The Eight Phenomenons: A My Little Pony Fanfiction Part 2: Acts of Courage

Chapter 5

Once Ponyville is seen, the buildings are now composed of hard obsidian.

No sounds are heard or any ponies seen.

It is not just the obsidian that is making the town look dark and eerie.

The clouds in the sky are also turning dark, as for the sky it now looks to be a wide void above.

"Why is everything so dark?" questions Lyra.

"I may have an idea!" shouts a stallion rushing towards them.

His hair spiked and brown, and wearing a plain red tie around his neck.

His eyes are as blue as crystals.

Once he arrives, he takes a few breaths of recovery.

"Doc!" exclaims Lyra in glee.

"I think time has been changed! "Everything is not as it should be!" the doctor stammers.

"Woah what? This has to do with time?" questions Cloud Kicker.

The scientist pulls out an instrument and exclaims in alarm "There are temporal fluctuations being emitted from the changed objects! Such as the obsidian!"

Suddenly the doctor focuses his tool over the crown sitting on Lyra's head.

"Lyra...where did you get that crown?" he asks.

Lyra, despite the dramatic situation, responds with glee "Rose found it in a forest!" "Interesting." Doc comments, then focuses his gaze back on the readings of his scanning device. "The crown is containing some kind of energy..." he analyzes.

Then he turns his body around while scanning to face the castle in the far distance at Canterlot, which also has been transformed into solid obsidian.

"There is a high amount of it stored in there!" he reads in alarm.

Octavia suggests "We should investigate and inform Princess Luna and Princess Celestia!"

The other ponies nod in agreement and rush towards Canterlot.

The ponies scramble to the city of Canterlot.

Just like Ponyville, the buildings are made of obsidian.

As the group observes the setting, Doc holds a hoof to his chin.

"Why obsidian?" he wonders.

A sudden clicking noise pauses his train of thought.

Shortly after, a creature emerges from shadows behind a building.

All of the ponies dart to face it.

The being with its whole body coated in pure black, and claws sheathed from its feet. There are sharp lumps on its back, curving in like ridges of mountains.

The eyes show a red glow, its glare so sharp it can pierce glass.

Staring into the eyes of this beast, even for a few split seconds, is intimidating.

The ponies study its appearance, while attempting to avoid looking into its eyes.

The creature approaches them, slowly and in a aggressive manner, with its hind legs bended, ready to lunge the being forward in attack.

The hostile predator is joined by many others of his kind, all ganging up on the ponies. However, the aggressor's allies stop moving once they are alongside.

For a few moments, no one on either side of the match makes a single move, as if they are pawns in a game of chess, none of which going to attack the other side of the board. The creatures and ponies exchange firm and straight glances.

After a few seconds more of the silence, one of the creatures quickly breaks formation and leaps at Lyra, tackling her down.

In reflex, her comrades pull her away from the attacker, who takes a swipe at its prey. "You okay?" Bon Bon asks in concern.

"Yes..." Lyra gasps in shock, her head with claw marks, bleeding lightly.

Minuette takes a cloth out of her tote and puts it on Lyra's flesh wound.

The creature and its friends now have every intention to strike now, showing it with deep growls of displeasure.

In a work of speed and agility, all eight ponies rush away from the pack.

Finally, when they believe they have enough distance, they catch their breaths.

"What are those things?!" Doc exclaims.

"Whatever they are, they are hostile!" remarks Lyra.

"These creatures are likely to be the ones who have changed Equestria. Celestia and Luna could be in trouble!" Octavia predicts.

The others nod in agreement, then Cloud Kicker turns her gaze from the group to see that the stairway to the entrance of the castle is not guarded.

Doc figures out her idea without her needing to say it.

"What if there are guards but they are hiding somewhere? They could be planning an ambush." he questions.

"I have a way to know." Amethyst says with cunning.

She assembles a wooden pony from materials out of her tote.

"My, what do you keep in that tote of yours?" Octavia questions with surprise.

"Only the best of materials for any situation." Amethyst jokes.

She puts the finishing touches on her work of deception, then uses her unicorn magic to make its legs move.

Lyra applauds and the others watch in awe.

"Clever work." Doc comments.

Amethyst directs her pony up the staircase.

She puts all of his energy into making every motion of its legs looking as realistic as she can.

It climbs up the first set of steps without a problem.

However, multiple arrows launch from behind the walls of the staircase and penetrate the figure's wooden hull in short time.

"So how will we get in?" Doc asks.

"Definitely not the typical way." Bon Bon comments.

Octavia suggests "Every entrance could very well be set with traps."

Doc agrees "I don't think we can get in with conventional means."

Cloud Kicker's eyes flicker with inspiration.

"Does working underground count as conventional?" she asks with cleverness.

Bon Bon smirks at her and catches on to her thinking.

"Amethyst, you say you have the best of tools in your tote...do you have a shovel?" she asks him.

Amethyst nods, and takes one out of her tote.

After Bon Bon recieves the shovel, she goes straight to work, putting might into each of her digs.

Her fellow ponies realize their way inside the castle.