Difference In Perspectives.

[Unknown Location.]

"You know, for the record, I agree with this plan. Something this exciting hasn't come for a long time. It's worth the ache in my hand for bringing that excessive toilet home across dimensions!"

"Was the task too much for you, Discord?"

"A task too much for 'Moi'? I'm sorry, but have you read my resume? I am Discord, the spirit of Chaos and Disharmony!"

"..."

"Hehe, right; I suppose you already know that. But I feel I must reiterate the joy of bringing these humans here. You can't see their destinies like your other creations. They belong to that other deity! Their presence is one big box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get!"

"You are correct in your analysis. I am not their author. Their stories are like a locked diary, barring all prying eyes save for the owner of the book,"

"Exactly! Let's not forget what happened the last time humans came for a visit!"

"What happened was something improbable made possible. The veil between the worlds shifted beyond the notice of the gods. This event allowed one not of this world to slip through. The result was less than ideal. But therein lies the remedy to heal that flustering wound. My world is on a downward spiral left by the madness of ones so violent and cruel. However, those very beings show the capacity for goodness. The human deity understands this. I believe it is why it is so passive to those it governs,"

"Oh yes, sound logic there. The humans made a mess, so let's get more humans to fix that mess! I am sure the world doesn't hate them at all. Where is the logic here?"

"A being of chaos arguing for logic? That is quite a surprise. You show such compassion for them. Is it because you hold an affinity for them? A kinship?"

"Oh, fuck you! You're omniscient! You already know it!"

"..."

"It's, uh, human reference..."

"...Yes, but I want you to say it~."

"Touche. But I am chaos personified! I don't have feelings. I have impulses,"

"Very well. Then you shall act as the human's guardian. Protect them when their lives are in dire straights. But it would be best if you did not reveal your intentions to them. The deity beyond the veil only agreed to this plan so long as we abide by how dictates its creations," Discord looked aghast by this order, but he did not challenge it. How could he?

"So, I am a glorified babysitter for different gods' possessions?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes,"

"Tsk. It's willing to lend out its toys, but only under its rules? Talk about a control freak. Anywho, let's check up on our displaced Homosapiens. Toddles," With that said, the spirit of chaos disappeared with a snap of his paw.

"You will be my editor for another author's characters, Discord. Let the quill stroke against the parchment and allow the ink to flow,"

[Golden Oaks Libary - 8 am - Twilight's POV.]

"It's uncanny!" I said to myself. I was in the basement, reviewing notes and charts, when I discovered something was amiss. My thermometer was on the floor in several pieces. Thankfully, the point on the scale was still intact. But the readings I was getting were something astronomical. "What could this mean? Was there a magical surge emitting from the Everfree? Perhaps some residual side effects from purging Nightmare Moon?" Nothing was making sense about these readings. I returned upstairs to see if Spike had received any word from Celestia. "Spike? Did we get a response from the princess yet?"

Spike was wearing his favorite sleeveless purple hoodie and black shorts in the living room. On the coffee table were a letter and some remote machine. "Yeah. It's some weird scanner and a response letter,"

"What does it say?"

"My Faithful Student, as you may already know, there was a massive magical disturbance during the night. Being alicorns, Luna and I are more in tune with our world's mana way lines. Both of us were able to deduce that has pierced through the veil and entered our plane. This event is a matter of grave concern. Only a being of great magical prowess could perform such a feat. My researchers here in Canterlot are doing all they can to solve this phenomenon. I seek your aid, as well. The device I sent along with this letter will aid you in locating the source of the disturbance. You may also bring along any pony you deem suitable. However, I must stress that you cannot engage in whatever you may find; only observe and report. Your findings will dictate how we shall proceed in handling this matter. Be cautious in this endeavor, Twilight.

Your loving mentor, Princess Sol Celestia"

Spike places down the letter with a worried expression. "What do you think this thing could be?"

I crossed my hooves against my chest as I sighed. "I don't know, Spike," I said with uncertainty before I felt a rush of determination swell within me. "But both the princesses are counting on us to solve this mystery! Take a letter, Spike! We'll need the girls on this one!"

Spike gave me a salute and began writing out the letters. I took the time to shower and dress. Looking over in the mirror, I had a purple shirt with white cufflinks and blue jeans. I came back to the living to find most of the girls save for Rainbow Dash here. Spike was swooning over Rarity again, complimenting her on her outfit. It was a lavender shirt and black miniskirt that highlighted her features. Fluttershy wore a green sundress and sunhat. Pinkie wore a yellow shirt and black yoga pants with grey stripes on her thighs. She seemed to be shivering in place for some reason. I had no idea why. Finally, Applejack lounged on the couch with her Stetson hat over her face. She must've finished her work quota as some dirt covered her cheeks. Oddly enough, her white blouse and long black shirt were still pristine. Everypony was talking amongst themselves until I cleared my throat. I soon regretted doing that as Pinkie assaulted me with a glomp.

"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie chirped.

"Urk! H-hey, Pinkie!" I said in a strained voice. Her bosom smushed against my muzzle, making it difficult to breathe. But that was nothing compared to her bone-crushing hug. My saving grace came in the form of Applejack as she pried Pinkie off of me.

"Ease up there, Pinkie Pie. I reckon Twilight wants to fill us in on the urgent matter she called us for before she passes out,"

Pinkie playfully pouts at this. "Oops. Sorry Twilight. I can't wait to hear about this important news you have for us! It must be a doozy of a doozy. My Pinkie sense is on a maximum sugar rush!!!"

I shot Pinkie a perplexed expression. "Your 'Pinkie sense?'"

"Yes, you silly filly. It's where I can - Wait - hold on a second..." Pinkie stops her nonsense for a moment as she digs into her mane. My left eye started twitching as I saw her hoof sink into the puffy valley upon her head. Then, in an act that obliterated physics laws, Pinkie pulls out a folder titled 'MLP story guide.' "Let's see, hmm. Oh! 'Feeling Pinkie Keen' isn't for another fourteen episodes. But that depends on how the author wants to incorporate the adventures. They could come in any order basically,"

Pinkie tosses the book back into her mane while all of us look at it as if she grew a second head. I opened my mouth to try and challenge this insult against my sanity. But Applejack spoke first. "Twi. Let it go,"

"But she--"

Applejack came up to me while firmly grasping my shoulders. "Trust me on this one, sugarcube. Let it go!"

Rarity clears her throat as our attention shifts to her. "That is right, darling. We have more than enough problems at the moment. You were saying Twilight. Not to sound like I am complaining, but waking up this early could seriously dampen my beauty, regiment!"

Applejack snorts at this. "Oh, no, we can't have that! Come off it, Rarity. The early bird gets the worm, as we apples say. Spending time in front of a mirror won't get you what a day out in the fields can,"

"Well, if a certain pony would care for their feminine charms more than plowing dirty fields, then she would understand better!"

"Understand what exactly? How do string a partner along to get the best deals on the market?"

"More like how to be more dignified at social gatherings than flexing around like a Bronco!"

Pinkie, Spike, Fluttershy, and I all gasped at that. Applejack silently stood up from the crouch stood in front of Rarity. "Care to repeat that?"

"Girls, please don't fight..." Fluttershy pleaded meekly. I would've missed it if she wasn't next to me. Spike and Pinkie looked lost on what to do.

Rarity stood up as well as my two friends got in each other's faces. Their snouts were practically kissing. "Why should I bother? You're proving my point right now!!"

It looked like a fight would break out, and we hadn't even left the library. "Enough!" I shouted, using my magic to separate the girls. "I understand that this emergency came at an inconvenient time. But that is no excuse for friends to launch personal attacks on one another!" Rarity and Applejack had the good sense to look ashamed of their actions.

"Oh. Oh!" Pinkie was waving her arm like a mad mare to get my attention. I sighed as I sigh pointed to her. "Maybe this emergency is affecting pony's minds and making them say mean things to their friends!"

"Oh, my! I hope that isn't the case!" Fluttershy said in a worried tone.

"Or maybe some ponies just need their morning coffee," Spike muttered. However, I shot him a look that made him wince.

"Regardless, Spike, could you send a letter to Rainbow Dash again? She should've been here by now--"

" GIRLS!!!" My friend in question came bursting through the doors. She was in her workout clothes. A wonder bolt jacket over a red sports bra and black shorts. "You won't believe this, but some millionaires moved into Ponyville!"

All of us were left confused by her statement. Save for Rarity, who claps her hooves in excitement. "Oh! Are they from Canterlot? Manehattan, Prance!? Did you see their cutie marks? Can you describe their garbs? You must tell us everything, darling!" Rarity said. Her eyes had a bright sparkle as Rarity inched closer with every question. Rainbow went to respond, but Pinkie came into her view as well.

"Oh! New ponies just moved into Ponyville? Do they like parties? What's their favorite cake? Strawberry? Vanilla? Double mint? Chocolate?"

Rainbow leaned back from Rarity and Pinkie as her ears splayed against her head. "I didn't meet them or see their clothes. All I saw was this huge mansion on the outskirts of town. It was bigger than the Riches and Sweet Apple Acres combined!"

That caught Applejack's attention. "Now hold up there, Rainbow. Sweet Apple Acres practically makes up most of Ponyville. How the hay could Ah miss that on the way over here?"

Using my magic, I summoned a map of Ponyville. "Here's a map of Ponyville. Rainbow, can you show us where this mansion is located?"

"Right here. It's north of the clock tower," Rainbow pointed out.

I narrowed my eyes at the map as I gave a single command. "Follow me, girls!" We all rush to the balcony. My telescope was waiting there. I looked into it, and I couldn't believe my eyes at the sight of it.

"What do you see, Twilight? Huh? Huh? What do you see?!" Pinkie asked excitedly.

"It is a mansion, but I've never seen one like it. Not even in Canterlot!"

"Pardon me, darling!" Rarity said as she moved me to the side. A gasp escapes her muzzle as she stares at the structure. "It's positively massive! The design is foreign. That much, I can tell, but where!? We must go talk to them at once!!!"

Rarity moved away from the telescope as Applejack took her turn. "Yep. It is near the northern fields of my farm. The trees must've blocked the view of the place,"

Spike went next. "But where were the construction ponies?"

"Maybe they used their tools quietly. They probably didn't want to make a big deal about moving into town," Fluttershy offers.

"That can't be the case. This mansion must be the source of the disturbance. It's the only logical conclusion we can draw from its sudden appearance!" I stated. "I think it's time to welcome our new neighbors,"

"I'll bring my wagon!" Pinkie vanished before any of us could say anything. I let out a tired sigh.

"It's too early for this..." I said flatly.

[Kingston Manner - Xavier POV.]

"Master Xavier,"

"Wha...?"

"Master Xavier. Wake up, sir,"

The voice of Walter rouses me from my sleep. I opened my eyes, only to close them again. Walter was shining a flashlight onto my face. "I take it the power is out?"

"Indeed, sir. Mrs. Kingston and the little ones are still asleep. I can't say the same for the others as I hadn't the time to check,"

This day is already going to be annoying. "Right. Let's rectify this right now," How does a multi-million dollar power grid shut down out of nowhere? Walter handed me a spare flashlight as we left my room. The hallways were pitch black leading to the main stairs. Thankfully, some light was shining through the windows. Of course, the generator is on the opposite end of the manner. "Any idea on how the power shut down?"

"It's hard to say, sir. Mrs. Kingston spares no expense when building this estate. Nothing short of an earthquake would've been able to cause a shortage,"

"Yet our sleep went completely undisturbed..." I feel as though we're missing something. "Besides, an earthquake in New York? Doubtful,"

"But not implausible, sir,"

I remained silent as we entered the generator room. There was no visible damage to the circuit breakers. But it looks as though something jostled the switches into the off position. "Right. It's an easy fix, but it will take some time for the power to return. But with everyone still asleep, no one will be the wiser," I got a sudden reminder of what Murphy's law is when something broke in the distance. Then, a shrill cry from a harpy echoes outward.

"THE FUCK HAPPENED WITH THE LIGHTS!?"

I could feel the oncoming headache as Angela's voice echoed throughout the manner. "I must say Ms. Nyx has excellent vocals and impeccable timing,"

"Let's go before she breaks--

*Shatter*

"Bugger..."

[Angela POV - A few moments earlier.]

Sleeping in a rich boy's bed never gets old. Sure as hell beats sleeping in that tailor park of an apartment. "Angie. Wake up!"

"Wha..."

"You need to get up. There's something-"

Julie was here, waking me up for some bullshit. I didn't have time for that. So I turned over and put the blanket over my head. It must've been like five seconds before she started badgering me again. I stuck my hand out from the shirt and flipped her the bird. I could hear Julie fucking off while I smiled. But then I felt something hit my head. It made a soft plop against my body. This stupid girl was hitting me with her pillow. Now any other dipshit that thought it was wise to fuck with me ended with a trip to the clinic. But beating the shit out of a friend's baby sister would be dumb as hell. So I let her have her fun till she got tired.

*PLOP*

*PLOP*

*PLOP*

"Alright, FUCK IT!!!" I shot out of the blanket to face this little girl that decided to be a cunt! She was there, backing away from the bed, holding the light from her phone. "You better be ready, Goldilocks,"

"Angie. Calm down and-"

I didn't let her finish and started to race at her. I didn't get far as Julie decided to be a cunt and shut off the light. It was pitch fucking black in the room. Then, as I got off the bed, my foot got caught on the sheet. I slipped and the damn piece of cloth wrapped around like some anaconda! I wasn't going to let this stop me. I ripped the sheet apart while Goldilocks backed away. I couldn't see the brat, but I heard her. I lunged forward, ready to wring her neck, only to trip over a boot or something. I fell face-first against the floor. This shit is pissing me off.

"THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE LIGHTS!?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you! The powers out! We must find out why before the girls or Miss Kingston get hurt!" Julie said.

"Do I look like a fucking babysitter? That's Alfred's job!"

"No. You look like a cranky bitch squirming on the floor. Also, you have to try to stop cussing so much,"

I was quiet for a bit before I managed to feel around the floor for something. I found one of my boots and lobbed it. Julie makes some stupid squeak while running out of the room. The boot crashed against a mirror, breaking it. Not that I gave a fuck. Richie Rich could replace it. Just like Julie is going to replace some missing teeth! I got up and ran through the door before it closed.

[Outside the Mansion - Twilight's POV.]

The girls, Spike, and I were all standing outside the mansion. All of us were nervous. There was no telling what kind of ponies were lying in wait for us. Rainbow was in the air flying around the structure. Meanwhile, Rarity was appraising the gate barring our path. "I must say, darlings, this mansion is much alluring now that I can see it up close. It's very foreign from anything I've from my visit to Canterlot or Equestria for that matter," Her features morphed into glee as she turned back to us. "But the exotic nature of this manner makes it more marvelous! When can we meet them!?"

"Whoo-wee. I wonder how much bits went into this place?" Applejack said.

"Maybe it was one billion bits; no, two billion! Or maybe-"

"Pinkie!" I scolded, cutting her off.

"Sorry, Twi. I guess the only way to know for sure is to ask them ourselves!"

"Oh my, I don't think we should bother them about their expenses," Fluttershy muttered.

"I think that-" Spike started, but I cut him off.

"We lose focus here, everypony. The safety of Equestria is at stake!"

Rainbow Dash flew down from her aerial reconnaissance. "There's plenty of ways inside, but the lights are out. I don't think anypony's home,"

"So, what do we do?" Spike asked. "Do we just go inside?"

"That's not mighty neighborly, barging somepony's home without permission," Applejack said.

"I am sure if we explain our reasoning and not break anything, then the ponies inside won't mind, provided they mean us no harm. Here's the plan; we'll split up into groups. Spike, Rainbow, and Fluttershy will check the upper levels. The rest of us will go in groups of two on the ground level. I'll put a spell on us to keep track of our positioning once we're inside," I summoned my magic as a purple aura washed over us. The aura dissipated as we began to move inside. The halls were dark. The only light available was from the open doors and a few windows. Even then, visibility was limited. I must admit that the interior is far more captivating than anything found in Canterlot. "Everypony set?"

"All set, Twilight?" Spike said.

"Good. Stick to the plan and cover each other!"

Everypony nods their head as Rarity joins me. "Oh! Where should we start first?"

"We ain't here for sight-seeing," Applejack stated.

"Yeah, this place isn't all that great," Rainbow said while hovering in the air. However, she couldn't take her eyes off the chandelier as she drifted toward it.

"I wonder what else is in here?" Spike asked.

"Hopefully, nothing too scary," Fluttershy quivered.

"It's ok, everypony. Compared to facing Nightmare Moon, an empty mansion is more than something we can handle," I said.

"But how are we supposed to look around in the dark?" Rainbow asked.

"Here you go," Pinkie said, giving out hardhats with flashlights on them. "It's a good thing I brought these before we came inside. So what are we waiting for, a written invitation? Oh! I got those too!"

I stood there with my left eye twitching as Pinkie skipped along the left hallway. Applejack follows after shaking her head towards me — a small reminder not to question Pinkie's absurd tendencies. Spike, Rainbow, and Fluttershy went up the stairs as we discussed, leaving Rarity and me in the foyer. I felt a tug from my right and looked to find Rarity dragging me to the right hall. "Come along, darling. I am sure once we solve this mystery, you will feel better,"

[Kitchen - Cecelia's POV]

"Cece. Shouldn't we wait in our room?" Natalya signed.

I looked back at my sister and shook my head. "No one will know we left, not with our decoy's there," When I woke up, the lights were out in our room and the hallway. It's a good thing grandma still slept. She hates when things are not working right. That's when it hit me; everyone was sleeping. Wallie would be fixing the lights so that no one would stop us from my plan. I woke Nattie up, placed Dumbo and Sleth under the covers, and made our way to the kitchen. We've come here many times, so the dark wasn't evil. We reached the fridge and found our prize — Grandma's Turtle Cheesecake. "I know you want this cheesecake,"

The cheesecake was grandma's favorite dessert. She never shares it. Nattie licked her lips as I gave her a piece of the cake. She looked like she was about to swallow the cake whole. She stops while looking at me. "Hang on, what do we do when they find out we ate the cake?"

"You mean, what will Donnie do when they find the empty plate on his bed!" Nattie looked at me like I grew a zit before smiling. We both got to work eating the cake like crazy. It was so good that I didn't want it to end. But then something happened I didn't account for, which was the sound of the door opening. I stopped eating while Nattie and I looked at each other. The cake was half gone, and the fridge was wide open. We were going to get caught!

"Come on; hide in the cupboards!" Nattie pulls us into the lower cabinets. We could hear the footsteps, but they sounded weird - to be honest. Nattie started weaving signs like she was swatting flies. "I thought you said everyone would be asleep!"

I did the same to keep from making a sound. "They are sleeping! At least, I think they are," Nattie gave me that look Julie gives her brothers when they mess up. "Relax. It's probably Wallie getting breakfast started,"

"In the dark?"

"The fire from the stove counts as light,"

"What about when the pan is over it?"

"It still works!"

"Nuh, uh!"

"Uh, huh!"

"Nu-

"Oh! Look, Applejack, cheesecake!!!"

"I got to say this is one fancy kitchen. Now, who gone and left vittles on the floor? That's just wasteful!" We heard more footsteps from them, but they sounded weird, like they had cleats on or something. "What the hay is this thing?"

Nattie had to place her hand over her mouth from the sound I nearly made. We had never heard that voice before. "Whose's Pinkie?" I signed. Nattie shrugs at me.

"Who is Applejack, and why did she say hay?" Nattie asked me. And then I shrugged.

Nattie was as clueless as I am right now. Were we being robbed? Slowly, I opened the cupboard to try and find out what was going on right now. I couldn't see much, but a person was eating the rest of the cheesecake like a dog. I couldn't tell what the other person was doing, but I heard the blender go off, and the other started screaming.

"What in tarnation is this contraption!? It looks mighty, dangerous!" I could hear the Applejack person start messing with the different settings on the blender. It was utterly unfair. I never get to touch the mixer, and these people break in to mess with our stuff! She hit the wrong button because we could hear the blender going crazy. "Land sake!!!"

"Oh! What's inside this bell pepper?" There was a loud crunch from that Pinkie person. I couldn't believe it. First, she broke in and ate our cheesecake; now she's eating our leftovers! But I heard her puke, so it must've not agreed with her. "Urk! That was nasty! I need to wash that down with something!" I was starting to get mad at these people! You don't just come into someplace you don't live and eat their stuff. I was about to tell them what was up when Nattie pulled me back.

"We should go before they find us. We need an adult!" She signed.

"Yeah, let's go," I wanted to tell them off myself, but we were only kids. I hate being small. Nattie slowly opened the cabinet, and we crawled away. We were right at the door when that Pinkie person screamed. We looked back to see she had opened the freezer. It was still hard to see the faces, but I thought I saw pink fur.

"A-Applejack...!"

"Oh, mah stars! I-Is that- Meat!?!?"

"What does this mean, Applejack? Did somepony get hurt?" Somepony? What did that mean?

"I can't rightly tell Ya, Pinkie. But whoever these fellas are going to have a serious reckoning coming when the princess finds out,"

What was up with them? They act like they never saw meat before. Why are they talking funny, and who is this princess? Nattie started dragging me away. But then I goofed up. My foot hit the broom on the way out. I turned to try and catch it, but I was too late. It was the loudest thud I had ever heard. Applejack and Pinkie both spun around. They looked at the broom on the floor before looking up at us. The light hit our eyes, and I heard them gasp. I knew we were busted, so I grabbed Nattie and ran away. "RUN!!!"

"HEY! YOU CRITTERS, GET BACK HERE!!!" Applejack said.

"YEAH! WE HAVE QUESTIONS! FOR STARTERS, DO YOU LIKE PARTIES?"

These people are crazy! And now they were chasing us! We have to find somebody fast! "LEAVE US ALONE!!!"

[Donnie's POV.]

"I never thought I live to see the day when the rich forget to pay the electric bill! I mean, is this the opposite day or something?" I complained as we walked the halls to the generator room. The only source of light was from our two flashlights. There I was, having a dream about being a filthy wealthy tycoon. There were sports, hot models, and Angie in a string bikini serving tiki drinks. Everyone else was there too, you know, as hired help. Then my butler - Leo, supporting his trademark frown - came up to me and said, "Wake up," and killed everything. I woke up, and there was Leo's face. Not a pretty sight to wake up to at all. Then I found out the let's were out, which prompted Leo to investigate, which led to the two of us shuffling in the dark hallways like a pair of goons. "I am going to send a very angry about the rent office!"

"Hm," Leo replied.

"I mean low-income housing go through blackouts and power outages, not the Beverly hills sweet,"

"Hm,"

"And-"

"Shh..." He just shushed me.

"Did you just shush me-"

"Listen!" The tone in Leo's voice was sharp. I nodded and kept my mouth shut. Leo's instincts have never steered us wrong. And sure enough, we could hear chatter and shuffle in the distance. The sound was coming from one of the guest rooms. I stood on the left of the doorframe while Leo stood on the right. It was one of the average guest rooms in the place. One bed. One lampstand with a laptop. One mini-fridge. One flat-screen television. You know, the essentials. We looked inside to find three people talking to each other.

"This room is bigger than the entrance to the library!" Ok, so there was a guy.

"Typical rich nobs wanting to show off how much bits they can waste," A feisty girl with a raspy voice.

"Oh, my! We shouldn't assume things about somepony we haven't met yet, Rainbow," I could barely hear this one, but she must be one of those shy types.

"Bits? Rainbow? What the hell?" I whispered to Leo, and his response was to put his finger over his lips. He shushed me again!

"Come on, Fluttershy. They think the world bends a knee to them so it can kiss their flanks. I mean, look at this mirror! What kind of mirror is all black like this?"

"Is she serious?" I asked. How could you mistake a tv for a mirror?

"Shh!" My right eye started to twitch.

"I might have to agree with Rainbow about these ponies," Ponies? Are these crooks mental or something? "Look at this thing. What's the point of having a big mirror on the wall and a little-- Aah!" I heard the familiar chime of the laptop booting up. Kingston has spare laptops for their other laptops lying around the place. "There's a picture in the mirror!"

"Oh! Spike, that's a raccoon. They're always cute little rascals. But why would somepony dress it? And what is that thing it's holding?" The shy one asked. Seriously, could you speak up a little? I know they are pulling a burglary, but how can they hear each other? They must be new to the game.

"What about that weird little doll on top of it? Is that supposed to be a tree?" That Rainbow one asked.

"I think their comic book characters from their design. But they must be new characters. Weirdly, they're using raccoons and trees over any other species," The Spike dude said.

I turned over to Leo to get his thoughts. I opened my mouth to speak, but he silenced me for the third time today. I growled at him before he started gesturing with his hands. "Keep quiet and use sign language!"

I shot him an annoyed look before nodding my head. "What's the play? Because I am 99.9% sure these crooks escaped from a mental institution,"

"We rush them — these three thieves are not carrying weapons or watching the door. I'll take Spike while you get Rainbow. That Fluttershy one doesn't seem like the argumentative type,"

I snorted softly at this. "With a codename like 'Fluttershy?' I never would've guessed," Leo held up three fingers and started counting downward. Three. Two. One. Both of us bolted inside the room. Leo tackled the guy to the ground while I grabbed Rainbow. As my brother guessed, Fluttershy didn't do a thing. I heard struggling from Leo's side while Rainbow grunted and squirmed underneath me. "Hey there, Rainbow. You might want to try not to move around too much. I might break something by accident," I don't know why this chick was wearing feathers on her back, but I was able to get her arms behind her.

"What the buck!? Get off me. You creep!!!"

I blinked at her choice of words before smirking. "Quite the mouth on you - I think..."

"Don't move!" Leo said to Spike. It was dark, but Leo had his forearm against Spike's throat. "Breaking into our house wasn't smart!"

Leo must be applying pressure since Spike hadn't spoken a word. However, we weren't expecting the shy one to speak up. "How dare you! How dare you two appear out of nowhere and hurt my friends!"

Looking in Leo's direction, I made a snide comment. "Ok. - *grunt* - I am 100% sure we're dealing with insane people!"

I couldn't comment further as the light from their hard hats ( how we miss that?) shined down on us. Then I saw that Rainbow had a large pair of wings on her back. Leo's eyes widened when he got a good look at his guy. Either Spike had the worse case of skin rash ever seen, or these jerks robbed a costume store before hitting us. I couldn't do anything further as Rainbow's freaking wings slapped me in my face, breaking my hold on her. She must practice break dancing since she spun on her hands and kicked me in the stomach. I landed on my ass across the room. At the same time, I caught a glimpse of something wrapping around Leo's waist and throwing it towards me. Great, my stomach hurt, and Leo fell on me. I hate Mondays! But Murphy wasn't done taking a piss at us; oh no, he was in top form today as Spike chucked the mattress on us.

"Let's find Twilight and get out of here!" Spike said. Now there's a Twilight? These nut cases need better code names.

"What? We can take them!" Someone's arrogant.

"No! We're leaving now to get help!" Fluttershy said. She surprised everyone with how commanding she sounded just now. "I-if that's ok with you..." And she lost me.

Leo decided to stop being useless and hurl the bed off of us. As we got up, our three guests chose to book it. "Ok. So we're dealing with demented costumed furries that like to socialize in strangers' homes. Am I still dreaming?"

"Come on!" Leo replied while running out of the room. He's always been suitable for conversations.

"Don't wait for me or anything!" I grunted out, still reeling from that kick.

[Rarity's POV]

"Twilight. I realize you are quite eccentric when dealing with the upper echelon of high society, but you must allow me to meet the pony behind this glorious workstation!!!" I admit I was positively giddy at the prospect of another fashion connoisseur like myself. Twilight and I stumbled upon a delightful little wardrobe and workshop station. These lines of fully prepped garments are for formal and casual wear. But the materials. Sweet Celestia, the materials!!! "Look at this, Twilight; have you ever seen this fabric? The texture is smooth and radiant like it came from the air itself. But I can't seem to find a name for it! Oh, how infuriating!"

"The fabrics are outstanding, Rarity, but they only reinforce how strange these newcomers are since even you can't identify them," Twilight said.

"Twilight Sparkle! I am surprised at you! How can you so casually dismiss this as something dangerous? What lies before us is a masterpiece woven by a true artist! Every stitch and seam tells a story of who this pony is. For example..." I pulled out an outfit tailored to a little foal - a filly from the looks of it - and displayed its brilliance. "Look at this, Twilight. A smashing little number made for casual outings. A yellow, short-sleeved dress. Notice how the shirt portion flows in the air as I move it. That tells you it's comfortable and allows for breathing room. These jeans and pants are the same. They don't hug against the body too tightly or chafe your fur. The overall message from this ensemble is 'I love you, and I want you happy no matter where you are - looking fabulous while you're at it!"

"That was sweet, Rarity, but flawed. It makes sense that whoever these ponies are will look out for one another. It's what they could do to everypony else that has me concerned. I mean, this mansion weakens our magical prowess! Doesn't that spark some questions as to why that is?"

I might've forgotten about that tiny detail in all my excitement. "I suppose so, but ponies do have bad experiences with magic," It was a flimsy counterpoint, one I saw through myself. Whatever is blocking my magic has me feeling a bit peckish. It's not enough to warrant medical attention, but it isn't enjoyable. Why anypony would go to such lengths to do this to themselves is beyond me. Twilight seemed to agree well with the deadpan look she was giving me. "Oh, darling, you shouldn't put so much. Frown lines do not work for you!"

She sighed as we made for the exit. "Let's keep looking. We need to document our findings as much as we can to report back to the princesses,"

I took one last reluctant look at the room and followed behind Twilight. I prayed Twilight was wrong for once. Seeing such talents squandered because of poor mannerisms would be a shame. I swear it would be easy to confuse this manner for a maze with how long the halls were. But eventually, we came across a poorly lit room. Instantly, I covered my snout as an offensive odor flew into my nostrils. "What is that putrid smell? It smells like Applejack's pigpen!"

I saw Twilight pinching her muzzle as well. "Maybe we stumbled into a waste deposit, and somepony forgot to excavate?"

I paled at that and began to panic, but we both heard a strange yet familiar sound before I could. "Was that a-- whinny?" I blushed at the sound of my voice. A whinny was something extraordinarily intimate in private and utterly embarrassing in public.

"Hello. Is somepony here? I, uh, hope we're not interrupting something private..." Twilight said, her features burning red. The cries got louder in response. It began to take on a tinge of panic from the sound of it. Twilight and I moved closer to a pen of some kind. Once the light hit the pony in question, my heart skipped a beat. "That's not possible...!"

"Sweet, Celestia!!!" I couldn't believe my eyes.

"A-a primorial equine..." Twilight said breathlessly. "Our ancestors from a time forgotten. The first equines to trot across the planes! The ones fabled to see the creator received her blessings of mana...!"

"I thought they were extinct!!"

"They evolved, Rarity, changed into us! But I can't fathom how we're looking at one now!"

"Well, I will admit that it knows how to style its mane,"

"It shouldn't. The primordial intelligence came after the author's blessings,"

"So, it's a pet?"

"Most likely," I didn't like that idea at all! Very slowly, Twilight and I approached the beast. "Subject; Equine appears apprehensive of us. The wide eyes and constantly flaring nostrils suggest a rising panic. Thankfully, Fluttershy expresses in great detail that to contend with a corned animal; one must show that they are not a threat to them,"

"Um, Twilight, what are you talking about?"

"Just follow my lead, and we might be able to calm it down, see?" Twilight holds up her palm to the equine while I do the same. Twilight's idea seemed to work until the animal reared up on its hind legs as we approached it. That was when I got the idea of how large it was. Sweet Celestia! It was taller than then, well, Celestia!!! Its forelegs flailed violently, causing us to shrink away before smashing through its door. It ran around the room in a frenzy while performing bucks that Applejack would find envious. It was making a mess of everything! The owners are going to be furious. Not to mention, this is ruining our chances of a good first impression. "Twilight! What do we do!?"

"I-I don't know. I've seen Fluttershy use this method before, and it always works! It's a good thing we're alone in here--"

"I heard the sound coming from here, sir. I believe something startled Beatrix!"

"Oh, no, no, no, no!!!" Twilight panicked.

I found my heart rate-raising, as well. The owners were here all along! I rushed to pull Twilight into the pen and closed the door. It wasn't the best place to hide, now that I thought about it. Our ancestor was more nervous than we thought, considering the pile of - *Urgk* - leavings. I silently prayed to the sun and moon that the stench would wash out my clothing. We heard a door open as two male voices called out to Beatrix as they called her. There was a sharp whistling sound that hurt both our ears. The thrashing and bucking began to slow down, but May still roughly snorted while pacing around the room. Sadly, she stops right in front of her stock.

"Shh, shh, shh. It's ok, May. Did something frighten you? You made quite a mess of Walter to attend to,"

"An obscene joke, sir. But I believe we should secure May until the power returns,"

These stallions have come from sophistication. And they know how to tame May. I was giddy at the thought of speaking with them, but then my heart sank again at what had transpired a moment ago. "Oh, darling! We've committed a major faux pox!"

"It's ok, Rarity. Remember, we are here at the behest of the Princesses. I am sure they will understand," Twilight said. "Besides, they owe several explanations, with the primordial equine being the biggest one!"

"But still--" I silenced. May started panicking again.

"Easy, girl. What's wrong?"

"Master Xavier. I believe that light coming off Beatrix's pen door is causing May's reaction," I quickly turned to Twilight to see that her light was still on this time. In my haste, I forgot to shut it off.

"...Oops..." I muttered in embarrassment. There was a wordless conversation between our two hosts. But their approach was unmistakable. At the bottom of the gate, a shoe came into view. But the hoof inside was odd. It was long and held a curvature when it shouldn't be there. It would throw off one's balance entirely. I can at least be thankful that the hoof-wear is marvelous. A sigh escaped my lips when the door opened. It was not the way I wanted to meet these excellent ponies. But I hope to mitigate any offenses we've committed. "Greetings, gentle stallions. I am Rarity- *GASP*" The words died in my throat. What we assumed to be ponies weren't ponies at all! The light from the hardhat reveals two furless deformed creatures. Their muzzles were concave, and their ears were on the side of their heads. Their eyes were so small that I questioned if they were open. I had no idea what to call these creatures in front of us. Thankfully Twilight did, although the name she used didn't calm my nerves.

"HUMANS!!!"

"What!?"

"What?"

"What?"

All three of us said in unison. But my reaction I was more shocked and fearful rather than confused. Looking around for a moment, Twilight hurls a bucket at them and grabs my hand. We both sprinted to the exit as the humans shielded themselves from the water. I wish it were that easy, but the humans were already after us. "See? Rarity. I knew something was wrong! But this situation is far worse than I predicted! We need to find the girls and Spike!!!"

"Provide they don't catch us first. STAY AWAY FROM the US, YOU BRUTES!!!"

"WAIT! COME BACK!!!"

[Living Room - Third Person POV]

It was pure pandemonium in Kingston's manner. Within its walls were four groups of people currently running - either in terror or pursuit - as all parties slowly converged to one spot. Angela and Julie came bolting down the main stairs as Julie took a hard left. The disgruntled and inconsolable woman was right behind her. Cecelia and Natalya came running across the front door and into the same room as Applejack, and Pinkie followed them inside. A moment later, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy came barreling down the stairs and bursting through the door. Donatello and Leopard vaulted over the railing after them. And finally, Rarity and Twilight went tumbling through the doorframe as Walter and Xavier finally caught up to them. The power was still out, leaving the only lumination coming from the various headwear and phones. Spike nearly trampled over Cecelia, who slid underneath the dragon. However, Twilight's number one assistant failed to stop himself from colliding with Applejack. Donatello found himself pinned to the ground while trying to clear his airway. Whereas Angela finally managed to get her hands on Juliet's neck, ignorant that she had the wrong person.

Twilight and Rarity trip over a coffee table and fall upon it. The ponies' combined weight was enough to break the legs from under them. Meanwhile, Julie sees the stand and picks it up. She swings wildly at the moving shadows and light until she strikes something. Leopard felt someone strike his cheek with an object. He caught the offending thing and reared back his fist. He stops when a light beam flashes over Juliet holding a leg from a stand. Xavier felt something hug his lower legs. Thanks to the rays, he saw that it was Natalya and Cecelia. He drops down and shields his sisters from the ensuing chaos. Fluttershy saw a couch and dove behind it. However, she felt her arm bump into someone else. If she hadn't screamed in panic, she would've seen that Rarity had the same idea as her. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as her eyes darted back and forth. She didn't know who was who between the screaming and shifting bodies. So she threw caution to the side and bearhugged the nearest mass. She squeezed for all her worth until she heard a giggle. The cyan pegasus looked to see Pinkie smiling down at her. Before she could say anything, Pinkie returned the hug with great enthusiasm. Twilight was busily crawling around on the floor until bumps into something.

"Let me help you up, dear," Walter said, holding his hand.

Without looking, Twilight responded. "Thank you,"

The power turned back on within that utterance of words, lighting up the entire Kingston manner once more. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they got their barrings. Angela stops her strangling once she sees that it's Donatello and not Juliet. Smirking at her confused expression, he spoke. "D-damn, right to the mount, huh? I like your style. Ang- Aah!?"

That earned him a punch to the nose. "Fucking dork!" Angela said as she got up.

"Pinkie! Lay off with the hugs!" Rainbow grunted out.

"Hmm, ok," Pinkie chirped, releasing the hold on her friend.

Applejack was helping Spike to his feet as she dusted off her clothes. "Sorry, partner,"

"Eh, no harm, no foul," Spike said.

"Is it over?" Fluttershy whimpered, hiding behind a lamp.

"It better be; extended periods of physical extortion are awful! I'm all sweaty!" Rarity whined, coming from behind the lamp.

Twilight sighs in relief at the sight of her friends. "I'm glad everypony is safe. We-"

"Excuse me, madam. But could you explain your presence here?" Walter asked.

Twilight flinches as she turns back to Walter, seeing that he is the one that helped her up. Her mind went blank as she stared into his brown eyes. Then everything clicked back into place as she shrieked and backpedaled away from him. Spike and the girls followed suit as they formed a tight circle. The humans stood where they were, gawking at the trespassers of their home.

"What the fuck are we looking at?" Angela stated.

"What the buck are we looking at?" Rainbow said at the same time.

"They're humans, everypony!' Twilight informs much of her friend's shock.

"I thought they were a myth!" Spike exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Donatello asked. "Seriously. You guys are the weirdest crooks I've ever seen! Why are you in costume?"

"We're not in costumes. Was this supposed to be a costume party?" Pinkie asked.

"It doesn't matter. You broke into our home!" Leopard said firmly.

"You dropped your home in our town!" Rainbow shot back.

"I think you're confused," Juliet said as she started to walk forward.

"Y'all varmints, stay back!!!" Applejack barked, making Julie flinch.

"Indeed. We'll have nothing to do with you, ruffians!" Rarity added.

"Try saying that to my face, bitch!" Angela snarled.

"Enough! I want answers! Who are you? What are you-" Xavier began, but another cut him off.

"We're ponies, and we don't have to answer any of your questions!" Rainbow spat.

"Um, Rainbow, you just did--"

"Ponies! You're all ponies!?" Cecelia shouted, cutting Fluttershy off. Xavier failed to notice his sister moving away from him and closer to their intruders in all the confusion.

"Actually. I'm a dragon-"

"Ponies!!!" Cecelia yelled in exuberance.

Time slowed down for all parties involved. Xavier reached out for his sister, who ran to Pinkie with open arms. The pink mare saw this and prepared for a hug as well. However, it was for naught as far as Twilight knew. Everything was happening all at once. All she could perceive was the astronomical danger they faced. Her fight-or-flight instincts were yelling at an all-time high. And at that moment, Cecelia drew closer, prompting the other humans to do the same, so she chose to fight. Twilight fell back on her only means of defense that had never failed her yet; her magic! There was no time for another plan. Her horn glowed brightly as the humans shielded their eyes. Sparks started to fling from her appendage. Twilight gritted her teeth in concentration while crafting the spell she needed. A burst of purple mana shot forth a second later, blanketing the living room. One could see a lavender hue flashing in the window from the outside. Twilight held on for as long as she could until her magic shut off. She stumbles a bit while Spike keeps her steady. The rest of the girls look around to find their human adversaries, all unconscious and groaning in pain. Twilight panted as she tried to stand up.

"I-it worked..." Twilight panted in disbelief.

"You did it, Twilight!" Spike praised.

"Whoo, that was some spell," Applejack noted.

"Are they hurt? They several burns!" Fluttershy said in concern. Multiple burns adorned the humans' arms and faces.

"Those are mana burns. There have been ponies and other creatures receiving them from a high concentration of magical affliction. But these aren't that severe, and we have ointments for them," Twilight said.

"You didn't have to hurt the fillies, Twilight!" Pinkie said in a harsh tone.

Twilight shot her a bemused expression before speaking. "Pinkie, they are humans. In our historical context, they were some of the most brutal conquerors ever to walk Equus. They've committed the most heinous acts that you wouldn't believe. Especially the foals!"

"Yeah, you know the legends! They teach it in every school in Equestria. You shouldn't feel sorry for them because they'll do worse to you!" Rainbow added. "So what do we do with them? I vote we throw them deep into the Everfree forest!"

"While I would agree with you, darling. We shouldn't stoop to their level," Rarity said.

"We don't even know them!" Pinkie asserted.

"They might be different from what the history books told us," Fluttershy offered.

"I don't know, Fluttershy. That one nearly choked me to death!" Spike reminded, pointing to Leopard.

"To be honest, the fillies did seem mighty scared of us," Applejack said.

"Are you even hearing yourselves right now?" Rainbow flared her wings angrily. A full-blown argument brought about what to do until Twilight silences them.

"Everypony, be quiet!!! Ok! We'll let the princesses decide what to do. For now, let's take them to the sheriff's lockup. Spike, take a letter,"

Her dragon companion nods and pulls out a quill and parchment. He takes down Twilight's words and heads outside, breathing fire on it. With the letter sent, he runs back inside. Applejack was hoisting Donatello and Leopard over her shoulders as Pinkie did the same with Walter. Fluttershy and Rarity were cradling Cecelia and Natalya. Rainbow had Juliet on her back, using her wings to support her while hooking the human's legs with her arm. That left Angela to Spike. He kneels to look at her for a moment before carrying her bridal style. Humans may be savages in history and legends, but Spike, the dragon, was a gentle drake. With everyone accounted for, Twilights nods and heads out of the manner. Twilight groaned at the sight of a gathering crowd. She could already hear the gasps and screams of terror at the re-emergence of humans.

"Let's go, everypony. I think this bad dad may take a turn for the worse,"

[Canterlot - Celestia's private study]

The princess of the sun calmly sips her tea after a much-needed recess from day court. The regal pony sighs in contentment as a letter appears. "Oh! A report from Twilight. I wonder if she was able to locate the source of that disturbance. Let's see here..."

Dear Princess Celestia. I am happy to report that my friends and I have found the source of the magical disturbance you felt earlier today. A large mansion, far more extravagant than any in Canterlot, appeared in the northern region of Ponyville. While I will admit that the building is incredible and exotic, what we found inside was not. I know you will find this hard to believe. Even after experiencing it for myself, I am skeptical. But our findings are astronomical. There, within the mansion, was a primordial equine named Beatrix. It had golden fur and a mane. The eyes struck me the most. It was like gazing into a deep primal part of myself that manifested into physical form. I wish that were the end, but something more substantial dwelled within that structure. Something I thought was improbable. But the truth of the matter is humans have returned!

Celestia sprang up from her seat so fast that her tea spilled on her carpet. Her eyes widen in shock as she re-read that last passage. "...Impossible...!"

"I can only imagine what you are thinking right now, but it is true—humans - eight in total - Six adults and two juvenile fillies. I cannot tell you all their names or their relationship to each other, but we take all of them to cells in the sheriff's department. Sadly, many of the residents saw us in transit. I am sure that the news will spread like wildfire. Ponies will panic if we do nothing. Please respond to this letter as soon as possible. I fear we may need your guidance now more than ever. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.