MLP: Another Story
Confound these ponies, they drive me to fanfiction! Here then is the first chapter in what I hope to be an epic story, based around the idea of 'What would a Final Fantasy style MLP RPG be like?'
As usual, anon comments are enabled, so feel free to say whatever is on your mind about this! Feedback will determine what I change, add or if I even continue with the story.. I've actually got some "developer notes" if this proceeds well. Onward!
In another world, another time, there existed a land known as Equestria. As one might surmise from the name, the dominant races were equine; ponies, to be precise. The Earth Ponies are the most common of these, noted for their physical strength and connection to the land which borders on the supernatural. Next are the Pegasi, winged ponies with the ability to not only control the weather, but whom could also walk upon clouds and perform flight maneuvers which would put most other beings to shame. And finally, the Unicorns, who can channel arcane magic through their horns and are known to history as being amongst the greatest spellcasters in their world. These ponies, and their allies, lived under the care of the twin Princesses, Celestia and Luna, literal goddesses with powers over the sun and moon.
A millennium ago, Luna was driven mad with jealousy, as her dominion over the night wasn't as appreciated as the daylight her sister presided over, or so she thought. Celestia was forced to banish Luna to the moon, lest the world perish under the veil of eternal darkness. It was only a year ago that Luna escaped from her prison, and it took the actions of six brave ponies and the Elements of Harmony, incredibly powerful magic artifacts, to finally break Luna free of her malice, which manifested in the form of "Nightmare Moon".
What nopony knew, however, is that Luna's transformation and fall from grace wasn't entirely her fault. A dark power has been plotting against Equestria for centuries, manipulating events from behind the scenes, and it is finally making it's move on a grand scale.
~~~
The Everfree Forest is one of the most dangerous regions in all of Equestria. What at first glance appears to be merely a dense woodland is actually a result of the powers that corrupted Luna ages ago. The land itself was not subject to the magic which permeates the world to this day, and those who wandered within the dense canopy of trees tended to meet an unfortunate end at the claws of it's fearsome inhabitants, ranging from cockatrices to full-grown dragons. Fortunately, most of these creatures stay in the forest, as the rules of reality are different within it's borders.. a fact which has kept the citizens of nearby Ponyville safe.
In the darkest heart of the forest, a tear in the fabric of space-time suddenly appeared. Lightning crackled from the rift, and the surrounding terrain was blasted with tremendous heat, blackening the grass and melting stone. Just as quickly, it vanished, leaving behind only a mysterious figure shrouded by a gray fog..
Zecora bolted out of her bed, shaking and sweating profusely. The reclusive zebra lived in the middle of Everfree, but was normally left alone in no small part thanks to the magic wards she had erected within her home. Looking around, scanning the room for an intruder, she noticed that every item she possessed with even the faintest amount of magic within was glowing.. and at least two of the most powerful wards, embedded into traditional tribal masks, were smoking and lying on the floor.
"This is not good. Not good! What kind of power could have done this, within this wood?" she muttered to herself, cautiously searching for the origin of this strange disturbance. She wouldn't find the source though, as whomever, or whatever had emerged from the break in reality was slowly walking towards the edge of the forest, in the direction of Ponyville. At the same time, miles away at the capital city of Canterlot, Princess Celestia felt a cold chill wash over her. Something occurred to her in that brief instant, and she immediately rose from bed and levitated a quill, inkwell, and parchment to her side..
"To my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.."
~~~
The sun was rising on another beautiful day in Ponyville. The weather was, as usual, clear and refreshing, with a light breeze carrying the scent of ripe fruit and freshly baked goods upon the air. The various storefronts around town were opening, and even at this early hour, the town was bustling with activity.
Down a short path from the town square lies the Ponyville Library, where Twilight Sparkle, the prized pupil of Princess Celestia herself had resided for the past year. Tasked with "discovering the magic of friendship", Twilight, her new friends, and her draconic assistant, Spike, had a number of adventures over the past twelve months, ranging from matters as small as organizing a party to saving the town from a rampaging giant bear!
"Spike!" Twilight called, as she rose from bed and passed by Spike's basket on the floor below, which he curiously was not in. The baby dragon wasn't known for getting up before she did. "Spike! Are you there? Everything alright?"
"Yeah Twilight, I'm fine. I think you'd better see this.." he replied from the main room.
The purple unicorn took a breath and entered the central chamber of the library, expecting to be jumped by Pinkie Pie or maybe pranked by Rainbow Dash. Her friends had rather.. interesting habits, and after a year in Ponyville she thought nothing would surprise her anymore.
Spike was sitting at a table, with a number of books piled up next to him. Twilight recognized them as the ones she had been reading recently, and wondered why he had moved them.. but then spotted the official seal of Princess Celestia upon a large scroll he had unfolded before him. "Whatever is written on that paper must be important.." she thought to herself.
~~~
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town, Fluttershy was tending to her garden and the animals who lived within and around her home. The yellow pegasus had felt it was her duty, more then ever, to do everything possible to help those in need, especially after the disastrous events of the Grand Galloping Gala the prior month. So when the mysterious mare, whom she had never seen before, wandered by her home and apparently had emerged from the Everfree Forest, she had to ask..
"Excuse me, but.. are you.." Fluttershy began, before she froze in fear. The pony before her was a dull gray color, even her tail and mane. She looked on with a penetrating stare, the colorless pupils gazing back at the shivering pegasus, and though she said not a word, she had a certain sadness about her. Although it was considered rude to stare, Fluttershy couldn't help but notice she had no cutie mark either; the symbols all ponies gained upon their flanks upon reaching a certain age, signifying what their special talents are.
"Twi.. light. Twilight Sparkle." the pony said, the words forming slowly. "Uhm, wait, you know Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, confused. There was something unsettling about this pony, and not just the fact that she was talking in an almost mechanical manner.
"Twilight Sparkle. I must be brought to her." the mysterious mare said, this time with a bit more force behind her words, almost as if she were commanding it. Indeed, Fluttershy felt an extreme compulsion to help, even though her heart and mind were both screaming at her to not trust this odd pony. "Y-yes. I know her.. I'll.. uhm, bring you to her."
"That will.. be satisfactory." replied the gray pony, as she trotted behind Fluttershy, the two heading into town..
~~~
A small bale of hay exploded into flames as a blast of magic fire erupted from a unicorn's horn. Twilight Sparkle was in a field just outside the Library, a stack of books alongside her, reading quickly from the pages of several ancient tomes as she kept glancing up at the rows of targets that Spike had set up for her, nervously preparing for another shot.
"Twilight, I know the Princess.. wrote to us, but is this really necessary? I don't think I've ever actually seen you use your magic.." Spike didn't get to finish his sentence, cutoff by an arc of electricity which fired from Twilight's horn like a bolt of lightning at another bale.
"I.. I know Spike. I hope I don't have to use this magic either. But the legends the Princess mentioned.. some of them are even older then the ones about Nightmare Moon. And I have a really bad feeling since reading her warning." Twilight took a deep breath and concentrated, a vortex of freezing air and water swirling around her horn, then solidifying around the third target, encasing the hay in a thin layer of ice. "Unicorn magic isn't normally allowed to be used for this sort of thing. But the Princess said that I HAD to learn at least these three spells as soon as possible. She wouldn't have sent a message telling me that unless it was important!"
"Ok Twi, just promise me you'll be careful, alright?" Spike said, a bit worried for her. Twilight was practically a mother to Spike at times, as it was she who had hatched him years ago, not to mention having raised him for most of that time since.
"I promise Spike. And.. thank you." she smiled. It was good to have friends like him.
~~~
Fluttershy's legs felt like they were made of lead. She wanted to be helpful, but every fiber of her being was telling her that this weird pony she was escorting wasn't trustworthy, and even might be dangerous! But she couldn't stop herself. It was almost if she was a passenger going for a ride in her own body, and she couldn't do anything but watch and hope whomever is steering wouldn't crash.
As they came into view of the building-in-a-tree that was the Library, Fluttershy walked forward, knocking a hoof against the front door with more strength behind it then she typically would employ. "Twilight, are.. are you home? I'm sorry it's.. so early.." she said, also with a voice louder then she normally would use.
"We're back here Fluttershy!" Twilight called from behind the Library, apparently outside. Fluttershy suddenly felt like a tremendous weight was lifted off of her.. she could move normally again! Turning around, the strange pony was staring at her, and she only heard a few words before the entire world went black..
"Your service.. is no longer required." said the stranger, as Fluttershy passed out and the enigmatic equine wandered off behind the Library to meet Twilight Sparkle herself.
~~~
Despite the otherwise perfect weather, dull gray clouds began to rapidly gather above Ponyville like a blanket, still allowing in sunlight but reducing the ambient lighting so that everything looked like it was cast in shadow. This was followed by a cessation of the wind; no breeze or movement in the air at all. All of this served to distract Twilight Sparkle enough so that she didn't notice her new visitor until they were right before one another.
"Oh, uh, hello! Can I.. help you?" Twilight asked, feeling nervous for reasons she couldn't quite put a hoof on.
"Twilight.. Sparkle?" the gray one stated, both questioning and demanding in the same breath.
"Yes, that's me, what is.." was all Twilight got to say in reply, as a blast of magic power surged from the newcomer's horn, knocking her into the books and then several additional feet back.
"Twi! Are you alright?!" Spike rushed to his friend's side, only to find himself suddenly levitating above the ground, then encased in a sphere of arcane energy. Try as he might, the sphere wouldn't budge an inch no matter how hard he hit it, and he found he couldn't speak or breathe fire either. A look of panic was all he could manage as he was reduced to playing spectator to the unfolding drama.
Twilight shook her head and grit her teeth, stamping her forehooves into the grass as she rose up. "How did an Earth Pony.. wait.. she has a horn now?" she thought to herself, glancing over at her now-opponent. She did indeed have a horn now, but it was.. transparent. Ethereal. Almost as if it didn't even exist, and Twilight was certain that was the case a moment ago!
"Twilight Sparkle." the unnamed mare stated in a voice that seemed far more confident then before, and rather mismatched given the diminutive size of the speaker. In fact, it didn't even sound like the same pony at all. "I am the first of seven. Prepare for your test." As she finished her challenge, Twilight gasped as a cutie mark formed upon her aggressor's flank.. a star surrounded by smaller stars. Identical to her own, right down to the colors..
EDIT: So yeah anyways.. actually, heck with it. This isn't "up to standards" so I'm gonna put it on the backburner for now. Not like I have a choice.. nope, I ain't bitter. Nor did anyone say anything. Maybe. But at the same time..
I think I'm gonna just release the entire damn thing all at once in "movie script" format like I was going to do originally and handle it that way.. yeah.. -_-
As usual, anon comments are enabled, so feel free to say whatever is on your mind about this! Feedback will determine what I change, add or if I even continue with the story.. I've actually got some "developer notes" if this proceeds well. Onward!
In another world, another time, there existed a land known as Equestria. As one might surmise from the name, the dominant races were equine; ponies, to be precise. The Earth Ponies are the most common of these, noted for their physical strength and connection to the land which borders on the supernatural. Next are the Pegasi, winged ponies with the ability to not only control the weather, but whom could also walk upon clouds and perform flight maneuvers which would put most other beings to shame. And finally, the Unicorns, who can channel arcane magic through their horns and are known to history as being amongst the greatest spellcasters in their world. These ponies, and their allies, lived under the care of the twin Princesses, Celestia and Luna, literal goddesses with powers over the sun and moon.
A millennium ago, Luna was driven mad with jealousy, as her dominion over the night wasn't as appreciated as the daylight her sister presided over, or so she thought. Celestia was forced to banish Luna to the moon, lest the world perish under the veil of eternal darkness. It was only a year ago that Luna escaped from her prison, and it took the actions of six brave ponies and the Elements of Harmony, incredibly powerful magic artifacts, to finally break Luna free of her malice, which manifested in the form of "Nightmare Moon".
What nopony knew, however, is that Luna's transformation and fall from grace wasn't entirely her fault. A dark power has been plotting against Equestria for centuries, manipulating events from behind the scenes, and it is finally making it's move on a grand scale.
~~~
The Everfree Forest is one of the most dangerous regions in all of Equestria. What at first glance appears to be merely a dense woodland is actually a result of the powers that corrupted Luna ages ago. The land itself was not subject to the magic which permeates the world to this day, and those who wandered within the dense canopy of trees tended to meet an unfortunate end at the claws of it's fearsome inhabitants, ranging from cockatrices to full-grown dragons. Fortunately, most of these creatures stay in the forest, as the rules of reality are different within it's borders.. a fact which has kept the citizens of nearby Ponyville safe.
In the darkest heart of the forest, a tear in the fabric of space-time suddenly appeared. Lightning crackled from the rift, and the surrounding terrain was blasted with tremendous heat, blackening the grass and melting stone. Just as quickly, it vanished, leaving behind only a mysterious figure shrouded by a gray fog..
Zecora bolted out of her bed, shaking and sweating profusely. The reclusive zebra lived in the middle of Everfree, but was normally left alone in no small part thanks to the magic wards she had erected within her home. Looking around, scanning the room for an intruder, she noticed that every item she possessed with even the faintest amount of magic within was glowing.. and at least two of the most powerful wards, embedded into traditional tribal masks, were smoking and lying on the floor.
"This is not good. Not good! What kind of power could have done this, within this wood?" she muttered to herself, cautiously searching for the origin of this strange disturbance. She wouldn't find the source though, as whomever, or whatever had emerged from the break in reality was slowly walking towards the edge of the forest, in the direction of Ponyville. At the same time, miles away at the capital city of Canterlot, Princess Celestia felt a cold chill wash over her. Something occurred to her in that brief instant, and she immediately rose from bed and levitated a quill, inkwell, and parchment to her side..
"To my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.."
~~~
The sun was rising on another beautiful day in Ponyville. The weather was, as usual, clear and refreshing, with a light breeze carrying the scent of ripe fruit and freshly baked goods upon the air. The various storefronts around town were opening, and even at this early hour, the town was bustling with activity.
Down a short path from the town square lies the Ponyville Library, where Twilight Sparkle, the prized pupil of Princess Celestia herself had resided for the past year. Tasked with "discovering the magic of friendship", Twilight, her new friends, and her draconic assistant, Spike, had a number of adventures over the past twelve months, ranging from matters as small as organizing a party to saving the town from a rampaging giant bear!
"Spike!" Twilight called, as she rose from bed and passed by Spike's basket on the floor below, which he curiously was not in. The baby dragon wasn't known for getting up before she did. "Spike! Are you there? Everything alright?"
"Yeah Twilight, I'm fine. I think you'd better see this.." he replied from the main room.
The purple unicorn took a breath and entered the central chamber of the library, expecting to be jumped by Pinkie Pie or maybe pranked by Rainbow Dash. Her friends had rather.. interesting habits, and after a year in Ponyville she thought nothing would surprise her anymore.
Spike was sitting at a table, with a number of books piled up next to him. Twilight recognized them as the ones she had been reading recently, and wondered why he had moved them.. but then spotted the official seal of Princess Celestia upon a large scroll he had unfolded before him. "Whatever is written on that paper must be important.." she thought to herself.
~~~
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town, Fluttershy was tending to her garden and the animals who lived within and around her home. The yellow pegasus had felt it was her duty, more then ever, to do everything possible to help those in need, especially after the disastrous events of the Grand Galloping Gala the prior month. So when the mysterious mare, whom she had never seen before, wandered by her home and apparently had emerged from the Everfree Forest, she had to ask..
"Excuse me, but.. are you.." Fluttershy began, before she froze in fear. The pony before her was a dull gray color, even her tail and mane. She looked on with a penetrating stare, the colorless pupils gazing back at the shivering pegasus, and though she said not a word, she had a certain sadness about her. Although it was considered rude to stare, Fluttershy couldn't help but notice she had no cutie mark either; the symbols all ponies gained upon their flanks upon reaching a certain age, signifying what their special talents are.
"Twi.. light. Twilight Sparkle." the pony said, the words forming slowly. "Uhm, wait, you know Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, confused. There was something unsettling about this pony, and not just the fact that she was talking in an almost mechanical manner.
"Twilight Sparkle. I must be brought to her." the mysterious mare said, this time with a bit more force behind her words, almost as if she were commanding it. Indeed, Fluttershy felt an extreme compulsion to help, even though her heart and mind were both screaming at her to not trust this odd pony. "Y-yes. I know her.. I'll.. uhm, bring you to her."
"That will.. be satisfactory." replied the gray pony, as she trotted behind Fluttershy, the two heading into town..
~~~
A small bale of hay exploded into flames as a blast of magic fire erupted from a unicorn's horn. Twilight Sparkle was in a field just outside the Library, a stack of books alongside her, reading quickly from the pages of several ancient tomes as she kept glancing up at the rows of targets that Spike had set up for her, nervously preparing for another shot.
"Twilight, I know the Princess.. wrote to us, but is this really necessary? I don't think I've ever actually seen you use your magic.." Spike didn't get to finish his sentence, cutoff by an arc of electricity which fired from Twilight's horn like a bolt of lightning at another bale.
"I.. I know Spike. I hope I don't have to use this magic either. But the legends the Princess mentioned.. some of them are even older then the ones about Nightmare Moon. And I have a really bad feeling since reading her warning." Twilight took a deep breath and concentrated, a vortex of freezing air and water swirling around her horn, then solidifying around the third target, encasing the hay in a thin layer of ice. "Unicorn magic isn't normally allowed to be used for this sort of thing. But the Princess said that I HAD to learn at least these three spells as soon as possible. She wouldn't have sent a message telling me that unless it was important!"
"Ok Twi, just promise me you'll be careful, alright?" Spike said, a bit worried for her. Twilight was practically a mother to Spike at times, as it was she who had hatched him years ago, not to mention having raised him for most of that time since.
"I promise Spike. And.. thank you." she smiled. It was good to have friends like him.
~~~
Fluttershy's legs felt like they were made of lead. She wanted to be helpful, but every fiber of her being was telling her that this weird pony she was escorting wasn't trustworthy, and even might be dangerous! But she couldn't stop herself. It was almost if she was a passenger going for a ride in her own body, and she couldn't do anything but watch and hope whomever is steering wouldn't crash.
As they came into view of the building-in-a-tree that was the Library, Fluttershy walked forward, knocking a hoof against the front door with more strength behind it then she typically would employ. "Twilight, are.. are you home? I'm sorry it's.. so early.." she said, also with a voice louder then she normally would use.
"We're back here Fluttershy!" Twilight called from behind the Library, apparently outside. Fluttershy suddenly felt like a tremendous weight was lifted off of her.. she could move normally again! Turning around, the strange pony was staring at her, and she only heard a few words before the entire world went black..
"Your service.. is no longer required." said the stranger, as Fluttershy passed out and the enigmatic equine wandered off behind the Library to meet Twilight Sparkle herself.
~~~
Despite the otherwise perfect weather, dull gray clouds began to rapidly gather above Ponyville like a blanket, still allowing in sunlight but reducing the ambient lighting so that everything looked like it was cast in shadow. This was followed by a cessation of the wind; no breeze or movement in the air at all. All of this served to distract Twilight Sparkle enough so that she didn't notice her new visitor until they were right before one another.
"Oh, uh, hello! Can I.. help you?" Twilight asked, feeling nervous for reasons she couldn't quite put a hoof on.
"Twilight.. Sparkle?" the gray one stated, both questioning and demanding in the same breath.
"Yes, that's me, what is.." was all Twilight got to say in reply, as a blast of magic power surged from the newcomer's horn, knocking her into the books and then several additional feet back.
"Twi! Are you alright?!" Spike rushed to his friend's side, only to find himself suddenly levitating above the ground, then encased in a sphere of arcane energy. Try as he might, the sphere wouldn't budge an inch no matter how hard he hit it, and he found he couldn't speak or breathe fire either. A look of panic was all he could manage as he was reduced to playing spectator to the unfolding drama.
Twilight shook her head and grit her teeth, stamping her forehooves into the grass as she rose up. "How did an Earth Pony.. wait.. she has a horn now?" she thought to herself, glancing over at her now-opponent. She did indeed have a horn now, but it was.. transparent. Ethereal. Almost as if it didn't even exist, and Twilight was certain that was the case a moment ago!
"Twilight Sparkle." the unnamed mare stated in a voice that seemed far more confident then before, and rather mismatched given the diminutive size of the speaker. In fact, it didn't even sound like the same pony at all. "I am the first of seven. Prepare for your test." As she finished her challenge, Twilight gasped as a cutie mark formed upon her aggressor's flank.. a star surrounded by smaller stars. Identical to her own, right down to the colors..
EDIT: So yeah anyways.. actually, heck with it. This isn't "up to standards" so I'm gonna put it on the backburner for now. Not like I have a choice.. nope, I ain't bitter. Nor did anyone say anything. Maybe. But at the same time..
I think I'm gonna just release the entire damn thing all at once in "movie script" format like I was going to do originally and handle it that way.. yeah.. -_-