It was for once a calm night in the mountains of the equestrian north, as opposed to the usual snow flurries that stopped a pony from being able to see farther than a hoofs length. That, along with a starry sky and Luna’s full moon, made the view from the mountains a view to die for. This was not true for a stallion that stood on a cliff facing the crystal empire, a sight that brought joy to most ponies. To him, it only brought a deep scowl to his face. The thick cloak he was wearing, as well as his scarlet mane, was billowing in a nonexistent wind in rhythm with the aura of violet magic emanating from his eyes.
“A thousand years of work, ruined.” He said to himself. “All my plans, RUINED!” roared the stallion, the dark aura intensifying momentarily. “How could he possibly have been defeated? How did he not stop Celestia’s heroes, her precious Elements of Harmony?” He smiled. “No matter. He was merely a pawn in my plan, and his magic was not destroyed, just lost” It was then that a chestnut unicorn came running up to the stallion, holding something wrapped in cloth in his magic.
“We found it Crystie!”
The stallions scowl returned. And his horn glowed velvet purple as he picked up the unicorn by the throat. “And who might you be addressing in that tone, Picket? Because as I recall, my name was not Crystie” The unicorn struggled against the stallion’s magic. “Now, I’m going to let you go and you will address me properly, understand?” The unicorn shook his head frantically.
The unicorn dropped as the stallion released him from his magic. “I am sorry my lord.” He coughed. “I meant Master Despot, I have found what you told me.”
the stallion grabbed the object and carefully unwrapped it. The object was a horn, smooth as silk. The black at the base faded into scarlet at the tip. The stallion once again smiled as he basked in the magical energy of the horn. A wicked smile grew on his lips.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************
That same night, a dark figure was lurking through the hallowed halls of the Canterlot archives. The figure's body was completely covered by a tight black body suit, not that it was needed, for his coat was the same shade of darkness. Two of Luna’s night guards were walking up the same hallway as the figure investigating a mysterious sound that one of them heard. This was part of the figures plan. The guards walked directly in front of him, completely unaware of his presence, until it was too late.
Neither guard made a sound as their necks were violently twisted out of place.
The figure's plan was coming together. He now had the keys he needed. With lightning speed, he went to the very back of the most restricted section of the archives. There was a circular corridor an insignia was painted on the floor that resembled Princess Celestia’s cutie mark. Across the corridor was a large stone door. The lock on the door looked simple, but the figure knew better. He also knew the corridor had a powerful protection spell on it, as made evident from the scorch marks on the floor where some poor souls tried to sneak in before him.
From a safe distance, He carefully lifted the key up to the door with magic, pushing into the center far enough to make the insignia emanate a gentle light. This was only half the problem. He then pointed the other key at the center of the sun insignia, and quickly thrust it into the stone floor. Just as he had anticipated, a glowing orb erupted from the key and came to a rest in the center of the room. The figure smiled as he lowered the mask of his suit. The figure closed his eyes, and began to sing.
Hush now quiet now
It’s time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now quiet now
It’s time to go to bed
The door began to open as the figure sang the last note.
The figure smiled. “Celestia, you always loved that lullaby didn’t you?” The royal treasury was full, as one would expect, of a millennium of treasure. There were thousands of jewels, books, scrolls, armor, potions, herbs, spices, and of course hundreds of piles of gold fifty ponies high. The figure was not concerned with these however. His prize was the newest edition to the treasury. Under a glass case in the back of the treasury was an amulet. It's red jewel was surrounded by the depiction of angry unicorn, with wings spread wide.
“So you’re the little trinket that’s going to start this big revolution?” said the figure as he was examining the Alicorn Amulet closer. At this time another figure burst into the treasury.
“Stop in the name of the princess…” Captain Shining Armor stopped. “Shadow?”
Shadow smiled once again.
“Good to see that you remember me Shining.” Shadow quickly swung around and crafted a sleek black katana with magic, but it was just as quickly blocked by Shining Armor’s lavender pike.
“You were the only soldier better than me. Had you done the right thing, you would be captain instead of me.” Shining flicked the Shadow’s sword of his pike, and gave a quick thrust but in an instant Shadow was behind him, laughing.
“Were? Shining armor, I am still the best” Shadow dived at the unicorn with lightning speed, but was once again deflected by Shining Armor. Shining spun his pike, missing shadow by an inch. Shadow then performed a quick upward slash. The blade nicked Shining’s cheek. With a quick slash from his pike, Shining broke the sword, which then dissipated into smoke, smoke that quickly filled the room. Shadow’s laughter also filled the room. “This will not be our last battle Shining Armor. This is only the beginning”
As the smoke cleared, Shining quickly looked around the room. But the most wanted thief in Equestria was nowhere to be found.
Shining ran out of the room.
"A novice is weary of the queen. But a master is weary of her knights"-Commander Hurricane,The Finer Points of Combat
Twilight Sparkle was having a nice, relaxing evening. She was curled up in her favorite chair with some poetry. (Edgar Allen Pony, her favorite) Ponyville’s first snow of the season had fallen that day, and Twilight was happy to get a chance to warm up by the fireplace, not to mention heal her bruises from a particularly brutal snowball fight started by Pinkie Pie. She hoped Applejack would be able to repair the damage to her barn, town hall, and Sugarcube Corner. Twilight smiled. She enjoyed spending time with her friends, even when they got into trouble.
Twilight was shocked out of her thoughts by a sound that came from the fire. She looked at the fireplace. It looked just as it did when she started it half an hour ago. It was just a log settling, Twilight, she thought to herself. The fire made another sound. Twilight looked up again and her eyes grew wide. The fire had turned from calm red-orange to an almost wicked purple. And it was spreading.
“Spike! Spike! Help!” The baby dragon quickly ran down the stairs, and screamed when he saw the fire.
“What happened? What’s going on Twilight?” yelled her faithful assistant over the literal roar of the flames, which had grown to take up half of the library, and was showing no signs of stopping.
“Go get help Spike! Hurry… gah!” Twilight yelped. A tendril of the mysterious flames wrapped itself around Twilight’s back hooves, and began dragging the unicorn to the fireplace. Spike quickly took hold of her forehooves and tried to pull her free, to no avail. With tears in his eyes, spikes claws and his best friend slipped into the source of the evil flames. Spike ran out of the library as fast as he could.
**********
I’ve never stolen a pony before, let alone a Pegasus. This is going to be… a challenge, Shadow thought to himself. He had been told that the target was in the upstairs bedroom, a simple entrance and extraction through the window, or so he thought.
As he crept up the stairs, he contemplated how he would capture the pony. Would there be a fight? Would she flee? Shadow was still deep in thought as he entered the bedroom, but he immediately froze.
Sleeping on a bed at the center of the room was the most beautiful pony Shadow had ever seen. She was sleeping peacefully a smile on her face, presumably due to a pleasant dream she was having. He didn't move a single hair on her mane as he put her under a deep sleep. He carefully but the mare on his back and looked out the window. It would be easy to save her, Shadow thought to himself. she could survive in the Everfree for years. And I could be a hero again.
He sighed and teleported him and the mare away from the cottage
**********
“Finally!” Rarity moaned to herself, taking a pot of noodle soup of the stove and filling a bowl. Rarity had a light cold after Pinkie’s “energetic” snowball fight, and soup usually made her feel better. Upon finishing it, Rarity was already feeling better. As she was cleaning her bowl, she stopped. Any other pony would not have heard anything, but Rarity, whose attention to detail was legendary, heard a fabric in her boutique shuffle.
There was an intruder.
Upon entering the boutique, Rarity looked for any signs of the intruder. Everything looked normal, but she sensed somepony else’s presence in the room. Rarity closed her eyes and focused. Then she heard it, a very, very gentle breathing.
“You know dear, it’s quite rude to enter a pony's home uninvited.” No response. “I will give you one opportunity to leave, otherwise there will be consequences.” After a few moments, Rarity sighed and quickly turned and deflected the punch from the pony that had been hiding in the rafters.
“You’re awfully quick for a froufrou pretty pony” said the intruder. She was an earth pony; her coat was light lavender, almost white like her mane, which was help up in braids. Her cutie mark depicted a black band tied into a knot.
Rarity threw several punches at her, all of which she dodged. “You have to be to get all the best dresses when they’re on sale darling.”
“You’re joking” questioned the intruder, throwing several punches at Rarity. The fashionista dodged them with grace, almost as if she were dancing.
“I’m afraid not” said Rarity.
The intruder began throwing punches without mercy, so fast that it was difficult for Rarity to see her hooves. Difficult, but not impossible. Rarity easily dodged her punches while still throwing her own.
“And I’ll have you know it is also rude to judge a pony based on her looks” Said Rarity. “Just because I am prominent in the fashion world does not mean that I can’t be rough and tough. Trust me, I am prepared for anything you can throw dear.”
“Were you prepared for this?” said the intruder, striking her opponent on the shoulder, paralyzing her. The look on Rarity’s face was one of pure hate. “Zebra monks taught me that. They use it to temporarily disable their opponents” said the intruder as she leaned in close to Rarity’s face. “But I just as easily could have killed you, but that would have been painless.” The pony smiled slung her target over her back and left the boutique without a sound.
**********
At Sweet Apple Acres, everypony in the house was asleep, except for one. A maroon earth pony was in the kitchen cupboard looking for something to drink. “There ya are ya little fella” said the colt as he picked up a bottle from the back of the cupboard. The bottle had the words “The Apple Clan’s Genuine Hard Apple Cider” printed on it in his own script. Just as he opened the bottle and was about to take a drink, the kitchen light flicked on. He quickly turned around. Standing at the doorway was Granny Smith, and she looked angry. Her scowl quickly faded however, when she saw who was in her kitchen.
“Cider? Is that you?” she asked.
“No mamma, you're just having a bad dream.” said the infamous Hard Cider.
After walking his mother back to bed, he walked to the bedroom next to hers, but it wasn't the one he was looking for. In the bed was a large red colt, easily bigger than he was.
“Well Big Mac, you sure grew up to be a hell of a stallion. I'm surprised you're not sharing that bed with a lucky mare yet” whispered Jack to himself.
The next room was clearly a young filly’s room. There were various dolls, coloring pages and school work thrown about. In the canopy bed in the center of the room was a yellow filly. Jack gingerly picked her up in his hooves.
“Hey sweetheart, it’s me, daddy. I know you don’t remember me, but I loved you very, very much, and I still do.” He whispered softly. “And I’m sorry for what I gotta do tonight, but it’s for the best” He carefully put the filly back in bed and tucked her in. She smiled as he did so. He wiped the tears that started running onto his face off. He slowly closed the door as he left the room.
In the last bedroom, he found Applejack sprawled over the bed and almost burst out laughing, but a frown grew on his face shortly after.
“You look just like your momma AJ.” He sighed and slung the mare over his back. Just still slept like a filly. Jack smiled. “You always were a heavy sleeper AJ.” As he was walking out of the bedroom, he noticed Applejack's hat on a hook by the door. His old hat. He smiled and placed it on his head.
**********
Rainbow Dash couldn't sleep. She had been tossing and turning for an hour before she finally decided to do what she does best to calm her nerves. Flying high over Equestria, Rainbow didn't have a care in the world. The cool night air felt good on her wings, making her feel as if she weighed nothing at all. She smiled as she masterfully maneuvered through the sky, not even flying but gliding along air currents. She loved to fly.
As she was flying over Ponyville, Rainbow noticed something out of the ordinary. Somepony was breaking into Sugarcube corner! She silently landed and snuck in behind the pony, who had carelessly left the door open behind him.
The burglar had a dark brown mane which complimented his chestnut coat. His cutie mark was two gold coins. Rainbow ducked under the counter, ready to stop the burglar as he got to the cash register. But that’s not where he went. He crept upstairs and Rainbow Dash followed silently. He went down the hall and stopped at Pinkie Pie’s door.
Rainbow Dash almost giggled. She thought there was some big bad burglar, but it was just some sort of secret coltfriend of Pinkie’s. She watched as the colt actually knocked on her door. She thought that was weird, couldn’t he just walk in?
Rainbow heard Pinkie get up, saying something about takeout she ordered. Upon opening the door, the colt used a spell on her friend, making her fall asleep. When he slung her over his back, Rainbow knew exactly what he was here for.
He was a kidnapper.
Just as she was about to stop him, she was interrupted by a commotion outside. She heard someone outside yelling, probably waking the entire neighborhood, which was a big problem for the kidnapper. But instead of heading back towards the stairs, he went towards the hall window.
“Oh no you don’t!” yelled Rainbow as she charged the kidnapper. He barely had time to grunt before Rainbow Dash knocked him and Pinkie out the window and onto the awning outside.
When she recovered, Pinkie and her captor were nowhere to be seen. Rainbow yelled in rage. She then looked around for the source of the commotion. It was spike, and he had tears on his face.
"Spike what’s wrong?" asked Rainbow Dash, concerned.
"Twilight’s gone! Something took her!" yelled the baby dragon as more tears began to flow.
Rainbow picked Spike up and began flying at a breakneck speed to Twilight's library.
Upon arriving at the library, the duo could see roaring magical flames in the library, and somepony leaning against the front door. A maroon pony wearing a cowpony hat, the brow dipped low enough to hide the pony’s face. Rainbow flew up to him.
“What is wrong with you! Did you do this you rat?!" yelled the enraged Pegasus.
"Nope, he did." said the stranger.
"Who?" said Spike and Rainbow Dash simultaneously.
"He means me little ones"
The two quickly turned around. The voice came from a slate grey stallion, his red mane flowing with magic. The rest of his body was covered by a black cloak. Behind him were three other ponies, including Pinkie Pie's kidnapper, as well as her friends held in the stallion’s magical grip.
"What did you do to them?!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
"Merely put them to sleep my dear" said the stallion with a smile. "Now, the question is, why aren't you sleeping my little pony?" It was then that the stallion cast a very powerful sleep spell on the Pegasus. She hit the ground with a thud, causing Spike to roll off her back.
"And what shall we do with you, little one?"
**********
Twilight awoke to a falling sensation. She looked around and saw water rushing down quickly and the sleeping forms of her friends. Her eyes grew wide as she realized where she was.
The mouth of the river Styx. She was going to Tartarus.
Her life began flashing before her eyes. She started to cry. She frantically looked around for something she could save her friends with, but the only thing available was water.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
Twilight’s horn began to glow as she began casting a powerful spell. As sweat was beginning to form on the skin beneath her fur, the approaching mist at the bottom of the waterfall began to glow light lavender. Twilight strained harder, making the portal glow brighter and brighter.
Twilight lost consciousness as she passed through the mist.
We’re a long way from home.
Home’s a long way from us
-Bruce Springsteen
**********
It had been dreary all day in Wappinger Falls, but it hadn’t started to rain. That was, until there was a crack of thunder loud enough to shake the mirror at Marcotte’s bar of the wall. It shattered as soon as it hit the ground.
“Damn it! Just what I need, more bad luck” muttered Marcotte’s owner, Will. His bar, which was his father’s at first, had been going downhill for years, on most days he served less than a gallon of even the cheapest beer. Will tried so hard to keep the bar running after his father passed away soon after his return from the army, but despite all his hard work, the bar’s only regular customers were his friends, Todd and Alan.
“I’m telling you bro, just torch the place and collect the insurance” Uttered Todd with surprising clarity, as he had already had six beers. He then let loose a loud obnoxious belch.
“Damn it Todd, He’s getting evicted next week. If he started a fire, they would know he did it, dumbass.” slurred Alan, who was well above the legal limit. “And the only thing I want to light is some you-know-what and start a party.”
“Well on that note, I’m out. You two lock up when you’re done.” As his friends waved goodbye, Will left his bar and began to walk home
************
Applejack woke up coughing water out of her lungs. She quickly looked around to figure out her surroundings. She was on the shore of river, which was getting considerably rougher due to a storm that was quickly getting worse.
“Oh thank Celestia you’re awake, Applejack!”
Applejack quickly turned around and was enveloped in a tight hug. This hug was given by Rarity, who looked like a completely different pony. Her coat was soaking wet and dirty, and her mane was in no better condition.
“Rarity, what’s going on? Said Applejack, unaware of her where she was.
“We can’t worry about that now, we must get the others to shelter, before this storm gets worse than it already is.” Said Rarity
“Others?” asked Applejack, confused. She looked past Rarity and saw the four unconscious forms of her friends. “Have you found somewhere where we can wait this out?”
“Well, There is a small house a short ways upriver…”
“Then let’s go” said Applejack, hoisting Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie onto her back.
After a few minutes of walking, the duo arrived at the back of a small, two-story house
“Applejack, as i told you several times on the walk over here, the door is locked. we can’t...”
CRACK
Rarity jumped. Applejack had bucked the door, which was now lying just inside the house.
“APPLEJACK! You can not just break into somepony's house! What is the matter with you?”
“I was ponynapped.” said Applejack flatly, walking into the house. The door led into the house's kitchen. It was clean, with only a few dishes in the sink. She walked through the doorway into what appeared to be the living room. She carefully set her friends onto the couch in the center of the room and began to look around. the room was mostly barren, save for the couch and a few strange machines, a black box and what looks like a black mirror. in front of the couch there was a fireplace. Applejack knew from the fresh ashes that somepony lived here. I guess i have some explaining to do, Applejack thought to herself.
“Applejack!” yelled Rarity from upstairs. Applejack ran to her friend to see her standing by a bed, looking horrified.
“What is it...” Applejack stopped mid-sentence.
in the picture, Applejack saw the strangest creature she had ever seen.
**********
it was now almost 7:00, and the sun was barely a line on the horizon. Will began to jog to ease his mind. With the bar and his dad, he was under a lot of stress. He stopped worrying himself about these things when he arrived at the end of his driveway. He noticed two things. First, his upstairs bedroom light was on. Second, he noticed a figure in the window.
Will was not the type for company, and he had no immediate relatives. So these intruders were cause for alarm.
He reached for the handgun in his coat.
***************
Applejack picked up the picture frame. The creatures in the photograph were unlike any she had ever seen. They’re snouts were short, as were their ears.They appeared to have manes, but the did not have a fur coat. At the end of their arms were what looked like long, slender dragon claws, but not as sharp. The older creature, who appeared to be a stallion, was wearing a strange green uniform. In his arms was a young colt. Applejack would almost call him cute.
“Rarity, I think we’re farther from home than we think”
***************
Will quietly opened his door, his gun ready to fire, should he need it. He walked into his living room, and froze. Laying on the couch, was what looked like a small horse. until it yawned and opened its wings.
Oh my God... its a pegasus. Will was understandingly confused as to why there was a mythical creature on his couch. He began walking to investigate.
“HI I’M PINKIE PIE!” Yelled a pink pony who was hanging upside down from the ceiling.
Will fell with a scream and hit his head on a table, losing consciousness.
