The sun was shining bright on the illustrious city of Canterlot. Ever since the changeling invasion over a year ago, the city has seen an unbroken era of peace that would seem to carry on. In the city streets, the pony populace contently walked and trotted around in the idle lives they led. In particular, six ponies and a small, purple, bipedal dragon with a green underbelly and scales on his back were walking towards the city’s palace. Each one of them had two saddlebags equipped to both of their sides.

The pony leading the group was a light-purple alicorn with a purple Hime cut in her mane and tail with a magenta streak running down the center. She had a mark on both sides of her flank of a magenta six-pronged star with other similar stars shimmering around it. The pony closest to her was an orange pony that possessed no horn nor wings. Instead, she wore a brown Stetson hat upon her head, and her mane and tail were styled into a ponytail kept together with red bands at the ends. She too had marks on her flanks, and it was that of a trio of red apples in a triangle formation.

Following them were two pegasi. One of them was cyan in color and had a roughly chopped mane and tail with streaks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Her mark was a cloud with a red, yellow, and blue lightning bolt coming out from it. The other pegasus was a light yellow with a long, brushed, pink mane. Her mark was a trio of blue butterflies with pink wings.

Tagging from behind were a pink earth pony and a white unicorn. The pink pony’s mane and tail were also pink and very puffy like cotton candy. Unlike the other ponies, she happily bounded up into the air like a cartoon rabbit. Her mark consisted of three balloons, the left and right ones being cyan in color, while the middle and highest one was a bright yellow.

The unicorn had a purple mane and tail that all curled together in a single, long spiral. Her mark was a trio of bright-blue gems. Along with her saddlebags, she carried a small cart full of extra luggage.

While the purple alicorn and the pink pony gladly awaited where their journey would take them, the orange pony and the yellow pegasus were less than thrilled to be so far away from home for such a long time.

“I sure hope Zecora is taking good care of Angel,” whimpered the yellow pegasus.

“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” answered the alicorn. “I’m sure all of our pets are being taken very good care of. But Princess Celestia warned that we’d be away from home for a very long time.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I came prepared,” proudly declared the white unicorn, her voice very posh.

“Consider yourself lucky if you can take more than two of those bags with ya’,” answered the orange pony with a thick southern drawl. “She did say, ‘pack lightly,’ ya’ know.”

“Applejack,” called the alicorn to the orange pony. “Rarity,” she called to the white unicorn. “Stop arguing. We’re almost there.”

Sure enough, the many spires that comprised the city’s massive castle came very close, leaving Applejack and Rarity to quell their words so they could meet with the Princess.
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Inside a long, tall room in the castle with various stained glass art featuring the six ponies, a white alicorn stood and looked up at one in particular, featuring the six ponies wearing five gold chokers (the purple alicorn (who was depicted as a unicorn) wearing a gold tiara), launching beams at an odd creature that seemed to be comprised of various animals.

The white alicorn’s mane and tail seemed to flow constantly, waving the magenta, purple, green, and blue stripes that comprised them. Her hooves were covered in light-gold slippers, her chest was adorned with a large choker-like necklace with a purple gem in the center. Lastly, a gold tiara with a matching purple gem was affixed upon her head. The mark on her flank appeared to be a large sun.

With the sound of the door opening on her right, the alicorn turned to see the six ponies and the small dragon walk into the room.

“Princess Celestia!” cheered Twilight, happy to be in her presence as she galloped close to her.

“Twilight!” called Celestia, meeting her where she stood and caressing her back with her chin. “It’s so good to see all of you here again.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Princess,” answered Applejack humbly.

“Except for the fact that I had to give up Wonderbolts tickets for this,” grumbled the cyan pegasus.

“Trust me, Rainbow Dash,” answered Celestia. “What you’re about to be a part of is more important than any Wonderbolts show you may watch.”

“Plus,” said Twilight. “You volunteered to come.”

“Well of course I did! I wouldn’t bail on my friends like that, but I can still be angry about it, right?”

“And we thank you for your loyalty, Rainbow Dash,” spoke Celestia, “but what I’m about to ask of you required everyone here. I figured that today would just be a good day to do it.”

“Well, we’re ready,” replied Applejack. “What did ya’ need us for?”

With a clearing of her throat, Princess Celestia began her story.

“Twilight. Have you ever considered the possibility of worlds beyond our own?”

“Of course!” exclaimed Twilight. “But the problem is that the chances of any world outside of our own being able to sustain life is practically nil.”

“You are correct,” answered Celestia, “but what if I told you that we found a world with life on it?”

“What?” shouted Twilight. “Is it true?”

Celestia gave Twilight a slight, but ambiguous nod.

“Follow me,” she said, turning around and walking to the left corner of the hall where an upward spiral staircase was.

Knowing that the answer was awaiting where she was heading, the six ponies plus the dragon trotted along to follow her.
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Inside a stony, circular room with a large, shallow pool in the center, a dark-blue alicorn was walking around it, carefully examining the water that laid still inside of it. The alicorn, like Celestia, had her royal-blue mane and tail flowing freely. Her mane and tail shimmered like stars in the night sky.

Her slippers were an icy-purple and she had a broadly-colored black choker with a waning crescent design, along with a tiara made from the same material as the choker. Her mark appeared to cover most of her flank and all of her lower back, it being a large black spot with the same waning crescent on both sides of her rump.

The door in the front of the room opened, Celestia coming in along with Twilight and her friends.

“Has anything happened, Luna?” asked Celestia.

“Very much so,” responded Luna. “But I must warn you, what you’re about to witness will not be for the faint of heart.”

“Sounds like Fluttershy’s out,” said the dragon with slightly snarky tone as he pointed to the yellow pegasus with his thumb.

“It’s okay, Spike,” sighed Fluttershy. “I’ll be fine. Honest.”

“If that is what you wish,” responded Luna.

Charging her horn, a wispy strand of light began to sink down from the air and onto the water in the pool. To the shock and surprise of the ponies except for Luna and Celestia, as soon as the light touched the water, it spread out over the pool and produced a realistic looking space full of stars.

“Ooh,” exclaimed the pink pony, reaching for the water with her hoof, “starry!”

“Do NOT touch the water, Pinkie Pie!” boomed Luna. “If any ripples are made in this pool, the images will be lost until the water is still again!”

“Sheesh,” spoke Pinkie Pie, pulling her hoof back. “Worst pool party ever.”

“Look! There it is.”

As the stars began to part, a blue-and-green planet enlarged and came into view. Minus the obvious changes in geography, Twilight was amazed at how similar the planet looked to their own. The image continued to zoom downwards towards a peninsular continent that was connected to a very large continent to the east.

As the image broke through the clouds and provided more imagery of the mainland, the six ponies and Spike couldn’t help but stare deep down into the pool to get a better view. The zooming began to decrease as they came upon a massive wall with three other walls nestled inside of it. Each of the three outermost walls had four extra walled barriers jutting out from the north, south, east, and west ends of the barriers, each of which held a large town inside of them. The focus in particular was the south district along the second outermost wall.

“Strange,” Twilight pondered aloud. “Why do the ponies here isolate themselves like this.”

“You might be surprised, Twilight,” answered Luna, “that ponies aren’t the dominant race here.”

“Then who is?”

“At the moment,” she answered, finding an example inside the pool that she pointed out with her hoof, “they are.”

Twilight and her friends saw as a large mass of naked, mostly hairless, bipedal creatures were slowly approaching a sizable hole in the southern end of the wall wall and entering a densely constructed town, filled with homes and buildings with distinctive German-architecture.

“It almost looks like a combination of Ponyville and Canterlot,” spoke Rarity.

“So then, it’s called Ponylot?” asked Pinkie Pie. “Or wait! Maybe Canterville?”

“The truth is, Pinkie Pie," confessed Luna, "that I don’t know what this town, or even this planet is called. All I know is that those larger creatures are up to no good.”

“Whatever do you mean?” asked Rarity.

“Look.”

The image came in closer to the inside of the city, where creatures that resembled the giants encroaching the city, albeit clothed and much, much smaller, ran screaming for their lives as the giants tried to chase them.

“I…” observed Applejack. “I don’t understand. Which is which?”

“Hey!” called Pinkie Pie. “Look. That big one found the small one! Is this like some game of tag or something? I want to play too!”

Pinkie Pie and the others watched as a giant creature with long black hair and a fixed smile grabbed one of the smaller creatures in its hand. Twilight couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it was clear that the creature that the giant had in its grasp was terrified beyond all comprehension, trying with all his might to pry free of the giant’s grasp.

“What is it going to do?” thought Twilight aloud.

“The big one’s opening his mouth!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “Maybe he’s going to give him a cat-bath!”

The giant opened its gaping mouth and shoved the smaller creature into it, managing only to get half of him inside as the smaller creature’s waist hung over its lower set of teeth. Then, with quickness and gusto, the giant chomped down upon the smaller one, splitting him in half as his blood and organs sprayed over the giant’s lips and chin.

Every eye inside the room was wide with fear and horror. Fluttershy and Rarity screamed at the atrocious and macabre act that they had witnessed.

“That’s not cool!” screamed Rainbow Dash, tears beginning to flow down her face.

“How could that thing just…” stammered Applejack, the shock leaving her unable to finish her statement.

Pinkie Pie was dead silent, minus the few whimpers that elicited her lips with each exhale that she took. Spike had fainted in an instant, lying still upon the floor. Celestia’s hoof was placed over her mouth, her own tears flowing down her face. Twilight was still, her expression of fear never changing.

“Just…” she nearly sobbed. “Just what is this place.”

“This,” spoke Luna in a tired tone, “is the world that I found, the nearest one with any life.”

“Wait,” cried Rainbow Dash pointing her hoof down. “Look!”

"Huh?" mumbled Spike, sitting up. "Wha..."

The giant that had eaten the smaller creature turned to see something approaching it from the air. It was another small creature, but its clothing was much different from the commoners and townsfolk. The creature had short blonde hair and wore a sand-colored shirt with a brown, leather jacket over it that cut off at the abdomen. The jacket, on both the back, the shoulders, and the left breast pocket, had a shield-shaped crest divided into four equal spaces, the upper right and lower left corners having a rose-design patched on them.

The creature’s pants were white with a brown sash and belt at his waist, and he had tall, brown boots that went up to his knee along with extra padding that went up to his lower thighs. Wrapped around the creatures legs, waist and torso, was a harness that was covered by his jacket and boots.

What intrigued the ponies the most was the device attached to the side of the creature’s thighs and lower back. On the sides of both thighs, there was a long, slender, metallic box with four slots at the front ends of them with a metal canister bolted above it that was connected to a metallic, hourglass shaped device that was affixed to the lower back via a pair of wires on both sides.

Connected to the hourglass shaped device through wires on both sides were a pair of swords with perpendicular stripes that ran down the blade. On the handles were two slots for the fingers to go, which had two buttons on them, along with a brake-like lever near the base.

As the creature flew up, he pushed a button upon his left sword, allowing a wire to shoot out of a device at the side of his waist and at the back of the giant’s neck with a puff of gas to escape from the back of the hourglass-shaped machine. Upon hitting the target, the hook on the end of it stuck in, and with another click of his button, followed by another burst of gas, the smaller creature quickly reeled himself in towards the giant’s neck.

Upon getting close enough, he took his two blades and swung them at the back of the giant’s neck, slicing off a hefty portion of skin and muscle that fell to the ground. Once the blow was finished, the titan fell onto the middle of the street, dead as a doornail. The smaller creature landed on the street, bending his knees to help cushion the fall.

“Alright!” shouted Rainbow Dash. “That was great!”

“Wait,” spoke Luna solemnly. “Continue watching.”

As the smaller creature examined his blades, another giant with short grey hair leapt over one of the buildings and at the creature that killed the other giant, who only noticed the giant by its shadow covering him. By the time he turned around, it was already too late. The giant fell at the ground with its face coming right at the smaller creature. In an instant, the giant’s head slammed into the ground where the smaller creature once stood. Lifting its massive head up, its cheeks puffy and filled with its kill, the giant gulped and swallowed him, leaving Twilight and her friends in another state of horror.

“Why?” asked Twilight. “What is the point of showing us this?”

“It is why I brought you and your friends here today,” spoke Celestia. “What I’m about to ask of you might come as a shock, especially in the light of the things you’ve seen, but I believe that you and your friends are more than capable of handling it.”

Twilight and her friends looked to Celestia, hoping to hear an answer soon.

“I want you to go to this world and assist the smaller creatures there.”

“WHAT?” shouted the six ponies and Spike in unison.

“That’s crazy talk!” shouted Applejack.

“You must be out of your mind!” yelled Rarity.

“You expect us to go to a world with those things?” asked Rainbow Dash with her hoof pointed at the giant that ate the small soldier.

“Please,” begged Luna. “Let me explain. You see, I’ve actually found this world quite some time ago, but I wanted to see how the world functioned before I just sent somepony down there. From some research and observations, it seems as if the giants are only interested in attacking these smaller creatures. All other animals in the forested areas where these giants can be found, horses included, do not provoke them. It’s for these reasons that I believe that safety in this world involving these giants will not be a large issue for you.

“Also, it seems that these giants do not devour the smaller creatures for sustenance. The giants have been outside the walls where these creatures live for weeks and they have not shown signs of hunger nor starvation, which leads me to believe that they do not eat these creatures for food, but merely for sport or destruction."

“I still don’t understand,” whimpered Twilight. “Why would you want to send us to such a place?”

“Twilight,” explained Celesta, “we’ve learned much from other species all over Equestria, and we now have the chance to learn from and converse with beings from another world. Just think of what we can learn from them. Just think of what they can learn from us.”

“But why? Why would anypony want to be sent to a world in this state? These creatures are dying to these monsters and they are hardly putting up a fight. What could we possibly learn from a dying world like this?”

“The same things you have learned since your arrival in Ponyville. That through the magic of friendship, anything is possible.”

Twilight gasped, but looked to Princess Celestia for a clarification.

“My sister and I have always dreamed of contact and conversation with another world and to learn about them. Through hard work and dedication, we’re very close to doing so, but unfortunately, we discovered this world in a far worse state than I could have imagined.

“However, the creatures in the world are striving to protect their population. Even on the brink of extinction with their backs against the wall, they still carry the hope that tries to see them through to the end.”

The sound of Fluttershy gasping broke the gap of silence, leaving everyone to look back down at the pool. What Fluttershy ended up seeing caused the ponies to gasp again. It was a young male with medium-length dark-brown hair in his early teens who was wearing the same uniform and equipment as the soldier. The crest on the jacket involved the shield that was divided into four, but instead had the design of two swords crossing diagonally with the blades pointed up. They saw as his arm reached inside the throat of a bald, but fully bearded giant, using his leg and his other hand to pry the titan's mouth open.

The ponies then noticed that his left leg below the knee was bitten off, streaming fresh blood down the giant’s chin and beard. The ponies couldn’t believe him. What could have been in the giant’s mouth that he would risk being eaten, all the while without a leg? It was then that with a forceful yank, the soldier pulled out a younger looking male soldier with longer golden hair from the giant’s throat and tossed him to safety on a nearby roof. Other than the blood of his comrade staining his clothes, the young soldier was unharmed. Rainbow Dash in particular was astonished at the other soldier’s bravery.

The other soldier, continuing to pry the giant’s mouth open with his right hand and whole right leg, reached out to the blonde-haired soldier with his left. The blonde-haired soldier made a desperate reach to save his comrade, only for the giant to bite down, causing the soldier’s left arm to fly from the giant's mouth as it swallowed him whole.

Fluttershy and Applejack were horrified as they watched the blonde-haired soldier wail and weep for his fallen comrade, helpless to do anything. Even though they couldn’t hear him through the pool, the anguish and pain that he must have felt spoke volumes louder than any shout that could have been made.

“And now you see the other reason I want to send you here,” spoke Celestia. “These creatures are fighting tooth and nail to save their species, and I not only want to save them as a service for us, but a service for them as well. Because that’s what true friendship is all about.

“So, I ask you, my little ponies. In spite of all that you’ve seen, do you still think you can help bring this world back to salvation?”

“Aw yeah, we can!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow!” spoke Twilight. “You need to think this through! We don’t know how these creatures will react to somepony like us, especially when it’s going to be completely out of the blue.”

“Then we’ll make them like us! I see a group of creatures who need all the help they can get, and I want to give it to them, or my name isn’t Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty.”

Twilight wanted to interject, but was silenced by her other friends.

“I’m going!” cheered Pinkie Pie. “Nothing clears away doom and gloom like a good old-fashioned party!”

“Count me in,” called Applejack. “I’ll show them rotten giants what for, especially if it’s in the honor of the princess!”

“And there are just so many opportunities to learn about their fashion!” exclaimed Rarity.

“Um,” Fluttershy softly said, “I guess if my other friends are going…”

Princess Celestia was pleased to see the ponies so receptive about the journey.

“Well, Twilight,” Celestia addressed, “all that’s left is for you and Spike to agree, and I can’t let them go without you. You see, with Rainbow Dash’s speed, Pinkie Pie’s unpredictability, Applejack’s strength, Rarity’s attention to detail, Fluttershy’s kind heart, and your incredible knowledge of magic and strong leadership skills, I firmly believe that you and your friends are just the support that these creatures need to win the war against these giants.”

Princess Celestia’s words were too encouraging for Twilight to resist. No matter how hard she wanted to preserve the safety of her friends, she, along with them, began to realize that she wanted to preserve the safety of these creatures even more. Her choice was clear.

“Princess Celestia,” she declared. “I accept!”

Twilight’s friends began to cheer, happy that her confirmation secured the approval of the mission.

“And I’m going too,” spoke Spike. “I’m not going to leave my best friend while she fights off those monsters.”

“Eee!” squealed Pinkie Pie with a bright, trembling smile on her face. “I’m so nervicited!”

“Uh,” Applejack said in a slightly annoyed tone, “you do realize that’s not a real word, right?”

“Then it’s settled!” stated Celestia. “The mission shall commence. But there are some things I must warn you about, especially Rarity and Twilight.”

The two horned ponies looked at Celestia, prepared for her warning.

“Despite there being enough energy within this planet to allow you to use magic, there is not nearly enough of it for either of you to use advanced or difficult spells that require a high use of it, which is why I cannot send the Elements of Harmony with you on this mission; they’ll be useless there.”

“I understand, Princess,” answered Twilight with a nod.

“However, I will be casting a special barrier spell on you and your friends for you to use in this world before you leave. I’ll explain in better detail once you’re almost ready. Also, do you have the books and documents that I asked you to acquire?”

“Of course,” answered Twilight, rummaging through her saddlebags. “History of Equestria, Geography of Equestria, Wildlife of Equestria, and a textbook featuring the anatomies of unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies, and dragons. They’re all here in my saddlebags.”

“Excellent. Applejack?”

“Yes, yer majesty?” she asked, reporting front and center.

Celestia gave the earth pony a small sack with her magic, placing it inside her bag.

“Eh, what in tarnation was that?” asked Applejack.

“They are enchanted apple seeds,” explained Celestia. “With those, you’ll produce a full grown and fully fruited apple tree in a matter of days. I don’t know how food will come for you, but it’s best to be prepared.”

“I got it. Thank you, ma’am.”

Celestia turned to Rarity, the former being dismayed by the amount of luggage that the latter brought.

“Rarity,” requested Celestia, “I can only allow you to bring one of those bags. The rest will have to stay here!”

Rarity quivered, unsure of which bag she had to choose, which was only made harder by Applejack giving a shrug as if saying, “I told you so.” Despite a hard decision, she sighed and picked an overly packed suitcase, which she placed at her sides triumphantly.

“Very good then,” confirmed Celestia. “Now, Spike.”

Going back to Twilight, where Spike was, she drew her neck down to meet the dragon at eye level.

“Your magic dragon’s breath should still be able to reach me on the other world, but it might require more strength than normal.”

“Alright,” exclaimed Spike, “not a problem.”

“Okay,” said Celestia. “I believe it’s time that we get a move on.”

Luna, understanding what this meant, went to a large lever at the back of the room and pushed down on it, causing the water inside the pool to drain into the center, leaving it mostly dry once again.

“Girls,” advised Celestia, “Spike. Please step into the pool.”

Each of the ponies stepped or fluttered down onto the surface of the pool, which was still wet from the previous usage.

“Now, Luna,” ordered Celestia, “dispense the plasma!”

With Luna pulling another lever on the back wall, another liquid began to pour onto the surface of the pool from a faucet. It resembled water, but it had an oily sheen to it. Once the plasma touched each of the hooves of the ponies, a freaked-out noise came from each of them. Once the pool had an even layer of plasma on it, Luna shut off the faucet.

“What is this?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Why do my hooves feel all… tingly?”

“This is concentrated plasma,” explained Celestia. “There’s small amounts in every cloud that allows it to produce lighting and thunder. This will be your ticket to the new world. Not to mention…”

Celestia casted a spell at the center of the pool, which traveled into the hooves and bodies of all the ponies along with Spike.

“Was that the protection spell?” asked Twilight.

“It is,” she responded. “If one of these creatures makes you feel uncomfortable, just think about protecting yourself in a bubble and it will appear. Anyone who tries getting too close will be painfully shocked upon getting within your proximity. And because even an earth pony, a pegasus, or even a dragon could use it, it doesn’t require much magic.”

“Sister,” pleaded Luna. “There isn’t much time. If the tide of the creatures’ battle would turn, it must turn now!”

“Just concentrate on the city,” Celestia told her sister. “Now,” she said, addressing the others, “you are going to feel a slight shock in your bodies once I cast the teleportation spell, which in combination with the plasma and Luna’s astrological abilities, will send you to this world in a flash of lightning.

“Lastly, Twilight, if you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask.”

The plasma began to glow slightly.

“Anytime you’re ready, sister!” shouted Luna.

“I won’t,” responded Twilight. “Farewell, Princess Celestia. I’ll miss you.”

“And I’ll miss you too, Twilight. I know you’ll all succeed.”

The other ponies gave a nod to Celestia before she closed her eyes and concentrated on the spell. The six ponies and the dragon waited nervously as Celestia’s horn grew brighter, leaving it a mystery when they’d finally be sent.

When the horn got so bright that the ponies began to shield their eyes, a white bolt of lightning shot out of the horn and onto the plasma, causing a bright flash of light to emit from the floor of the pool that flooded the room in light. Once it finally faded, there was nothing inside of the pool, and it was now bone dry. Luna stood next to Celestia, looking upon their work.

“Do you really think they’re up to it?” asked Luna.

“I do,” responded Celestia. “I have every confidence that they will save that world.”

The two alicorn sisters continued to look at the empty pool, contemplating whether Twilight and her friends made it there alright.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dark storm clouds formed and rained down on the district of Trost, which rested south along the outside of Wall Rose. The city was in complete chaos, with humans running for their lives from the massive titans. Those who weren’t fast enough were caught and eaten. Even the members of the Military were having trouble keeping the city and its citizens safe. Despite the rain having ended moments ago, their wet clothes were now bogging them down, making them even more susceptible to the titans, causing them to lose more numbers by the minute.

However, one of the Military members got around fine on her three-dimensional maneuver gear, effortlessly swinging over rooftops and city streets to reconvene with her garrison to evacuate the city. The woman was young; around fifteen. She had short black hair that only reached her lower neck. Unlike her male counterparts, she wore a white blouse underneath her brown jacket, whose crest also bore the crossed swords. She also wore a long, red scarf that was wet from the rain, but it didn’t seem to bother her.

As she continued to swing, a bolt of lightning crashed into the street just to her left, the sudden light and thunder faltering her slightly. However, she recovered quickly, retracting the grappling wires into her waist and landing on the nearest roof with grace. Making sure that there weren’t civilians in the blast, she hopped off of the roof and swung down.

Drawing her sword from her large sheath, she quietly walked towards the smoldering crater, unsure if a titan was lurking inside. She heard the sound of coughing coming from several females inside the crater.

“Hello!” called the woman. “Is anyone hurt?”

“No,” called the voice of Twilight, stepping out from the crater, revealing herself for the woman to see, "but thank you for your concern.”

Seeing the winged unicorn in front of her and talking, the woman couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

“That’s impossible,” she stated. “Horses can’t talk.”

“Well,” called Rainbow Dash’s voice, “we do. And we’re not horses…”

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike all walked out of the crater, also showing themselves to the surprised woman.

“…we’re ponies.”