The Ultimate Gameby dreadbaronChaptersThe Game BeginsFirst ContactAn Explosive EventPreparing For BattleAgainst the OddsThe Game BeginsPart One: The Game Begins It was another quiet day, in the sleepy town of Ponyville. The Summer Sun Celebration had just happened the night before, and all the ponies were at home resting from the festivities. All of them, that is, except for Twilight Sparkle. The purple unicorn paced around her library; looking desperately from shelf to shelf for a book she had been studying a week earlier. “Where is it?” she mumbled in frustration, as she threw books across the room with her magic. “Can’t this wait until later?” Spike whined, as he rubbed his eyes groggily. “We should get some sleep first.” “No, Spike!” Twilight shouted in frustration. “Something weird happened yesterday, and I need the book to know why!” Little did Twilight know, something extraordinary had happened during the Summer Sun Celebration… just not in Equestria. The event had taken place in an alternate dimension, in a suburban city known as Danville. A mad scientist named Dr. Doofenshmirtz had been preparing yet another of his nefarious devices, with the hopes of finally crossing the barrier between dimensions. “Now, Perry the Platypus,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz announced, as he held his remote menacingly; “watch as I cross over into another dimension with this… THE OTHER-DIMENSIONINATOR!” “Sir,” a robotic voice called out from the other room, “what are you doing?” “Oh, come on!” Doofenshmirtz yelled, as he threw the remote to the ground. “I was in the zone and everything!” “I thought you were just playing with your doll,” Norm the robot said. “It’s not a doll,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz said defensively. “It’s my stand-in: Pretendy the Practice-pus. I wonder if Perry the Platypus practices with a fake me? It would be nice to know he cares…” Suddenly, he was interrupted by a pair of young boys, who came crashing into the room on a giant shuttlecock. They slammed into the Other-Dimensioninator, shattering it into pieces. “Oh great, now that’s broken,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz huffed in frustration. “We're really sorry, sir, I don't know what happened,” one of the boys said. “One minute we were innocently launching ourselves across the city in a badminton platypult; the next thing we know, we're in your apartment.” “Well, you’ve destroyed my Other-Dimensioninator,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled. “An Other-Dimensioninator? Cool! What does it do?” the kid asked. “At the moment it just stops giant shuttlecocks, but it’s supposed to let me go into other dimensions,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz stated, in a matter-of-fact way. “We can help you fix it,” the boy said. “I’m Phineas, and this is my brother Ferb. He’s pretty handy with tools, so we can get this put back together in no time.” “Okay then,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz agreed. “Since a certain someone seems to be running late, I’ll just carry on without him.” True to their word, Phineas and Ferb put the machine back together in record time. Dr. Doofenshmirtz stepped back, and flipped the machine on. “And now,” he announced loudly, “behold the mind-blowing first images from beyond our dimensional reality!” Phineas and Ferb peered into the portal the machine had generated, and took their first look at what they would come to know was Equestria. While Phineas and Ferb were helping Doofenshmirtz with his plans, another villain was observing it all through the power of dark magic. He was the vile Dr. Facilier, who had been planning all of this from across the country in New Orleans. “Well done, my Friends,” he thanked the spirits floating around him. “Now that those boys got the machine up and running, all those pure pony souls will soon be ours.” He rubbed his hands in anticipation, and waved the vision away with a flick of his bony wrist. “Gentlemen, let’s go meet the League.” He pushed open the doors behind him, and gingerly stepped down the stairs into a large meeting room. There sat ten of the most infamous villains the dimension had to offer, all waiting eagerly around a table. “Hello, boys,” Dr. Facilier addressed them casually. “So nice to see you again.” “Why are we here, Facilier?” one of them asked, as he polished his rifle with a rag. “You’re here ‘cause I’ve got the solution to your problems, McLeach,” Facilier told him. “You want to capture the rarest game of them all, right?” “Yeah, I do,” McLeach answered him. “Take a look at this,” Dr. Facilier responded; as he threw a puff of red smoke on the table. It broke into a ‘window’ to Equestria, showing off the throne room of Princess Celestia. “That’s an alicorn, my man. Nothing like it in this world, you capture just one and… BOOM! ... you’re the richest man on Earth.” “I like the way you talk, Facilier,” McLeach admitted, as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Keep going.” “How about you, Oogie?” Dr. Facilier asked, turning his attention to the next guest seated. “Jack kicked you out, and you want back in on Halloween, right?” Oogie Boogie sat straight up in his chair, and Facilier knew that he had the monster’s attention. “I’ve got a deal for you too,” Facilier announced, as he changed the vision with a wave of his hand. “Nightmare Night, an entire festival dedicated to the forces of darkness and guaranteed 100% Pumpkin King free. All yours, if you’ll join me.” “Now that’s a sure bet if I ever heard one,” Oogie stated. “I’m in.” “Of course, there’s more to the new world than alicorns and partying,” Dr. Facilier carried on, as he brought up a vision of the Elements of Harmony. “There’s treasure there too, folks. More treasure than you can possibly imagine, and I KNOW some of you want in on that.” He looked over towards the Sheriff of Nottingham and Negaduck, who were practically drooling from their greed. “Then there’s the ponies themselves,” Facilier carried on, casting a knowing look at Alameda Slim. “One hundred bucks a head, I’d reckon; and all of it free from the law of the West. Finally, there’s the throne itself. With the alicorn in captivity, they’re gonna need a new ruler, and that’s where YOU come in.” He pointed a bony finger across the room, towards the man sitting at the head of the table. “You were the one who designed the machine and slipped it over to Doofenshmirtz, so I’d be glad to make you God of the Sun. Once that’s done, you’ll get the eternal winter you wanted with a wave of your hands. So, are you in?” “All right,” Dr. Phillium Benedict answered him, as he rose to shake the doctor’s hand. “I’m in too.” “Excellent,” Dr. Facilier answered him, as he shook Benedict’s hand firmly. “Gentlemen,” he added afterward, “we leave in the morning. Prepare your men, for tomorrow will be the beginning of the end.” First ContactThursday, June 21st 7:45 A.M. Sweet Apple Acres (First Contact) Twilight Sparkle trotted in through the gates of Sweet Apple Acres, with her book of Equestrian mythology in tow. She had remembered seeing what seemed to be a green comet appearing in the sky the day before, and noticed that it had crashed on Applejack’s orchard shortly thereafter. “Applejack,” she called out, “are you okay?” “Oh, hi Twilight,” Applejack answered her friend, as she stepped out from inside a nearby barn. “Y’all are here to see the creatures, right?” “Creatures?” Twilight asked in surprise; for she had not been expecting travelers in the comet. “Yeah,” Applejack said nervously, “Big Mac said he saw three of ‘em. One tall one, and two little ones.” “Where did they go?” Twilight asked. “The two small ones took off runnin’ towards town, but we were able to catch the big one,” Applejack informed her. She pushed the barn door even further open with her hoof, revealing Dr. Doofenshmirtz hog-tied on the floor. “Not the brightest bulb in the box, I’d reckon,” she noted with a chuckle. Twilight approached the captive with caution, since she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. “Hello, uh… sir,” she said, taking a guess at the creature’s gender. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I mean you no harm.” Doofenshmirtz struggled in his bonds for a moment, and then fell to the ground in defeat. “Are you with O.W.C.A.?” he asked. “O.W.C.A.?” Twilight asked. “What’s that?” “The Organization Without A Cool Acronym,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz informed her, amazed at her obliviousness. “You know them, right?” “No, sir,” Twilight answered with even more confusion. “Oh, come on! What about Perry the Platypus?” Doofenshmirtz asked. “He’s their most famous agent, you can’t tell me you don’t know him!” “I don’t know any of these ponies or platypuses, sir,” Twilight answered firmly. “Well…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz began to say, before an idea struck him: he could tell a lie and get these ponies to let him go. “It’s a good thing you don’t know them,” he said with a smile, “they’re the bad guys.” “Really?” Twilight asked, with a hint of skepticism. “So what are you doing here, then?” “I’m, uh…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz stammered, “I’m a…” “Wizard,” Twilight finished his sentence for him. “Only a wizard can pull off the magic portal spell. It hasn’t been done since Starswirl the Bearded, so you must be a powerful magician.” “Yeah, that’s it,” Doofenshmirtz quickly agreed with her. “I’m Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the most powerful wizard on Earth.” “Oh my gosh!” Twilight shrieked in joy, for she had always wanted to meet a magician of such a high standard. “Can you teach me how to do it?” “I would,” Doofenshmirtz lied, “but I’m a little worn out from my trip. Maybe you could let me go, and I’ll teach you later.” Twilight untied the ropes with her magic, then picked up Doofenshmirtz and dusted him off. Doofenshmirtz tried to run, but her magic grip was too strong. “You can stay with me if you like,” she told him. Doofenshmirtz sighed heavily, and started to walk back to Ponyville with the young unicorn. It was going to be a long day. Back in the other dimension, the news of a portal to another dimension travelled fast. Dr. Facilier had tried to keep it under wraps, but energy scans of the planet from Star Command had revealed it. Now Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s apartment had been seized by Global Justice and O.W.C.A.; and the portal had been placed under the supervision of none other than Agent P himself, Perry the Platypus. Perry paced across the room and back again, not taking his eyes off the portal for a second. There were two Global Justice agents positioned at the door, and another three guarding the windows. The room was under complete lockdown… or so they thought. Without much of a warning, a tiny metal ball rolled in under the door. It split into two pieces, and a cloud of sleeping gas filled the room. The guards fell to the ground, and Perry the Platypus followed suit shortly after. The door broke open, with McLeach and Rico (Alameda Slim’s partner) leading the armed breach. They took a quick look around the room, and lowered their rifles. “All clear,” Rico called out. Dr. Facilier entered the room, and Dr. Benedict followed closely behind him. “Good job, boys,” he congratulated his newfound lackeys, as he approached the portal to Equestria. “There ain’t nothing to stop us now.” Applejack looked out over her field, and shook her head in frustration. That creature had ruined almost twenty apple trees in the wreckage of his arrival, and it would be a long time before anything grew there again. Suddenly, she noticed that the ‘comet’ was glowing again, and looked on in confusion as even more creatures stepped through. There was one wearing fancy clothes like the ones Rarity made in her boutique, and another carrying a long metal tube with a wooden handle. “Take her down,” the fancy one announced, as he pointed towards her. The other one raised his metal tube, and Applejack began to gallop away in fear. She heard a loud bang emerging from behind her, and just barely missed getting hit by a flying piece of metal. This was followed by several more, each with their own set of bangs. Applejack knew that these were dangerous, though she did not know why. She had to save her family. Big Mac and Apple Bloom were standing outside of the Apple family home; painting the wall with brushes they held in their mouths. Big Mac noticed his frightened sister running up to him, and he dropped his brush in shock. “What’s all the fuss about, AJ?” he asked. “Run, y’all!” Applejack implored them. “There’s danger comin’!” The Apples then ran together as a family, and grabbed Granny Smith as they escaped. Sweet Apple Acres was now under foreign control. “Well done, Mr. Rico,” Dr. Facilier said, as he motioned for the gunman to lower his weapon. “This place will make a fine headquarters.” “So what’s our next move?” Dr. Benedict asked, as he stepped through the portal. “Now we gotta stop these ponies from escaping any further,” Dr. Facilier hissed, with a cruel chuckle. “Has Negaduck gotten his boys to put together those explosives like I asked?” “Yes,” Dr. Benedict answered him. “All one hundred of them are awaiting transport.” “Have the help bring them here then,” Dr. Facilier snarled with a sneer. “We gotta catch a train.” Twilight Sparkle opened the door to her library, and she gently pushed her newfound ‘magic’ friend through the door. Dr. Doofenshmirtz could only look on nervously as she shut the door, and stepped into the middle of the room. “Can you show me now?” she asked, in her signature overly enthusiastic way. “Well…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz began, “the thing about that is, uh… that is…” He was then interrupted in mid-thought, by the sound of Applejack bucking the library door open. “Twi!” she shouted in fear. “We got a problem!” After the situation at Sweet Apple Acres had been explained to her, Twilight Sparkle decided to call her friends in right away. Spike went off to gather them, and she turned her attention back to Dr. Doofenshmirtz. “Can you help us?” she asked him. “I suppose so,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled, not wanting to reveal his lie at the moment. “Maybe I could build some sort of Shield The Town-inator…” “Anything you can do to help is fine,” Twilight assured him. “Maybe the other two you were with could help.” “Hey, yeah!” Dr. Doofenshmirtz answered with delight, for he knew for sure that their help would more than help him out. “Where are they, anyway?” An Explosive EventThursday, June 21st 12:01 P.M. Ponyville Train Station (An Explosive Event) The Sheriff of Nottingham crept toward the train station, flanked by four of his guards and Quackerjack (an associate of Negaduck). He looked nervously over to the giggling jester, who carried a sack of explosive teddy bears on his back. “Let’s just get this done now,” he mumbled to himself, as he slowly opened a side door. There were no passenger ponies in the station at the present time, only a scruffy janitor and a couple of workers. “Take them,” the Sheriff whispered to his men. One of the guards drew his bow, and loaded it with an arrow dipped in horse tranquilizer. He fired it at the janitor pony, who staggered a little and then fell down after being hit. This caught the attention of the workers, and they stood their ground firmly. “This is private property,” one of the workers warned them. “Get out.” “Oh come now,” Quackerjack giggled, as he reached into the sack. “We were only playing!” He then threw a bear at them, sending them flying across the room from the fiery explosion. The demented clown could only laugh at this horrifying scene, which made the Sheriff’s blood run cold. “It’s playtime!” Quackerjack shouted at the top of his lungs, as he threw more bears around the room. Back in Ponyville proper, Twilight and Dr. Doofenshmirtz had finally found where Phineas and Ferb had gotten to. They were putting the finishing touches on a machine outside of Sugarcube Corner, next to an excited Pinkie Pie. “Is it done yet?” Pinkie asked with glee. “Is it? Is it? Is it?” “Almost…” Phineas mumbled, as Ferb tightened the last of the bolts. “Now it’s done.” Pinkie gasped in delight, and moved towards the other side of the machine. A hatch slowly opened, and cupcakes began flying out. The party pony caught all of them in her mouth, and smacked her lips contentedly. “Delicious,” she said. “Thanks for the Cupcake Launcher, guys!” “You’re welcome, Pinkie,” Phineas told his newfound friend, as his eyes caught Dr. Doofenshmirtz standing to his right. “Oh hey, Dr. D. Who’s your friend?” “My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight told him, as she began to relax. Clearly, these were not hostile aliens either. “What’s yours?” “I’m Phineas and this is Ferb,” Phineas said, as Ferb waved casually. “It’s very nice to meet you two,” Twilight answered warmly. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz said you might be able to help us.” “Sure,” Phineas said. “What do you need us to do?” Dr. Doofenshmirtz looked over to the Cupcake Launcher, and looked back to the boys with a grin. “We need to borrow that,” he told Phineas, as a plan hatched in his mind. Suddenly, Mayor Mare galloped up to them; with a look of panic on her face. “Twilight!” she yelled. “We have to contact the Princess right away!” “What’s going on?” Twilight asked. “Monsters are destroying the train station!” the Mayor told her. “We’ll have no way to get supplies for the fall season from Canterlot!” “Not while I’m around!” Twilight vowed. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz, you and I will go to investigate. Pinkie, take Phineas and Ferb back to the library; then go to the train station with the girls.” The Sheriff of Nottingham drew his sword, and walked briskly back out the door. He had no intention of dying at the hands of the psychotic Quackerjack, and he also had no intention of falling victim to a pony ambush. “Fall back!” he called back to his soldiers. “Leave the fool to his fun.” “You’re not going anywhere!” Twilight told him with force, as she charged up her horn. Dr. Doofenshmirtz fumbled in his pockets, looking desperately for something that might resemble a weapon. “That’s right,” he told the Sheriff, as he pulled a black rectangle from his labcoat. It was the remote for the Other-Dimensioninator, but he knew the Sheriff didn’t know that. “Now tremble in fear, as I unleash my… um, my…. Sword Liquidatorinator!” The Sheriff looked on in confusion, since he wasn’t the smartest villain in Facilier’s League of Greed. “A Sword Liquidatorinator?” he asked. “What does it do?” “It uses concentrated magic beams to melt swords,” Doofenshmirtz lied, as he wielded the remote in a threatening manner. He then got too carried away in his demonstration, as he pressed the button by accident. A portal opened in front of him, and Perry the Platypus jumped out. “Perry the Platypus!” the Sheriff and Dr. Doofenshmirtz yelled out in united fear, for they knew jail time was in the cards if he captured them. The two villains took off running in separate directions, and Perry decided to chase after his regular nemesis. This left Twilight standing alone in front of the burning station, as Quackerjack jumped out through a window. “Hello, little unicorn,” he told Twilight, as he patted out the fire on his cap. “I suppose you’re here to stop me.” “That’s right,” Twilight said, as she shot a magic beam at him. “Good,” Quackerjack said, as he pulled a popgun from his pocket. “I needed a new playmate, and you’ll do nicely!” He pulled the trigger, and a net shot out. It flew towards Twilight at a bullet’s speed, wrapping her tightly in less than two seconds. She fell to the ground struggling in her bonds, as Quackerjack gloated over her. He pulled a large mallet out from under his cap, and Twilight knew it was trouble. “Time for a little game of Whack-A-Pony,” Quackerjack giggled; as he lifted the mallet over his head. “Oh, how fun!” “Oh no, you don’t!” a voice called out, as it approached at a break-neck speed. It was the voice of the daring Rainbow Dash, who struck Quackerjack across the face with a swing of her left front hoof. This sent the evil jester staggering back, as he dropped the mallet and cocked his popgun. “Too many playmates around here,” he observed, as he pulled the trigger. This let loose a cloud of purple smoke, borrowed straight from the strategies of his longtime enemy. “I’ll see you later, my little ponies!” he chuckled cruelly, as he seemingly disappeared into thin air. “Who was that jerk, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked her friend, as she ripped open the net with her teeth. “I don’t know,” Twilight answered her, “but I think it’s time we got some answers.” Preparing For Battle Friday, June 22nd 12:03 A.M. Sweet Apple Acres (Preparing For Battle) Dr. Facilier shifted back into his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He knew that he didn’t have the best men for this mission, but that couldn’t be helped. The Alliance had been most specific about who he was able to hire, and who he wasn’t. This made him wonder: had the Wicked Alliance sent him to claim this land, or had they banished him to this cheery dimension to be rid of him once and for all? “Oh, Doc!” a voice sang out from the hallway. It was Quackerjack, accompanied by a visibly trembling Sheriff. “We’re back!” “Did you get the job done?” Dr. Facilier asked. “Oh yeah,” Quackerjack answered him, as he pointed at the Sheriff. “No thanks to Fat Boy, of course.” “Hey, now!” the Sheriff blustered, as his face turned red. “I only ran because Perry the Platypus showed up!” “Perry the Platypus,” Dr. Facilier moaned, as he buried his face in his palms. “As if it wasn’t enough to have to conquer an entire planet, now the law’s on our tail. Did he find out where we’re hiding?” “No, sir,” the Sheriff assured him. “He followed that fool Doofenshmirtz back to wherever he’s holed up right now.” “Then we still have a chance,” Dr. Facilier muttered. “Take ten of your soldiers and scout the city, Sheriff. I expect Dr. Doofenshmirtz to be found within the hour.” “Yes, sir,” the Sheriff said with a hasty salute, before taking his leave. “As for you,” Dr. Facilier said, turning his attention to Quackerjack. “I want you to join up with your boss Negaduck at the barn. Take whatever weapons you can find, for you and your Fearsome Five comrades will be leading the assault on Ponyville at dawn.” “Sounds like a fun time, boss,” Quackerjack giggled, as he bounced out of the room. Dr. Facilier groaned in disgust, and fiddled with the necklace dangling around his neck. The magic, and his time, was running out… Back in Ponyville, Twilight and her friends were gathered at her library to share what they knew about the ‘monsters’. “Does anypony know anything about these creatures?” she asked her friends. “I’ve seen ‘em sneaking around AJ’s farm,” Rainbow Dash answered her. “It looks like they’re working for a couple of eggheads, but they’re pretty dangerous too.” “They’re not all bad,” Pinkie Pie interjected. “Phineas and Ferb made me an AMAZING Cupcake Launcher!” “That’s right,” Twilight said, as she tapped her hoof slightly. “Phineas and Ferb seem to be on our side, as well as Dr. Doofenshmirtz.” “What’s that feller’s deal, anyway?” Applejack asked. “He seems to be, well, not that bright… or helpful.” “The doctor’s heart is in the right place,” Twilight assured her, “he’s just a little… clumsy.” “What was up with that platypus chasing him?” Rainbow asked. “I’m not sure,” Twilight admitted. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz says he’s evil, but the way Dr. Doofenshmirtz talks seems more than a little evil, too. I not sure who’s good and who’s not.” “We’ll find out who’s with who soon enough,” Applejack mumbled, as she drifted off to sleep. “No point in worryin’ about it now. Get some sleep, y’all.” All of the ponies snuggled in close together, and were soon fast asleep. Dr. Doofenshmirtz grabbed his chest from exhaustion, as he huddled down behind a house. Perry the Platypus had been chasing him for almost twelve hours, across the town several times and through a very strange forest nearby. “No more,” he wheezed, as he heard his nemesis approaching from behind. “I give up, Perry the Platypus.” Perry the Platypus moved in closer, until he was interrupted by his watch communicator ringing. “Perry the Platypus,” Major Monogram told him. “Step back a few steps. Doofenshmirtz is innocent, for once.” “Listen to him,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz said, as he collapsed to the ground. “He knows what he’s saying.” “Our investigation has revealed the true villain behind this,” Major Monogram carried on, “and this goes far beyond the barely a threat villainy we’ve come to expect from him.” “Oh, ouch,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled. “I’m right here, you know.” “Have Dr. Doofenshmirtz use the remote again, Agent P,” Major Monogram ordered his agent. “Backup is on the way.” Dr. Doofenshmirtz pressed the button, and nothing happened. “I was afraid of that,” Major Monogram groaned in frustration. “Looks like that help will be delayed, because somebody had to buy dollar store batteries again.” “Hey, my Inators are expensive as it is,” Doofenshmirtz grumbled defensively. “I don’t have a government budget like you, you know.” “You two will have to work together for this mission,” Major Monogram insisted. “This is far too big for one agent to handle alone. Good luck, Agent P… you will need it.” Against the OddsFriday, June 22nd 8:53 A.M. Canterlot (Against the Odds) Princess Celestia paced nervously around her throne room, as her mind struggled to come up with a strategy. She knew that Ponyville was under attack at that very moment, yet she was at a loss as to how she could help. The train was out of order, so she couldn’t send troops. She could try an aerial attack, but the invaders were rumored to have weapons able to kill at any height. Truly, it was a no-win situation for the princess of Equestria. “Your Majesty,” a servant piped up from the hall, “shall I send for your sister?” “Yes, please,” Princess Celestia urged him. “I need to see her right away!” Unknown to Princess Celestia and the nobles of Canterlot, one of the invaders had already kidnapped the younger royal. Now Princess Luna was dangling from the roof of a cavern deep below the palace, tied to an incredibly sturdy rope. She could hear footsteps approaching, followed by a deep voice singing a mocking song: Well well well, what have we here? Nightmare Moon, huh? Ooh, I’m really scared! So you’re the princess everypony’s talking about, ha ha ha ha! You’re joking, you’re joking She’s gotta be a phony You’re joking me, you gotta be She’s just a silly pony! She’s loud, she’s scrawny I don’t know which is worse I just might split a seam now If I don’t die laughing first! When Mr. Oogie Boogie says There’s trouble close at hand You’d better pay attention now ‘Cause I’m the Boogie Man And if you ain’t whinnyin’ There’s something very wrong ‘Cause this may be the last time You hear the Boogie Song Ohh Ohh Ohh I’m the Oogie Boogie Man! “Silence!” Princess Luna shouted, cutting him off in the middle of his song. “We demand to be let go!” “But the game’s just getting started,” Oogie Boogie said, as he tightened her bonds. “The… game?” Luna squeaked in fear. Oogie Boogie flashed a sadistic grin, and continued his song: Oh, the sound of rollin' dice To me is music in the air 'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man Although I don't play fair It's much more fun, I must confess When lives are on the line Not mine, of course, but yours, my dear Now that'd be just fine He pulled the rope then pulled the rope tight, and tied it to a boulder nearby. He then kicked the pile of rocks out from under Luna, revealing a pit of naturally boiling water. With all this done, he pulled out his dice and a sharp knife; for it was time for the game to begin. “Sorry about the hasty setup,” he falsely apologized to his captive. “Shall we begin?” “Release me, demon,” Princess Luna uttered, as her eyes slowly started to turn black. Something was rising within her… Oogie rolled his dice, and came up snake-eyes. He slammed his foot on the floor, and it changed to a three. “Three cuts,” he observed. “That’s not a bad start.” He held the knife menacingly over the rope, and slammed it down three times. The rope started to fray, and Luna was lowered even further toward the dangerous pit. “Last chance, monster,” Luna roared, as her voice started to distort. “We demand to be released at once!” “Oh, Luna, you’re really somethin’,” Oogie laughed heartily, as he rolled the dice again to get a twelve. “Looks like our game ends here.” “Indeed,” Luna uttered, as her mighty wings ripped the ropes open. She flew into the air, and charged her horn threateningly. “Now you shall see our true power!” Oogie’s jaw practically dropped to the floor, and he threw the knife at her. Luna effortlessly blocked it with her hooves, and she picked him up with her magic. “Come on,” he begged her, as she held him over the pit. “We could be a great team. Oogie Boogie and Luna, partners in evil, whaddya say?” “Luna isn’t here,” Princess Luna hissed, as her old armor started to grow back. “The name is Nightmare Moon.” She held him over the pit, and then let him go. Oogie Boogie’s reign of terror was at an end. Princess Celestia looked out over the courtyard, and felt a great despair wash over her. This quickly turned to fear, as Nightmare Moon burst out of the ground. “Luna!” she cried. “What happened to you?” “I am free once again,” Nightmare Moon hissed. “As your kingdom burns all around you, the night shall rise to glory once again.” “This isn’t right, and you know it!” Celestia snapped back. “Isn’t it?” Nightmare Moon asked, feigning confusion. “Did you not want this to happen? You were the one who created Nightmare Night; you were the one who wanted to keep my other self locked in the past, and you were the one who sent me away when Chrysalis attacked. You wanted all this to happen, so that the rightful ruler of Equestria could ascend to the throne.” “Rightful ruler?” Celestia answered her. “There is no single ruler! Luna and I rule as sisters, and as friends!” “Luna will never be your friend,” Nightmare Moon snapped back. “How could a prisoner come to love her captor?” As the royal sisters carried on with their fight, the force of their argument grew to match the intensity of the battle in Ponyville. This would be a war fought on many fronts… Back in Ponyville, the Fearsome Five were thoroughly enjoying terrorizing the town. Negaduck revved up his chainsaw, and held in threateningly towards Town Hall. “Okay boys,” he cackled, “let’s tear up the town!” “What a refreshing idea,” the Liquidator said, as he sent waves washing over hordes of terrified ponies. “Yeah,” Bushroot agreed, as he caught a pair of Earth ponies in his vines. He pulled them toward him, and came face-to-face with Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. “Hello, little ponies,” Bushroot taunted, as he tickled Vinyl under her chin with a flower. “Looks like you’re a little… tangled up in all this.” “Keep laughing,” Vinyl sneered. “I’ve got something for you too.” “Oh yeah?” Bushroot giggled. “Like what?” “Nothing special,” Vinyl snickered, as she nodded off towards a nearby house. “Just some awesome jams!” As if on cue, the speakers in the windows started playing dubstep at full volume, causing the Liquidator to lose control of his waves and Bushroot to lose concentration. The two villains collided at a very high speed, and then smashed into Negaduck and his chainsaw; shorting it out instantly. Vinyl Scratch rolled out of her vine bonds, and she freed Octavia with her teeth. “Come on, Tavi,” she urged her best friend. “We gotta go help the others!” Quackerjack had separated from the opening attack, and had decided to storm the library with the help of Alameda Slim and Rico. He threw a jack-in-the-box grenade at the door, blowing it open to reveal Twilight and her friends. “Oh, is it playtime already?” he asked in mock confusion. “Game’s over, you bozo,” Rainbow Dash answered him in defiance. “Come on, put ‘em up! Let’s fight!” “I didn’t forget you, my friend,” Quackerjack sneered, as he pointed behind her. “That’s why I had a special present made just for you.” “What?” was all Rainbow Dash could say, before she was taken down by an electric shock from Quackerjack’s partner Megavolt. “What an electrifying surprise,” the lightning-filled villain giggled in delight, as he charged up his next attack. “Who would like to be next?” “Y’all are gonna pay for that,” Applejack hissed, as she looked down at her stunned friend. “Y’all are gonna pay!” She charged toward Megavolt with the force of ten buffalo, catching him in the gut with her head and knocking him down. “Now that’s not very nice,” Quackerjack scolded her. “Rico, show her the correct way to play.” Rico lined up his shot, and slowly started to pull the trigger… only to find his finger frozen in place by a purple magic forcefield. This was met with a buck to his face from Pinkie Pie, knocking him down to the street. She growled in frustration, and Alameda Slim ran away in fear. “Coward,” Quackerjack shouted after the deserter; before turning back to the ponies with a cruel grin. “Oh, well. More fun for me!” Suddenly, a barrage of cupcakes flew out the door; followed by an attacking Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Perry the Platypus. They quickly overwhelmed the giggling jester, and sent him running away in defeat as well. “We did it!” Fluttershy happily announced, as she emerged from behind a couch. “We did it!” “Yeah,” Twilight admitted, “but I think they’ll be back.”
The Game BeginsPart One: The Game Begins It was another quiet day, in the sleepy town of Ponyville. The Summer Sun Celebration had just happened the night before, and all the ponies were at home resting from the festivities. All of them, that is, except for Twilight Sparkle. The purple unicorn paced around her library; looking desperately from shelf to shelf for a book she had been studying a week earlier. “Where is it?” she mumbled in frustration, as she threw books across the room with her magic. “Can’t this wait until later?” Spike whined, as he rubbed his eyes groggily. “We should get some sleep first.” “No, Spike!” Twilight shouted in frustration. “Something weird happened yesterday, and I need the book to know why!” Little did Twilight know, something extraordinary had happened during the Summer Sun Celebration… just not in Equestria. The event had taken place in an alternate dimension, in a suburban city known as Danville. A mad scientist named Dr. Doofenshmirtz had been preparing yet another of his nefarious devices, with the hopes of finally crossing the barrier between dimensions. “Now, Perry the Platypus,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz announced, as he held his remote menacingly; “watch as I cross over into another dimension with this… THE OTHER-DIMENSIONINATOR!” “Sir,” a robotic voice called out from the other room, “what are you doing?” “Oh, come on!” Doofenshmirtz yelled, as he threw the remote to the ground. “I was in the zone and everything!” “I thought you were just playing with your doll,” Norm the robot said. “It’s not a doll,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz said defensively. “It’s my stand-in: Pretendy the Practice-pus. I wonder if Perry the Platypus practices with a fake me? It would be nice to know he cares…” Suddenly, he was interrupted by a pair of young boys, who came crashing into the room on a giant shuttlecock. They slammed into the Other-Dimensioninator, shattering it into pieces. “Oh great, now that’s broken,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz huffed in frustration. “We're really sorry, sir, I don't know what happened,” one of the boys said. “One minute we were innocently launching ourselves across the city in a badminton platypult; the next thing we know, we're in your apartment.” “Well, you’ve destroyed my Other-Dimensioninator,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled. “An Other-Dimensioninator? Cool! What does it do?” the kid asked. “At the moment it just stops giant shuttlecocks, but it’s supposed to let me go into other dimensions,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz stated, in a matter-of-fact way. “We can help you fix it,” the boy said. “I’m Phineas, and this is my brother Ferb. He’s pretty handy with tools, so we can get this put back together in no time.” “Okay then,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz agreed. “Since a certain someone seems to be running late, I’ll just carry on without him.” True to their word, Phineas and Ferb put the machine back together in record time. Dr. Doofenshmirtz stepped back, and flipped the machine on. “And now,” he announced loudly, “behold the mind-blowing first images from beyond our dimensional reality!” Phineas and Ferb peered into the portal the machine had generated, and took their first look at what they would come to know was Equestria. While Phineas and Ferb were helping Doofenshmirtz with his plans, another villain was observing it all through the power of dark magic. He was the vile Dr. Facilier, who had been planning all of this from across the country in New Orleans. “Well done, my Friends,” he thanked the spirits floating around him. “Now that those boys got the machine up and running, all those pure pony souls will soon be ours.” He rubbed his hands in anticipation, and waved the vision away with a flick of his bony wrist. “Gentlemen, let’s go meet the League.” He pushed open the doors behind him, and gingerly stepped down the stairs into a large meeting room. There sat ten of the most infamous villains the dimension had to offer, all waiting eagerly around a table. “Hello, boys,” Dr. Facilier addressed them casually. “So nice to see you again.” “Why are we here, Facilier?” one of them asked, as he polished his rifle with a rag. “You’re here ‘cause I’ve got the solution to your problems, McLeach,” Facilier told him. “You want to capture the rarest game of them all, right?” “Yeah, I do,” McLeach answered him. “Take a look at this,” Dr. Facilier responded; as he threw a puff of red smoke on the table. It broke into a ‘window’ to Equestria, showing off the throne room of Princess Celestia. “That’s an alicorn, my man. Nothing like it in this world, you capture just one and… BOOM! ... you’re the richest man on Earth.” “I like the way you talk, Facilier,” McLeach admitted, as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Keep going.” “How about you, Oogie?” Dr. Facilier asked, turning his attention to the next guest seated. “Jack kicked you out, and you want back in on Halloween, right?” Oogie Boogie sat straight up in his chair, and Facilier knew that he had the monster’s attention. “I’ve got a deal for you too,” Facilier announced, as he changed the vision with a wave of his hand. “Nightmare Night, an entire festival dedicated to the forces of darkness and guaranteed 100% Pumpkin King free. All yours, if you’ll join me.” “Now that’s a sure bet if I ever heard one,” Oogie stated. “I’m in.” “Of course, there’s more to the new world than alicorns and partying,” Dr. Facilier carried on, as he brought up a vision of the Elements of Harmony. “There’s treasure there too, folks. More treasure than you can possibly imagine, and I KNOW some of you want in on that.” He looked over towards the Sheriff of Nottingham and Negaduck, who were practically drooling from their greed. “Then there’s the ponies themselves,” Facilier carried on, casting a knowing look at Alameda Slim. “One hundred bucks a head, I’d reckon; and all of it free from the law of the West. Finally, there’s the throne itself. With the alicorn in captivity, they’re gonna need a new ruler, and that’s where YOU come in.” He pointed a bony finger across the room, towards the man sitting at the head of the table. “You were the one who designed the machine and slipped it over to Doofenshmirtz, so I’d be glad to make you God of the Sun. Once that’s done, you’ll get the eternal winter you wanted with a wave of your hands. So, are you in?” “All right,” Dr. Phillium Benedict answered him, as he rose to shake the doctor’s hand. “I’m in too.” “Excellent,” Dr. Facilier answered him, as he shook Benedict’s hand firmly. “Gentlemen,” he added afterward, “we leave in the morning. Prepare your men, for tomorrow will be the beginning of the end.”
First ContactThursday, June 21st 7:45 A.M. Sweet Apple Acres (First Contact) Twilight Sparkle trotted in through the gates of Sweet Apple Acres, with her book of Equestrian mythology in tow. She had remembered seeing what seemed to be a green comet appearing in the sky the day before, and noticed that it had crashed on Applejack’s orchard shortly thereafter. “Applejack,” she called out, “are you okay?” “Oh, hi Twilight,” Applejack answered her friend, as she stepped out from inside a nearby barn. “Y’all are here to see the creatures, right?” “Creatures?” Twilight asked in surprise; for she had not been expecting travelers in the comet. “Yeah,” Applejack said nervously, “Big Mac said he saw three of ‘em. One tall one, and two little ones.” “Where did they go?” Twilight asked. “The two small ones took off runnin’ towards town, but we were able to catch the big one,” Applejack informed her. She pushed the barn door even further open with her hoof, revealing Dr. Doofenshmirtz hog-tied on the floor. “Not the brightest bulb in the box, I’d reckon,” she noted with a chuckle. Twilight approached the captive with caution, since she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. “Hello, uh… sir,” she said, taking a guess at the creature’s gender. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I mean you no harm.” Doofenshmirtz struggled in his bonds for a moment, and then fell to the ground in defeat. “Are you with O.W.C.A.?” he asked. “O.W.C.A.?” Twilight asked. “What’s that?” “The Organization Without A Cool Acronym,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz informed her, amazed at her obliviousness. “You know them, right?” “No, sir,” Twilight answered with even more confusion. “Oh, come on! What about Perry the Platypus?” Doofenshmirtz asked. “He’s their most famous agent, you can’t tell me you don’t know him!” “I don’t know any of these ponies or platypuses, sir,” Twilight answered firmly. “Well…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz began to say, before an idea struck him: he could tell a lie and get these ponies to let him go. “It’s a good thing you don’t know them,” he said with a smile, “they’re the bad guys.” “Really?” Twilight asked, with a hint of skepticism. “So what are you doing here, then?” “I’m, uh…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz stammered, “I’m a…” “Wizard,” Twilight finished his sentence for him. “Only a wizard can pull off the magic portal spell. It hasn’t been done since Starswirl the Bearded, so you must be a powerful magician.” “Yeah, that’s it,” Doofenshmirtz quickly agreed with her. “I’m Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the most powerful wizard on Earth.” “Oh my gosh!” Twilight shrieked in joy, for she had always wanted to meet a magician of such a high standard. “Can you teach me how to do it?” “I would,” Doofenshmirtz lied, “but I’m a little worn out from my trip. Maybe you could let me go, and I’ll teach you later.” Twilight untied the ropes with her magic, then picked up Doofenshmirtz and dusted him off. Doofenshmirtz tried to run, but her magic grip was too strong. “You can stay with me if you like,” she told him. Doofenshmirtz sighed heavily, and started to walk back to Ponyville with the young unicorn. It was going to be a long day. Back in the other dimension, the news of a portal to another dimension travelled fast. Dr. Facilier had tried to keep it under wraps, but energy scans of the planet from Star Command had revealed it. Now Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s apartment had been seized by Global Justice and O.W.C.A.; and the portal had been placed under the supervision of none other than Agent P himself, Perry the Platypus. Perry paced across the room and back again, not taking his eyes off the portal for a second. There were two Global Justice agents positioned at the door, and another three guarding the windows. The room was under complete lockdown… or so they thought. Without much of a warning, a tiny metal ball rolled in under the door. It split into two pieces, and a cloud of sleeping gas filled the room. The guards fell to the ground, and Perry the Platypus followed suit shortly after. The door broke open, with McLeach and Rico (Alameda Slim’s partner) leading the armed breach. They took a quick look around the room, and lowered their rifles. “All clear,” Rico called out. Dr. Facilier entered the room, and Dr. Benedict followed closely behind him. “Good job, boys,” he congratulated his newfound lackeys, as he approached the portal to Equestria. “There ain’t nothing to stop us now.” Applejack looked out over her field, and shook her head in frustration. That creature had ruined almost twenty apple trees in the wreckage of his arrival, and it would be a long time before anything grew there again. Suddenly, she noticed that the ‘comet’ was glowing again, and looked on in confusion as even more creatures stepped through. There was one wearing fancy clothes like the ones Rarity made in her boutique, and another carrying a long metal tube with a wooden handle. “Take her down,” the fancy one announced, as he pointed towards her. The other one raised his metal tube, and Applejack began to gallop away in fear. She heard a loud bang emerging from behind her, and just barely missed getting hit by a flying piece of metal. This was followed by several more, each with their own set of bangs. Applejack knew that these were dangerous, though she did not know why. She had to save her family. Big Mac and Apple Bloom were standing outside of the Apple family home; painting the wall with brushes they held in their mouths. Big Mac noticed his frightened sister running up to him, and he dropped his brush in shock. “What’s all the fuss about, AJ?” he asked. “Run, y’all!” Applejack implored them. “There’s danger comin’!” The Apples then ran together as a family, and grabbed Granny Smith as they escaped. Sweet Apple Acres was now under foreign control. “Well done, Mr. Rico,” Dr. Facilier said, as he motioned for the gunman to lower his weapon. “This place will make a fine headquarters.” “So what’s our next move?” Dr. Benedict asked, as he stepped through the portal. “Now we gotta stop these ponies from escaping any further,” Dr. Facilier hissed, with a cruel chuckle. “Has Negaduck gotten his boys to put together those explosives like I asked?” “Yes,” Dr. Benedict answered him. “All one hundred of them are awaiting transport.” “Have the help bring them here then,” Dr. Facilier snarled with a sneer. “We gotta catch a train.” Twilight Sparkle opened the door to her library, and she gently pushed her newfound ‘magic’ friend through the door. Dr. Doofenshmirtz could only look on nervously as she shut the door, and stepped into the middle of the room. “Can you show me now?” she asked, in her signature overly enthusiastic way. “Well…” Dr. Doofenshmirtz began, “the thing about that is, uh… that is…” He was then interrupted in mid-thought, by the sound of Applejack bucking the library door open. “Twi!” she shouted in fear. “We got a problem!” After the situation at Sweet Apple Acres had been explained to her, Twilight Sparkle decided to call her friends in right away. Spike went off to gather them, and she turned her attention back to Dr. Doofenshmirtz. “Can you help us?” she asked him. “I suppose so,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled, not wanting to reveal his lie at the moment. “Maybe I could build some sort of Shield The Town-inator…” “Anything you can do to help is fine,” Twilight assured him. “Maybe the other two you were with could help.” “Hey, yeah!” Dr. Doofenshmirtz answered with delight, for he knew for sure that their help would more than help him out. “Where are they, anyway?”
An Explosive EventThursday, June 21st 12:01 P.M. Ponyville Train Station (An Explosive Event) The Sheriff of Nottingham crept toward the train station, flanked by four of his guards and Quackerjack (an associate of Negaduck). He looked nervously over to the giggling jester, who carried a sack of explosive teddy bears on his back. “Let’s just get this done now,” he mumbled to himself, as he slowly opened a side door. There were no passenger ponies in the station at the present time, only a scruffy janitor and a couple of workers. “Take them,” the Sheriff whispered to his men. One of the guards drew his bow, and loaded it with an arrow dipped in horse tranquilizer. He fired it at the janitor pony, who staggered a little and then fell down after being hit. This caught the attention of the workers, and they stood their ground firmly. “This is private property,” one of the workers warned them. “Get out.” “Oh come now,” Quackerjack giggled, as he reached into the sack. “We were only playing!” He then threw a bear at them, sending them flying across the room from the fiery explosion. The demented clown could only laugh at this horrifying scene, which made the Sheriff’s blood run cold. “It’s playtime!” Quackerjack shouted at the top of his lungs, as he threw more bears around the room. Back in Ponyville proper, Twilight and Dr. Doofenshmirtz had finally found where Phineas and Ferb had gotten to. They were putting the finishing touches on a machine outside of Sugarcube Corner, next to an excited Pinkie Pie. “Is it done yet?” Pinkie asked with glee. “Is it? Is it? Is it?” “Almost…” Phineas mumbled, as Ferb tightened the last of the bolts. “Now it’s done.” Pinkie gasped in delight, and moved towards the other side of the machine. A hatch slowly opened, and cupcakes began flying out. The party pony caught all of them in her mouth, and smacked her lips contentedly. “Delicious,” she said. “Thanks for the Cupcake Launcher, guys!” “You’re welcome, Pinkie,” Phineas told his newfound friend, as his eyes caught Dr. Doofenshmirtz standing to his right. “Oh hey, Dr. D. Who’s your friend?” “My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight told him, as she began to relax. Clearly, these were not hostile aliens either. “What’s yours?” “I’m Phineas and this is Ferb,” Phineas said, as Ferb waved casually. “It’s very nice to meet you two,” Twilight answered warmly. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz said you might be able to help us.” “Sure,” Phineas said. “What do you need us to do?” Dr. Doofenshmirtz looked over to the Cupcake Launcher, and looked back to the boys with a grin. “We need to borrow that,” he told Phineas, as a plan hatched in his mind. Suddenly, Mayor Mare galloped up to them; with a look of panic on her face. “Twilight!” she yelled. “We have to contact the Princess right away!” “What’s going on?” Twilight asked. “Monsters are destroying the train station!” the Mayor told her. “We’ll have no way to get supplies for the fall season from Canterlot!” “Not while I’m around!” Twilight vowed. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz, you and I will go to investigate. Pinkie, take Phineas and Ferb back to the library; then go to the train station with the girls.” The Sheriff of Nottingham drew his sword, and walked briskly back out the door. He had no intention of dying at the hands of the psychotic Quackerjack, and he also had no intention of falling victim to a pony ambush. “Fall back!” he called back to his soldiers. “Leave the fool to his fun.” “You’re not going anywhere!” Twilight told him with force, as she charged up her horn. Dr. Doofenshmirtz fumbled in his pockets, looking desperately for something that might resemble a weapon. “That’s right,” he told the Sheriff, as he pulled a black rectangle from his labcoat. It was the remote for the Other-Dimensioninator, but he knew the Sheriff didn’t know that. “Now tremble in fear, as I unleash my… um, my…. Sword Liquidatorinator!” The Sheriff looked on in confusion, since he wasn’t the smartest villain in Facilier’s League of Greed. “A Sword Liquidatorinator?” he asked. “What does it do?” “It uses concentrated magic beams to melt swords,” Doofenshmirtz lied, as he wielded the remote in a threatening manner. He then got too carried away in his demonstration, as he pressed the button by accident. A portal opened in front of him, and Perry the Platypus jumped out. “Perry the Platypus!” the Sheriff and Dr. Doofenshmirtz yelled out in united fear, for they knew jail time was in the cards if he captured them. The two villains took off running in separate directions, and Perry decided to chase after his regular nemesis. This left Twilight standing alone in front of the burning station, as Quackerjack jumped out through a window. “Hello, little unicorn,” he told Twilight, as he patted out the fire on his cap. “I suppose you’re here to stop me.” “That’s right,” Twilight said, as she shot a magic beam at him. “Good,” Quackerjack said, as he pulled a popgun from his pocket. “I needed a new playmate, and you’ll do nicely!” He pulled the trigger, and a net shot out. It flew towards Twilight at a bullet’s speed, wrapping her tightly in less than two seconds. She fell to the ground struggling in her bonds, as Quackerjack gloated over her. He pulled a large mallet out from under his cap, and Twilight knew it was trouble. “Time for a little game of Whack-A-Pony,” Quackerjack giggled; as he lifted the mallet over his head. “Oh, how fun!” “Oh no, you don’t!” a voice called out, as it approached at a break-neck speed. It was the voice of the daring Rainbow Dash, who struck Quackerjack across the face with a swing of her left front hoof. This sent the evil jester staggering back, as he dropped the mallet and cocked his popgun. “Too many playmates around here,” he observed, as he pulled the trigger. This let loose a cloud of purple smoke, borrowed straight from the strategies of his longtime enemy. “I’ll see you later, my little ponies!” he chuckled cruelly, as he seemingly disappeared into thin air. “Who was that jerk, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked her friend, as she ripped open the net with her teeth. “I don’t know,” Twilight answered her, “but I think it’s time we got some answers.”
Preparing For Battle Friday, June 22nd 12:03 A.M. Sweet Apple Acres (Preparing For Battle) Dr. Facilier shifted back into his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He knew that he didn’t have the best men for this mission, but that couldn’t be helped. The Alliance had been most specific about who he was able to hire, and who he wasn’t. This made him wonder: had the Wicked Alliance sent him to claim this land, or had they banished him to this cheery dimension to be rid of him once and for all? “Oh, Doc!” a voice sang out from the hallway. It was Quackerjack, accompanied by a visibly trembling Sheriff. “We’re back!” “Did you get the job done?” Dr. Facilier asked. “Oh yeah,” Quackerjack answered him, as he pointed at the Sheriff. “No thanks to Fat Boy, of course.” “Hey, now!” the Sheriff blustered, as his face turned red. “I only ran because Perry the Platypus showed up!” “Perry the Platypus,” Dr. Facilier moaned, as he buried his face in his palms. “As if it wasn’t enough to have to conquer an entire planet, now the law’s on our tail. Did he find out where we’re hiding?” “No, sir,” the Sheriff assured him. “He followed that fool Doofenshmirtz back to wherever he’s holed up right now.” “Then we still have a chance,” Dr. Facilier muttered. “Take ten of your soldiers and scout the city, Sheriff. I expect Dr. Doofenshmirtz to be found within the hour.” “Yes, sir,” the Sheriff said with a hasty salute, before taking his leave. “As for you,” Dr. Facilier said, turning his attention to Quackerjack. “I want you to join up with your boss Negaduck at the barn. Take whatever weapons you can find, for you and your Fearsome Five comrades will be leading the assault on Ponyville at dawn.” “Sounds like a fun time, boss,” Quackerjack giggled, as he bounced out of the room. Dr. Facilier groaned in disgust, and fiddled with the necklace dangling around his neck. The magic, and his time, was running out… Back in Ponyville, Twilight and her friends were gathered at her library to share what they knew about the ‘monsters’. “Does anypony know anything about these creatures?” she asked her friends. “I’ve seen ‘em sneaking around AJ’s farm,” Rainbow Dash answered her. “It looks like they’re working for a couple of eggheads, but they’re pretty dangerous too.” “They’re not all bad,” Pinkie Pie interjected. “Phineas and Ferb made me an AMAZING Cupcake Launcher!” “That’s right,” Twilight said, as she tapped her hoof slightly. “Phineas and Ferb seem to be on our side, as well as Dr. Doofenshmirtz.” “What’s that feller’s deal, anyway?” Applejack asked. “He seems to be, well, not that bright… or helpful.” “The doctor’s heart is in the right place,” Twilight assured her, “he’s just a little… clumsy.” “What was up with that platypus chasing him?” Rainbow asked. “I’m not sure,” Twilight admitted. “Dr. Doofenshmirtz says he’s evil, but the way Dr. Doofenshmirtz talks seems more than a little evil, too. I not sure who’s good and who’s not.” “We’ll find out who’s with who soon enough,” Applejack mumbled, as she drifted off to sleep. “No point in worryin’ about it now. Get some sleep, y’all.” All of the ponies snuggled in close together, and were soon fast asleep. Dr. Doofenshmirtz grabbed his chest from exhaustion, as he huddled down behind a house. Perry the Platypus had been chasing him for almost twelve hours, across the town several times and through a very strange forest nearby. “No more,” he wheezed, as he heard his nemesis approaching from behind. “I give up, Perry the Platypus.” Perry the Platypus moved in closer, until he was interrupted by his watch communicator ringing. “Perry the Platypus,” Major Monogram told him. “Step back a few steps. Doofenshmirtz is innocent, for once.” “Listen to him,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz said, as he collapsed to the ground. “He knows what he’s saying.” “Our investigation has revealed the true villain behind this,” Major Monogram carried on, “and this goes far beyond the barely a threat villainy we’ve come to expect from him.” “Oh, ouch,” Dr. Doofenshmirtz mumbled. “I’m right here, you know.” “Have Dr. Doofenshmirtz use the remote again, Agent P,” Major Monogram ordered his agent. “Backup is on the way.” Dr. Doofenshmirtz pressed the button, and nothing happened. “I was afraid of that,” Major Monogram groaned in frustration. “Looks like that help will be delayed, because somebody had to buy dollar store batteries again.” “Hey, my Inators are expensive as it is,” Doofenshmirtz grumbled defensively. “I don’t have a government budget like you, you know.” “You two will have to work together for this mission,” Major Monogram insisted. “This is far too big for one agent to handle alone. Good luck, Agent P… you will need it.”
Against the OddsFriday, June 22nd 8:53 A.M. Canterlot (Against the Odds) Princess Celestia paced nervously around her throne room, as her mind struggled to come up with a strategy. She knew that Ponyville was under attack at that very moment, yet she was at a loss as to how she could help. The train was out of order, so she couldn’t send troops. She could try an aerial attack, but the invaders were rumored to have weapons able to kill at any height. Truly, it was a no-win situation for the princess of Equestria. “Your Majesty,” a servant piped up from the hall, “shall I send for your sister?” “Yes, please,” Princess Celestia urged him. “I need to see her right away!” Unknown to Princess Celestia and the nobles of Canterlot, one of the invaders had already kidnapped the younger royal. Now Princess Luna was dangling from the roof of a cavern deep below the palace, tied to an incredibly sturdy rope. She could hear footsteps approaching, followed by a deep voice singing a mocking song: Well well well, what have we here? Nightmare Moon, huh? Ooh, I’m really scared! So you’re the princess everypony’s talking about, ha ha ha ha! You’re joking, you’re joking She’s gotta be a phony You’re joking me, you gotta be She’s just a silly pony! She’s loud, she’s scrawny I don’t know which is worse I just might split a seam now If I don’t die laughing first! When Mr. Oogie Boogie says There’s trouble close at hand You’d better pay attention now ‘Cause I’m the Boogie Man And if you ain’t whinnyin’ There’s something very wrong ‘Cause this may be the last time You hear the Boogie Song Ohh Ohh Ohh I’m the Oogie Boogie Man! “Silence!” Princess Luna shouted, cutting him off in the middle of his song. “We demand to be let go!” “But the game’s just getting started,” Oogie Boogie said, as he tightened her bonds. “The… game?” Luna squeaked in fear. Oogie Boogie flashed a sadistic grin, and continued his song: Oh, the sound of rollin' dice To me is music in the air 'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man Although I don't play fair It's much more fun, I must confess When lives are on the line Not mine, of course, but yours, my dear Now that'd be just fine He pulled the rope then pulled the rope tight, and tied it to a boulder nearby. He then kicked the pile of rocks out from under Luna, revealing a pit of naturally boiling water. With all this done, he pulled out his dice and a sharp knife; for it was time for the game to begin. “Sorry about the hasty setup,” he falsely apologized to his captive. “Shall we begin?” “Release me, demon,” Princess Luna uttered, as her eyes slowly started to turn black. Something was rising within her… Oogie rolled his dice, and came up snake-eyes. He slammed his foot on the floor, and it changed to a three. “Three cuts,” he observed. “That’s not a bad start.” He held the knife menacingly over the rope, and slammed it down three times. The rope started to fray, and Luna was lowered even further toward the dangerous pit. “Last chance, monster,” Luna roared, as her voice started to distort. “We demand to be released at once!” “Oh, Luna, you’re really somethin’,” Oogie laughed heartily, as he rolled the dice again to get a twelve. “Looks like our game ends here.” “Indeed,” Luna uttered, as her mighty wings ripped the ropes open. She flew into the air, and charged her horn threateningly. “Now you shall see our true power!” Oogie’s jaw practically dropped to the floor, and he threw the knife at her. Luna effortlessly blocked it with her hooves, and she picked him up with her magic. “Come on,” he begged her, as she held him over the pit. “We could be a great team. Oogie Boogie and Luna, partners in evil, whaddya say?” “Luna isn’t here,” Princess Luna hissed, as her old armor started to grow back. “The name is Nightmare Moon.” She held him over the pit, and then let him go. Oogie Boogie’s reign of terror was at an end. Princess Celestia looked out over the courtyard, and felt a great despair wash over her. This quickly turned to fear, as Nightmare Moon burst out of the ground. “Luna!” she cried. “What happened to you?” “I am free once again,” Nightmare Moon hissed. “As your kingdom burns all around you, the night shall rise to glory once again.” “This isn’t right, and you know it!” Celestia snapped back. “Isn’t it?” Nightmare Moon asked, feigning confusion. “Did you not want this to happen? You were the one who created Nightmare Night; you were the one who wanted to keep my other self locked in the past, and you were the one who sent me away when Chrysalis attacked. You wanted all this to happen, so that the rightful ruler of Equestria could ascend to the throne.” “Rightful ruler?” Celestia answered her. “There is no single ruler! Luna and I rule as sisters, and as friends!” “Luna will never be your friend,” Nightmare Moon snapped back. “How could a prisoner come to love her captor?” As the royal sisters carried on with their fight, the force of their argument grew to match the intensity of the battle in Ponyville. This would be a war fought on many fronts… Back in Ponyville, the Fearsome Five were thoroughly enjoying terrorizing the town. Negaduck revved up his chainsaw, and held in threateningly towards Town Hall. “Okay boys,” he cackled, “let’s tear up the town!” “What a refreshing idea,” the Liquidator said, as he sent waves washing over hordes of terrified ponies. “Yeah,” Bushroot agreed, as he caught a pair of Earth ponies in his vines. He pulled them toward him, and came face-to-face with Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. “Hello, little ponies,” Bushroot taunted, as he tickled Vinyl under her chin with a flower. “Looks like you’re a little… tangled up in all this.” “Keep laughing,” Vinyl sneered. “I’ve got something for you too.” “Oh yeah?” Bushroot giggled. “Like what?” “Nothing special,” Vinyl snickered, as she nodded off towards a nearby house. “Just some awesome jams!” As if on cue, the speakers in the windows started playing dubstep at full volume, causing the Liquidator to lose control of his waves and Bushroot to lose concentration. The two villains collided at a very high speed, and then smashed into Negaduck and his chainsaw; shorting it out instantly. Vinyl Scratch rolled out of her vine bonds, and she freed Octavia with her teeth. “Come on, Tavi,” she urged her best friend. “We gotta go help the others!” Quackerjack had separated from the opening attack, and had decided to storm the library with the help of Alameda Slim and Rico. He threw a jack-in-the-box grenade at the door, blowing it open to reveal Twilight and her friends. “Oh, is it playtime already?” he asked in mock confusion. “Game’s over, you bozo,” Rainbow Dash answered him in defiance. “Come on, put ‘em up! Let’s fight!” “I didn’t forget you, my friend,” Quackerjack sneered, as he pointed behind her. “That’s why I had a special present made just for you.” “What?” was all Rainbow Dash could say, before she was taken down by an electric shock from Quackerjack’s partner Megavolt. “What an electrifying surprise,” the lightning-filled villain giggled in delight, as he charged up his next attack. “Who would like to be next?” “Y’all are gonna pay for that,” Applejack hissed, as she looked down at her stunned friend. “Y’all are gonna pay!” She charged toward Megavolt with the force of ten buffalo, catching him in the gut with her head and knocking him down. “Now that’s not very nice,” Quackerjack scolded her. “Rico, show her the correct way to play.” Rico lined up his shot, and slowly started to pull the trigger… only to find his finger frozen in place by a purple magic forcefield. This was met with a buck to his face from Pinkie Pie, knocking him down to the street. She growled in frustration, and Alameda Slim ran away in fear. “Coward,” Quackerjack shouted after the deserter; before turning back to the ponies with a cruel grin. “Oh, well. More fun for me!” Suddenly, a barrage of cupcakes flew out the door; followed by an attacking Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Perry the Platypus. They quickly overwhelmed the giggling jester, and sent him running away in defeat as well. “We did it!” Fluttershy happily announced, as she emerged from behind a couch. “We did it!” “Yeah,” Twilight admitted, “but I think they’ll be back.”
