Twilight Sparkle was having a good day. She had finally finished that astronomy book that had been a birthday present from Princess Celestia, and was going out to enjoy the day. Spike was trailing her in the hope of seeing Rarity.

"Twilight! You promised we'd go and see Rarity!" Spike was dragging his feet along the ground sullenly. Already 2 hours of walking around sniffing flowers and STILL no sign of the most beautiful creature in the world, or the MBC as Spike had taken to calling her.

Twilight smiled. Her draconian assistant was certainly tenacious. But this was her first day out of the library in 4 days straight, and she planned to enjoy it. And it gave the library time to air, as it was still filled with smoke due to her various experiments.

It was good to be out and about, enjoying the sounds, sights and smells of Ponyville.

A certain cyan pegasus was obviously thinking the same way.

"Twilight? What are you doing out of the house? You haven't come out in, like, 4 days! What gives?" Rainbow Dash sounded aggravated.

"Well, I had to do something very delicate experiments that meant I had to stay inside to monitor them!" Twilight said brightly.

Rainbow snorted.

"Anyway, want to come with me to visit Applejack's stall? I need some good food." Twilight said with a grimace. "I really haven't been eating well..."

"Sure thing! I'm hungry from all the Wonder-" So saying this, Rainbow did a little loop-the-loop "-Bolt practice! I'm going to get in for sure!" Rainbow puffed out her chest proudly.

Twilight snuffed a laugh, then looked back at Spike. He was stilling mumbling and kicking the ground.

"Spike?"

"Said we were visiting Rarity...stupid flowers...Huh, wait what?"

"We'll go visit Rarity just after we've gotten something to eat, ok?"

"Fine! But you did Pinkie Pie promise! And breaking a friends trust is the fastest way to lose a friend."

"Forever!" The self styled Pink Party Pony of Ponyville appeared next to Twilight, making her, Rainbow and Spike jump in alarm.

"Pinkie!"

"What?"

"Don't do that!"

"Okie dokie lokie! And now where are you guys going?" Pinkie was bubbling with happiness.

"We're going to visit Applejack and get some food!"

"Ooh! I love Applejack's food! Except that it usually doesn't have sugar in it. I love sugar! Did you know, I had a whole pile of sugar this morning, and now I feel really happy! Well, I usually feel happy, but now I fell super-duper happy!" Pinkie said this in a rush. "We're here!"

Twilight, Spike and Rainbow looked on in some admiration and the torrent of words that poured out of their friends mouth.

"How does she do that?" Said Rainbow with awe.

"Classic Pinkie Pie..." Twilight shook her head.

"Hey Pinkie! What's up!" Spike said this to Pinkie who had just galloped straight back. She had a look of intense concentration, which was in itself cause for alarm.

"Guys, you need to come with me, now!" Pinkie didn't say anything more, but just galloped off again.

The two ponies and the one baby dragon looked at each other, then ran off after Pinkie.

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"Captain, I'm hungry!"

"Leave it Nick!"

"But it's just an apple!"

"We're not on Earth mate! We don't know what it is! It may look like an apple, but can you guarantee that?"

Hesitation.

"No, you can't! No put that blasted thing down, and focus on the job!"

The sound of arguing voices drew Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow and Spike nearer and nearer. They were joined by Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy, who had been summoned by Pinkie. How she had gotten all of them together, they didn't know. Didn't ask either. It was put down to typical Pinkie.

"What are you doing James?"

"Cutting in half sir."

Split.

"Looks like an apple. You can tell becuase of the size of the pips, which differ according to-"

"Save the lecture Angus. Mike, what do you think?"

"I don't know, to be honest. If something happens, I don't know if I could help."

"Nick lad, do as the Cap' says and put it down."

"Now, can we please press on with the job?"

The 6 ponies and one baby dragon all poked their heads around and gasped. Standing in front of Applejack's stand were 6 strange creatures. They all walked upright on two legs, and had two limbs swinging from next to their head. They all had ridiculous short manes, and one of them had no mane at all! They were all carrying black pieces of metal, which were shiny and looked very complicated. Four of them were wearing some sort of black garments, one was wearing some blue...things over his legs and a white thing over the top half, and the last was wearing something that looked vagualy like what the doctor's wore at Ponyville Hospital.

They were all standing in front of the Town Hall, arguing and yelling at each other. While the leader one was talking to the massive one, one of the other black suited ones stuck his hand into the cart, took an apple, and ate it. The crunch made them all freeze.

"For FUCK'S sake Nick! I bloody told you not to touch that damn thing!"

Twilight stuck her head back, speechless. She turned to her friends.

"What do you think ladies?"

"Their fashion sense is just dreadful!"

"I think they look kinda cool."

"Goodness, I don't know, I'm sorry Twilight."

"Ooh, maybe I should throw them a party!"

Sighing with exasperation, Twilight addressed Spike.

"Spike, take a letter please."

When Twilight finished, Spike beltched it away. It read:

Dear Princess Celestia,

We have encountered aliens in Ponyville. We don't know if they're friendly or not.

Please come at once.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.

"Well Applejack? What do you think of them?" The 6 ponies (and 1 baby dragon) turned to face Applejack.

"Think mah apple's are worthless," She muttered. "This he can just take one of them apple's ah bucked, and ah brought to town?"

She started forward before any of her friend's could stop her.

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"For FUCK'S sake Nick!  I bloody told you not to touch that damn thing!" Tom roared at Nick.

"But it's fine!"

"I don't give a FUCK whether it's fine or not! I told you NOT to touch it, so you DON'T touch it! Understand?" Tom eyeballed Nick, who shrank from him.

"Yes Captain."

"Good. Now then why don't we-"

His words were cut short by a scream.

"JUST WHAT IN TARNATION DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

The group whirled. Facing them was some sort of horse, with an orange coat and a long blonde mane? with a brown hat, with a face as red as the apples themselves. Tom was astounded. As were his fellow men, who all looked at it in amazement.

The horse was having none of it.

"YA'LL COME INTO MAH TOWN, STEAL THEM APPLES AH BUCKED MAHSELF, AND DON'T EVEN PAY FOR THEM! PONYVILLE! LETS DRIVE THEM OUTTA HERE!" And with that parting line, she galloped off.

They looked at each other.

"What, in all damnation, just happened?" Tom asked.

"I have no bloody idea." James confessed, scratching his head.

"I'm in the same boat lads." John said, shaking his head.

"Well I have an idea." Everyone turned to face Angus. He pointed behind them.

There must have been about 50 horses facing them. All were armed with frying pans, rolling pins or sciccors. It was a mob.

"Shit. Listen. Our only chance is to run. Otherwise they'll tear us to pieces. James, take Mike and John. I'll take Nick and Angus. Run like hell. You all see that forest?" They nodded. "Get to it. Maybe we can lose them in it. And if one of you get's captured, as long as one of us is still free, we will try to get you out. Understood?"

The horses started forward, starting with a trot, then a canter, then a gallop.

"James?"

"Got it sir!" And with an explosive yell, James kicked the apple stand, sending the apples flying like some sort of shrapenal towards the incoming ponies, knocking many of their feet.

The chase...

....was on.