In the halls of the School of Friendship, the two entered the premise during what appeared to be lunch time. Since both of them knew that Twilight was still probably in her room asleep, Spike and Rachel walked into Starlight’s office.

Spike knocked on the doors before entering, holding the door opened for Rachel and went in.

Inside, Starlight was finishing up some paperwork. When she finished, she looked up and smirked, looking at the couple.

“Hey guys, what can I do for you?” She asked them.

Spike shrugged, “the short of it is, we were in AJ’s barn,” he starts

“It collapsed on us,” Rachel finishes, showing the unicorn the cufflet. The now grey gem. “I managed to use the spell for the barrier gem and the color drained.”

Starlight looked at it before smiling, “oh, right. I guess we forgot to tell you a few things more about the cufflet.” she said. “They have a one use thing, they turn grey after each use and like a battery, they’ll recharge.” She points at the blue gem. “That will take fifteen minutes to recharge,” she points at the yellow. “Two hours.” and then moved to the red/grey gem. “Ten minutes.”

“Oh, that’s really good to know.” Rachel said, looking at the cufflet.

“Do you guys want to test out the other two?” Starlight asked her.

Rachel thought about it before shaking her head. “I’m good for now.” She said as Spike wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on top of hers.

“You know, you make a good sunhat, big guy.”

“I know.” Spike chuckled.

Starlight smirked at the two. “Lunch is about start, you guys wanna stick around?”

The couple looked at each other before shrugging.

Before they were to turn and leave, Fluttershy very softly knocked on the door. How could you tell it’s was Flutters you may ask. If the knock is so quiet that not even mice could detect, only the ears of a dragon could pick it up, it’s Flutters.

Fluttershy stuck her head in. “Um...can I come- Oh! Hey Spike, Rachel.”

“Hey.” Both of them said in unison before giggling how they both said that at the same time.

“Come on in, Fluttershy,” Starlight said.

“Oh, ok.” She said as she entered, closing the door quietly behind her as she walked in. It came quickly apparent that she was hiding something behind her back. When she was looking at Rachel however, there was mask of shame on it. Her ears were droopy.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel asked, caughting that.

The butterscotch mare blushed read and she squeaked as she approached Starlight’s desk.

“I...well…” she whimpered.

Okay, it was something really bad or otherwise Fluttershy wouldn’t be this meek.

“What is it, Fluttershy?” Starlight asked her.

“Well…” she whispered. “Well I had to confiscate one of the student’s cell phone. I know phones are not aloud in class, but it was causing distress among the class.”

“You did the right thing.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Fluttershy said, pulling the cell phone out from her back and show it. “They were watching something really, really bad.” She looked at Rachel and whimpered. As if she was going to be in trouble for even showing this. “Rachel, i’m really, really sorry, please don’t be mad.”

Rachel raised a brow. “Unless some punk somehow got ahold of one of Ruby’s tapes with my ass drunk as hell dancing in a very skimpy playcolt bunny suit with Gemcity, I don’t think it’s that bad.”

“What?” Spike snapped his head towards her hearing that.

Her face blushed pure red. “Oh, nothing.” Ears redding lier.

There was a moment of silence after that.

“I...I think it’s worse.” Fluttershy muttered, her face more red in fact she now has a mental image of Rachel in a bunny suit. Though more of the furry kind wearing a bikini.

Like any boy, Spike knew what that was and now wants to find that tape before it actually does get leaked.

Still, the four gathered around the confiscated phone and Starlight pressed played.

At first it was a black screen, heavy breathing soon came after, sounds of movement was heard before the screen flashed on.

A few humans, both male and female, were in a warehouse. Both of them laughing, seeming to be appear drunk. They were speaking in some sort of language neither of the ponies and Spike knew.

However, Rachel knew it, her face paled when she recognized the language.

One of the females spoke, “Eamus quidam habent fun, et posuit in camera mecum exultant lusibus..”

“Holy shit,” she muttered.

“Can you understand them?” Spike asked.

“Yeah, kinda...My Latin is a bit rusty.” Rachel muttered before looking at Fluttershy and Starlight. “What, my grandmother was from Vatican City before she came to the US back on human Earth. My mother taught me some of the language...but sheesh I haven’t spoke it in decades, it’s a dead language, no one but people who work deep within the Vatican. The girl wanted the camera dude to stop filming and dance or she wants him to play a game of prance….like I said, my Latin is rusty.”

“Can you translate then? I do however have a translation spell.” Starlight offered.

“Um...last time you casted that spell on multiple people, the language barrier between ponies and other creatures gotten even more fucked up.” Spike grunted.

“One time.”

Fluttershy whimpered as the video continued.

The group continued to speak in Latin, Rachel did her best to translate but these were words she hasn’t heard in years.

Generally, the humans were just talking before they came across a lone earth pony. The young pony was actually lost, speaking English.

“Excuse me guys, can you help me?” he asked them.

Again, the humans were speaking latin, the pony couldn’t understand.

The screen glitched before it showed the group again…

The pony however layed on the ground, curled up, stripped naked and what appeared to be beaten.

The humans looked as if they were laughing at his pain before proceeding to stomp on him again.

Fluttershy turned her head with a cry, her face in her hands sobbing.

Spike, Rachel and Starlight were all appalled. Shocked on what they were actually seeing.

“What the hell is this?” Starlight’s voice carried out loudly throughout the office.

Then, this disembodied voice came on.

“You see, this is what humans are capable of,” it said before the screen flashes still pictures.

Rachel’s mouth dropped cause she saw pictures of her world, taking from the documentaries and history books. The horror her race had done to each other. Of past wars, genocide, slavery, torturing, ruining the ecosystem.

Showing the ugly side of humanity.

“Mankind do not belong in this reality. Band together, join the White Mantle and expel this evil..Or our world will be no more.”

A red screen appeared with a white symbol:

Before ending.

****

“What the actual fuck was that?” Dash shouted loudly.

Gathering around the map room, all of the girls, including Spike and Rachel, discussed about that video.

Fluttershy had sunk into her chair, ears drooped and wings covering her face along with her pink hair. Sadden and whimpered as if she had done an awful thing.

Actually, it’s the opposite.

Rarity did felt uncomfortable seeing the humans treated the pony harm. She couldn’t even look at the whole video. Memories of what happened to her, when she was raped over a year ago by a human was coming back. Rarity didn’t want to be reminded of that night.

She does that enough with her therapist.

“This video is very sloppy.” Apple Jack said, squinting at the screen. “Reminded me of the CMC’s attempt to make a horror film cutie mark gone wrong.”

Pinkie Pie nodded in agreement. “If it is a scary movie, I’d give it a big fat F!” She then slams a red styrofoam F on the map near the phone in question.

Twilight rubbed her face in thought. “That may be...maybe it isn’t that bad. I mean, Humans and Ponies have been coexisting this long. This video is nothing.”

Starlight was about to speak when Rachel grunted from her seat.

The girls turned to the human in the room, whom was comfortably sitting on Spike’s lap, his hand gently on her waist, hold her idly.

Spike already knew that video was junk, but this matter was of Rachel’s species…

“Rachel,” Rarity was the one who spoke first. “What do you think of this?”

Rachel sighed in response, rubbing the back of her neck. “Honestly?”

They all nodded.

Their friend looked at them before speaking. “This video, the very mention of this group White Mantle - which sound kinda familiar, don't ask me where cause I have no idea… the crappy editing and bad acting...all of it…” She closed her eyes before continuing. “It’s a Propaganda video.”

“Huh?” all of the girls looked at her as if she had a third head.

This time, Spike spoke.

“Propaganda is a human term.” He explained. “Basically they would make a video and use that to sway the public’s belief. Be in religion, to change radical views - am I getting this right?” he looked at his girlfriend.

She patted his leg with a nod.

The human then turned to the ponies in front of them. “This shit...this group that made this took a page from my world history. Showing the ugly, horrible side of Humanity. As a whole, we are creatures of mass destructions: Wars, famine, slavery, torture, for fuck sakes we’re even destroying our own ozone. Those who don’t know humanity personally, they would join this group...Hell, most of us came to this world just to get away from all of that.”

“I can see it now,” Dash said, leaning back in her chair. “A huge civil war between this world.”

“You’re right, Rainbow.” Rachel said.

Starlight picked up the phone and played the video again. With a small hum, her horn glowed before gasping.

“Guys,” she said. “These aren’t humans… They’re ponies in glamor.” she said before the phone started to spark, shocking her hand. With a shout, she dropped the phone on the map before it caught on fire.

They all flinched and gasped at the sudden fire.

Pinkie was first to stand up, grabbing a can of whipped cream out of her mane and sprayed the fire out with it.

“Okay,” twilight said, not even questioning Pinkie’s use of a fire extinguisher, “Ponies made this, using a dead human language-”

“Which Rachy here can speak!” Pinkie said...now eating the now burnt cream. “Hmm, taste like smores!”

“Barely, Pinkie,” Rachel responded.

“Still, it’s strange, after i used my decloaking spell, the phone short circuited,” Starlight said, rubbing her hand. “Almost as if this group who made the video put a spell to prevent anyone to see who really made it.”

“Why would our own ponies make sure a horrible video?’ Fluttershy asked.

“Cause they’re assholes,” both Rachel and Spike answered.

“There are assholes in my world, and in this world, Flutters, can’t change that. One of the things both worlds have in common sadly.” Rachel said.

“I’m going to go to Canterlot in the morning,” Twilight said. “You guys are welcome to join me, the other Princesses should know about this.” She then looked at Rachel, “except you.”

“What?” Rachel blinked, hopping off of Spike and stood, looking at the princess.

“Rachel, with this video out, your life would be in jeopardy. It’s much safer if you stay here. Spike can stay back and protect you.”

“Princess, no disrespect, but I can handle myself. You guys might need me.” Rachel said.

Dash shook her head. “No way, I’ll have to get my platoon on you if we need to keep you save.”

“I can’t go actually,” Rarity said. “I got a fashion show and have to attend Sweetie’s Parent/Teacher conference.”

Rainbow Dash’s jogging pants pocket started to buzz. She dug into it, pulled the phone out and checked it. “Shit, I can’t come too. I’m scheduled for a Joint Training practice. We’ll be training alongside with the Shadowbolts. Gotta leave first thing in the morning. Won’t be back till next month.”

“I can’t either, I got a huge order. My job depends on it!” Pinkie said. “No seriously, Mr. Cake threatened to fire me if I don’t get this clientele.”

“I’ll go, Twi.” AppleJack said, standing up. Fluttershy voted to go as well.

“I’ll stay behind and look after the school.” Starlight said. “I’ll get the pillars and Thorax to come in and help teach the classes.”

“Then it’s settled,” Twilight said. “At morning girls, we leave.”

Author's Note

So sorry for being absent lol, RL stuff and doing art commissions got in the way.
Like and comment please