Prologue: Endings, Beginings

Twenty years prior

"Hurry, we need to finish this before sundown!" A blue pegasus and purple unicorn were sitting on their haunches, tinkering with a device the unicorn had created.

"Almost done Stryker, I just need a few more minutes." replied the unicorn.

"We have three minutes at best, if that things not working by then, we're gonna have some serious problems."

"I know, you shouting about it is only making me slower, so please, calm down. I've got this all under control."

Stryker snorted, but didn't argue with her. He was well aware of the temper she had, and didn't want to be on the wrong end of it.

"Look, Midnight, I'm sorry. I guess I'm a bit anxious, because, you know, my wife is pregnant, and I don't want her to have to raise the child alone."

Midnight sighed, "I understand Sky, I'm a bit worried for your wife myself. I mean, I'm sure the hospital can handle it, but theres something off, I can't quite put my hoof on it."

At that moment, the device in front of Midnight sparked and began to glow.

"Yes! Its working, now we have nothing to fear from Him; as soon as He tries to take us, He'll be taken."

"Good, lets - "

BOOM

The air was suddenly filled with the loudest, and steadiest drum beat the pair had ever heard, or ever will hear.

"There He is!"

'He' being what they were trying to capture, was suddenly sucked into a vortex of magenta light emanating from the device Midnight had created. Once he was fully inside, the light disappeared and a note was lying on top of the container. Stryker came over and picked up the note.

"'I will return', Midnight, is that even possible?"

"Well, the power supply lasts for at least twenty years, by then He should be long dead."

"I'm not too sure, maybe we should leave something behind for the next unfortunate souls to have to deal with Him."

"I still think its unnecessary, but if you think  it would be useful, I'm not complaining."

And so, the two friends began making preparations for the next generation to deal with Him.

One Week Prior

Scootaloo was on her scooter, jumping, doing tricks, the usual. The only thing that wasn't usual was where she had chosen to practice; the thick of the Everfree Forest. Even for Scootaloo this was unusual, considering all the trouble she gets into.

"Alright, time for my new signature move, the Big, Easy Flight Time!"

She starts picking up speed, heading straight for a ramp shaped branch. She prepped for take off, and launched off the ramp, performing a flip, a corkscrew and a double back flip. However, just as she touched down on the forest floor, Scootaloo felt something fly into her chest. Looking down, she saw a piece of paper stuck on her by the forward momentum of her signature trick. Reaching down, she pulled the paper off and looked at it closely.

"Hmmm, Don't look, or it takes you. Pfft, it'd be helpful if I knew what 'it' was."

With that, Scootaloo began riding back to Ponyville..... with something sinister watching her every move. Thats when the darkness began to fall. It got dark with surprising speed, leaving the young filly in the dead of night, within the most notorious forest of Equestria. Suddenly, out of the stillness that had been there not 10 seconds ago, a steady, rhythmic drum beat came. Then, new shapes began to form in the darkness; a large tree that looked like it could be a skeletal dragon arm, a small squat building with dark, doorways. Most ominous of all was the enormous tower of metal that rose in the distance, with a red, flashing light marking the top.

boom

A sound came to the young filly's ears that had not been heard for at least twenty years.

Boom

And it was getting louder. Scootaloo quickly ran for the squat building, running into one of its dark entryways and huddling in the dark. The sound didn't return.

"Maybe it was - "

BOOM

And that was all the young filly would ever say again.