Discordia

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Plague
Chapter 2: Dreams
Chapter 4: Palaver and Sombra
Chapter 3: The Stand

Chapter 1: The Plague

For Linda

There was coming a storm.

Twilight frowned slightly as she stood at the edge of the Everfree forest looking across the gentle hills into the distant horizon. Dark clouds had begun to form over what had been a normal and peaceful day in the innocent world of Equestria. The wind blew a chilling breeze through her mane. The mare's face revealed both concern and fear at the weather before her as part of her mouth wrinkled downward in a half frown.

“What is it Twi?” asked Spike who was walking along next to his friend when she stopped. The dragon looked beyond her to see what she was watching, his green eyes darting from one side of the cloud formation to the other. “A storm huh?”

“No,” Twilight said as she peered at the clouds. “No Spike, it's not. There was no mention of a storm anywhere today was there?”

Spike shrugged. “I dunno. It doesn't matter does it?”

Twilight glanced to Spike, the lower part of an eyelid reaching upwards in annoyance before looking back to the clouds. The mare sighed. “Yes it does Spike. No pegasus that I know of was given any instructions to form a storm. Rain is one thing but a storm that powerful should be given some sort of warning.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “C'mon Twi,” he said, “you're just worrying too much. Tell you what... we can go back in to Ponyville and ask Rainbow Dash to fly over to Cloudsdale to check. Will that stop your worrying?”

Twilight slowly looked back to Spike after hearing that word: Worrying. Hadn't she already learned a lesson about worrying involving time travel? And hadn't that same lesson involved uncalled fears of a major catastrophe? Gently she giggled, her eyes closing momentarily in relieved humor and she nodded to the small dragon. “Ok, you're right Spike,” she said. “Sorry, just seemed weird to me. Yeah let's go, Zecora's waiting for us.”

Spike smiled and continued walking into the Everfree Forest.

Twilight looked back to the clouds one more time before shaking her head and walking into the forest, following Spike.

*****

At first it started as a spark that flew from the ground. Then the electrical charge became more violent, bolts of electricity flying from the spot where no lightning had hit. The source of the energy was so violent that weather patterns above it had changed, the clouds growing dark, firing back their own bolts as if to communicate with the ground.

Almost as if to say come, we've been waiting for you.

The burst of energy continued, electricity being shot into the clouds, the clouds firing back. The wind began to howl around the area, grass blowing to the side, a whirlwind almost forming but being prevented by the massive energy being created.

Out of the hole stepped four creatures.

They stood, their yellow coats blowing violently in the wind, the suits they wore under them blowing as well. Their hats hung over their faces, blocking any visibility of their appearance. They stood among the wind, the lightning and the energy, all of them still and silent except for their clothing blowing about. Slowly they all turned to one another, staring at each other if they had eyes to stare.

They went down on all fours and their forms changed, their arms growing into legs.

They snarled as their biology reformed to fit the world that they were in. Light cracks and tears could be heard as though clothing were being torn apart or, more appropriately, a grotesque mask was being refitted and reformed.

Fingers which grabbed the soil of the ground beneath them vanished within the yellow coats. Strange hooves grew out in their place, digging into the dirt, covering the pits that their fingers had just dug there moments before.

They had become ponies.

Their crude yellow coats remained, still blowing in the gusts, their hats still pulled over their faces, but their form – their disguise – had changed. They stared at one another again, then looked forward to the world ahead of them.

Slowly one of them opened their mouth and spoke.

“For the king,” he said, his voice a low growl, distorted as though unnatural.

“The king,” the others echoed.

They began to move forward, all approaching a distant city that stood on the side of a mountain. A beautiful and innocent city of castles and wonder. A city of magic, though these four knew of magic of their own. It was not innocent like the world before them, however.

It was guilty.

As they made their way forward, the violent exchange of electricity from the earth to the sky continued behind, the rip that had brought them there still opened.

*****

Twilight stared into the storm as she and Spike walked back into Ponyville, frowning slightly. “I know I shouldn't worry,” she said softly, shaking her head, “but those clouds are just not right Spike. I can feel it.”

Spike continued to walk next to her as he also watched the clouds. “Yeah, and no rain,” he said.

Twilight blinked. “What?” she asked, looking to Spike.

Spike looked from the clouds to Twilight. “I said no rain. I mean, c'mon, what pegasus is going to go through the trouble of making storm clouds without the storm?”

Twilight's eyes widened and her head jerked back towards the distant clouds. Clearly, though there were dark clouds and lightning was being fired from them there was no rain. The clouds were still, unmoving, hovering in place.

“Spike,” she said gently, her voice trembling, “I think we might want to write a letter asking if anypony knows anything about this. A violent storm with no rain is definitely not right.”

Spike was quiet for a moment as he continued to watch the clouds. “Y'know Twi, I'm with you.” Then he hopped up on Twilight's back. “C'mon, let's get outta here!”

Twilight nodded, then galloped toward Ponyville.

*****

It was late into the night.

Spike had long since curled up in his small bed and fallen asleep. All of Ponyville had joined him in their own slumber.

Twilight was the only pony that was still up. As she read over a book on weather her eyes grew tired, drooping slightly. Then she shook her head.

“Gotta stay awake,” she said, “gotta…” she yawned. “Gotta do… more research. What clouds… could…” Slowly, the mare laid her head down on top of the book, her tired eyes closing. “What clouds... could be…” she said as she fell asleep.

And dreamed.

*****

The sky was an odd, dark color. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the thunder rolling for her. A strange word had come to her mind.

THUNDERCLAP.

Twilight frowned as she looked around her, trying to figure out where she was.

From what she could see it was a cornfield. Crops spread out in all directions swaying in the wind, rolling hills in the distance full of the corn. The storm continued in the distance and she began to panic. Quickly she galloped off, trying to run but not knowing where she was going.

Then she saw it. There was a roof in the midst of the corn, loose shingles piled on top of each other and a brick chimney extending towards the sky. A house!

Then she heard it.

It was the sound of a guitar gently playing, emanating from the house in front of her. Chords plucked a melody that Twilight had never heard before. Following it was the gentle sound of a voice, of a mare’s voice, an old mare’s voice, singing.

Twilight was hesitant at first, her head lowering curiously as she walked forward, peeking out from the corn.

It was a small and old farmhouse. Sitting in a wood rocking chair on the wooden slabs of the porch was an old mare, her gray hair pulled back. She was wearing a dress, an apron, a shawl, and a round pair of glasses, the clothing looking as old as her. Only, she wasn’t a mare. The only hair she had was on her head, and she had no tail.

Then it came to her. This wasn’t a mare, it was a woman.

But… what was a woman?

It was as if the knowledge had slowly entered her mind, as though she was told somehow or the thought had simply entered into her memory.

Carefully, Twilight stepped out of the crops and into the clearing in front of the farm house. The old woman smiled gently to her and continued to play her guitar for a moment before stopping and sitting the instrument down next to the rocking chair with arthritic hands that trembled slightly.

“Well,” said the old woman, “C’mon out t’corn.”

Twilight glanced back at the corn that she had just been hiding in then to the storm clouds in the distance. Slowly her head turned back to the woman, her face looking puzzled and nervous as she stepped forward. “Hello, ma’am,” she said gently, looking up at the elderly woman quizzically.

The woman smiled gently down at Twilight. “Hello, Twilight Sparkle,” she said.

“How… How did you know my name?”

“Oh, I know more than you might think,” she said still smiling. “I’m one hundred and eight years old, Twilight Sparkle, and I still bake my own bread.”

Twilight smiled at the woman, completely trusting her as though her mere presence beckoned with welcoming kindness and friendship. “If you bake cakes,” Twilight said, “I think you might be Pinkie Pie’s hero.”

The woman laughed. “Mayhap so honey,” she said.

Still smiling, Twilight asked, “Who are you ma’am?”

“My name is Abagail Freemantle,” she said, “but most folks ‘round these parts just calls me Mother Abagail.”

Twilight looked around the farmhouse, then back to the cornfield. “This isn’t Equestria, is it?”

“This?” asked the woman, her eyes also looking around. “No, dear. This here is Hemingford Home, Nebraska, but at this time, it is a might bit close to your world.”

Twilight looked back to her, puzzled again, but before she could ask anything, the old woman slowly pointed to the storm clouds.

“There’s a storm comin’,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she concentrated on the clouds. “The storm, it’s opened a hole, a thinny. They’re comin’, and it’s your lot to deal with them.”

Twilight frowned. “Who mother?” she asked.

The old woman slowly looked back to Twilight. “There’s a storm comin’,” she said again, and then pointed a finger towards the cornfield where Twilight had just been hiding. “It is his storm!”

Twilight slowly looked from the woman to the corn and standing there was a dark silhouette of another, standing upright, the only thing visible being two red eyes which stared at Twilight, that stared through Twilight.

Then the dream was over and with a light scream, Twilight awoke.

*****

As the sun rose slowly in the distance Twilight sat on the edge of her bed, gazing out of the window, her eyes on the dark clouds as they continued to hover.

“I've never heard of a creature like that,” Spike said standing on Twilight's bed next to her as he gazed out of the window with her. The dragon's eyes were droopy as though he had just been awaken. Tiredly he yawned, his arms stretching above his head.

“Neither have I,” Twilight replied. “In the dream, I remember being told what she was... but now I don't remember.”

Spike frowned, looking from the window to her. “You were told?” he asked.

Twilight nodded. “It was as though the knowledge just flowed into my mind,” she said still watching the clouds. “It was like I already knew and just remembered.”

“What about the shadowy guy?” Spike asked still looking at Twilight curiously, one brow raised as the opposite brow furrowed in a questioning manner. “Was he the same sort of creature?”

Twilight shook her head, looking back to the small dragon. “No Spike,” she said. “I mean, he was the same shape but different. Very different.”

“And you think that he's in that storm?” Spike asked, his eyes darting to the window before looking back to the mare.

“I don't know,” Twilight sighed, looking back towards the clouds. “There is something coming. I'm sure of it now. I don't know what but it's something very, very bad.” Then she got up and headed downstairs. “Come on Spike, we need to write a letter.”

Spike hopped off of the bed without question, his small feet thumping against the wooden floor and he followed her, walking quickly.

Twilight walked over to a window near her desk, staring out again, watching the sky with peering eyes.

Spike walked up to the desk and climbed up onto the chair, sitting down and grabbing a pen. Then he dipped it in ink and rolled out a parchment, his outstretched hands flattening the paper before him. “Ready,” Spike said, looking to the paper.

Twilight paused for a moment, thinking of what she wanted to write. “Dear Princess Celestia,” she said.

Spike began to write.

As Twilight told Spike what to write, and as Spike quickly scribbled down what Twilight said, the rest of Ponyville began to wake up, the sun now well above the horizon and shining down on them.

Though the clouds remained over a small part of the sky the sun still shined everywhere else, the clouds unable to grow so large that they blocked the sun's rays from shining on Equestria. Across the land ponies and other creatures were getting up and, though aware of the presence of the clouds in the distance, continued their daily business of life.

No town in the land had quite the same view of the clouds and their constant firing of lightning than Canterlot, and standing at the top of Canterlot Tower, peering through a telescope that was aimed at the clouds was Princess Celestia, a frightened look on her face.

“I've been watching it all night,” said Princess Luna standing a few hooves behind her, looking past her to the clouds. “They have just been hovering there, lightning shooting from them.”

A blue pegasus in a blue jumpsuit and goggles swiftly flew in, landing on the tower before the two, bowing to them. The bow was so low that his chin almost touched the floor. “Your majesties,” he said.

Princess Celestia nodded to him and stepped away from the telescope so that she could face him. “Soarin,” she said smiling weakly. From the way her eyes dazedly stared at him it was obvious that she hadn't slept much even though her sister had watched over the night. “I'm very sorry that we must meet under such grave circumstances.”

Soarin raised his head and took off his goggles, glancing down at the for a moment as he thought about what he wanted to say. “Same here your majesty,” he said, then looked up and nodded toward the clouds. “We've tried to get close to that storm but somehow we can't seem to get anywhere near it. Every time we seem to get near the center of the storm it's like we get pushed away.”

Princess Celestia frowned. “Pushed away?” she asked.

Soarin nodded. “I'd say it's like wind but it's not. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's like an invisible hoof is just pushing us back and away. We did manage to get close enough to see the center of it.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Go on,” she said.

Soarin frowned as he watched the clouds in the distance before looking back to her. The pegasus was silent for a moment, as though hesitant to talk, his head lowering slightly while his eyes remained on the princess. The pegasus looked like a foal about to be scorned, his ears flattening. “We've never seen anything like it,” he said finally. “It's as though every bolt of lightning is hitting the same exact spot and that spot is firing lightning back into the clouds. It's some sort of bright light, and...” then he looked away from her, his eyes closing in what looked to be shame. “I'm ashamed to admit this your majesty, but we were afraid.”

Princess Celestia's eyes widened, looking surprised that a member of the Wonderbolts would admit to being afraid of anything. Quickly her eyes returned to normal and then also looked to the side. “The truth is Soarin,” the alicorn said to him gently, “I cannot be entirely sure what this entity is and I too am somewhat afraid.”

Both Soarin and Princess Luna jerked their surprised attention back to Celestia as she admitted that.

Celestia turned back to face the clouds again, walking over to stand next to the telescope. “I can sense all magic that is from all of Equestria,” she said, “but whatever this is I cannot sense anything from it. Whatever this might be, it is not of this land. It is not of this world.” Then Celestia slowly closed her eyes, her head tilting down.

There was a strange silence from the three. Soarin stared at Princess Celestia almost in disbelief. Princess Luna frowned looking concerned for Equestria, or her sister, or both.

Suddenly there was a bright flash, a burst of light, and a letter floated down next to Celestia. She opened her eyes to gaze down at it. Using her magic she picked it up, opened it, and read it.

Soarin took a step forward, curiously looking at the paper. Luna blinked, watching her sister read. “What is it sister?” she asked.

Celestia continued reading for a moment, her eyes going back and forth over the words. “Mother Abagail,” she whispered.

Soarin and Princess Luna both slowly looked at each other confused before returning their gaze back to Celestia. “Sorry,” Soarin said hesitantly, “what was that your majesty?”

Still looking at the letter, Princess Celestia said, “It is from Twilight Sparkle. It would seem that she has been given a dream, a vision.”

Luna stepped forward when she heard Twilight's name, smiling now, a relief look on her face. “Wonderful!” she said with a hopeful smile. “Was it to do with this storm?”

Slowly, Celestia's head rose as she looked back to the clouds again. “Yes,” she said. “I must go to Ponyville to meet with her right away.” Then she turned to the two again, looking first to Soarin, her eyes narrowed in determination. “Soarin,” she said, “have the Wonderbolts be on high alert but unless I say otherwise stay away from that storm.”

Soarin smiled, his ears perking up. The pegasus grabbed his goggles, stretching them over his head and then over his eyes then saluted with his right hoof. “Yes your majesty!” he said, then took off flying.

Celestia looked to Luna. “Rest for now my sister,” she said with a gentle smile. “I cannot say for certain what the future may bring concerning this entity, but we must be ready for it.”

Princess Luna nodded in return and walked over to her, each hoof taking a slow step. Luna lifted her head, her mouth pulling back in a half frown that expressed concern. “Be safe big sister,” she said gently.

*****

It was day now and long past the time that Princess Luna usually went to sleep for her daily rest. Yawning, she climbed up into her large bed, curled up and laid her head down.

And dreamed.

*****

Princess Luna found herself standing in darkness. A large, opened area of some sort but it was night, the stars barely visible above her, the wind gently blowing through her mane.

Luna frowned as she stepped forward then felt her hoof crush something. It cracked under her like a twig breaking but felt smooth like fabric. Quickly she withdrew, afraid that she might have hurt something, and looked down at where she had just stepped. Then she blinked again, both of her brows furrowing on her head in confusion.

It was red and green. ‘Petals,’ she thought. ‘A flower?’

The princess lowered her head, her eyes narrowing as she peered at whatever was on the ground.

Lying there, crushed under her hoof, was a rose. A bright red rose. Luna stared into it, her eyes still narrow as she moved her head closer to get a better look. Something was moving inside of it, within the petals. “What manner of magic is this?” she whispered to it.

A very dim light shined through the red petals and reflected in her eyes. A gentle breeze picked up pushing back the petals lightly, and Luna could see, within the petals, the gentle reflection of a sky floating.

With what might have been shock, Princess Luna’s eyes widened. Within the rose was a world, another world, and it was still alive, providing the only other light that was in this opened area save the stars.

Then she heard them. Cries. Voices screaming, yelling up at her from the interior of the rose. Luna was terrified by this, but she couldn’t move, as though she had to figure out what the voices were telling her.

Finally, she heard what might have been a name. “Flagg,” something said within the petals.

Luna frowned. “Flagg?” she asked the rose gently.

“Flagg,” the voices repeated, “in Vegas.”

Luna continued to frown, tilting her head even closer to the rose, trying to hear, her ears perking up to listen.

“Old woman… from dreams… Colorado,” the voice said.

Princess Luna was so intent on listening to whatever the world from within the rose had to tell her that she didn’t notice the field around her slowly coming to life. When her eyes darted from the rose that she was concentrating on to her surroundings, the field had already lit up.

There was an infinite amount of tiny dots of light that were growing in brightness. Slowly Princess Luna lifted her head, standing upright as she gazed at them, an infinite amount of lights glowing in an infinite amount of directions. Luna looked all around her, feeling as though she was standing in the middle of it, as though she was standing in the middle of the universe.

As though she was standing in the middle of a galaxy of infinite worlds that were presenting themselves to her, showing her that they were there, that they existed.

The sun began to rise on whatever field this was, the sky going from night to a very deep blue of early morning. Princess Luna could now see, as daylight began to rise, that all around her, across the rolling hills of infinite fields, there were roses.

It was as though she was standing within an ocean of red.

“Luna,” a voice called out somewhere. It was deep, almost haunting, and it echoed across the field.

Princess Luna frowned, her eyes looking to the side as she could tell the voice was coming from somewhere behind her.

“Princess,” the voice said, the echo carrying across the galaxy before her.

Princess Luna slowly turned around, about to face the voice.

*****

Luna gasped when she had awakened. Quickly she leaned up, looking around her bedroom, her eyes scanning the walls as though to make sure that they were there.

Princess Luna raised a hoof to her head, gently whipping away some sweat.

It was a dream wasn’t it? Just a dream, nothing more.

“A dream,” she said, trying to convince herself that it really was a dream. But it wasn’t just a dream. There was something within those clouds, something not of this world that was tapping into Equestria. It was interfering with their world.

Princess Luna walked back to her bed, climbing up onto the mattress and laying down once again, her eyes staring forward as she thought.

First Twilight Sparkle had some sort of dream, and now her. Who would be the next to dream? Who would be the next to receive a vision from whatever was in those clouds?

She thought. “Twilight Sparkle,” she said slowly. “The Element of Magic. Then me, the Princess of the Night.” Then her eyes widened once more as she began to realize the pattern. “Whoever, or whatever, it is,” she said, “it’s talking to the elements of Equestria. The other world is trying to tell the basic elements of this world something.”

The Princess got back up, running over to her desk. Using her magic she picked up a quill pen, and began to write a letter.

*****

A filly unicorn giggled as she leaped forward, tackling over a colt. “Gotchya big brotha!” she said with a grin.

The colt smiled and gave her a light noogie with a hoof before pulling her into a hug. “Guess so,” he chuckled.

The colt wasn’t much older than her and was an earth pony with a brown coat, his mane being a little darker than his body. The smiling filly who now walked next to him was a dark shade of blue, with a lighter blue mane. Both obviously enjoyed each other’s company.

“How was school today sis?” asked the colt, smiling down at the filly as he walked, his hooves merrily taking each step in a happy stride.

The filly’s smile faded slightly at the mention of school. “Some ponies picked on me,” she mumbled.

The colt frowned at his sister. “Seriously?” he asked. “Again?”

The filly nodded sadly as she walked.

“Well,” he said, “that just won’t do now, will it?” The colt smiled, lightly head-butting his sister’s side. “Don’t worry, you’re going to get that cutie mark soon I can feel it.”

The filly’s eyes brightened as she gazed up at her brother. “You really think so?” she asked.

The colt smiled. “Of course I do!” he said. “And if those ponies give you any trouble again, you just tell them that they’ll have your big brother to answer to.”

The filly giggled and nodded at him, then looked forward. As she did her trotting came to a stop and her smile faded, her eyes fearful as she stared ahead.

The colt slowly came to a stop also, looking down at the filly curiously. “What is it?” he asked.

Slowly, the filly pointed a hoof forward, her expression changing, almost eerily, from happy to frightened.

The colt seemed almost afraid to look at what his little sister was pointing at, but his head slowly looked forward. “C’mon sis, this is Canterlot,” he began to say. “What could possibly be so scary?” Then he stopped talking as his answer came to him, and his eyes stared up at what his sister had seen.

It was nailed to a lamp post, the nails crooked and old, rusted, as though it had been there for years, just hanging there unnoticed. The parchment was torn in places, looking worn and rotten. There were some burnt marks on the paper, and the area of the post that it was nailed to looked as though it were rotting with it, as though the post itself had been tainted by it somehow. It gave the illusion that, should it remain there, the post would fall over, shrivel up into dust and blow away.

Written on the poster in crude writing that was almost illegible was:

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR PURPLE DOG?

GOES BY THE NAME SPIKE.

WE MISS HIM SO!

Under the writing was a scribbled picture of what might have been a purple-furred dog with green ears, but looked more like some sort of monstrosity to the children.

“Spike?” the filly said gently.

The colt continued to stare at the picture for a moment before shaking his head, nudging his sister lightly with his nose. “C’mon,” he whispered, as though the picture could hear them and he didn’t want to be heard. “Let’s get outta here, right now.”

The filly didn’t need to be told again, as she ran past the poster as though the poster could somehow come alive, reach out to her with the rusty nails and grab her. The colt ran with her, just as quickly.

The drawing of the purple thing stared forward, as though watching them leave.

Chapter 2: Dreams

The storm had receded.

It hadn't dispersed entirely but it had weakened. The clouds were still present, still mingling strangely in the Equestrian sky as the sun set, sending a dark spread of red and blue across the sky that seemed to stop where the clouds began. Lightning still fired from them to the ground, the ground still violently responding in kind.

'It is as though this world and another were screaming at each other', the zebra thought as she stood on a hill just outside of the Everfree forest that overlooked the outstretched horizon. Though the wind might have been violent where the clouds had settled, the grass in the field before her were eerily still. “Like an upset foal,” she said aloud, gently, “and a lost mother.”

Only this pairing was nothing like a foal and mother. It was more like two warring siblings. The zebra mare smiled weakly at that thought. This land knew quite well of that.

Zecora slowly turned around, once more facing the forest in which she lived, where she had made so many new friends since arriving here from her land far away. She knew what these clouds were, what was inside of them, but she didn't want to admit that. The zebra knew the outcome of such a thing, of two worlds opening at one location.

Zecora slowly looked from the forest to the sky, knowing what she would see there. She hoped that it wouldn't be there, that the sky would be normal, that it would be as it always was.

Stretching across the sky and to the horizon, headed in a direct path towards the clouds in the distance was a disturbed pattern. The gentle clouds that were not on the horizon seemed to follow it. The birds flying overhead followed it. Zecora was hardly able to see it as she squinted, but there it was, all the same.

Zecora looked back to the forest. “It is that path of the beam,” she said. “Cutting into this world it would seem.”

Zecora began to gallop quickly toward Ponyville, kicking up some dirt behind her as she ran.

*****

Princess Celestia sat in the middle of the library's floor, reading over a letter that she had just received from her sister. Two of the guards that brought the Princess to Ponyville were stationed at the door, and two more remained with the chariot that she was brought in. The princess was thankful for their loyalty. They had run at full speed to get her here as quickly as possible.

Surrounding her in the library were six very concerned looking ponies, and one very frightened dragon.

“Twilight,” she said, looking directly to her young student, “it would seem that Princess Luna has been given a vision as well.”

Twilight tensed up into a nervous upright position. She continued to look at Celestia, as if afraid to ask what the vision was. Her nibbling on her bottom lip nervously indicated that she had some idea.

“An infinite field of roses,” Celestia said to Twilight, “and within each rose was a world.”

“The galaxy?” Twilight asked, her eyes widening and her ears perking up with sudden attention. She was momentarily fascinated by the concept that Princess Luna was shown the entire galaxy.

“A galaxy,” Celestia said with a nod. “I cannot say for certain that it was a galaxy that Equestria is a part of but, to me, it does certainly sound as though it was some sort of a galaxy.”

“Do y'think this Mother Abagail lady was from this galaxy?” Applejack asked, looking around at her friends before setting her gaze on the princess. “Princess, I don't mean to be speculatin', but do y'think whatever's in that storm goes into this galaxy?”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “I do not know fair Applejack. I have told this to few, but...” then the alicorn princess stared down at the floor, her eyes focusing on the wooden planks below her. “I can sense all magic from Equestria but I cannot sense anything from this storm. Whatever it may be, it is not of Equestria.”

All six of them gasped, shocked, except for Spike who yiped and ducked under a chair, his hands making a small attempt to hide his head, his body shivering from fright.

“Oh my golly goodness!” Pinkie Pie said. “Not of this world? Does that mean that you don't know if it's dangerous or not?” Then Pinkie's ears drooped down and she took a slow step forward, asking nervously, “Or, how powerful it might be?”

Celestia gave a sad look to Pinkie Pie which caused the pink mare to lower her head and take a step back, her eyes nervously remaining on Celestia. The look reminded Celestia of a scared foal.

“Powerful or not,” Rainbow Dash said with a determined look and a light but confident smile, “we're gonna defend Equestria with everything we've got!”

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash, obviously frightened at the idea of fighting a force that they knew nothing about. “Um, everything we have?” she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. Then she looked to Twilight before looking down, feeling somewhat ashamed of what she was about to say. “Twilight, um, I don't mean to say that you're making things up, not at all, but what if, maybe, this Mother Abagail isn't so nice and...” slowly her eyes looked back to the purple mare and her tailed curled around her as though she was trying to make herself as small as possible. “And, um, she's trying to trick us?”

Twilight shook her head quickly. “No chance,” she said. “I could sense her kindness and I could also sense the shadow thing's evil.”

“I must agree with Twilight,” Celestia said with a light nod of agreement, looking around at all of them. Her eyes glanced from one pony to another. The princess could tell that they were scared and though she did her best to hide it, she was scared also. “If this creature meant us harm, it would not make sense for her to warn us of anything. There is something that was told to Twilight however, that might provide much comfort.”

All of them looked at Princess Celestia curiously. Even Spike poked his head up to listen.

“Twilight was told that we must deal with them,” Celestia said. “This would indicate that we can handle them.”

“Handle them, I believe you are able,” said a voice from the door. “Fighting them you are quite capable.”

All of them, including Princess Celestia, slowly looked to the door to see Zecora standing there, her mouth in a frown and a grim look on her face. The zebra walked into the library, closing the door behind her, her eyes gazing down as if she was unable to face them. “This storm I’ve seen, you might say,” she continued, “in my land far away.”

All of them were stunned to silence at what she said. It was Twilight who broke the silence as she stood up on all four hooves, taking a few cautious steps toward Zecora. “You know what this is Zecora?” she asked, her voice shaking and fearful. At that moment, Twilight felt as though she could finally realize what Shutterfly must feel like when faced with a tough situation. She could only imagine what the shy pegasus must be feeling now.

Zecora looked from the ground to Twilight, her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed, her face clearly revealing her fear. Never had Twilight seen Zecora afraid, and the look made the purple mare withdraw slightly, partially holding up a hoof that bent down at the joint as though she had come in contact with something that was otherworldly. Zecora being afraid was not natural, she thought, and this only made her even more scared.

While the ponies all stayed where they were, still sitting, still unnerved, Spike slowly got up from where he was seated, his green eyes watching the zebra curiously.

“The beam,” she said, her voice weak. Suddenly her eyes filled with tears. “It stretches there.” Zecora then lifted a shaking hoof and pointed it toward the window, and to the clouds beyond. “It should not be here, it is not fair!” Several tears rolled down her face.

The others looked on, still stunned, still silent. Twilight placed her hoof down on the floor at first, but then raised it again to pat the zebra's hoof in an attempt to try and be comforting. "Zecora," she whispered.

Spike walked up to Twilight, standing next to her, staring at Zecora, his eyes wide with interest. “The beam?” he asked, his green eyes looking curiously up at her, blinking quickly. Instead of being shocked like the rest of them, Spike seemed interested, perhaps even intrigued.

Zecora sniffed, looking down at him confused.

Twilight moved her head to look down, though her eyes remained on Zecora for a moment as if to check to make sure that she was alright before she looked away. Then her eyes darted to Spike, but she said nothing.

Spike stared at Zecora still, but now his eyes were blank. The dragon was still very much conscious but his eyes looked as though his attention was elsewhere. Twilight thought that he looked to be in some sort of trance. No, not exactly a trance but that was the only word that she could think of to describe how Spike was acting.

“It has come here,” Spike said, his voice slow and flat as he continued to stare at Zecora.

Zecora nodded to him, whipping her tears away with the back of a hoof. The zebra cleared her throat, then stood upright, trying to look more brave than she had before, though her fear was still slightly present on her face. “Who are you?” she asked. “Who might you be? Are you a friend or an enemy?”

Twilight was the first to realize what was happening. The mare looked to Zecora, then her head jerked to one side to face Spike, her face looking as though she was pleading for something, her brows raised in panic. “NO!” she cried. “GET OUT OF SPIKE!”

Princess Celestia stood up quickly when she heard what Twilight said. Suddenly she looked angry and stepped forward toward the small dragon, her horn glowing as though about to attack him or, more exactly, whatever had overtaken him.

“Friend,” Spike, or whatever was inside of Spike, said.

Zecora held up a hoof to Twilight and Celestia. The alicorn princess stopped, now standing next to Twilight, staring down at Zecora.

“We must help Spike,” Twilight said gently.

“This is hard, I know,” Zecora said to Twilight, “but for us to understand, this must be so.”

Rarity had stood up, looking to the others, trying to gauge their reactions before looking forward to Spike. She walked slowly as though moving each hoof had to be done with effort, and her eyes gazed at the small dragon. Rarity raised a hoof, reaching out to him. “Will he be alright?” she asked, her eyes now moistening with tears. “You monster," she whispered, then added loudly, "you had better not hurt our friend!”

Spike’s gaze didn’t leave Zecora. “Spike will be fine,” he said, his voice now sounding strangely older, a very odd mix between a baby and an elder dragon. It was like hearing two voices in one: Spike’s, and another’s. “My name is Ted, and there is something that young Spike and I share.”

Much like when Zecora entered, all of them only stared at Spike, too shocked to say anything.

“I can only speak but for a few moments,” he said. “My time within this world is short. I could sense the opening between this world and the other, the galaxy as you called it. Zecora, you know of the beam, and you know of the creatures that have entered this world. They have entered before, in your land.”

Zecora hesitantly nodded.

“I know what they did,” he said.

Zecora bit on her bottom lip, trying to stop the tears that were already flowing from her eyes. “Took my village’s foals, they did so,” she muttered, gasping once for breath, an attempt to recover from a light sob. “Took them so long ago.”

Once more, all of them gasped. Rainbow Dash was the only one to say anything. “Zecora,” she said very gently, leaning forward.

“The beam momentarily came through this world then,” he said. “The beam which goes to the very center, the very heart of the universe. There are many beams, which go through many worlds, all of them holding up the thing which stands at the very center of the galaxy that your sister has seen, Princess Celestia.” Spike’s blank stare didn’t leave Zecora when he said that.

Princess Celestia, like the others, wasn’t sure of what to do exactly. The alicorn was hesitant for a moment, her mouth opening but not speaking at first, hanging open in confused and cautious silence. Finally she asked, “Was it the voice that called out to her? That said her name from behind her?”

“Had she looked behind her,” he said, “she would have seen the Tower. The Tower stands in another galaxy, not this one. That much is true, and I’m glad that she didn’t look upon it. Imprisoned in the Tower is one named the Crimson King, a creature whose evil this world can never fully come to understand. The worst of your enemies pale in comparison to him, however the Tower still stands, and he remains imprisoned.”

“If the beams break,” Zecora said, “the Tower will fall, and the king will be set free to destroy us all.”

“There are certain creatures that have special talents,” he said, still staring up at Zecora. “The foals taken from your village had these talents, Zecora, which is why they were taken. Often they are children, and with these talents they are able to break the beams, and so agents of the king come for them, take them through the rift, or ‘thinny’ as we call it, so that they may work for the king in breaking the beams. They are called, simply, breakers, and it would seem there is one more breaker who resides in this world.”

“Who?” Twilight asked, her voice confused and still afraid. “Do you know who it is?”

“I, being Ted, am a breaker also,” he continued. “It is why I’m able to talk to you like this. Our talents are all telepathic, you see. Before I tell you who the breaker is, you must understand that the agents of the king, whom we call the low men in yellow coats, will seek him out, and they will do anything within their power to obtain him. They will not hesitate to harm you. They communicate in strange ways. When they came for me, they placed my name on missing pet posters.”

Twilight was beginning to look angry now, her fear slowly turning into an exhausted irritation. “Who is the breaker?” she asked, her voice rising almost to a yell.

There was a pause. “I can project myself through the thinny and into Spike,” he said, “because Spike is the breaker.”

“NO!” Twilight screamed, which caused almost all of them to jump from the sudden noise. The purple mare leaped forward and grabbed Spike, crying. “NO NOT SPIKE!” Immediately, once Twilight touched him, Spike’s face when from being the strange stare to being his former self.

The small dragon’s eyes rolled in opposite directions for a moment before he shook his head and looked up at Twilight confused. “Woah, Twi?” he asked, frowning, looking over her at Princess Celestia. “What… what happened?”

Applejack slowly walked up to Twilight, gently patted her back trying to give her some sort of comfort, then looked to the baby dragon, frowning. “Spike, sugar,” she said gently, “this might take some explainin’.”

The honest Applejack, knowing that Twilight was too upset to explain anything to him, told Spike what had happened.

*****

Spike stood outside and at the back of the library, looking up at the stars of the night sky and trying to ignore the flashes of light coming from the distance. The small dragon stood alone, his arms lightly hugging himself as though he were cold. Spike could see it, a slight disturbance in the pattern of the stars of the night. The dragon knew that nothing was wrong with the stars themselves, or the galaxy that they were in. The disturbance was within this world. It was the beam that was either going to, or coming from, those bursts of light. Whichever it was he didn’t care much.

The creatures that had come through the rift had come here for one purpose and one purpose alone.

For him.

Spike rubbed the back of his neck as he took a few steps forward, his vision of the sky clearer now that he wasn’t standing directly under the leaves of the library made into a tree. Spike’s head remained tilted back, his eyes still gazing upward. The dragon then shifted his gaze from the sky to the bursting lights on the horizon.

Spike was silent at first. There was something that he wanted to say, something that he wanted to express to the other world, or other worlds that were looking in at him and his friends, he just wasn’t sure what it was.

The dragon’s hands balled into fists as he held back his tears. Tonight had mostly been crying, as though he were already gone, the fight hopeless against an unknown enemy. Though his hope had faded, his friends’compassion and care for him remained as strong as ever.

Several tears escaped and rolled down his cheek. Spike reached up and rubbed his snout with the back of a hand. “Well?” he asked, staring at the blasts of light. “I’m the breaker, I’m the one who these low min, or men or whatever they’re called are coming for.” Spike sniffed. “I’m the reason why that hole opened up. Do you have a dream for me? Do you have something you wanna tell me?” Raising a fist to the lightning, he said, “I dunno why you want me anyway! I’m just a baby dragon, and when I grow up I’m going to be a selfish and self-centered, greedy adult!” Now his tears flowed freely, a light sob almost overtaking his speech. “I’ve… only g-got so much time here before that happens!” Slowly, Spike crouched down on his legs, his arms hugging himself again, his head down, his tears falling to the ground. “Only so much time,” he cried, “to be with my friends. Twilight has her whole life to be with her friends, she isn’t going to grow up like me!”

Spike slowly laid down on his side in the grass, tears still rolling down his face. “Why’d you give her the dream,” he cried, his eyes closing tightly. “Why don’t you give me a dream?”

The small dragon curled up into a ball, and cried himself to sleep.

And dreamed.

*****

The guitar played a gently hymn as Spike came walking out of the crops of corn and into the front yard of the old farmhouse that he had heard so much about. Walking forward out of the crops, he stared up at the old woman who smiled gently down at him through her spectacles. Carefully, she put her guitar down next to her chair.

“Hello Spike,” she said with a nod. “Nice to see you.”

Spike’s confused and bewildered look quickly changed to a bright smile, and he bolted forward on to the porch and up to the old woman, hugging her. “Mother Abagail!” he giggled, his voice sounding overjoyed.

Abagail laughed, sweeping the small dragon into her arms. “God bless!” she called out, laughing. Then she kissed his head. “You are welcome here Spike. Welcome to Hemingford Homes.”

Spike continued to smile, waiting a moment before breaking the hug and looking up at the woman. “Is that what this world is called?” he asked.

Abagail laughed again and shook her head. “Only these parts, honey,” she said with a smile. “Spike, we don’t have much time together, but we may fellowship with what time we have.”

Spike looked from Abagail to the rolling hills of corn. “I’m really scared,” he said. “We were told that I was a breaker, that those low mein things were coming after me.”

Abagail smiled and leaned back in her rocking chair, her gaze following Spike’s to the land that stretched out from her house. “You were told true, Spike. It is low men that they’re called, but they are comin’ all the same, and it is your lot to deal with them.”

Spike quickly looked up at her. “Can we?” he asked. “I mean, are we able?”

Abagail continued to look out across the fields of corn. “There is work ahead of you, Spike.” Then she looked down at the small dragon that had become visibly nervous. “You can fight them, though. You can, and you will.”

“But, how?” Spike asked, frowning up at her.

Abagail turned her gentle look back to Spike, a warm smile now on her face. “The same way you fight off the temptations that most other dragons give in to,” she said. “With faith.”

Spike blinked. “Faith?” he asked.

Abagail continued to smile at him. “Faith in your friends, Spike. Faith in yourself. Your world is filled with love that the devil cannot touch. If your faith in friendship remains strong, your innocence remains.” Abagail leaned forward, keeping her gentle, yet firm gaze on the dragon. “Stand true, my Spike. Stand true and you will prevail. Keep on with friendship, and you won’t grow to be an old selfish dragon.” Slowly she reached forward and placed a hand on Spike’s head and laughed. “Mayhap… mayhap you might grow to be one hundred and eight years old like me, and have doctors tellin’ you t’cut out your coffee!”

Spike looked shocked. “R-Really?” The dragon chose not to speak on the age comment, not knowing what coffee was but already knowing Abagail’s age from what Twilight had told him. Spike only smiled up at her in response to her laughing.

Abagail leaned back in her chair. “You won’t become corrupt,” she said with a nod. “You’ve got a lot goin’ for you Spike, many blessings.” Abagail pulled her shawl closer to her as she remained leaning back in her chair. “I’ve got to be goin’ now, Spike. I have my own stand to make, in my own world. You wake up and tell Miss Twilight that Mother Abagail says hello.”

Spike reached out and took Abagail’s frail hand into his, holding on to it gently. “Mother,” he said, “how do we fight them?”

Abagail gently squeezed Spike’s hand with hers. “For harmony, for love, for friendship, you must stand.”

Spike nodded, and awoke.

Chapter 4: Palaver and Sombra

The storm was gone.

All traces of the thinny and the other world was gone with it. Spike sat in an upstairs window of the library, curled up, hugging his knees as he gazed out of the window at the horizon. The small dragon sighed, a wondering look on his face as he gazed to the distance. Slowly he reached a hand over, placing it on the glass of the window. “Goodbye Mother Abagail,” he whispered.

As the dragon gazed to the distance where the clouds once were, he wondered. How would he age, exactly? And what was going to happen to him when he did?

“Spike?” Twilight asked, peeking into the room. “Are you ok up here?”

Spike turned his head from the window to Twilight, smiling gently. “Heya Twi,” he said, uncurling to sit in a normal position now, turning to face the purple mare. “I was just thinking.”

“Oh yeah?” Twilight asked, walking over to him and sitting down next to him, glancing for a moment out of the window. “What about?” she asked, looking back to him curiously.

Spike shrugged as he looked down, a foot gently tapping on the floor. “Do you think what she said is true?” he asked. “I mean, do you think that, as long as I love my friends I won't grow up to be like, y'know, a normal adult dragon?”

Twilight smiled warmly to him. “I recall one time that you did grow up,” she said. “Your love restored you again, when you remembered Rarity.”

Spike smiled weakly at that, looking from the floor to Twilight. “I guesso,” he said.

Twilight reached over, hugging the baby dragon from the side. “Stand for love, kindness and friendship,” she said, “and you will never fall by the wayside. You'll always be my number one assistant.”

Spike chuckled, and slowly nodded a hesitant agreement, then reached over and hugged the purple mare in return. “Thanks Twi,” he said softly.

The two remained in the embrace for several minutes before Twilight finally said, “C'mon Spike, let's go see Rarity and see if she can help us find some gyms. What do you say?”

Spike smiled brightly. “I say that's a plan!” he laughed.

*****

“Are you sure that's what he said?” Princess Luna asked, frowning, her eyes wide as she gazed at her sister in slight disbelief.

“I'm sure,” Princess Celestia said, gazing into the distance. “Sombra.”

Both alicorn princesses stood at the top of Canterlot Tower looking out across Equestria just as the sun was setting for the day. Celestia squinted as she watched the sunset, grateful that the horizon it set upon had returned to its’ former state.
Luna walked forward to stand next to Celestia, joining her in her gaze across the land. The horizon was a deep red as the sun set behind it, the stars gently beginning to appear across the sky. They made her think of the roses that contained worlds within them, and how she would be very grateful if she never saw them again. With hearing that name, however, she thought the influence of the tower which stood among those roses had not yet finished its’ business with Equestria. “That is a name that I have not heard in a long time,” she said. “Do you think the Crystal Empire could be returning, King Sombra with it?”

Celestia sighed. “I would not mind the return of the Crystal Empire,” she said. “I would like that very much, but King Sombra... no, I'd prefer him to remain gone. If he returns however, we shall make a stand.”

Princess Luna nodded, looking back to Princess Celestia, a smile slowly coming across her face. “I shall look after the night as always,” she said, her eyes closing momentarily as she nodded to her. “Rest now, my sister. You have done enough standing for one day.”

Princess Celestia turned her gaze away from the distance and focused her attention on Princess Luna, smiling back to her. Looking up to the stars for a moment, she nodded. “Thank you, my sister,” she said with a nod. “That does sound like a splendid idea. Goodnight.”

Princess Celestia turned from Luna and the observation deck of the tower and walked back to her bedroom, yawning. The Princess laid down, closed her eyes, and slept.

And dreamed, but not of the Dark Tower.

Chapter 3: The Stand

The storm had remained.

The rainbow maned pegasus remained laying next to the baby dragon all through the night. Where Spike had slept, however, she had not. All night she laid by her friend in the grass at the back of library and watched the storm in the distance. If the wonderbolts were nervous about it, she could only imagine what sort of creature it produced. It didn't matter though, she had determined. Whatever was coming, no matter what it might be, she would fight it.

As the sun rose over Equestria, her eyes narrowed slightly, prepared to watch the sunrise.

“Rainbow Dash?” Spike asked wearily, his sleepy eyes looking up at her.

Rainbow Dash smiled down at him, nodding. “How you doin' champ?” she asked.

Spike glanced to the distant storm as if to check it, making sure it was still there. When he saw that it was he sighed, looking back up to Rainbow Dash. “Have you been here all night?” he asked.

The pegasus smirked, and gave a shrug. “So what if I had?” she asked. “Somepony has to look after you if you're going to be sleeping outside instead of the safety of indoors.”

Spike smirked, leaning up into a sitting position and then leaned against the pegasus. Rainbow Dash didn't move at all, as though welcoming Spike to lean on her. The two set together, turning their focus on the sunrise, watching it.

“Whatever's coming,” Spike said, “I think it might be a little like Discord.”

Rainbow Dash blinked but continued staring at the sunrise. “How?” she asked.

“I dreamed,” Spike said, still leaning on his friend. “I dreamed of Mother Abagail.”

That did cause Rainbow Dash to turn her head towards Spike, looking at him with a concerned look but remained silent, allowing him to talk.

“She didn't tell me this,” he said, “but just as I was waking up, right before I opened my eyes, I heard two names. I somehow get the feeling that one of those names, Thunderclap, may be the name of the part of the world that they're from, and the other is where the opening between their world and Equestria is.”

Rainbow Dash glanced momentarily toward the storm before looking back at Spike. “That would explain the storm,” she said.

Spike smiled weakly. “The other place,” he said. “The place where the passage between our world and theirs is at is called Discordia.”

*****

“Discordia,” Princess Celestia said as she used her magic to pick up a quill pen and begin writing on a piece of parchment. “It certainly does sound of Discord, but that would not be possible.”

The ponies were in the library once more, all of them looking over books on history. Rainbow Dash was the only pony missing from the group, having gone upstairs to take a nap. Spike sat in a window, occasionally glancing out to the town of Ponyville but keeping the majority of his attention on his friends inside.

“From what it sounds like,” Twilight said, still keeping her nose in a book, reading quickly, “these things don’t need Discord’s help.”

“Probably not,” she said, still writing. “If they can evade my senses, then they are truly not of this world.”

Applejack sat in a corner of the large room when she looked up from her book and over at Princess Celestia. “Beggin’ your pardon, Princess,” she said, “but who’re you writin’ to?”

Princess Celestia’s eyes remained on the letter that she was writing. “My sister,” she said. “I’m having her bring us the Elements of Harmony, as quickly as she can.”

All of them stopped and slowly looked up from their reading to gaze at the Princess.

“Do you think that’s going to be necessary?” Rarity asked, frowning as she closed her book with her nose, using her magic to pick it up and placed it back on the shelf.

“We should never be too careful,” Fluttershy said, looking first to Princess Celestia before turning to the others. “I mean, um, maybe, in this case, it’s better to be safe than sorry?”

Spike’s voice then cut in. “Guys,” he said, his tone shaky.

Pinkie Pie left her book lying on the floor, galloping over to the dragon in the window. “What is it Spike?” she asked, then gazed out of the window with him. For a moment she paused, as though she was trying to get her focus on whatever it was that the two were looking at, before slowly turning back to the others. “We… We may wanna wake up Dashie now,” she said slowly.

Twilight frowned and stood up, walking over to the two at the window. “What’s going on?” she asked before looking out of the window and up towards the sky. Then she was silent, only a blank look on her face.

That caused Rarity and Applejack to glance at each other before running over to a window of their own, so that they could get a good look at whatever it was that the other three were looking at.

Princess Celestia, who was already standing next to a window while writing her letter, looked to the side, then slowly her head tilted back, her eyes narrowing.

Fluttershy was hesitant for a moment, her legs shaking under her. “I, um, I’m going to get Rainbow Dash,” she said softly, running up the stairs, her eyes avoiding any windows as she ran.

They all gazed towards the sky. Throughout Ponyville, everypony had stopped whatever it was that they were doing to also gaze up. The entire town had slipped into a quiet, awkward and frightening silence as they all stood or sat, their heads tilted back.

Hovering above Ponyville, silently staring down at the small town was a cloud. It was as dark as the clouds that had been hovering on the horizon, but it was silent. No lightning fired from it, nor did it move. It just stayed there, floating. It stretched out across the sky, like an impossibly long bridge that went to the horizon, where it met with the clouds that had already been there, that still continued to communicate with the ground through electrical violence.

The ponies began to run to their homes, some grabbing foals to take inside with them, all slamming doors and closing windows. In short time the town looked as though it had been abandoned, the residents all hiding from the thing that had once been safely in the distance, but now looked as though it was stretching out a long arm towards them.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had joined Applejack and Rarity at the window to gaze up at it. Nopony said anything.

It was Spike who finally said, “The beam. It’s pointing at us.” The baby dragon backed up into Twilight, pressing in to her arms as she quickly responded by hugging him. “It’s pointing at me,” he added.

Princess Celestia gazed at the cloud formation, her eyes not moving from it as she rolled up her letter, it disappearing within a gentle puff of light as it was sent on its’ way, back to Canterlot with the help of her magic.

All of them were silent, as though waiting for the cloud to do something.

There was a knock at the door.

*****

Spike had hidden under a table, unsure of what else to do. The baby dragon couldn’t contribute anything to the fight, if there would be one, and was the target of whoever, or whatever, these creatures were. All six of them stood in front of Spike facing the door. Princess Celestia slowly walked to stand in front of the six, between them and the door, her eyes narrowed.

“You cannot have him or anypony,” she called out to the door, and whatever it was that was beyond it.

There was a silence. Then, a laughter.

The noise was crude, arrogant, evil. It was far worse of a sound than any noise that had ever been heard from any of their enemies. None of them backed down, however. Even Fluttershy remained standing tall and facing the door.

“Thissss is noooot of yourrrrr concern,” a voice from behind the door said, it voice deep, scratchy, as though the creature talking had to make an effort to speak.

“You have trespassed into our land,” Celestia said. “You have entered into our world uninvited and unwelcomed. Leave, or we will be forced to make you leave.”

Again, the voice laughed.

“Give ussss the dragon, Princessss, or our employerrrr will be forced to… to reinsssstate theeee Sombra Initiative.”

Celestia’s eyes widened at the name, her mouth dropping open in a shocked expression.

“That got you thinnnnking, didn’t iiiiit?” the voice asked. “The Tet Corrrrporation’s influence fallssss short in certaaaain worldssss. Give us the breakerrrr, and we will not trouble yourrrr world any further.”

Celestia’s head lowered slightly, her eyes narrowing once more as though taking on a defensive position. “No,” she said, her voice flat. “Your threats mean nothing to me. Leave.”

The thing behind the door snarled through the wood. “You know nothinnnng of the Towerrrr, of the kinnnng, of breakerrrrrs, of gunslingerrrrs. Do not interrrrfere. This is not of yourrrr concern.”

Rainbow Dash then jumped forward, standing next to Princess Celestia. “No way,” she said, taking on the same defensive posture as the alicorn Princess. “You must be crazy to think that we’re just gonna stand by and let you take our friend! You’ll have to get through us first, and that’s not happenin’, so why don’t you just…”

BAM!

All of them, including Rainbow Dash, stepped back at the sudden sound of something hitting the large library door. All of them except Princess Celestia, who continued to stare at the door defiantly.

BAM!

Amazingly, the thick door began to crack on its’ hinges, buckling at the pressure of whatever was being slammed into it from the outside.

BAM!

“C’mon everypony!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Let’s get ready for them! We can take ‘em, right Fluttershy?” Then she nudged Fluttershy with a hoof, the shy mare only giving a nervous squeak in response.

BAM!

The door fell from its’ hinges, banging against the floor of the library. From the other side they stood, the four of them, wearing their filthy yellow coats that draped over them and the hats that covered their faces.

Twilight stared at the four, stunned. She had never seen or heard of anything like these creatures. They were shaped like ponies, but they were not ponies at all. Twilight could tell that it was as if the pony shapes these things had took on were a disguise for whatever it was that was hiding under those coats. Though their faces were mostly hidden, she could tell that they weren’t really faces. They were almost like masks, life masks made from some sort of true flesh, stretched over the front of them. The idea made her want to run, to get away from them, but she stood with her friends.

“We shallll warn you once morrrre,” snarled the first of the four things as it stepped forward and now stood on the broken door that laid on the ground. “Ourrrr patience runnnns thin, and we arrrre tired of this world. Giiiive us the breakerrrr, or we shallll destroy you!”

Princess Celestia slowly lifted her wings, stretching them out as if to shield the others. “Never.”

The thing that had spoken yelled, and leaped forward. Then something happened, something that caused all of them, even the other things that were still at the entrance, to stop in momentary shock.

A large burst of sudden and violent electricity erupted between the alicorn and the thing. While Princess Celestia remained standing unharmed, the thing was thrown back to the entrance, causing it to land on its’ side in a sudden THUD as it hit the ground.

The other creatures watched as their companion hit the ground. If they had faces, they’d probably look as surprised as the ponies who had watched as the monstrosity was thrown away from them by some invisible force.

The things looked back to Princess Celestia, snarling at her as she continued to stand, her wings still outstretched. They all leaped at her. The sudden burst of electricity once more threw them all back, all of them landing on top of each other at the entrance.

Princess Celestia folded her wings back at her sides once more and took a step forward, staring down at the four creatures. “Leave,” she said.

The other six looked at each other questioningly, as if wondering what they should do, if anything at all. Twilight once more looked forward, at the four creatures who were laying at the entrance of her library, of the four who had trespassed into this world, who had no right to invade it.

Twilight lifted a hoof, preparing to step forward. The purple mare gulped nervously as she looked down at her hoof, wondering if this was the right thing to do. Then she stepped forward, and looked toward the things in yellow coats with both challenge and courage. “Leave,” she said, walking up to stand with Princess Celestia.

“Get outta here,” Rainbow Dash said, also stepping forward to stand with Twilight Sparkle.

“And never return,” Rarity said as she stepped forward, standing with Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah,” said Applejack, walking forward to stand with Rarity. “Y’all get out and stay out!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie said, stepping up to stand with Applejack. “Get out ya’ big meanies!”

Finally, though Fluttershy was the last to walk forward, her angry expression and determined voice did not hint at the slightest amount of fear. “Leave,” she said, standing with Pinkie Pie.

The clouds that had formed in the distance, that had, for the past day, continued sending down their bolts of lightning to the spot on the ground that had shot bolts of lightning back into the sky, suddenly stopped. The cloud that had stretched out from them to Ponyville began to roll back towards it, as though being pulled back into it.

The things that lay at the library entrance snarled. “No!” one of them shouted before all of them were picked up and pulled back toward the horizon.

All of them, even Spike, ran out of the library to stand and watch as the clouds were pulled back, almost like a blanket being shoved into a drawer.

“What in tarnation is happenin’?” Applejack whispered.

“The rift is closing,” Princess Celestia said as she continued to watch the clouds. “The thinny is gone, and our world is safe.”

Within moments, the clouds were gone. The horizon and the sky had gone back to the way they were before the rift had opened. Spike looked up to see if the same disturbed pattern was still stretching across the sky. It wasn’t. The sky was normal, and the beam was gone.

“Princess Celestia,” Spike said, still looking up.

The Princess had turned from the horizon that had returned to its’ normal state, looking at Spike. The others turned to face him also.

“The beam,” he said, looking back to them, smiling as he pointed upward. “It’s gone!”

Twilight smiled as she walked forward, looking down at him as she smiled also, looking back up at her. The purple mare reached a hoof forward and pulled Spike to her, hugging him.

Spike’s eyes filled with tears as he hugged her back, his head leaning forward, crying on her.

Twilight reached down and kissed the top of his head gently. “It’s ok now Spike,” she said.

Spike sniffed and shook his head, still crying weakly on Twilight. “It’s not that,” he said, taking in a small gasp of air, calming down. “It’s something that Mother Abagail told me. Something that, I think I can now say is true.”

Twilight continued to smile down at him. “What did she say?” she asked.

“If I could stand for love, for kindness, for friendship, that I wouldn’t have to grow up to be a selfish angry adult dragon.” Spike reached a hand up to his face to wipe away some tears that had just rolled out of his eyes. “If standing for that stuff made those creatures go away, along with that weird storm, then I know it’s true. I don’t have to grow up to be evil.”

Twilight pulled him forward again into another hug, her eyes closing to stop the tears that were threatening to form. “That’s the magic of friendship,” Twilight said. Gently, she laughed as she held Spike in the embrace, almost scared to let him go. “Friendship is magic.”

Rarity took a slow step forward, looking from Twilight and Spike to Princess Celestia. “Forgive me, your majesty,” she said gently, “but, how in the world did you manage to fight those creatures?”

Princess Celestia smiled to Rarity. “I didn’t,” she said.

Rarity blinked, looking confused.

“All I did,” Princess Celestia said, “was believed in everything that Spike just said, in love and friendship. This world, its’ innocence, and the faith we all shared was more than enough magic to defend ourselves. The evil of those creatures could not touch us for that reason.” Then she turned to Spike, still smiling. “What Spike says is true. If the faith that we had was enough to send those creatures back to the world in which they came, and then close the rift behind them, it is enough to keep Spike innocent, even into adulthood.”

The others cheered as they ran forward, all gathering around Twilight and Spike, taking them into a large group hug.

Princess Celestia continued to smile as she watched them. “Friendship is magic, my faithful students,” she said gently.