The Traveler

500 years later… Wasteville

Sun shines over an enormous sandstone like bunker as a blue hooded pony walks down a path towards its gates. Inside, a door opens up in one of the bunkers many hallways where a transmare alicorn pony, who's fur was a deep grey, named Nitebeat trots out of her room and stretches her wings. Nitebeat then turns and grabs het saddlebag, brushes her red and purple stripped mane and tail, grabs her earbloom, and her records before exiting. Connecting hee earbloom she activates the built in radio and trots out the door.

Slowly the voice of some Podcast pony crackles to life from the device, announcing a new song “And now time for Valico’s newest song, a cloudsdale state of mind”

As the song starts playing, Nitebeat trots out the door and down the halls towards where her and Sound Bandit, a dear unicorn friend of hers who also does remixes, were to meet, waving to passing ponies as she does. Entering the public marketplace of waistville, the codename of their supposed "bunker", Nitebeat scans the crowd for her mare friend.

Sound Bandit, somehow seeing her, waves her hoof and calls Nite over towards a table where a white coated alicorn with a black mane and blue eyes sat. “Hey! Nite! Over here!”

Nitebeat turns towards the noise and spots bandit at a table with the white alicorn. Bandits shirt and cute rainbow mane and tail, contrasting her beautiful pink and plush fur and blue eyes. Trotting over to them, she sits down.
“Heyo bandit! Heyo Snapshot!” Nitebeat said cheerfully.

Sound Bandit grinned and responded with a happy “Hey!” Snapshot however, responded with a bored, “Hey!” instead.

Nitebeatgrunnee hopefully at her two friends. “So… are we ready for the party?” Snapshot nodded “I believe so. Bandit?”
Sound Bandit held up her saddle bags, grinning even wider. “Don’t worry, I got the records!” Both Snapshot and Nitebeat nod in agreement.
“Then we should be ready” nitebeat said happily.

The three ponies then got up and walk to the front of a stage where an white female Pegasus pony with a green and purple mane and tail awaitef them. Nitebeat looks up at her and blushes, looking away.

Film Clip rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at having to wait. “About time! What took ya so long?”

Sound Bandit laughed and jabbed at nite teasingly. “oh thusual...Ni tebeat here had to stop and admire the scenery… again”

Film Clip face hooved and shoke her head. A amused smile forming on her muzzle “Why do I even ask?” Nitebeat only shrugged, grinning. “Well, let’s get to work!”

A few hours later the three ponies and film clip had the banners set up and the lights running for the upcoming party.

Nitebeat looked up at the banner that reads Happy Birthday, Charlotte! Nitebeat grins as she thinks about when she first met Charlotte Vibes, a blind, shy, yellow coated unicorn pony with a green mane and tail.

Sound Bandit tilted her head, uncertain. “Do you think she’ll like it?” Nitebeat nodded. “Why wouldn’t she?" Sound Bandit then shrugged. “I don’t know”
Nitebeat laughs and rolls her eyes.

Snapshot then trotted up from behind, making nite jump, which resulted in a giggle from both bandit and filmclip. Speaking up, Snapshot cleared his throat “Oh, I should probably go get her the, huh?”

Nitebeat waved him off, too distracted by the decorations to pay attention. “Be my guest” she said.

Snapshot turns and trots off towards Charlotte's Room as Nitebeat and Bandit chat about the upcoming party. Slowly the footsteps of a pony with a deep blue cloak approches them. Commander Bolt sonehow enters the marketplace and approaches the three ponies.

Commander Bolt cleared his throat, getting both ponies attention. Filmclip somehow fadding into the crowd without them noticing. “Hmmm… Your marketplace is small and insufficient. Useful to attract unwanted attention. Useless to aid in defense. All things for a party, but nothing for a war?”

Nitebeat looked at the strange pony in complete confusion. “A War? You're a long way from any wars in these parts, good sir. And this is a marketplace, not an armory, either look for something else or leave”

Commander Bolt, taken aback by her response, simply responded with “Hmph! Thought there’d be something special here…” before turning away and leaving.

Nitebeat glances down at her saddle bags, seeing the perfect opportunity to sell one of her records. “Well, if it’s something special you want… are you interested in…” Looking up she noticed that Bolt had left.

Sound Bandit, somehow getting distracted at some tech stuff nearby, turns towards nite and sees her confused face. “What?” Nitebeat continued to look around before shrugging it off. “He was just… Ugh! Never mind… guess it wasn't important.”

Outside wasteville, a dark buzzing cloud drifts across the sky. The guards at the entrance look at the cloud in confusion. Suddenly a hoard of changelings descends from the sky, blasting the guards like a silent stealth jet, the guards falling dead as they land. General Fang, Hornet, And poison land in front of the gates with their army. Poison bounced up and down excitedly. “Oh! Oh! Let me go first! Please, ooh plz, I’m dying to kill em’!”

Hornet growled, irritated by her obnoxious twin brother. “Ugh! You idiot! Even if you were given the chance, You're not even gonna get past the gate! Now shut up and control yourself. follow the plan of General Fang!”

General Fang turns towards the two arguing commanders, rage in his glossy insect eyes. “SHUT IT, both of you… remember what we’re here for! And get me that unicorn!" Raising his voice so that his army could here him, he points his hoof at the metallic gate in their way. "MY LEGION, ATTACK!”

The Hoard, at the command of their general Charges the gates and blasts them open. The Ponies beyond the gate run in fright as the hoard Swarms in heading towards the marketplace. Nitebeat and Sound Bandit, hearing the commotion, turn towards the sound and spot the intruders as they storm across the shops looking for something or someone in particular.
“What are they?” Sound Bandit asked.

Nitebeat shook her head, uncertain. “Not sure, but whatever they are, I am kicking their flanks! You get the ponies to safety. Ok?”

Sound Bandit nods and rushes to aid the fleeing ponies. Nitebeat Grabs a nearby spear and charges at the Changelings. As the first one lunges at her, Nitebeat roles to the side and stabs him through his windpipe. Rolling him onto his back and pulling the spear out, she turns to block an incoming blade. She then calls forth magic and blasts the Changeling, knocking her into a nearby stall as pots crash down on her, knocking her out. The stabbed Changeling then sinks his fangs into Nitebeats leg.

Nitebeat winches at the pain and looked down. “Ow!”

Grumbling, Nitebeat stabs the Changeling through the eye and flings him at the next charging Changeling
“Chew on that!” she shouted victoriously.

Sound Bandit then sneaks up on a Changeling who was charging Nitebeat from behind and kicks her in the neck, killing her instantly. Her body crashing into yet another stall. This one containing only brownies. Nitebeat turns towards the sound and spots Bandit

Nitebeat looks at the sweets in disappointment. “Hey, my brownies! Huh? I thought I told ya to evacuate everypony!”

Sound Bandit rolled her eyes at Nitebeat. “I did! Most of them. I didn’t find Charlotte or Snapshot though. Thought they’d be with you.”

Nitebeat dodges an incoming blast. Looking for the attacker, she spots him on top of a market stall room. Calling forth magic, she blasts him into ash.
Nitebeat then turns back to bandit and respinds. “Well, they ain’t here.”

As the two ponies fight, Hornet and Poison sneak around them and down a hall. Poison picks up a pot and looks at it.

Hornet, seeing him get distracted, hisses. ”Hey! Focus!”

Hornet then ggrabs a nearby fish and tosses it at him.

Poison back-pedaled to avoid the fish. “Ack! You're the one who should be focusing!”

Grabbing a small box, he tosses it at her head causing her to stumble into a button and open a safe room door. Both Changelings turn towards the sound and spot a peach colored unicorn filly with a green mane and tail wearing boots, staring at them in fear.

Both grin in glee. “The Unicorn!” they said in uncision. Charlotte Vibes, hearing them, rushes out of the room and slips over the fish that was thrown at poison. The Changelings then lunge on top of her, tying her up and gagging her.

Meanwhile in the marketplace Nitebeat and Bandit continue to face off against the hoard as Nitebeat comes muzzle to muzzle with General Fang. Jumping back, Nitebeat points her spear at him.

General Fang stood there, snickering in amusement.
General Fang raises a crossbow at Nitebeat and prepares to fire. Suddenly, Commander Bolt Charges at General Fang, Knocking him back.

General Fang, dazed only briefly, sees his attacker and laughs again. “Bolt! Your skills seem dusty!”

Commander Bolt got ready for another attack, grimacing at the general. “Nothing like Changeling hide to hone your skills, Fang”

General Fang looked up and noticed Nitebeat standing directly under a light fixture. Launching his projectile, he cuts through the cord holding the light in place. Bolt spots it and pushes Nitebeat out of the way, the light landing on his waist shattering his lower spine.

Commander Bolt screamed in agony as he felt the lower half of his spin completely shatter. “Uuuggghhh”

Fang laughs at the suffering. Nitebeat then tosses his spear at Fang. Fang dodged the blade easily, its tip embedded into the wall in front of Hornet and Poison, who were carrying Charlotte away. Fang takes notice of it and lifts an orb from his neck raising it to his mouth. He grins.

Speaking into it, General Fang addresses someone. “Lord Metasoma, we have her”

Commander Bolt, still Dazed, lifts his head at the name meantioned. “Lord Metasoma…?”

A voice rises from the orb. And Metasomas voice comes out in a staticy, yet clear voice. “Gooooodddd… now get out of there and bring her to me…”

General Fang nodded. “Yes Sir. Army, return to base!”

The Changelings (including Hornet and fang) blast the glass roof and fly into the blood red sky. getting up, Nitebeat starts to take off after them. ‘Charlotte!’ she said as she started to take off. “Ouch… Nitebeat, wait!” bandit said, causing her to turn to her friend. noticing her as hurt, Nite Rushes to her, looking her up and down.

Sound Bandit pushed Nite away gently. "I am fine." She said dismissively. "Then we need to save Charlotte!" Nite responded, worry clearly in her voice. Sound Bandit only shook her head. "But we can’t just rush after them. We need to know what in equestria is going on. And where they are headed."

Turning to the sky blue unicorn pony with an orange mane and tail. Bandit lifts the light off of him and levitates him over to them.

Nitebeat points the tip at bolt, pissed at the fact that as soon as this stranger arrived, an army of insect ponies then take her friend. "Start talking… what is going on?" Nitebeat said threateningly.

Sound Bandit, knowing what Nite was feelin, put a caring hoof on her friends shoulder to calm her down. "Nite…" she said, hoping her voice could sooth the pissed alicorn.

Nitebeat glared at her and shook her head. "NO! I NEED ANSWERS! Now talk…"

Commander Bolt looked at them, worry clearly written on his face. "Cough. Fine. Your friend, Charlotte, was fillynapped by Fang! General of the Changeling army. And if it’s true that he is carrying out orders by Metasoma… then we are far worse off than I hoped…"

Sound Bandit looked at him confused. "Lord Metasoma, Changelings? What does all that have to do with what’s going on? And What did we have that they wanted so badly? And why did they take our friend? And what the BUCK is going on here?"

Commander Bolt, seeing her confusion, continued. "What’s this have to do with what’s at hoof? How about the fate of all of Equestria itself? Sigh… perhaps it would make more sense if I gave you a little history. You see, Long before Metasoma came to power… Equestria was a land of peace and magic and it was ruled by two great princesses; Dawn and Dusk. Together they helped aid the sun and the moon to cross the sky. And kept peace across the land, thanks to the Warriors of Equestria.
Each warrior had an artifact to help keep balance. The Crystal of Dawn, The Orb of Rainbows, The Scepter of Dusk, and The Shield of Rain Artifacts so powerful, that if used together for evil, can cast the land into eternal shadows…
After the death of dawn and Dusk by Metasoma’s Hooves, These four warriors rose to stop him. A fight broke out for control of the artifacts and almost all of the warriors were cast down, never to be seen again… and in the end, that Darkness claimed equestria. And yet… not all Hope was lost. Fore the last surviving warrior fled and hid the artifacts. But knowing that Metasoma had a way of getting to its power, he placed guardians to defend them… and for fear of his own demise, he gave an black bound book for an honest filly to hide. That honest filly was your friend. And Lord Metasoma is her father. And we need to get her back before he does!"

Sound Bandit, realizing something, asked "so You're the former warrior? you came looking for the book? And if so… and he wants a book, Why would he want her then?"

Commander Bolt sighed, knowing that it would take more explanation for these ponies to understand. "Cough. Cuz’- Cough- he knows that she’s the only one who can read it. And No. I came for something better. You two! Since Metasoma cannot leave his kingdom, it’s obvious he has hired General Fang to help him. If he were to get the book, and the artifacts… even I cannot defeat him when that happens. But you two, you have the powers inside you… I can help teach you to harness it. Become a warrior of Equestria!"

Nitebeat, still pissed, let's him go and turns to leave. "sigh. Look, we’re flattered you think we can help, but we need to save Charlotte! Not get involved in an ancient war."

Commander Bolt, seeing an opening, blasts Nitebeat and Bandit, knocking them both onto their back. The levitation field around him breaking before he calls forth magic and levitates himself.

Commander Bolt levitated above them, grinning sagely. "foolish… Cough. you aren’t even ready to face a stunning spell… Cough. if you can’t do that, gasp… then you can’t free your friend. In order to get your friend back, you must harness the power within both of you. Only when you unlock it, can you face… Cough. Lord Metasoma!"

Nitebeat and bandit lied there, eventually giving in to him. "ugh. Fine. Then where must we start?" Nite asked.

Commander Bolt only smiled wider. "At Zerinas hut." He responded.

Nitebeat and Bandit trade confused glances. Nitebeat, tilting her head asked "Who?"

Author's Note

Fun Fazfact: Chapter one was actually based off of the Lego Ninjago Episode: Way of The Ninja. I ofc did try to keep it unique. I hope that it does seem unique btw.