The changeling spread its wings and roared, the sound coming out mechanical and unnatural. I´m paralyzed, just staring at the creature. The helmet´s screen keeps flashing warning but I can´t read then, I can only look at those metallic eyes.

Suddenly, I feel like I´m flying. Despite the heavy armor that I´m wearing, I´m floating in the air, high above the street. It takes me a minute to realize Scootaloo is carrying me.

She lands and throws me on the floor.

“Hey pop star, keep your head in the game.”

And off she goes, jumping several meters in the air to land on the head of the changeling. Apple Bloom joins her in the fight, delivering powerful kicks on the side of the monster.

How can they do this? How can they put in those ridiculous outfit and risk their lives, trying to stop that thing?

What is that thing to begin with? Less than a hour ago, I was talking to that thing. She was a pony named Twist. She wore glasses and had a cute speech impediment. She liked making candies and looking at the smiling faces of their customers. Then she changed. She transformed into the creature Rarity warned me about. She told me not to trust anypony. I should have listened to my big sister.

I knew coming back to Ponyville was a bad idea. I could have said no and head for Baltimare instead. I´m the band's leader, after all. I should have said no but I wanted to see her. Five years without even a single letter. We both have decided to stop talking to each other but, she is still my big sister. I just wanted to say hello.

I just wanted to say I´m sorry.

I wasn't expecting precisely a warm welcoming but for Rarity to at least invite me to a cup of tea. What I got instead was a long exposition talk about a race of cybernetic creatures that have infiltrated in Ponyville, taking in the shapes of ponies to merge with a crowd. I was introduced to a dancer with broken wings and a farmer with a talent for computers. I was show a secret lab in the back of the Boutique and offered a suit of armor. An armor made with the most advanced technology of Equestria and powered by the most powerful magic stones.

She asked me to wear it, to use this armor to fight against the changelings and protect Ponyville. She never explained why or how she knew all this stuff or how she made this suits of armor. She simply stared at me and asked for "a favor for your big sister".

That´s all she did.

“Sweetie Belle! Look out!”

Now I pay attention to the screen. I know exactly where to jump to avoid being crushed and what action will the changeling do next. The screen even explain how the armor can enhance my magic to create a powerful energy beam.

I don´t want to do it. I don´t want to hurt this thing, not if there´s a small chance that Twist might be inside it.

Just a small chance.

The screen tells me otherwise. There are no vital signs, it´s just a machine now. Rarity is yelling at me to attack. I can hear it right next to me, even when she´s standing atop of a building, watching the fight unfold. She is testing me, just like when we were young. Always looking at me with her hooves crossed.

But I´m not a filly anymore. I made a name for myself. I´m Sweetie Belle, lead singer of The Flutter Ponies. I´m not useless anymore.

I concentrate all my magic energy on my horn. I can feel the suit heating up, the energy coursing through it. The suit gets so charged up that I´m floating, almost like I have a pair of glowing wings on my back. Wouldn't surprise me if the suits does that, Rarity always added to those little details. I scream as I release the beam, obliterating the changeling in one single shot.

I´m exhausted, I can´t get up after using that much energy but I´m okay.

I passed the test, right big sister?