Ponyville

Castle of Friendship

Twilight Sparkle and Spike normally didn't open up their castle for official business until after 9 AM.

That was apparently changed when Princess Celestia, along with two platoons of Solar Guards, appeared in their dining room with a flash.

"GAH! Celestia!" Twilight said, jumping up so quickly she fell to the floor with her chair. "What's up?"

"No time for explanations!" Celestia said, with an element in her tone that Twilight had never heard. Fear. "Get the Element Bearers and head to Starlight Glimmer's village IMMEDIATELY!"

Before Twilight or Spike could respond, there was another bright flash, and they were gone. Spike looked at Twilight with a confused look.

"What was that all about?" the dragon asked.

"No clue." Twilight replied. "Let's just get the girls."

====

As the assorted Element Bearers boarded a Solar Guard train, they were greeted by Celestia once more.

"I'm sorry for the sudden appearance." she said. "But we have a major problem on our hooves."

"Like what?" Pinkie asked. Celestia handed her two photographs. One was an image of Our Town.

"That was taken yesterday." Celestia said. "Flip it over."

Pinkie flipped the picture over, and gasped, letting the image fall to the floor of the car. Twilight and the others looked at it. The once-bustling town was now totally destroyed and ruined. Black and red, ghastly-looking spikes covered the earth, and if Twilight didn't know better, she would say that the Town was being consumed by...whatever it was that made the spikes.

"What happened?" Twilight asked, floored from shock.

"We don't know." Celestia replied. "Whatever it is, it's not from Equestria, as that is perfectly clear. The Guards, when they arrived, reported that nearly everypony in the town...was not themselves. They had presumably been infected by whatever that is. There were three uninfected survivors that we recovered, but everypony else....was lost. The town has been quarantined, and we're trying to stop whatever foul thing this is before it can spread."

"What do we know?" Twilight asked.

"Next to nothing, I'm afraid." Celestia sighed. "We don't know how to fight it, cure it, or destroy it. I've personally hoofpicked a research team to do what they can, but we can't learn anything without knowing what it is. That is why I need you. If this spreads beyond the Town, there will be no Equestria left standing."

Twilight and everypony else gulped as the train chugged to the northwest.

====
Canter City, Massachusetts
Canterlot High

Principal Celestine Daymont, or Celestia, was not expecting a phone call in the middle of Lunch hour. Especially since the only number on the screen of her phone was "6". She picked up the receiver, and asked "Hello?"

"Principal Celestine Daymont?" said a distorted voice.

"Yes, who is this?" she asked.

"I identify as Six. I work for the United Nations. And if you hang up, we cannot protect you."

Celestia flinched.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I have my ways. Are you aware of the portal to another world, currently located on the grounds of your school? Or the being from this world masquerading as a human?"

Celestia gasped.

"I'll take that as a yes. Be advised, My operators need to speak with her on a dire matter. Have her meet my teams outside the school at 1PM your time. They are authorized to use force."

"Might I ask why?" the Principal asked.

"That is classified." Six said. "She will be waiting outside, or you'll have more to worry about than just the United Nations breathing down your neck. And if this goes accordingly, you won't have to worry about a potential dossier being leaked worldwide of the occurrences at your school, complete with evidence of your coverups of said occurrences."

"Are you blackmailing me?" she asked, rather irked.

"Call it what you like. Sunset Shimmer will be waiting outside when my operators arrive, or the dossier goes live. You don't have much time, and neither do we. Six out."

The line went dead. Celestia reluctantly turned on the PA.

"Sunset Shimmer, please report to the entrance hall immediately."

====

Sunset headed over to the doors, and to her surprise, nearly ten men and women in special ops gear and carrying various weapons were speaking with the principal.

"There she is." Celestia said. The clear leader, who wore a yellow demolition suit marked with various signs of burning, walked up to her.

"Sunset Shimmer?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I'm Jordan Trace, nicknamed Thermite, Rainbow Six. We need you to come with us. To make it short, we know who you are, and your world is in danger. So we'd better get moving."

Sunset gasped, but walked with them to the waiting humvees outside, marked with a star-embedded six logo.

"By the way, Principal." Ash said, walking up. "We'll need to lock down this site, as I assume you know of the portal?"

"I do." Celestia replied.

"Then we'll need the school for a couple of weeks." Ash said. "Wasn't my call, but Six made it clear that we can't have a second outbreak. Make sure they leave out the back."

"I can't exactly close school in the middle of a day." Celestia protested.

"We've taken care of the school board and transport." Ash replied, motioning to the school buses that drove past them. "The only thing you have to do is read this over the PA."

Ash handed Celestia a piece of paper, marked with the UN and Rainbow Six logos.

"Do that, and we'll delete the dossier." Ash said. "Up to you."

Celestia nodded, and with a sigh, headed back inside. Thermite turned to a mystified Sunset.

"What's going on?' Sunset asked.

"Get in the Humvee and we'll tell you." Ash said. Seeing as there were no other options, Sunset boarded the Humvee with Ash and Thermite.

====

As the Humvees headed to the military base that was serving as Rainbow's base of ops, Ash handed Sunset a folder full of documents and photos.

"That there is classified by the UN." Ash said. "And what I am telling you now has never occurred or will never occur again."

She pulled down a video screen, which displayed a GPS image of Truth or Consequences.

"That is Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, as of four weeks ago." Ash said. "This…"

She swiped on her tablet, revealing the Apex outbreak and the drestruction.

"is the town as of one week ago." Ash said. "All a result of the Apex Parasite, an extraterrestrial lifeform."

"An alien did this?" Sunset asked.

"Sort of." Ash replied. "The parasite was captured by a Soviet Satellite, and it crashed outside the town. I bet you can imagine what happened. Parasite got loose, town and its residents were completely infected, and there was only ONE survivor."

"What's this have to do with me?" she asked.

"Because your world, from what we hear, also received an outbreak." Ash said. "We need your help. You're the only being that can open the portal, so we can intervene before something bad happens. And if we don't, your entire world is doomed. So, will you help us or not?"

"Do I have a choice?" Sunset asked. "Fine."

"Great." Ash said. "I'm afraid I'm not up to speed about your world, so tell us everything. And I mean...everything."

====

As the humvees returned to Canterlot High a couple of hours later, Sunset saw a fully functioning military base had been established around the school and portal.

"You work fast." Sunset said. "Won't anyone notice?"

"We're using US Army war games as cover." Ash said. "No one else knows that."

They headed for the Gym, which was now serving as Doc's research lab.

"Ah, our subject?" he asked. "I'm Gustave Kateb but you can call me Doc. Rainbow Six Team Medic, and now parasitic researcher for the Apex outbreak."

"What do you need from me?" Sunset asked.

"Well, I need to know if there'll be any medical concerns regarding cross-world travel and exposure." Doc said. "Atmosphere, for example."

"Equestria's atmosphere is identical to Earth." Sunset said. "Apart from the inhabitants, they're parallel in nearly all aspects."

"Good." Doc said. "I'll pass that along."

Sunset and Ash left, and they headed for the Portal, where Thermite and the Operators chosen for the mission were waiting.

"What's our backup in case things go to shit?" Gaunt asked.

"Three US army battalions." Ash said. "Only if necessary. Sunset, if you will?"

Sunset accessed the Portal, and it opened accordingly. Each operator headed in, followed by Doc, Lion, and Finka, who were carrying crates full of research material, ammo, and siege tech.

====
Crystal Empire
Spire

Sunset and the Operators appeared in a flash inside the Crystal Empire's portal room.

"Clear!" Ash said as the operators got to their feet. "Sunset, where are we?"

"Crystal Empire, north of Equestria." Sunset said. "Let's get moving. We'll be found sooner or later."

Sooner proved correct, as they heard footsteps coming from down the hall.

"The portal opened?"

"Yes your highness." said a Crystal Guard's voice. "We don't know what came through."

As the door opened, Shining Armor groaned. "Let's just hope whatever it could be is…"

He took one look at the assembled humans, and flared his horn for combat. The operators raised their weapons, and a standoff seemed inevitable. That is, until Sunset walked forward.

"Prince Shining Armor." she said.

"Sunset Shimmer?" Shining asked, recognizing her. "What's going on? Who are they?"

"We are your best bet for survival as a species." Ash said. "I’m Eliza Cohen but you can call me Ash. I'm with Rainbow Six. These here are my Operators."

"Why are you here?" Shining asked, not ceasing his magic buildup.

"It's quite complicated." Ash said. "Sunset?"

Sunset sighed and told Shining about the potential Apex outbreak, and Rainbow Six. She finished with "...and where's Twilight? She needs to know, like right now."

"Twilight and the Element Bearers are with Celestia, in a mountain town west of here." Shining said. "Celestia said something about the whole town being attacked by some red-and-black...thing."

"That's the Apex." Ash said. "And if not checked, it will and most certainly consume your entire world. We've stopped the Apex outbreak in our world, so let us stop this one, here. Get us to this town, now."

Shining raised an eyebrow, but sighed.

"I'll get you an airship." he said. "But I'm coming with you. I want to know for myself what's going on."

"Fine." Ash said. "Let's go."

They were about to leave when Doc, Finka, and Lion appeared with their supplies.

"Bonjour." Doc said, standing up with Lion and Finka."We miss anything?"

Ash sighed and looked at Shining.

"Not much." Ash shrugged. "Let's get moving."

The group headed for the airship docks, Shining making sure to alert Cadance of his departure.

====

Author's Note

Update!

Next time-The two worlds meet at Our Town.