Avengers of Harmony

“I bet you’re all wondering why you’re here,” Headmare Twilight began, pacing back and forth.

“Uh, yeah,” Gallus said. “Because you gave no explanation.”

They were standing on a wide stretch of grass beside the school. Behind Twilight were all the professors. They were standing across from the small group of students, making two lines that faced each other.

“As I’m sure you know, my friends and I have been to another world a few times, and what we saw there was intriguing. The people there had no Elements of Harmony to defend their world, so they chose a few special people to do it—people with unusual powers or great training. Superheroes.”

“Are you gonna go through the entire backstory, Twilight?” Professor Dash interrupted.

“I’m being dramatic!” Twilight snapped back. “It’s cool!” She cleared her throat. “Well, anyway, all of us think that Equestria could use some superheroes of its own, for smaller problems—or for a backup plan. We’ve been looking for just the right group to train for the task… and we think you fit the bill. Only if you want to, of course.”

Silverstream gasped and put her hands against her face. “No way! You want us to be superheroes? THIS IS SO COOL!”

Smolder shrugged. “Sounds cool. I’m down.”

Ingar’s mouth just dropped. “You want me… to be a defender for all of Equestria?”

“I can’t think of a better team,” Headmare Twilight said warmly. “But even though we’ll do our best to keep it from affecting your studies, it will make your lives much busier, and there is a possibility your grades will suffer.” She looked at Ocellus, easily the most studious of the bunch, as she said it.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Ocellus. “Not just for us, but for all our nations. I don’t see how we could refuse.”

“Then it’s settled.” Twilight beamed. “I was hoping you’d agree. Ooh, this is so exciting!” She reared up and clapped her hooves together, then settled down quickly. “Ahem. Uh, each of your teachers has a special friendship with one of those superheroes from another world. We’ll each spend some time with one of you, one-on-one, teaching you some of our own techniques and some of the humans’, helping you refine your own unique style. So we’re going to go down the line and explain a little more about ourselves and our friends, and you can choose who you want to learn from. Sound good?”

“That sounds GREAT!” Silverstream shouted, and the others nodded in agreement.

“Ooh, ooh, can I go first? Can I can I can I?” Pinkie Pie asked, and Twilight gave a nod of approval. “Okay! If you’re with me, you’re gonna learn some totally amazing stuff! You can learn to make your own party cannon and a secret party cave and hop around through reality and also bake! And maybe…” She put a hoof next to her mouth and stage whispered. “…maybe I’ll even teach you to shoot lightning like Thor! With your hair!”

“Ooh,” said Ocellus.

"With your hair?" Silverstream asked, tilting her head.

"Yep! That's why I always carry a battery in my tail!" She turned around and waved her tail in the air. It was sparking with electricity.

Before Silverstream could ask another question, Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “If you want to be the coolest pony—er, or creature—in the whole school, I’m your mare! I learned from Tony Stark, the awesomest egghead on the planet Earth, and I made a super suit that can take on the toughest of tough bad guys, even with almost no magic!”

Twilight coughed. It sounded a great deal like, “I helped.”

“Okay, Twilight did help me make it,” Rainbow Dash admitted sheepishly. “But I’m the one using it! And between the two of us, we can make something just as cool for you too!”

Fluttershy cleared her throat awkwardly. “Um, I ended up with Clint Barton. He goes by Hawkeye sometimes. He’s an incredibly skilled archer with a lot of trick arrows. I learned to shoot because of him, and I can teach you too. And I’m not sure if I can teach you to talk to animals, but I can definitely try!”

“Ah learned from a man called Steve Rogers,” Applejack drawled. “He’s stronger and faster than anybody ‘round. Now, Ah can’t make you that, but Ah can sure make you strong. Ah can teach you to buck like nopony’s business. And Ah can teach you to make your own shield, just like his, and just like mine.” She reached backwards and pulled a round wooden disk off her back. “Nothin’ better to use in battle than what you made with your own two hooves.”

Rarity tossed her mane. “If you want to learn a more elegant style of combat, with less brutish force and more precision and style, I’m your mare, darling. With me you’ll learn to fight hoof-to-hoof like the famed assassin Natasha Romanov, as well as my own twist, tactical fashion—clothes that help you look fabulous and fight well, blinding your opponents, hiding blades, or any number of other things.”

Finally, Headmare Twilight spoke. “I’ve already agreed to teach Ingar magic. Despite my friendship with Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk, I will not be teaching any of you to turn into giant green monsters. But if you study and commit yourself, you can be just as much of a powerhouse.” She stepped back into the line, and others shuffled slightly to bring it back to even. “We’ve all spoken,” Twilight said. “It’s time to make your choices.”

“Ooh!” Silverstream bounced up and down. “I want Professor Pie to be my teacher! I want to learn about parties and lightning!”

“Yesss…” Pinkie Pie whispered dramatically. “Come with me, young padawan, and I shall teach you the way of the Party.”

Gallus raised an eyebrow. “Well, I think archery would be easier for someone with, y’know, fingers. And good eyesight. I’ve got both, so I’ll go with Fluttershy.”

“Yona want to learn strength! Applejack teach Yona?”

“Ah’d be happy to, Sugarcube.”

There was a brief pause. “Well,” Ingar said, more to fill the silence than anything, “I guess I’m already with Headmare Twilight.”

Smolder shrugged. “Professor Dash sounds kinda cool. I don’t see why not.”

Ocellus and Sandbar both started to speak, then stopped and looked at each other. “You go first,” Ocellus said.

“No, no, go ahead.”

Twilight looked between them in confusion, then suddenly smacked her hoof against her face with great force. “I can’t believe it! I’m an idiot!” She rubbed the site of the impact with a wince. “I got so excited when I heard the number six that I didn’t stop to think, I just got carried away with the planning… Ingar said he had six friends, not that there were six of them all together!”

“I’m sure it’ll be okay,” Fluttershy said softly. “Surely one of us could teach two students.”

Twilight sighed. “Yes, you’re right. It’s not a disaster.” She took a deep breath with a hoof to her chest, then exhaled and pointed outwards. “We can still make this work.”

“In that case…” Sandbar said slowly, “I would like to learn from Rarity. I think it would be fun to make clothing with a purpose.”

“Ocellus, would you like to join me?” Twilight suggested. “I’m sure you’d be dedicated to your studies and pick it up quickly. You and Ingar could learn together!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to make it harder for him,” Ocellus said, buzzing her wings awkwardly. “He’s never done magic before, so he needs all the time you can give him. I’d just be in the way.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’d be happy to have you! Any of the others would too. It’s your choice.”

“But I don’t want to be in anyone’s way!” Ocellus complains.

Twilight opened her mouth to object again, but a noise caught her attention, and she perked up her ears. A faint whirring was coming from the town, growing louder and closer each moment.

As they all turned to see what it was, a red speck appeared on the horizon. It quickly resolved into a small filly in a funny red suit, propelling a scooter forward with the force of her wings, creating that buzzing noise. As she drew near to them, she swerved the scooter to bring it to a rapid halt, but, preserving her own momentum, leaped from it. A strand of white string flew from her hoof to a tree, and she swung, releasing at just the right point to land right in front of the group, in line with the professors. “Hey, guys!” said Scootaloo, aka Spidermare. “I heard the superheroes were figuring out who to train for what. I’m not late, am I?”

Ocellus’s mouth curled into a smile. “Actually, I think you’re right on time.”