and gray Pegasi clad in golden armor shuffled about nervously, their eyes scanning for threats. Several stretched and refolded their wings. None were comfortable with the Princess being so near to the front. Thunder Wing had expressed his own reservations, but Celestia had overruled him. The Princess desperately needed to meet the pony she had traveled all the way from Canterlot to see. Celestia slowly strode towards a rickety wooden cottage hidden in a small grove of ancient trees. Instead of a door, a heavy wool sheet hung in the doorway. Celestia glanced at Thunder Wing, who had moved to follow her. "You will wait out here." Thunder Wing hesitated, before bowing his head and took a small step back. His displeasure was obvious, even in the dim light of the new moon sky. Celestia lowered her head to avoid the top of the door frame, pushed the sheet aside with her magic, and stepped inside. The interior of the cottage was dark with only a few small candles providing light. Fog swirled all around the single room in hypnotic patterns. In the center, on a pile of ragged pillows, sat a unicorn mare with a pale gray, nearly white coat and white mane. The mare's cutie mark was a grandfather clock half obscured behind a parted curtain. The mare's eyes were hidden beneath her mane as she stared at a candle. "We were told you requested Our presence," Celestia said, refraining from using the Royal Canterlot Voice. The pony did not speak, only dipped her head slightly in affirmation. Celestia waited, but the mare remained silent. The sound of a muffled explosion in the distance prompted Celestia to press the silent pony. "Speak, Mare of Time, or was Our journey for naught?" As if it had been waiting for Celestia's question, the smoke all around her instantly changed its pattern. Instead of many independent swirls and loops, the smoke began to slowly circle around the Mare of Time. The smoke circled faster and faster, becoming a whirlwind. Then, as quickly as it began, the smoke stopped. For many minutes, the smoke remained still. Celestia resisted the urge to shift her weight, trying to maintain her regal appearance before the mysterious pony in front of her. Suddenly and without warning, the smoke divided upwards into two parallel columns around the Mare of Time, who looked up at Celestia for the first time. Celestia took an involuntary step back from the sight. The Mare's eyes were completely white and looked eerily unseeing, while at the same time seemed to see completely through the Princess. The Mare's lips moved wordlessly for a fraction of a second. Then, the words not matching the movement of the Mare's lips, a great, booming voice pulsed in the Alicorn's ears. The sound was so horribly loud, yet so completely soft, it forced the Princess to her knees. It was as if a billion tons of silk were pressing down on her eardrums. Celestia covered her ears with her hooves in an attempt to shield herself, all thoughts of 'Royal behavior' having been thrown out of the window by the white hot pain lancing through her skull, but the voice seemed to be inside her mind. 'Mare of Burning Star above heed my warning lest all your kingdom turn to dust. When the Wheel of Night reclaims its lost patron, the Monster of Slight Banished by Harmony, And the God of Chaos Forced from His throne A Rain of fire will fall to ground to deliver our Salvation. Looked upon with Trepidation Sired by a Lion with the Heart of a Lamb. Then the World Itself shall quake. An Evil force made to wait shall pierce the Heavenly Veil. The sounds of Battle will resound And the Land of Peace will feel War. Kindness lays upon the floor, appears to breath Nevermore. A rage contained, a rage released The only way to Slay the Beast But when Titans Roar And fists do Clash, If left alone to their fight All the world shall turn to ash. Good may win, it may not But Good it won't remain. Evil in the end shall have its way Unless the warrior's hand is stayed." The Mare of Time's lips ceased to move, and she returned her unseeing eyes back to her candle. Celestia rubbed her head with a hoof and struggled to stand. When she finally managed to raise herself on shaky legs, the Mare of Time tilted her head in her direction without taking her eyes from the candle. "I have no more words for this world. I think...I think I would like to rest now." The Mare's voice was a tired, raspy whisper. It was so quiet Celestia debated for a moment if she had truly heard it at all. The Princess of the Sun opened her mouth to inquire further, but was stopped when every candle in the room was simultaneously extinguished, plunging the cottage into total darkness. By the time Celestia managed to conjure a Light Spell, the room was empty. The pile of cushions the Mare had been laying on appeared undisturbed. Celestia nodded her head sadly, understanding whatever it was that had given the Mare of Time her power had taken its leave. Thousands of years of experience allowed her to recognize the few times when she had no say in certain matters, and she recognized the Mare of Time's exit as one such instance. As the large white Alicorn turned towards the doorway to leave, a small wisp of smoke floated past Celestia's ear. "It shall End where it All began. Farewell, my Beloved Celly." Celestia jerked her head abruptly in the direction of the voice. It was not the same gravelly whisper as the Mare of Time's true voice, but instead a soft, silky tone. One she remembered very well. Not only that, but it had called her 'Celly'. Only two beings in all of existence had ever called her that, and one was currently sealed in the moon. But when Celestia again searched the cabin, it remained empty. Suppressing the urge to sigh again, Princess Celestia stepped back out into the Night, the words of the prophecy weighing heavily on her mind. So that's it for now. Please tell me what you think, any tips you may have, and if I made any spelling or grammar errors. Chapter 2“And in there is where they're testing the new food capsules.” Gohan pointed at an office door marked 'Food Research'. Beside him, Videl nodded her head in acknowledgment. Though she didn't voice it, she was bored out of her mind. To keep herself from falling asleep on her feet, she had resorted to counting floor tiles. 1239. And counting. Since Gohan was wearing his boring school clothes instead of his purple training gi, she couldn't even allow herself the secret pleasure of admiring his chiseled physique. No amount of torture in the world could make her admit it out loud, but she actually thought Gohan wasn't too bad looking, at least when he wasn't dressed like......that. Still, in retrospect, her current situation was at least partially her fault. It had only been two weeks since the fight against the pissed of monster of a Saiyan Broly, and Gohan had been annoyingly quiet ever since. Videl had finally been forced to ask his mother what was wrong. Chi Chi had told her that Gohan was feeling guilty because he hadn't been able to protect her, Goten, and Trunks from Broly. According to the dark haired mother bear that was Chi Chi, he had acted much the same way in the aftermath of his father's death against Cell. So, all other means having failed, Videl had called Gohan out. After talking to Chi Chi, she had realized she wouldn't be able to just force Gohan to forgive himself. She realized she needed to get a little creative. That was when she had come up with what she regarded as an excellent plan; she would get Gohan to 'make it up to her' for his imaginary transgression. Her next problem had been how? She couldn't exactly ask him to buy her something. It wasn't that he was poor; far from it. Chi Chi kept a small fortune under wraps. A combination of her late husband's old tournament winnings and being a Princess of the Ox Kingdom. If she felt the need the woman could buy a small country. It was just the fact that Videl already had too much stuff laying around her and her father's mansion and the last thing she needed was more. Not to mention it probably wouldn't be enough to cheer up Gohan. Asking for training was out too. Videl and Gohan were already training together every chance they had. Any more and her Dad would start asking questions, and that was something she was putting off for as long as she could. Eventually, it had struck Videl that Gohan's godmother was the one and only Bulma Briefs, heir to the Capsule Corporation. So one evening, after another of their grueling(for Videl) training sessions, Videl had told Gohan that if he wanted to make it up to her, he had to give her a guided tour of the Capsule Corp Headquarters. And now,Videl was paying for her small oversight in the wording or her request. Videl had been hoping that Gohan would skip straight to the interesting stuff: jetcopters, hovercars, weapons research, and of course; the 'Weird Science' division, for which Capsule Corp was known world wide. Instead, Gohan had decided that if he was going to show Videl around Capsule Corp, he was going to show her everything. She was stuck being led through the most boring parts of the most exciting building on the planet. Gohan had even taken the time to show her the broom closets, and the small bit of teasing she had done when he had had gone completely over his head. Videl simply couldn't catch a break. As Gohan continued to drone on, Videl absentmindedly rubbed the spot where Broly had nearly broken her right arm two weeks before. Even though Gohan had given her a weird bean which healed her immediately, she swore she could still feel it tingle. “In here they have-” Gohan's tour was cut short when he was suddenly tackled to the ground by an orange and teal blur. Videl spun around in bewilderment and immediately burst out laughing. Gohan was pinned to the floor with Goten and Trunks on top of him. The two young Saiyans were holding him by his shirt and shaking him. Both were shouting at him, but they spoke so fast and so loud their words were incomprehensible. Gohan raised an eyebrow and stood with seemingly no effort. Goten and Trunks fell in a heap onto the floor in front of him. Gohan took a moment to dust off himself off before turning to the two children, who were now standing upright next to each other with angelic smiles on their faces. “Care to explain what that was about?” he asked sternly. Beside him, Videl was finally beginning to recover from her laughing fit. A muffled giggle escaped her lips, and she covered her mouth in an unconvincing attempt to disguise it as a cough. Goten glanced at Trunks and nudged him with his elbow. Trunks glared back at him before looking up at Gohan. “Well, uh.....we just wanted to hang out with our favorite person in the world! Is that a crime?” Trunks asked accusingly while pointing his finger angrily at Gohan. Gohan crossed his arms and sighed. “You got lost again, didn't you.” It wasn't a question. Goten and Trunks' faces reddened. Goten chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, the spitting image of his father. “Eh-heh. Kinda.” Gohan rolled his eyes, but before he could speak all three of the Saiyans' stomachs growled in synch. To Videl it sounded like a pissed off tiger had just roared in the small hallway. She actually felt the building shake. “Um....Videl? Would mind if we finished the tour another time?” Gohan asked sheepishly. Inside, Videl was crying tears of joy. On the outside, she crossed her arms and looked away from the three half-breeds. “Hmph. Fine. But you still owe me a tour. And next time, I want to see the fun stuff. Got that?” She finished by poking him hard in the chest. Gohan leaned back fearfully and nodded. Videl smirked and turned her back to him. “Gooooohaaaaan!” Goten and Trunks whined together, “Coooooome oooooon we're hungry!” Goten and Trunks insistently pulled on Gohan's pant legs. “Alright, let's go,” Gohan replied and began to walk in the direction he and Videl had just come from. He had only taken three steps when he felt the weight on his pants disappear and the scuffle of small feet behind him. “Oooooh, what's down here?” Goten asked. Gohan turned around in time to see Goten and Trunks disappear down a hallway, their childish curiosity momentarily overriding their stomachs,. Gohan's shoulders slumped in exasperation. Gohan glanced at the sign above the hall as he slowly began to walk after the two hyperactive children. As soon as the words on the hanging plastic registered, he froze in place. It read 'Level III Research Wing'. Gohan paled. Level III was the wing where Capsule Corp developed its most dangerous technology. Interstellar engines, high energy reactors, advanced weapons, and pretty much everything else a pair of young demi-Saiyans shouldn't be around. Level III was so dangerous it didn't even have a cleaning crew; the chance of a janitor or maintenance technician being accidentally killed was too high. Even Gohan wasn't normally allowed in Level III. Without another thought, Gohan charged down the hall and turned into Level III. He paused and turned around to face Videl, who had followed him. “Videl, please stay here. Its really dangerous in there.” Before Videl could respond, Gohan pushed through the double doors into the research wing. Videl's face tightened and she scowled. “Too dangerous, eh? Oh yeah Gohan? I'll show you danger!” Videl pushed her own way through the double doors. The hall on the other side was completely different from the rest of the building, and it gave her pause. The walls were completely white, except for a single red line that ran about shoulder high. Black words repeated every few feet read 'LEVEL III RESEARCH WING' and 'AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY'. Videl disregarded the warnings and ran down the hall. She paused at an intersection and listened. To her left she heard the sounds of a struggle and a loud crash. She turned and sprinted down the hall, passing doors without bothering to read the words printed on them. After almost a minute of sprinting, she heard another crash come from the door she had just passed. She skidded to a stop and backtracked to the door. The door itself was hanging off its top hinge. Had it been intact instead of in tiny pieces on the tile floor, Videl would have been able to read the words on the translucent glass; 'Dimensional Research'. Videl cautiously pushed her way inside. As soon as stepped foot into the room, she was thrown back out by an invisible force. She bounced off the far wall of the hallway. Her head smacked against the hard concrete walls and she slumped to the floor. A dull throbbing pain in the back of her skull began to pulse. She pushed it to the back of her mind, no pun intended, and forced herself to stand. She entered again, taking very cautious, measured steps. The research room was big, very big. It was easily as large as a sports stadium in terms of floor space, though most of it was filled by lab tables. A line of large, oddly shaped machines lined the far wall. Videl looked towards the center of the room and saw one of the stupidest sights she had ever seen. Directly to her left was a huge metal device. It shined even in the dull fluorescent lighting of the laboratory and was almost two stories tall. It looked very similar to a pyramid, with the exception of the side facing her being vertical. The flat side was decorated with a large circle that covered almost the entire surface. Strange characters and designs covered the entire structure with the exception of the circle, which was perfectly smooth. To the right of the circle was a small control panel set into the metal that had been smashed to pieces. A shower of sparks burst from a hole through the center of the console. The hole was approximately the size of a child's head. The damage to the unusual device, however, wasn't what made the scene stupid. Instead, it was the three half-Saiyans wrestling on the ground, completely oblivious to the world around them. Gohan managed to pin Goten, but Trunks took advantage of the momentary distraction and wiggled out of his grasp. When he recaptured Trunks, Goten took the opportunity to escape. The cycle repeated a dozen times before Videl finally grew tired of it. She stamped her foot and loudly yelled, “ENOUGH!” The three Saiyans froze. They looked up at her with deer-in-a-headlight looks on their faces. But before Videl could even begin to interrogate, or discipline, the boys in front of her, the same huge force that had slammed her into the wall before returned. This time, instead of pushing her away, it pulled her roughly towards the damaged machine. Videl's balance was thrown off and fell to the floor. Before she could regain her bearings she was dragged several feet towards the device before the force let up. Goten, Trunks, and Gohan had also been pulled towards it. The device began to whine deeply, every second growing in volume and pitch. Gohan stood in alarm. Goten and Trunks, their arms and legs tangled together, stopped trying to free themselves to gaze at the machine as Videl righted herself. Suddenly another pulse came from the gate, this one much stronger than before. Gohan planted his feet and stopped himself. The two young Saiyans slid along the floor and into the back of his legs. Having prepared herself, Videl was able to maintain her balance as well. She leaned back against the force, but the pulling didn't let up. Instead, it became stronger. The sounds coming from the machine were beginning to become uncomfortable, especially for the Saiyans' sensitive hearing. Goten and Trunks both covered their ears with their hands and Gohan was wincing as he slowly walked over to Videl, careful to maintain his footing. “I think we should leave.” Videl didn't argue. It was becoming harder and harder every second for her to remain standing. She gave an affirming nod, and Gohan turned back to the two children behind him. “Goten, Trunks, let's go. We should probably find Bulma and ask her-”Gohan was cut off mid sentence as the pull of the machine abruptly disappeared and the hum exploded in volume. Gohan and Videl clutched their heads in agony, collapsing to their knees. The massive circle on the machine began to glow a brilliant white. The light illuminated an entirely new set of designs covering the rim of the circle which theselves glowed dark blue. The hum of the machine grew louder as the glow around the edge of the circle grew brighter. Then, mercifully, the hum died and the bright lights dimmed. Gohan was the first to recover. He stood and placed a caring hand on Videl's shoulder, asking if she was alright. His hand was shoved away roughly and Videl nodded, assuring him she was fine. Gohan then checked over both Goten and Trunks, both of whom were fine. Gohan looked at the machine again out of the corner of his eye. The smooth, metallic center of the circle was glowing with an almost heavenly light. It was as if a thin layer of metal was all that stood between them and Eternity. It was, in a word, breathtaking. Gohan found himself pulled towards the light. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch it. The young half Saiyan reached out, not entirely in control of his own body, his fingers outstretched. The thought to stop himself occurred a fraction of a second too late, just as his fingers brushed against the polished surface. Light exploded, and then everything was dark. So, here it is. Please tell me what you think, I always look for pointers as far as writing goes and if you have any constructive points to make, please feel free. Chapter 3I'm not dead! Also, my computer is alive again! Ponyville Library was Twilight Sparkle's island of calm in a sea of craziness. Libraries in general were her comfort zone, but Ponyville Library in particular held a special place in her heart. Not only because of the fact that it was the first library she'd ever been able to live in-the young unicorn suppressed a squeal of delight at just the thought- but also because it was Ponyville Library where she had experienced her first Pinkie Pie Party and first faced Nightmare Moon, which had led to becoming friends with the other Elements of Harmony. Not to mention discovering the Elements themselves and their first round of saving Equestria. And as such it was particularly annoying for the purple unicorn when the calm, quiet atmosphere of the library was shattered like glass by a loud and violently drawn out snore. For a moment, Twilight was convinced a Hydra had somehow managed to sneak into her tree home, before realizing the true culprit. Dropping the half dozen books she was attempting to re-shelve, Twilight turned and stared at a cyan Pegasus sleeping on a bean bag chair. A Daring Doo book was draped across her face, and every time the pony in question snored, the book was almost sucked into her nostrils. Not even bothering to complain, Twilight used her magic to open a closet and pull out a well-worn cardboard cut out. With well-practiced motions, Twilight placed the cut out directly in front of the snoozing pony and stood well to the side. She took a few deep breaths to prepare herself, and breathed in deeply- “OHMYCELESTIARAINBOWDASHHELPMANTICORERUUUUUUUUN!!!!” The cyan jolted Pegasus awake. The first image she saw upon waking was a hideous Manticore, inches away from her face and about to swipe her into oblivion. “AAAAHHH!!!!!!” A single, powerful flap of her wings propelled her out of the bean bag chair, away from the 'manticore', and directly into a transparent purple wall. Rainbow Dash's body flattened against the barrier before sliding down and landing in a heap on the floor. A moment passed. “I was snoring again, wasn't I?” Rainbow asked without bothering to stand. Twilight's expression was bored. “Yep.” “I thought I asked you to stop waking me like that?” Rainbow replied, rubbing her aching head. Twilight rolled her eyes and returned the cardboard cutout to her closet. This wasn't the first time it had been used in such a manner, and it wouldn't be the last. “Yes, and I asked you to stop drooling on my books.” Rainbow sat up and looked back fondly at her former sleeping space. Sure enough, the Daring Doo novel was soaked completely through. Rainbow pouted. “Yeah well.....its not my fault books are so fragile.” Twilight giggled and continued to re-shelve her books as before. “Rainbow, these books are for everypony in town, not just for you to drool on.” Rainbow Dash continued to pout, before standing and stretching. “Well, its been fun Twi', but I should probably get some practicing in before I head home. See ya later!” She waved and walked to the door. Before Rainbow Dash's hoof could reach the handle, the door was slammed open. Rainbow Dash was flattened against the wall. She groaned in pain while a nervously bouncing Pinkie Pie stood in the doorway. “Twilight! Oh good I found you! My Pinkie Sense has been going off all day! My tail just won't stop twitchie-twitching! You gotta help!” Pinkie zipped across the library and collapsed at Twilight's hooves. Sure enough, her tail was shaking hard enough to move Pinkie's entire body. “Uh...how can I help? I already tried to figure out your Pinkie Sense, remember? It didn't exactly end well....” Twilight thought back to all the horrible things that had happened during her investigation with a shudder. Who even mails anvils? Or fully loaded carts? Pinkie wasn't swayed. “You gotta have something in all that magicky head! Please Twilight! I've already ruined three whole cakes! Those cakes didn't hurt anypony! Whyyyyy!??!” Pinkie was bordering on hysterics. Behind her, Twilight's front door drifted closed and Rainbow dropped to the floor.. “Ugh...ow.” Rainbow took a moment to look around before her eyes fixed on Pinkie Pie crying a river of tears while grovelling to a confused Twilight. “Pinkie Pie? What's the matter?” Pinkie Pie's ears perked up and her tears stopped instantly. Faster than an Earth pony should be able to move, Pinkie tackled Rainbow Dash and pinned her to the floor. “Dashie! You've got to stop me! I'm a danger to pastries everywhere!” Rainbow looked past Pinkie Pie at Twilight for clarification, but the lavender unicorn shrugged in confusion. “Uh....I'm not sure what you want me to-mmff!” Rainbow's confused reply was cut off abruptly when Pinkie shoved her hoof in her mouth. “Wait! Knee twitch,” the pink mare's knee began to twitch erratically, “Eye flutter,” Pinkie's eyes fluttered rapidly, “and achie shoulder. Huh. I wonder what thatttttttttt-” Pinkie then began to shudder violently, enough to make her fall off of Rainbow Dash and onto her back. After several seconds of shaking, Pinkie was still. Rainbow Dash and Twilight both stood over her expectantly. “Well?” asked Rainbow Dash. “What does that mean?” Pinkie's carefree smile returned the her face and she shrugged. “No idea! I've never had a combo like that. Twitchie tail, knee twitch, aching shoulder, and a doozy-shudder all in one. Never had one of those before!” Pinkie giggled and stood. Rainbow and Twilight shared a look of mild concern,before mutually agreeing that it was simply Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. That thought was quickly squashed when an ear-shattering boom passed through the library. All three mares squealed in surprise and collided together in an impromptu fear-hug. “W-w-what was that?!” Rainbow Dash asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the fear out of her voice. Twilight squirmed her way out of the fear-hug and threw her door open. In an instant Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were at her side. All three focused their gazes on a massive fireball soaring low over Ponyville. Everywhere in Ponyville, ponies stopped whatever they were doing to rush outside and see the commotion. The eyes of everypony in town were locked on the explosion tearing through their skies. Terrified pegasi dived out of the way of the wayward comet. The gears in Twilight's head began to grind as she began calculating where the fireball was going to land. Estimated velocity, altitude, angle of descent, and a dozen other factors combined to give Twilight a rough estimate of where it would land. It should miss town, thank Celestia, and land right about.....oh no. “Applejack!” The purple unicorn burst out of her tree home at a full gallop, heading straight for Sweet Apple Acres Behind her, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash looked at each other in confusion before quickly following suite. Twilight pushed herself to move as fast as she could, but her rarely-exercised muscles were already crying from the exertion and she hadn't even reached the edge of Ponyville yet. Another set of quick mental calculations gave her a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The fireball above her was moving too fast, had too large of a lead on her, and she couldn't even begin to keep up. Twilight made a snap decision and magic flowed into her horn. There was a magical whine and a loud POFF, and the purple mare disappeared. At that exact moment, Twilight Sparkle appeared in the front yard of the Apple Family home....... And directly in the path of the rapidly approaching fireball. BOOOOOM The fireball touched down in the middle of the Apple family orchards, barely a hundred yards away from Twilight. The ground shook violently from the enormous impact, and Twilight struggled to remain standing. The destruction didn't stop there. The fireball continued to plow through the orchard, gouging a deep wound in the earth as it went. The impact had slowed the fireball immensely, but it was still heading straight for Twilight. Thinking quickly, Twilight threw up a shield to cover both herself and the Apple home. Twilight took a deep breath and fed every ounce of her immense magical reserves into her shield spell. A few painful seconds ticked by as the fireball rapidly approached the Apple home, leaving hundreds of destroyed trees in its wake. After what seemed like hours to Twilight, but in reality was less than a second, the fireball finally slammed her shield. The tremendous force felt like a white-hot ice pick being hammered into her brain, directly where her horn was. Only the concentration needed to maintain the spell kept Twilight from screaming in pain. Mercifully, the energy from the explosion quickly dissipated. Twilight's shield dissolved as her legs gave out and she collapsed in the dirt. Twilight didn't have the energy to stand again, so she just rested on her side, panting. “Twilight!” three voices cried out at once. Twilight cracked one eye open, and her vision was filled with the faces of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. “You okay sugar cube?” asked Applejack with worry in her eyes. “Eeuuugh.” Not quite a 'yes', but close enough. “Wow! Twilight that was so super amazing! That meteor was like 'woooosh' and then you were all 'paPOP!' and then it was all 'CRAAAA-” A well placed hoof from Rainbow Dash cut off Pinkie's excited rant. After taking a few moments to catch her breath, Twilight stood on wobbly legs. When she nearly toppled over, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie moved to steady her. “I'm okay, I'm okay. Whoo. Wow, that really took a lot out of me. Applejack, are you-” Twilight stopped when she noticed the look of despair on Applejack's face. The apple farmer was surveying what was left of her north field, the majority of which was smoking ruin. The meteor had gauged a deep, wide trench the width of Sweet Apple Acres, stopping just in front of the family home. “Oh, Applejack I'm so sorry,” Twilight said. Applejack sniffled. “Its not your fault sugar cube. But it'll take years to fix all this.” Twilight didn't have a response to that, so she decided to walk to the edge of the still-hot crater. Twilight attempted to cast a heat-cancel spell, but the moment her magic started to flow a white hot pain shot through her brain. Twilight nearly dropped to her knees again, but the pain disappeared as soon as she cut off her flow of magic. Deciding instead to simply brave the heat, Twilight gently made her way to the edge of the crater and looked down towards the center. Through all the smoke and haze left over from the crash, she was just barely able to make out a strange, lumpy shape. However, instead of being burnt black, the shape was a mix of darkened tan and purple. It was- Wait, is it..........moving? The shape appeared to be shifting, and then there was a very, very distinct moan of pain. Blegh. I admit, I'm not too happy with this chapter, but I just couldn't seem to get it perfect. So, here it is as is, and I'd appreciate some criticism. Constructive criticism, but criticism. Also, please point out any and all grammar errors and typos so I can fix them.
Chapter 1Princess Celestia stood alone on a small rise as she stared into the distance. The moon was absent in the night sky above; the only light available coming from the stars. Miles away, on a blood soaked ridge line a battle raged as the ponies of the 1st, 3rd, and 7th Equestrian Legions engaged the fearsome Black Talon Griffon flock. The ridge, known by most as 'The Farrier's Way', marked the border between Equestria and the Griffon lands to the north. Celestia watched in silence as half a dozen Bomb Spells detonated in rapid sequence. Screams of pain and anguish followed. If not for her enhanced hearing, Celestia never would have been able to hear the cries. The distance was enough that, even with her excellent eyesight, she could barely make out individual figures, outlined by a dozen fires started by flaming arrows and Incendiary Spells. The war with the Griffons, fierce and bloody though it was, was not what had drawn the Sun Princess to the frosty north of Equestria. "My Princess, she is ready." Celestia turned her head away from the battle and looked down at Thunder Wing, the Captain of her Royal Guard. Celestia gave a slight nod, and glanced at the large gathering of ponies which had formed a rough perimeter around her. A hundred white and gray Pegasi clad in golden armor shuffled about nervously, their eyes scanning for threats. Several stretched and refolded their wings. None were comfortable with the Princess being so near to the front. Thunder Wing had expressed his own reservations, but Celestia had overruled him. The Princess desperately needed to meet the pony she had traveled all the way from Canterlot to see. Celestia slowly strode towards a rickety wooden cottage hidden in a small grove of ancient trees. Instead of a door, a heavy wool sheet hung in the doorway. Celestia glanced at Thunder Wing, who had moved to follow her. "You will wait out here." Thunder Wing hesitated, before bowing his head and took a small step back. His displeasure was obvious, even in the dim light of the new moon sky. Celestia lowered her head to avoid the top of the door frame, pushed the sheet aside with her magic, and stepped inside. The interior of the cottage was dark with only a few small candles providing light. Fog swirled all around the single room in hypnotic patterns. In the center, on a pile of ragged pillows, sat a unicorn mare with a pale gray, nearly white coat and white mane. The mare's cutie mark was a grandfather clock half obscured behind a parted curtain. The mare's eyes were hidden beneath her mane as she stared at a candle. "We were told you requested Our presence," Celestia said, refraining from using the Royal Canterlot Voice. The pony did not speak, only dipped her head slightly in affirmation. Celestia waited, but the mare remained silent. The sound of a muffled explosion in the distance prompted Celestia to press the silent pony. "Speak, Mare of Time, or was Our journey for naught?" As if it had been waiting for Celestia's question, the smoke all around her instantly changed its pattern. Instead of many independent swirls and loops, the smoke began to slowly circle around the Mare of Time. The smoke circled faster and faster, becoming a whirlwind. Then, as quickly as it began, the smoke stopped. For many minutes, the smoke remained still. Celestia resisted the urge to shift her weight, trying to maintain her regal appearance before the mysterious pony in front of her. Suddenly and without warning, the smoke divided upwards into two parallel columns around the Mare of Time, who looked up at Celestia for the first time. Celestia took an involuntary step back from the sight. The Mare's eyes were completely white and looked eerily unseeing, while at the same time seemed to see completely through the Princess. The Mare's lips moved wordlessly for a fraction of a second. Then, the words not matching the movement of the Mare's lips, a great, booming voice pulsed in the Alicorn's ears. The sound was so horribly loud, yet so completely soft, it forced the Princess to her knees. It was as if a billion tons of silk were pressing down on her eardrums. Celestia covered her ears with her hooves in an attempt to shield herself, all thoughts of 'Royal behavior' having been thrown out of the window by the white hot pain lancing through her skull, but the voice seemed to be inside her mind. 'Mare of Burning Star above heed my warning lest all your kingdom turn to dust. When the Wheel of Night reclaims its lost patron, the Monster of Slight Banished by Harmony, And the God of Chaos Forced from His throne A Rain of fire will fall to ground to deliver our Salvation. Looked upon with Trepidation Sired by a Lion with the Heart of a Lamb. Then the World Itself shall quake. An Evil force made to wait shall pierce the Heavenly Veil. The sounds of Battle will resound And the Land of Peace will feel War. Kindness lays upon the floor, appears to breath Nevermore. A rage contained, a rage released The only way to Slay the Beast But when Titans Roar And fists do Clash, If left alone to their fight All the world shall turn to ash. Good may win, it may not But Good it won't remain. Evil in the end shall have its way Unless the warrior's hand is stayed." The Mare of Time's lips ceased to move, and she returned her unseeing eyes back to her candle. Celestia rubbed her head with a hoof and struggled to stand. When she finally managed to raise herself on shaky legs, the Mare of Time tilted her head in her direction without taking her eyes from the candle. "I have no more words for this world. I think...I think I would like to rest now." The Mare's voice was a tired, raspy whisper. It was so quiet Celestia debated for a moment if she had truly heard it at all. The Princess of the Sun opened her mouth to inquire further, but was stopped when every candle in the room was simultaneously extinguished, plunging the cottage into total darkness. By the time Celestia managed to conjure a Light Spell, the room was empty. The pile of cushions the Mare had been laying on appeared undisturbed. Celestia nodded her head sadly, understanding whatever it was that had given the Mare of Time her power had taken its leave. Thousands of years of experience allowed her to recognize the few times when she had no say in certain matters, and she recognized the Mare of Time's exit as one such instance. As the large white Alicorn turned towards the doorway to leave, a small wisp of smoke floated past Celestia's ear. "It shall End where it All began. Farewell, my Beloved Celly." Celestia jerked her head abruptly in the direction of the voice. It was not the same gravelly whisper as the Mare of Time's true voice, but instead a soft, silky tone. One she remembered very well. Not only that, but it had called her 'Celly'. Only two beings in all of existence had ever called her that, and one was currently sealed in the moon. But when Celestia again searched the cabin, it remained empty. Suppressing the urge to sigh again, Princess Celestia stepped back out into the Night, the words of the prophecy weighing heavily on her mind. So that's it for now. Please tell me what you think, any tips you may have, and if I made any spelling or grammar errors.
Chapter 2“And in there is where they're testing the new food capsules.” Gohan pointed at an office door marked 'Food Research'. Beside him, Videl nodded her head in acknowledgment. Though she didn't voice it, she was bored out of her mind. To keep herself from falling asleep on her feet, she had resorted to counting floor tiles. 1239. And counting. Since Gohan was wearing his boring school clothes instead of his purple training gi, she couldn't even allow herself the secret pleasure of admiring his chiseled physique. No amount of torture in the world could make her admit it out loud, but she actually thought Gohan wasn't too bad looking, at least when he wasn't dressed like......that. Still, in retrospect, her current situation was at least partially her fault. It had only been two weeks since the fight against the pissed of monster of a Saiyan Broly, and Gohan had been annoyingly quiet ever since. Videl had finally been forced to ask his mother what was wrong. Chi Chi had told her that Gohan was feeling guilty because he hadn't been able to protect her, Goten, and Trunks from Broly. According to the dark haired mother bear that was Chi Chi, he had acted much the same way in the aftermath of his father's death against Cell. So, all other means having failed, Videl had called Gohan out. After talking to Chi Chi, she had realized she wouldn't be able to just force Gohan to forgive himself. She realized she needed to get a little creative. That was when she had come up with what she regarded as an excellent plan; she would get Gohan to 'make it up to her' for his imaginary transgression. Her next problem had been how? She couldn't exactly ask him to buy her something. It wasn't that he was poor; far from it. Chi Chi kept a small fortune under wraps. A combination of her late husband's old tournament winnings and being a Princess of the Ox Kingdom. If she felt the need the woman could buy a small country. It was just the fact that Videl already had too much stuff laying around her and her father's mansion and the last thing she needed was more. Not to mention it probably wouldn't be enough to cheer up Gohan. Asking for training was out too. Videl and Gohan were already training together every chance they had. Any more and her Dad would start asking questions, and that was something she was putting off for as long as she could. Eventually, it had struck Videl that Gohan's godmother was the one and only Bulma Briefs, heir to the Capsule Corporation. So one evening, after another of their grueling(for Videl) training sessions, Videl had told Gohan that if he wanted to make it up to her, he had to give her a guided tour of the Capsule Corp Headquarters. And now,Videl was paying for her small oversight in the wording or her request. Videl had been hoping that Gohan would skip straight to the interesting stuff: jetcopters, hovercars, weapons research, and of course; the 'Weird Science' division, for which Capsule Corp was known world wide. Instead, Gohan had decided that if he was going to show Videl around Capsule Corp, he was going to show her everything. She was stuck being led through the most boring parts of the most exciting building on the planet. Gohan had even taken the time to show her the broom closets, and the small bit of teasing she had done when he had had gone completely over his head. Videl simply couldn't catch a break. As Gohan continued to drone on, Videl absentmindedly rubbed the spot where Broly had nearly broken her right arm two weeks before. Even though Gohan had given her a weird bean which healed her immediately, she swore she could still feel it tingle. “In here they have-” Gohan's tour was cut short when he was suddenly tackled to the ground by an orange and teal blur. Videl spun around in bewilderment and immediately burst out laughing. Gohan was pinned to the floor with Goten and Trunks on top of him. The two young Saiyans were holding him by his shirt and shaking him. Both were shouting at him, but they spoke so fast and so loud their words were incomprehensible. Gohan raised an eyebrow and stood with seemingly no effort. Goten and Trunks fell in a heap onto the floor in front of him. Gohan took a moment to dust off himself off before turning to the two children, who were now standing upright next to each other with angelic smiles on their faces. “Care to explain what that was about?” he asked sternly. Beside him, Videl was finally beginning to recover from her laughing fit. A muffled giggle escaped her lips, and she covered her mouth in an unconvincing attempt to disguise it as a cough. Goten glanced at Trunks and nudged him with his elbow. Trunks glared back at him before looking up at Gohan. “Well, uh.....we just wanted to hang out with our favorite person in the world! Is that a crime?” Trunks asked accusingly while pointing his finger angrily at Gohan. Gohan crossed his arms and sighed. “You got lost again, didn't you.” It wasn't a question. Goten and Trunks' faces reddened. Goten chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, the spitting image of his father. “Eh-heh. Kinda.” Gohan rolled his eyes, but before he could speak all three of the Saiyans' stomachs growled in synch. To Videl it sounded like a pissed off tiger had just roared in the small hallway. She actually felt the building shake. “Um....Videl? Would mind if we finished the tour another time?” Gohan asked sheepishly. Inside, Videl was crying tears of joy. On the outside, she crossed her arms and looked away from the three half-breeds. “Hmph. Fine. But you still owe me a tour. And next time, I want to see the fun stuff. Got that?” She finished by poking him hard in the chest. Gohan leaned back fearfully and nodded. Videl smirked and turned her back to him. “Gooooohaaaaan!” Goten and Trunks whined together, “Coooooome oooooon we're hungry!” Goten and Trunks insistently pulled on Gohan's pant legs. “Alright, let's go,” Gohan replied and began to walk in the direction he and Videl had just come from. He had only taken three steps when he felt the weight on his pants disappear and the scuffle of small feet behind him. “Oooooh, what's down here?” Goten asked. Gohan turned around in time to see Goten and Trunks disappear down a hallway, their childish curiosity momentarily overriding their stomachs,. Gohan's shoulders slumped in exasperation. Gohan glanced at the sign above the hall as he slowly began to walk after the two hyperactive children. As soon as the words on the hanging plastic registered, he froze in place. It read 'Level III Research Wing'. Gohan paled. Level III was the wing where Capsule Corp developed its most dangerous technology. Interstellar engines, high energy reactors, advanced weapons, and pretty much everything else a pair of young demi-Saiyans shouldn't be around. Level III was so dangerous it didn't even have a cleaning crew; the chance of a janitor or maintenance technician being accidentally killed was too high. Even Gohan wasn't normally allowed in Level III. Without another thought, Gohan charged down the hall and turned into Level III. He paused and turned around to face Videl, who had followed him. “Videl, please stay here. Its really dangerous in there.” Before Videl could respond, Gohan pushed through the double doors into the research wing. Videl's face tightened and she scowled. “Too dangerous, eh? Oh yeah Gohan? I'll show you danger!” Videl pushed her own way through the double doors. The hall on the other side was completely different from the rest of the building, and it gave her pause. The walls were completely white, except for a single red line that ran about shoulder high. Black words repeated every few feet read 'LEVEL III RESEARCH WING' and 'AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY'. Videl disregarded the warnings and ran down the hall. She paused at an intersection and listened. To her left she heard the sounds of a struggle and a loud crash. She turned and sprinted down the hall, passing doors without bothering to read the words printed on them. After almost a minute of sprinting, she heard another crash come from the door she had just passed. She skidded to a stop and backtracked to the door. The door itself was hanging off its top hinge. Had it been intact instead of in tiny pieces on the tile floor, Videl would have been able to read the words on the translucent glass; 'Dimensional Research'. Videl cautiously pushed her way inside. As soon as stepped foot into the room, she was thrown back out by an invisible force. She bounced off the far wall of the hallway. Her head smacked against the hard concrete walls and she slumped to the floor. A dull throbbing pain in the back of her skull began to pulse. She pushed it to the back of her mind, no pun intended, and forced herself to stand. She entered again, taking very cautious, measured steps. The research room was big, very big. It was easily as large as a sports stadium in terms of floor space, though most of it was filled by lab tables. A line of large, oddly shaped machines lined the far wall. Videl looked towards the center of the room and saw one of the stupidest sights she had ever seen. Directly to her left was a huge metal device. It shined even in the dull fluorescent lighting of the laboratory and was almost two stories tall. It looked very similar to a pyramid, with the exception of the side facing her being vertical. The flat side was decorated with a large circle that covered almost the entire surface. Strange characters and designs covered the entire structure with the exception of the circle, which was perfectly smooth. To the right of the circle was a small control panel set into the metal that had been smashed to pieces. A shower of sparks burst from a hole through the center of the console. The hole was approximately the size of a child's head. The damage to the unusual device, however, wasn't what made the scene stupid. Instead, it was the three half-Saiyans wrestling on the ground, completely oblivious to the world around them. Gohan managed to pin Goten, but Trunks took advantage of the momentary distraction and wiggled out of his grasp. When he recaptured Trunks, Goten took the opportunity to escape. The cycle repeated a dozen times before Videl finally grew tired of it. She stamped her foot and loudly yelled, “ENOUGH!” The three Saiyans froze. They looked up at her with deer-in-a-headlight looks on their faces. But before Videl could even begin to interrogate, or discipline, the boys in front of her, the same huge force that had slammed her into the wall before returned. This time, instead of pushing her away, it pulled her roughly towards the damaged machine. Videl's balance was thrown off and fell to the floor. Before she could regain her bearings she was dragged several feet towards the device before the force let up. Goten, Trunks, and Gohan had also been pulled towards it. The device began to whine deeply, every second growing in volume and pitch. Gohan stood in alarm. Goten and Trunks, their arms and legs tangled together, stopped trying to free themselves to gaze at the machine as Videl righted herself. Suddenly another pulse came from the gate, this one much stronger than before. Gohan planted his feet and stopped himself. The two young Saiyans slid along the floor and into the back of his legs. Having prepared herself, Videl was able to maintain her balance as well. She leaned back against the force, but the pulling didn't let up. Instead, it became stronger. The sounds coming from the machine were beginning to become uncomfortable, especially for the Saiyans' sensitive hearing. Goten and Trunks both covered their ears with their hands and Gohan was wincing as he slowly walked over to Videl, careful to maintain his footing. “I think we should leave.” Videl didn't argue. It was becoming harder and harder every second for her to remain standing. She gave an affirming nod, and Gohan turned back to the two children behind him. “Goten, Trunks, let's go. We should probably find Bulma and ask her-”Gohan was cut off mid sentence as the pull of the machine abruptly disappeared and the hum exploded in volume. Gohan and Videl clutched their heads in agony, collapsing to their knees. The massive circle on the machine began to glow a brilliant white. The light illuminated an entirely new set of designs covering the rim of the circle which theselves glowed dark blue. The hum of the machine grew louder as the glow around the edge of the circle grew brighter. Then, mercifully, the hum died and the bright lights dimmed. Gohan was the first to recover. He stood and placed a caring hand on Videl's shoulder, asking if she was alright. His hand was shoved away roughly and Videl nodded, assuring him she was fine. Gohan then checked over both Goten and Trunks, both of whom were fine. Gohan looked at the machine again out of the corner of his eye. The smooth, metallic center of the circle was glowing with an almost heavenly light. It was as if a thin layer of metal was all that stood between them and Eternity. It was, in a word, breathtaking. Gohan found himself pulled towards the light. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch it. The young half Saiyan reached out, not entirely in control of his own body, his fingers outstretched. The thought to stop himself occurred a fraction of a second too late, just as his fingers brushed against the polished surface. Light exploded, and then everything was dark. So, here it is. Please tell me what you think, I always look for pointers as far as writing goes and if you have any constructive points to make, please feel free.
Chapter 3I'm not dead! Also, my computer is alive again! Ponyville Library was Twilight Sparkle's island of calm in a sea of craziness. Libraries in general were her comfort zone, but Ponyville Library in particular held a special place in her heart. Not only because of the fact that it was the first library she'd ever been able to live in-the young unicorn suppressed a squeal of delight at just the thought- but also because it was Ponyville Library where she had experienced her first Pinkie Pie Party and first faced Nightmare Moon, which had led to becoming friends with the other Elements of Harmony. Not to mention discovering the Elements themselves and their first round of saving Equestria. And as such it was particularly annoying for the purple unicorn when the calm, quiet atmosphere of the library was shattered like glass by a loud and violently drawn out snore. For a moment, Twilight was convinced a Hydra had somehow managed to sneak into her tree home, before realizing the true culprit. Dropping the half dozen books she was attempting to re-shelve, Twilight turned and stared at a cyan Pegasus sleeping on a bean bag chair. A Daring Doo book was draped across her face, and every time the pony in question snored, the book was almost sucked into her nostrils. Not even bothering to complain, Twilight used her magic to open a closet and pull out a well-worn cardboard cut out. With well-practiced motions, Twilight placed the cut out directly in front of the snoozing pony and stood well to the side. She took a few deep breaths to prepare herself, and breathed in deeply- “OHMYCELESTIARAINBOWDASHHELPMANTICORERUUUUUUUUN!!!!” The cyan jolted Pegasus awake. The first image she saw upon waking was a hideous Manticore, inches away from her face and about to swipe her into oblivion. “AAAAHHH!!!!!!” A single, powerful flap of her wings propelled her out of the bean bag chair, away from the 'manticore', and directly into a transparent purple wall. Rainbow Dash's body flattened against the barrier before sliding down and landing in a heap on the floor. A moment passed. “I was snoring again, wasn't I?” Rainbow asked without bothering to stand. Twilight's expression was bored. “Yep.” “I thought I asked you to stop waking me like that?” Rainbow replied, rubbing her aching head. Twilight rolled her eyes and returned the cardboard cutout to her closet. This wasn't the first time it had been used in such a manner, and it wouldn't be the last. “Yes, and I asked you to stop drooling on my books.” Rainbow sat up and looked back fondly at her former sleeping space. Sure enough, the Daring Doo novel was soaked completely through. Rainbow pouted. “Yeah well.....its not my fault books are so fragile.” Twilight giggled and continued to re-shelve her books as before. “Rainbow, these books are for everypony in town, not just for you to drool on.” Rainbow Dash continued to pout, before standing and stretching. “Well, its been fun Twi', but I should probably get some practicing in before I head home. See ya later!” She waved and walked to the door. Before Rainbow Dash's hoof could reach the handle, the door was slammed open. Rainbow Dash was flattened against the wall. She groaned in pain while a nervously bouncing Pinkie Pie stood in the doorway. “Twilight! Oh good I found you! My Pinkie Sense has been going off all day! My tail just won't stop twitchie-twitching! You gotta help!” Pinkie zipped across the library and collapsed at Twilight's hooves. Sure enough, her tail was shaking hard enough to move Pinkie's entire body. “Uh...how can I help? I already tried to figure out your Pinkie Sense, remember? It didn't exactly end well....” Twilight thought back to all the horrible things that had happened during her investigation with a shudder. Who even mails anvils? Or fully loaded carts? Pinkie wasn't swayed. “You gotta have something in all that magicky head! Please Twilight! I've already ruined three whole cakes! Those cakes didn't hurt anypony! Whyyyyy!??!” Pinkie was bordering on hysterics. Behind her, Twilight's front door drifted closed and Rainbow dropped to the floor.. “Ugh...ow.” Rainbow took a moment to look around before her eyes fixed on Pinkie Pie crying a river of tears while grovelling to a confused Twilight. “Pinkie Pie? What's the matter?” Pinkie Pie's ears perked up and her tears stopped instantly. Faster than an Earth pony should be able to move, Pinkie tackled Rainbow Dash and pinned her to the floor. “Dashie! You've got to stop me! I'm a danger to pastries everywhere!” Rainbow looked past Pinkie Pie at Twilight for clarification, but the lavender unicorn shrugged in confusion. “Uh....I'm not sure what you want me to-mmff!” Rainbow's confused reply was cut off abruptly when Pinkie shoved her hoof in her mouth. “Wait! Knee twitch,” the pink mare's knee began to twitch erratically, “Eye flutter,” Pinkie's eyes fluttered rapidly, “and achie shoulder. Huh. I wonder what thatttttttttt-” Pinkie then began to shudder violently, enough to make her fall off of Rainbow Dash and onto her back. After several seconds of shaking, Pinkie was still. Rainbow Dash and Twilight both stood over her expectantly. “Well?” asked Rainbow Dash. “What does that mean?” Pinkie's carefree smile returned the her face and she shrugged. “No idea! I've never had a combo like that. Twitchie tail, knee twitch, aching shoulder, and a doozy-shudder all in one. Never had one of those before!” Pinkie giggled and stood. Rainbow and Twilight shared a look of mild concern,before mutually agreeing that it was simply Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. That thought was quickly squashed when an ear-shattering boom passed through the library. All three mares squealed in surprise and collided together in an impromptu fear-hug. “W-w-what was that?!” Rainbow Dash asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the fear out of her voice. Twilight squirmed her way out of the fear-hug and threw her door open. In an instant Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were at her side. All three focused their gazes on a massive fireball soaring low over Ponyville. Everywhere in Ponyville, ponies stopped whatever they were doing to rush outside and see the commotion. The eyes of everypony in town were locked on the explosion tearing through their skies. Terrified pegasi dived out of the way of the wayward comet. The gears in Twilight's head began to grind as she began calculating where the fireball was going to land. Estimated velocity, altitude, angle of descent, and a dozen other factors combined to give Twilight a rough estimate of where it would land. It should miss town, thank Celestia, and land right about.....oh no. “Applejack!” The purple unicorn burst out of her tree home at a full gallop, heading straight for Sweet Apple Acres Behind her, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash looked at each other in confusion before quickly following suite. Twilight pushed herself to move as fast as she could, but her rarely-exercised muscles were already crying from the exertion and she hadn't even reached the edge of Ponyville yet. Another set of quick mental calculations gave her a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The fireball above her was moving too fast, had too large of a lead on her, and she couldn't even begin to keep up. Twilight made a snap decision and magic flowed into her horn. There was a magical whine and a loud POFF, and the purple mare disappeared. At that exact moment, Twilight Sparkle appeared in the front yard of the Apple Family home....... And directly in the path of the rapidly approaching fireball. BOOOOOM The fireball touched down in the middle of the Apple family orchards, barely a hundred yards away from Twilight. The ground shook violently from the enormous impact, and Twilight struggled to remain standing. The destruction didn't stop there. The fireball continued to plow through the orchard, gouging a deep wound in the earth as it went. The impact had slowed the fireball immensely, but it was still heading straight for Twilight. Thinking quickly, Twilight threw up a shield to cover both herself and the Apple home. Twilight took a deep breath and fed every ounce of her immense magical reserves into her shield spell. A few painful seconds ticked by as the fireball rapidly approached the Apple home, leaving hundreds of destroyed trees in its wake. After what seemed like hours to Twilight, but in reality was less than a second, the fireball finally slammed her shield. The tremendous force felt like a white-hot ice pick being hammered into her brain, directly where her horn was. Only the concentration needed to maintain the spell kept Twilight from screaming in pain. Mercifully, the energy from the explosion quickly dissipated. Twilight's shield dissolved as her legs gave out and she collapsed in the dirt. Twilight didn't have the energy to stand again, so she just rested on her side, panting. “Twilight!” three voices cried out at once. Twilight cracked one eye open, and her vision was filled with the faces of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. “You okay sugar cube?” asked Applejack with worry in her eyes. “Eeuuugh.” Not quite a 'yes', but close enough. “Wow! Twilight that was so super amazing! That meteor was like 'woooosh' and then you were all 'paPOP!' and then it was all 'CRAAAA-” A well placed hoof from Rainbow Dash cut off Pinkie's excited rant. After taking a few moments to catch her breath, Twilight stood on wobbly legs. When she nearly toppled over, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie moved to steady her. “I'm okay, I'm okay. Whoo. Wow, that really took a lot out of me. Applejack, are you-” Twilight stopped when she noticed the look of despair on Applejack's face. The apple farmer was surveying what was left of her north field, the majority of which was smoking ruin. The meteor had gauged a deep, wide trench the width of Sweet Apple Acres, stopping just in front of the family home. “Oh, Applejack I'm so sorry,” Twilight said. Applejack sniffled. “Its not your fault sugar cube. But it'll take years to fix all this.” Twilight didn't have a response to that, so she decided to walk to the edge of the still-hot crater. Twilight attempted to cast a heat-cancel spell, but the moment her magic started to flow a white hot pain shot through her brain. Twilight nearly dropped to her knees again, but the pain disappeared as soon as she cut off her flow of magic. Deciding instead to simply brave the heat, Twilight gently made her way to the edge of the crater and looked down towards the center. Through all the smoke and haze left over from the crash, she was just barely able to make out a strange, lumpy shape. However, instead of being burnt black, the shape was a mix of darkened tan and purple. It was- Wait, is it..........moving? The shape appeared to be shifting, and then there was a very, very distinct moan of pain. Blegh. I admit, I'm not too happy with this chapter, but I just couldn't seem to get it perfect. So, here it is as is, and I'd appreciate some criticism. Constructive criticism, but criticism. Also, please point out any and all grammar errors and typos so I can fix them.
