A pegasus flew high in the sky, looking down and around for things of interest. That tour was usually boring and uneventful, but she had to do it. Water, water, a dolphin, some more water, not water? She tilted her head, coming to a sudden halt in the air. "We're in the middle of the ocean!" Her words were for no one but herself, trying to reconcile why she saw a landmass up ahead.

She banked towards the ship she had come from, but the sharp turn brought another thing into view, making her almost falter in the air. It was another ship in the distance, but it didn't match any other ship she had seen before. She couldn't be sure, since it was so far away, but it felt... big, and not made of wood at all. "What is going on around here?!" She half-fell towards her ship in a soaring dive bomb to deliver the news.

The president sat at a table with his cabinet gathered around. "What do we know?" he demanded. "Tell me all the news, good or bad."

"The house and congress are in session," reported one woman.

"We've received word from Alaska." Everyone looked towards the man who had spoken. "Came in via radio. The hardlines of the Internet were severed, as we expected. Satellite communication is inoperable."

"How long until we launch new ones," grunted a third man. "Just, fwoosh, problem solved, right?"

The president pointed to the man that had mentioned Alaska. "I want to hear the rest of that. What's the situation?"

"Dire." He tapped the edge of his many papers against the table. "And mildly perplexing. They're reporting..."

The president raised a brow, but another cabinet member barked before he did, "Out with it!"

The reporting member coughed into a fist. "Very well. They're reporting a severe drop in temperature, even by their standards. They're also reporting unusual wildlife, extremely hostile. Fortunately for them, Alaska is heavily armed--"

"Not funny."

He coughed softly. "It only gets stranger from there."

The president tapped the ends of his fingers together. "How 'unusual' are we talking about? Are the Alaskans battling wooly mammoths? I'm almost ready to accept that possibility." The room chuckled softly at the idea.

The reporting member did not. "The reports are scattered, but it seems whenever this 'event' occured, while here in the mainland we remained contiguous and undisturbed, there were severe topographical shifts in Alaska, as well as the appearance of what can only be described as buildings and structures."

A fist came down on the table. "Do they belong to whoever attacked us like this?!"

The female from before raised her hands. "I doubt we know that."

The man nodded in agreement. "That's about all I know, Mr. President. Limited skirmishes. State police and stationed military are mobilizing."

The president took a slow breath. "Alright... Can we get some pictures over the radio? Make it happen. We need to know what we're dealing with. On that note, Do we know where they are? I'm going out on a limb and saying the globe over there isn't entirely accurate right about now."

"That dovetails nicely," spoke a second woman. "There will be no launches. The conditions for it are off the charts. The world is not the same size. The weather patterns are adjusting across the continent to match wherever we are. The radio remains deathly quiet besides our own. Whatever happened, we are here, and the rest of the known world is not."

It was a sunny day, warm and bright. People slathered on sunscreen and enjoyed the soft sands beneath them. It was an odd thing, the way it seemed just warm enough to make the sun nice to the touch, but no hotter than that. Even those who had forgotten to cover up didn't find their flesh turning angry red as they played and cavorted.

For whatever other problems there were in the world, it was a good day to play at the beach, and the Spring Break students had no intention of surrendering the opportunity to enjoy it. Sun, surf, and a liberal dose of alcohol to keep the fun flowing. Of course, the latter there was word of a potential rationing on, which gave all the more reason to enjoy it before the 'responsible adults' did something stupid like that.

An equine face barely peeked above the surface of the water some distance away. "That wasn't there..." she noted with a faint tilt of her head. Her swimming had been rudely cut off by an island. She wasn't used to having something so huge just, poof, out of nowhere. "They look like they're having fun though..." She wasn't sure what they were, but they were playing fun-looking games and laughing and running around.

Surely they had room for one little hippocampus?

"Now, class." He tapped at the green board with his chalk. "I know there is a lot of talk about a lot of things, but we still need to get through this. Whatever's going on outside this room doesn't change what's on the test."

One of the students in the back loudly snorted.

"Something on your mind, Williams?"

Tod Williams leaned forward on his desk. "Man, you're teaching geography."

"That I am, and if you'll turn to--"

"Dad says we're not in your geography no more."

"Any more," corrected another student, looking self-satisfied.

The teacher huffed a little sigh. "Be that as it may, this situation will surely pass. Now, as we were..."

Twilight came to a skidding halt with her friends before Luna and Celestia's thrones. No matter how many times she had been asked not to, she bowed before her princess, her own wings unfolding a moment. "We came as quickly as we could."

Applejack tipped her hat. "What's the problem, Yer Majesties."

Luna thrust a wing out towards the west. "I felt it in the moon, a faint tug to start it all, or perhaps because of it."

Celestia shook her head. "Let us start with what is before us. An alien species has invaded the north." She leaned a little towards Twilight, looming over her. "I believe you are familiar with them, though they are not as colorful as reported."

Twilight blinked at that. "I am? I need a little more to work with than how colorful they may or may not be?"

Luna raised her forehooves, tracing in the air. "Bipedal, with only a mane for fur. They dress themselves to make up for it, as I imagine is required, living so far north. They are armed."

Fluttershy gasped loudly. "Armed?! Are they... mean?"

Rarity's eyes rolled. "I don't think we'd be here if they were simply 'mean', dear."

Celestia brought down a hoof with a loud clop. "There have been deaths already." She shivered from top to bottom. "Even Tirek was not so swift to... We are dealing with a dreadfully violent invader. I was hesitant to call you, to put you in the line of such..." She took a slow breath, marshalling herself. "As mentioned, they are armed, and prefer ranged combat, making things more awkward. I dare not send the guards; least not the spear-to-spear specialists."

Twilight crashed to her haunches, and she was not alone in doing so. "Are Cadance and Shining alright?"

Luna smiled thinly. "They are well, but it was the crystal ponies who were struck first. When not threatened by these hairless invaders, it seems they are attacking the local fauna as well, forcing them to flee, often to the detriment of the Crystal Empire. They are beset at two sides and are urgently calling for help, which we are beholden to provide."

Applejack threw her hat to the ground with an angry snort. "That ain't right!"

Rainbow Dash lifted a few feet into the air. "Let me at'em! I'll zoom in and hit them so fast they won't even know what happened!"

Twilight held up a hoof. "Let's not be rash." She imagined her friend being so... hurt... "Let's approach this rationally. Have we tried contacting them?"

Celestia shook her head softly. "The first attempt went poorly, and resulted in some of the fatalities I already mentioned."

The ponies present shared unsure looks. Rarity stood up. "If they wear clothes, they must at least understand fashion. There must be some shred we can bond over there."

Rainbow Dash's brows fell. "Seriously?"

Applejack shrugged lightly. "Sounds about right by her line ah thinkin'."

Fluttershy nodded towards Rarity. "That would be nice..."

"As nice as that would be--" Twilight paced back and forth before the thrones. "--we can't assume it. We need a plan that doesn't get more ponies hurt, or worse."

With a deafening crash, several guards that had been standing by the door were sent flying, hooves flailing. The doors had been thrown wide to permit a large yak, the leader of them, to stride forward with several attendants behind him. "This where talk war?"

Celestia winced at the word. "I would prefer we didn't."

He thrust a hoof at her angrily. "Sign deal, friends. We attacked, you attack back. You attack, we attack back. This is deal. Pony not keep word?" Prince Rutherford snorted explosively, still stomping forward. "Is easy say friend in peace, now prove mean it!"

Pinkie appeared before the large prince, throwing a leg over his massive withers. "Ruthie! Good to see you, but why didn't you reach out to me before, you know, storming in here? I'm your official ambassador, you know. I'd take care of this."

He tossed his head, easily dislodging Pinkie in a sprawl. "Fine. We expect reinforcements soon." He pointed a hoof down at Pinkie. "Better happen, or we know ponies not real friends when count. Come, we go." He stomped once and his retinue turned in place. "Not leave home undefended." They all grunted in agreement and they began to march off in determined solidarity.

Celestia sank miserably in her throne. Luna was not so passive. "It seems our hooves are being forced. If we do not act, the world will know that we cannot be counted on in times of proper emergency." She sat up tall. "There is little choice. We will prepare the guards with the most experience in ranged combat and mobilize them."

The sun princess hissed softly as she sat up. "I will... call in the students."

Twilight tilted her head. "Students?"

"There is a clause..." She was quiet a moment. "Your parents signed it, if you did not. Accepting a place in my school for talented unicorns included a request to come to Equestria's aid if it was required." She sighed softly. "The need for talented magicians is quite pressing."

Twilight stood up stiff and saluted. "Reporting for duty."

Rainbow burst into laughter, but her expression was supportive. "Dang, look at you, Twi. From egghead to jughead, just like that? Aren't you already a princess, of friendship and all that?"

Twilight nodded stiffly. "And I will look for... peaceful ways, but I signed that agreement myself. I insisted." She smiled awkwardly. "I can't even blame that one on my dad. He'll sign anything if you give him a reason to." She coughed into a hoof. "Besides, this isn't the first time I, nor any of you, have moved to defend Equestria. I'm actually pretty used to it."

Applejack nodded at that. "Ya got a point there. Reckon ah won't be much help if'n yer lookin' fer distance fighters. I'm not suited fer that."

Rarity set a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I may not have put in as many years of practice as you, dear, but I'll be at your side, if you'll have me." She cracked a little smile. "I do know a few spells."

Twilight hugged Rarity tightly. "Are you sure? I mean, this won't be comfortable, or easy, or clean."

"Exactly why you need me." She turned up her nose. "Someone with a nose for what ponies need in these trying times should be present to see to them. I can only imagine the ugly and uncomfortable uniforms they'll try to put on everypony."

Author's Notes:

Ah, Rarity, keeping an eye out for what's really important.

Also, finally, ponies! So many colorful ponies, yay!

Want this story updated faster? Want to get your own story written? Want to support the author in his writing? Join the atreon!

Join my discord to chat!