Consumed by shock and sorrow, Borris continues to stand in front of Rainbow Dash, mouth gaping with heavy breathing emerging from it. “It’s okay Borris,” Twilight slowly approaches his side and rubs against him, trying to comfort the pegasus, “we can get through this together.”

“This can’t be,” Borris replies in denial, “it must be a misunderstanding!”

“I’m afraid not, Midnight had her in her claws and she covered Rainbow in some type of magic. In a flash of light, she was gone…”

“…”

“I’m so sorry.” On the flip of a bit, Borris’ shock and sadness quickly turns into rage and aggression, releasing a loud roar as Borris turns to Twilight. “Calm down, we can get through this.” Borris charges at her, but Twilight teleports behind him, “Please, control yourself.”

“You don’t realize what she meant to us!” Borris screams and makes a swift U-Turn, nearly ramming Twilight into his side.

“I know she was an important friend if she was anything like ours!” Twilight levitates the screaming, grunting, kicking stallion in the air with the others standing back and watching the confrontation with deep concern and worry.

“You never knew! You never knew how much she was to me!”

“I might not have known you were friends with her, but taking this out on me or my friends is not right.” Borris stops struggling and begins to calm down; his breaths slowly decrease speed and he reevaluates himself.

“You’re right, the real enemy is not you, its Midnight, and I’m not strong enough.” Twilight slowly lets him down to the ground and releases her magical grip. Borris shakes his head and reassumes his former emotionless and stern attitude, “It’s not safe here right now, hopefully your friends are safe with the R.A.E.M.”

“The what now?”

“The Resistance Against Empress Midnight, pronounced as ‘Ram’.”

“Wait, should we help those civilians?”

“I’m afraid it’s too late for them. A similar, larger army of civilians and guards tried to attack her in my world, the results were catastrophic.”

“Were they captured and thrown in prison?” Rainbow asks.

“Worse, blood of stallions, mares, pegasi, unicorns, Earth Ponies, adults, and foals bathed the streets. All the stallions young and old were turned to Morks and the minds of mares were shattered by Midnight herself, turning them to mindless statues to the beast.”

“And you’re saying that the same will happen to them in our world?!”

“Yes, and trying to help them will be absolute suicide, its every pony for himself when encountered by Empress Midnight and her army.” Off in the distance, the sounds of ponies screaming echoes into the seven’s ears.

“Their resistance has worn out its welcome, we have to go now.” They all take off towards to Everfree Forest with the scream of Celestia roaring from behind.

“Celestia!” Twilight shrieks, “We need to help her!”

“No! It’s too late now; we can’t do anything, run faster!” They run deep into the forest, the crunching of twigs and leaves are the only thing they hear for an hour as they head deeper and deeper looking for the Tree of Harmony and the portal. As they reach the edge of the forest, Raindrop stops dead in her traps and jumps into a bush. “What’s up with her, we’re almost there.”

“I hear something!” Raindrop exclaims, “very large, metal, heavy internal rumbling.”

“I don’t hear anythi-” His reply is cut short by the roar of a large metallic beast outside.

“It’s Mecha Spike!” Borris exclaims and leaps into the bush with Raindrop, “Hop in!”

“Wait,” the little dragon replies, “Spike?! My other me is THAT noise?”

“Shut up and get in for pony sake!” The others follow his orders and jump into the large bush. Borris whispers amongst the others with him, “Midnight captured you and made you into a giant, ferocious dragon.”

“With magic?”

“Look,” They peek out the hedge and see a long silvery snout just a few hooves away.

“That looks just like the metal on the empress’ claws.”

“It is, you are an enormous Mork.” The snout backs through the roof of the trees as the sound of thunder rumbles from it. “RUN!” The other Spike breaths crimson fire all over the forest, setting it ablaze. The main seven run out into the open, as they gaze upon the suddenly smoggy red skies, impossible to see the blue sky that was once there.

“I did that in just a couple of seconds, in one breath?!”

“No time for questions, get to the portal.” They race into the chasm and into the cave, reaching the Tree of Harmony with the swirling tunnel in front of it. Rainbow Dash studies it and asks,

“Is it safe?”

“I came though it and look it and I’m 100% perfect, not a scratch.”

“…”

“Despite the scars, those were already there, get going.” He shoves the other six up into the funnel, sucking them into the vacuum of the portal. He shortly follows behind them and leaps into the portal. They all witness the as thousands of colours, shapes, sounds, and senses wiz through their bodies.

“This is awesome and scary at the both time!” A bright flash of light sweeps over them as they fall on top of each other at the entrance of the portal, on the other side.

“Had softer landings,” Borris groans, being on the bottom of the pile up.

“This looks just like where we came in, are you sure we made it?” Rainbow asks, getting up and looks in front of her.

“Yeah, luckily Midnight didn’t leave any Morks here while she’s making her assault.” Rainbow walks forward and trips over a large blue diamond with five golden keys sticking out of it.

“Wait, our other selves didn’t open the chest yet?”

“That thing? They claimed they were missing a key, something involving the element of magic.”

“But what about Tirek?” Twilight asks, “If Midnight was able to come into power, what happened to Tirek?”

“Who?”

“He nearly took over Equestria by absorbing everypony’s magic, how do you not know?”

“…”

“Wait, Tirek may not exist in your world, at least that leaves only one problem on our hooves.”

“I guess so…”

“How did she get that giant dragon trough that tiny portal the first place?” Spike asks, “he’s freaking humongous compared to me?”

“Empress Midnight knows hundreds of spells and tricks, most of which only the most advance alicorns have barely mastered. She’s the reason that that portal to your world exists. We don’t have much time, we must hurry to the RAEM if we are ever to survive in this crisis, and do not worry about your Applejack and Pinkie Pie, several members of the resistance might have found them, they will be vital to our core.” Borris leads them out of the cave as they look above and see nothing but shadows and black clouds shielding the sky. They continue to walk through a burnt Everfree Forest, with each step kicking up a cloud of ashes on the petrified ground.

“This,” Twilight says as she gawks at the depressing scenery, “How can such a terrible thing come to Equestria?”

“When Midnight took over Canterlot, the night stopped dead in its tracks as she and her minions defeated the alicorn princesses and thus, chaos broke loose, even worse than a spirit of chaos could’ve created. You’re lucky you and your friends didn’t see such an unfolding, or even became a part of it.”

“I can hardly imagine…” She turns to Raindrop slowly following behind her, a nervous frown strewn across her face. “I’m so sorry for this, I have broken my promise.”

“It’s okay,” she replies, “You did not see this coming and you cannot control it. I just hope Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and everypony else is okay.”

“I hope so too.”

“Halt right there!” A female voice commands deep within the low smog and smoke, far from the group’s eyesight. “Who is it?”

“It tis I Major Borris,” the pegasus replies, “and I have brought six ponies from the other world.”

“What’s the password?”

“Friendship is Magic.”

“Proceed.” The seven resume walking into where the voice came from with Borris continually leading. As they reach a small clearing, they come across a tall building enclosed in colourless shadows. The ground begins to feel cool and fertile, like it was once used to breathe life into the world as they come closer and closer to the unknown structure. Twilight and the team enter inside as the creaking of wood inside is muffled by the rustling of hay. Borris uses his wings to brush away some hay, revealing a trap door on the floor.

“There it is, wow, she works good.”

“Wait,” Twilight remarks at the sight as the gears in her mind begin to click, “I know that trap door, this is Applejack’s barn!” Loud squeaking of iron rattles everypony’s ears as Borris lifts the hatch, revealing a long steep staircase descending into a light several meters underground. One by one, Borris, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Raindrop, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike carefully walk down the tight stairway into the bright light leading into a large metal room. They adjust their eyes to the sudden change as they come face to face with two Applejacks and two Pinkie Pies glaring at them with smiles across them.

“You made it! Welcome to the RAEM!” The four cheer.