Today was going to be a rather busy day for the seven Ponyville friends as they are all inside of the Castle of Two Sisters once again doing a little bit of cleaning up and redecorating since the last time that they were here, the castle was in ruins. The Mane 7 are hard at work as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are stretching a tarp to block off a hole in the roof, Twilight and Rarity were checking over others spread on the floor, Pinkie is skating across the hall with scrub brushes on her hooves leaving behind soap trails, Applejack is carrying a painting in her mouth, and (Y/N) is fixing up some of the broken walls.
Twilight Sparkle: Looking good, everypony! Let's keep this magical makeover moving!
Rainbow Dash: You got it!
The two Pegasi haul up the roll of fabric as (Y/N) was firing a beam into a cracked wall to seal the broken cracks in together.
(Y/N): Last time we were here, this place was in the dumps, but nothing like some good cleaning will do make this more spotless.
Rarity: I couldn't agree with you more, love.
Spike then enters the room with a backpack on his shoulders.
Spike: Good old Spike is here, ready to do his part!
Looking around, Spike realizes that none of the others have acknowledged his presence either. Across the way, Applejack is hanging a picture as Pinkie Pie skates past, the scrub brushes strapped to her hooves leaving a trail of soap suds.
Pinkie Pie: A little more to the left! No, the other left!
Applejack was adjusting the painting having trouble with Pinkie's directions, but she was able to straighten it on the second try.
Pinkie Pie: *quickly* Awesome! That's perfect right where it is! On to the next painting!
Spike walks up to Applejack.
Spike: You sure you don't need any help?
Applejack: Nah, that's okay.
Pinkie then skates past on the wall behind them with her hooves flailing.
Pinkie Pie: *quickly* We have everything under control!
Spike: Dash?
Rainbow Dash: I'm good!
Spike: (Y/N)?
(Y/N): I can handle it, pal.
Spike sighs heavily and returns to Twilight, who floats a piece of cloth away.
Spike: Isn't there anything I can help you with, Twilight?
Here comes Pinkie once again this time sliding along while seated on a brush.
Pinkie Pie: *quickly* Don't worry about it, Spike! It's all good!
(Y/N) then comes down to land right next to the two.
(Y/N): I just got done with my tasks. So, I think I'll rest for a bit. However, looks like we've got it pretty covered her in all of our areas, Spike.
Twilight Sparkle: He's right. Looking great, everypony!
Twilight then levitates Spike's comic book that he was carrying in his backpack back into his claws.
Twilight Sparkle: Why don't you find a quiet spot and finish reading your comic? Aren't you right at the part where Hum Drum was about to stop the villain?
(Y/N): What's this about a Hum Drum?
Twilight Sparkle: Last night Spike stayed up reading that comic book that he has about some Power Ponies who stop a villain.
(Y/N): Huh. Seems interesting. I look at a lot of comics too. I bet Hum Drum is a pretty cool character.
Spike: Not really. He's just someone who's not that special and stands by while the heroes defeat the villain. Basically, he's just comic relief.
Spike goes to walk off, but not before he stops short to see that he was interrupted by a loud clatter as he stepped a foot in a full wash bucket. Glaring angrily, he throws the comic aside and tries vigorously to dislodge the container. (Y/N) then activates his magic and helps get the bucket off of Spike as he pulled it off instantly while Twilight walks over towards Rarity.
Twilight Sparkle: Rarity, lemme give you a hoof with that!
Spike: I could do that!
Twilight Sparkle: That's okay, Spike.
Spike groans in not being able to help, but (Y/N) just places a hoof on his shoulder.
(Y/N): It's fine. Spike, why don't we go to that secret room that we found here at the castle the other day and you can actually show me more of this comic book of yours.
Spike: Sure, I guess.
Going into the hidden room on the night that everypony was in the castle, (Y/N) and Spike were on some pillows together as Spike was showing (Y/N) some of the comic book characters.
(Y/N): So basically, these seven ponies are heroes in this city called Maretropolis and they all team up to defeat the Mane-iac who is the villain like you said while Hum Drum just sits on the sidelines or just get's in the way?
Spike: Yeah, if you want to put in a nutshell. You know (Y/N), you kind of remind me of one of the power ponies in the comic.
(Y/N): Who's that?
Spike: Super Stallion. He's the one who's the most coolest of the bunch. He's got all sorts of powers compared to the others and if you ask me, there should be no way that the Power Ponies could lose with him on their side.
(Y/N): Well, that may be true. But everypony has a weakness Spike. A hero can't always be perfect at saving the day even if they have the most superpowers.
Spike: Speaking of the heroes in the comic, look at this.
(Y/N) leans in closer getting a better look at Spike's comic book and he seemed intrigued.
(Y/N): Wow, Mane-iac breaks into the museum stealing the new source to her evil plans. . .
Spike: Yeah, but look. Surprise, surprise. Hum Drum is in the way again while the Power Ponies do all the work! I guess I know what that feels like. . .
(Y/N): Aw, don't beat yourself up, Spike. There are some situations where help is or isn't necessary. Maybe eventually Hum Drum will be of use to the Power Ponies and a more worthy ally or something.
Spike: Eh, I'd doubt it from as much as I've been reading in here.
Spike then turns another page over and once he does, he let's out a sharp gasp as he was now looking a blank page. (Y/N) sees this as well and raises an eyebrow in confusion.
Spike: What? How can that be the end?!
(Y/N): Is that a cliffhanger? Because some books have those in their stories.
Spike: No way! The Power Ponies haven't even started fighting the Mane-iac yet. There's no way that should be a cliffhanger.
(Y/N) then notices something and points at the bottom of the black page.
(Y/N): Look, there's something written there. . . But it's too tiny for me to read the words that are coming from it.
Spike: Hold on. I know I saw a magnifying glass laying around the last time I was here. . .
Spike walks around the room to search for the said object and (Y/N) decides to help him out. Suddenly, the mares were calling out to the two.
Applejack: *in the distance* (Y/N)! Spike!
Rarity: *in the distance* We're breaking for tea and biscuits!
(Y/N): We're over here in the hidden library, girls! I'm helping Spike search for something!
Rainbow Dash: *in the distance* Oh! Well we'll be right there!
Spike searches under another pillow and then on a shelf and he jumps up to then grab the handle of a magnifying glass in his claws.
Spike: Found it!
(Y/N) then levitates the comic book toward Spike so that he could read what was on the page and he takes a closer look to start reading the words out loud.
Spike: "You can return to the place you started when the Mane-iac is. . . defeated." Huh. . .? "Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book"?
(Y/N): Hmm, that almost sounds like some kind of riddle. . . What else does it say?
Spike: That's it. There's nothing else, but I don't even know what that means.
Suddenly something unexpected happened as a dazzling burst of light forms on the open pages of the comic book. This makes (Y/N) drop the comic book and he stands back not knowing what's going on.
Spike: Whoa! Cool!
(Y/N): What in the heck is this comic book?!
Just then, the other mares enter the room and see the light as well surprising them.
Twilight Sparkle: Spike! What were you-
His reading material is now standing almost vertical on its own, and that incandescent spot on the page begins to draw him in as if it were a vacuum cleaner surprising all of the Mane 7.
Spike: HEEEEEELP!!
Twilight Sparkle: SPIKE!
(Y/N): Don't worry, I gotcha!
(Y/N) grabs Spike by the tail and tries with all of the strength that he can muster to pull him out, but it was no use at all as (Y/N) begins to notice that he's getting pulled in along with the baby dragon.
(Y/N): Girls! This thing is too strong! I don't think that even I can. . . Ahh! I'm getting sucked in!
Twilight rushes in and grabs hold off (Y/N)'s tail with her magic, but the pull is strong enough to start dragging her in as well. Just as she disappears into the comic book, Rainbow Dash flies in and wraps her hooves around Twilight's midsection, dragging her partway back, but it was still no good.
Applejack then proceeds to grab Rainbow's tail in her teeth almost getting her free before the book starts to suck them both down. Fluttershy and Rarity, still at the door, gasp and gallop in together to grab Applejack by the midsection, but it was still no use at all as they two were being pulled in along with the other six.
Pinkie was apparently the last one as she apparently made no effort at all to try and she just bounces happily over the book before cannonballing inside.
Pinkie Pie: Weehee!
In another landscape, we now Spike unconscious on the ground, but there was something different about him. He now wears blue gloves, a red cape, and a black eye mask. It takes a moment for him to fully recover his senses and stand up to show himself.
He then realizes that he is on a roof and takes a closer look to see that he and also the others are now in a metropolitan city at nighttime with busy streets, lots of skyscrapers, and ponies going on about their business. There was even an airship flying in the distance as well.
Spike?: Is this. . . Maretropolis?
Applejack?: Somepony wanna tell me what the hay is goin' on?
Spike turns around hearing Applejack's voice, but suddenly his eyes bug out and his mouth opens as if to scream. Across from him, on the rooftop, are six silhouettes whose general colors, faintly illuminated by the moon, identify them as his friends, but the hairstyles and other details are markedly different.
Spike?: Holy new personas, ponies!
Twilight was wearing a magenta bodysuit and an armor plate in a darker blue covering her back and chest, with holes for her wings. At her throat is a small pink lozenge-shaped gem, and she wears a magenta eye mask beneath gold-framed goggles. Her horn is protected by an armor piece the same color as the one on her back, with a magenta lozenge gem set between her eyes. Her bangs are swept back from her forehead, while the rest of her mane streams down behind one shoulder and her tail retains its usual straight-cut contour.
Spike?: You're the. . . Masked Matter-Horn!
Pinkie was now a white suit, with a violet arrow pointing ahead along the flank and matching zigzag bands around the hooves, each of which is also marked with a white balloon. Pinkie's tail hangs into view behind the rump, its edges and end styled into a zigzag.
Spike?: Fili-Second!
Rainbow Dash had on a dark blue bodysuit, with holes for the wings, whose hood has been cut away to cover only her forehead and the back of her head. The hooves are white, each marked with a gold lightning bolt, and a white band and gold lightning-bolt pendant encircle her neck. The face portion of her suit is edged in white, with lightning bolts on the temples, and her mane is swept back.
Spike?: Zapp!
Rarity was wearing a purple bodysuit marked with light blue gems, light pink ones on bracelets around both front hooves and worked into her mane and tail. Her mane was curled at the top and back of her head, she had light blue collar with a pink gem in a gold setting around her neck, and a purple eye mask. She seems to approve of the effect.
Spike?: R-Radiance!
Applejack is now wearing a collared red bodysuit sporting green buttons in front and a dark brown hood that leaves her eyes, mane, and muzzle exposed. Around her midsection is a set of small black saddlebags that contain gold horseshoes. The loop of rope is clipped to one of these. With the exception of her forelock and the tip of her tail, all of the blond hair is covered by green wrappings and she doesn't have her hat anymore.
Spike?: Mistress Mare-velous!
As she strikes a confident pose, Fluttershy steps timidly out from behind her wearing a blue-green bodysuit that leaves her head and wings exposed, butterfly bracelets on both forelegs, purple eye mask and matching lacy scarf marked with a flower pin, and her mane and tail were streaming behind her.
Spike?: Saddle Rager!
Finally, (Y/N) was wearing a blue bodysuit that was connected to a (F/C) cape and he had a golden pin in the middle of his chest that had the letter S on it. His mane and tail were flowing too and he had an entirely different style as well.
Spike?: Super Stallion! You're the. . . Power Ponies!
A blast from far below sends stone dust boiling up past the ledge, and all eight gather for a look.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): What's going on?
What they find is a smoking crater in the sidewalk and building façade, accompanied by frightened ponies fleeing in all directions. Long tentacles in shades of green lash out from within the smoke, anchoring themselves on the pavement and masonry. They are followed by a bold, contemptuous female voice that can only belong to the Mane-iac. She is holding up a dark sphere with a crackling spot of energy at its core.
Mane-iac: Power Ponies! *laughs* How kind of you to join us!
Mane 7 (Power Ponies): Huh?
She cackles evilly once more while the ponies were just confused by what she just said.
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): Did she just call us. . . Power Ponies?
Spike?: You're the. . . the superheroes from my comic book! It somehow zapped us all in here!
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): So somepony zap us back out!
Spike?: My comic book! It said the way to get back to where we started was to defeat the Mane-iac! Your arch-nemesis!
The Mane-iac then turns her full attention to the Power Ponies.
Mane-iac: Time for the "mane" event!
A few locks lash down the sidewalk and snatch up a pretzel cart, hurling it toward the group so that it smashes into the ledge just short of them and everypony shouts surprised.
The crazed mare then spots a nearby mailbox, which is promptly flung straight up to hurtle toward Pinkie. Its impact against the rooftop suddenly shows the blue container firmly embedded in the concrete and no pink pony in sight.
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Pinkie! Where'd she go?!
The answer comes in the form of a bright pink blur streaking up and across the highest reaches of nearby buildings.
Pinkie Pie (Fili-Second): Whee!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Wow. . . But I mean I've seen weirder from Pinkie as most of the time she's normally gone in a flash.
Spike?: She could be miles away from here by now! Pinkie is Fili-Second, the fastest pony in all of Maretropolis!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): We've just got to beat the villain, right? Seems easy enough considering that we've all done that a ton of times.
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): He's right. I've got a lasso and I use this nearly every week. If we gotta beat that Mane-iac to get back then it'll be no different than roundin' up some pigs in a pen.
Applejack pulls the rope from her saddlebags and reels it out in her teeth, she twirls the loop and lets fly. The rope glows bright yellow as it hisses through the air toward the Mane-iac, who dodges just in time. It instead wraps around the lamppost she had been bracing herself against.
When Applejack tries to pull it back, she only gets yanked off the rooftop and get's lashed upside down against the post and wondering exactly how she wound up on there. Her struggles to break free are for naught as the Mane-iac grins and let's out a malicious laugh.
Spike?: Twilight! Freeze her mane!
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Do what?
Spike?: You're the Masked Matter-Horn! You can shoot all kinds of crazy power beams from your horn!
Eyeing the metal-covered appendage with some trepidation, she closes her eyes, conjures an intense blue light at its tip and then ends up producing only a few snowflakes, to her embarrassment.
Mane-iac: You know, I'm beginning to enjoy this. *cackles*
The five remaining observers gasp just before a fire hydrant is flung up, scoring a near miss against the ledge.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Well. . . it sounded easy. Looks like we're not used to our new powers yet. Spike, what else do we have in store?
Spike?: Um, (Y/N)! You're Super Stallion! You've got all kinds of powers like super strength, laser eyes, and you can scream so loud that it can shatter glass.
(Y/N) think to himself before he flies up and lowers himself down the building. He then decides to activate the said laser eyes that Spike described and he aims them towards the Mane-iac, but misses.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): (This would be easy if I was an alien from Krypton.)
However, it seems as though the lasers weren't stopping as (Y/N) faced another direction and he accidentally shatters a couple of windows on a nearby skyscraper.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Uh. . . How do you stop this thing?!?!
The laser eyes were still not stopping as (Y/N) faces towards the rest of his girlfriends and Spike up on the building and they duck just in time to dodge (Y/N)'s out of control lasers. The Mane-iac just cackles at (Y/N) failing to control his power as he looks down to the ground to prevent causing anymore damage. He smacks himself in the head and blinks a couple of times and the lasers finally stopped making him breath hard from all of the effort.
Spike?: (*groans* Not even (Y/N) has control over his new powers. . .)
Spike then turns to Rainbow Dash seeing if she can make a difference.
Spike?: Dash! Quick! You're Zapp, and your superpower is controlling the mighty forces of nature! Unholster the lightning bolt!
Rainbow Dash uneasily eyes the gold pendant around her neck, then gains a little altitude while holding it skyward in her teeth. A few sparks crackle around the tip, coalescing quickly into a mass of electricity-laden storm clouds. The large twister that forms in their midst, though, is evidently not part of the plan if her widening eyes are any indication.
Spike?: Lightning, not a tornado!
Pinkie flashes around the buildings and then streaks back toward her friends. Galloping at somewhere around Mach 5, she is carrying a tray of cupcakes and wearing a few accessories. She eats a cupcake off the tray, then loses her grip as the tornado begins to take hold of her, causing her hooves to skid on the pavement.
Pinkie Pie (Fili-Second): Whoa!
Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike are quickly sucked in with a round of yells, and Pinkie is last to go, her pink and white streak circling its way up the sides. One of the cupcakes from her tray sails out and smacks Rainbow in the face. Yanking it away, she too is pulled in with a yell, and the errant funnel cloud starts to work its way toward ground level.
(Y/N) sees the tornado and tries to fly away as fast as he could trying not to get caught up in the action, but just when he was barely able to get away, Pinkie's tray slams itself into his face causing him to be sent back and join the rest in the tornado. Applejack is still tied up on the lamppost and the Mane-iac has taken to playing with the Electro-Orb and a round of screams keep on coming from the ponies.
Spike?: Fluttershy! You're Saddle Rager! Lose your temper, and you'll turn into a huge, super-strong monster!
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Oh, gosh! That wouldn't. . . be very. . . polite!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Yeah! I think I'd prefer if you don't turn green if that does happen. . .
Spike and Fluttershy raise an eyebrow at (Y/N) making some weird reference as the baby dragon just smacks a hand to his face.
Spike?: Ugh! Rarity! Use your jewelry to create attack constructs!
Rarity (Radiance): What's an attack construct?!
Spike?: Just think of something, anything, and your bracelet makes it appear!
Getting the idea, she points one front hoof ahead of herself, concentrates fiercely to set the bracelet on that limb alight, and conjures up a glowing pink tea set. The pieces are swiftly yanked away by the swirling winds to shatter against Spike's head.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Rarity! Even if that was a test drive, we need something "useful!" Now is not the time for tea!
Back at the street, the tornado barely misses the Mane-iac, ejecting Spike against the museum wall. Once he regains his senses, he realizes that she is negligently holding her stolen prize within easy reach.
Spike?: The Electro-Orb!
Mane-iac: Well, this has been quite the "mane-raising" experience. But I really must be going. *laughs*
Spike manages to lift the Electro-Orb from her grasp without being noticed and sneaks away as best he can, but one misstep brings a blue boot down on the red cape's hem and sends him stumbling. The device sails away, clunking loudly on the sidewalk before one of those toxic green tresses snakes down and scoops it away to deposit it in her hooves.
Mane-iac: Why, thank you, Hum Drum! *laughs evilly*
The accompanying laugh is the loudest and longest of them all as she clears out, eyeing Applejack up close before swinging up and away between the buildings. Spike looks himself over with a sudden burst of sickening realization. . . that he may be the worst of them all.
Spike (Hum Drum): I'm Hum Drum. . .?!
Spike then notices the tornado returning, but his legs were not enough to keep him from being dragged back in as his screams were merging with those of the six ponies already caught up as they move toward Applejack.
Spike (Hum Drum): Applejack! You gotta. . . help stop the. . . tornado from destroying.. the city!
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): But every time I move, this darn lasso gets tighter!
Spike (Hum Drum): You're psychically connected to it! Will it to where you want it to go, and it'll obey you!
Applejack puts her mind to it, and after a moment the coils release themselves so that she falls loose. Once back on her hooves, she mentally gets her lasso twirling and flips its loop up over the twister's upper end, cinching it tight. Slowly and unstoppably, the mass of spinning air expands like an overinflated balloon until it bursts, hurling ponies, rubble, and cupcakes all over the block.
The six heroes and one sidekick who were inside end up in front of the museum. Rarity has protected herself by creating a platform with a transparent domed cover, and she settles this lot and herself back to the pavement.
Pinkie Pie (Fili-Second): *giggles* That was spin-tastic!
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): Lemme get this straight: We've been sucked into some kind of comic-book world?
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Looks like it. I mean I've read a couple of comic books and manga myself in the past, but I've never thought that I would actually be in one. However, now that we're in it our powers are locked to those that belonged to the protagonists of this comic book world.
Spike (Hum Drum): Technically, it's called Maretropolis. And if we wanna get back to Ponyville, I think we have to stop the Mane-iac from using her doomsday device to destroy it!
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): No biggie. I was already awesome. And now we've all got superpowers!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Hey! I had superpowers even before coming into this world!
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): I don't think spell books count though, (Y/N) considering they're natural back in Equestria.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): How is that any different from the powers that we all have now?
Spike (Hum Drum): Well, "almost" all of us have superpowers. . .
Rarity (Radiance): But you must have them too, Spikey-boo. Your character is wearing a cape!
Spike (Hum Drum): Yeah, for absolutely no reason. He's pretty much useless. . .
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Aw, come on buddy. Even somepony with no powers at all can make a difference. You can be super without them.
Spike (Hum Drum): You don't need to patronize me. . .
Twilight steps up behind and pats him on the back.
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Still, he's right. It's a good thing that you're not really Hum Drum to us.
Spike (Hum Drum): Yeah, good thing. . .
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): So the seven of us Power Ponies will take care of Mane-iac, and get us back to Ponyville!
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Spike, where is the Mane-iac building her doomsday device?
Spike (Hum Drum): Her top-secret headquarters! But you'd better get there quick. That glowing orb she just stole is what she's going to use to power it up!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Well, since we don't know anything about this world, Spike lead the way and guide us to this evil lair.
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Then leave the rest to us!
Spike let's out a downtrodden sigh as he walks forward to just lead the Power Ponies Mane 7 down the city towards where the Mane-iac is.
The eight eventually made it through a city to find that the Mane-iac was at a building with a neon sign on it's upper part. It flashes between two pictures: a limp-maned mare standing beneath a bottle, then the same mare with a necklace and well-styled mane as the bottle pours suds over her head. Everypony stares at it with interest.
Spike (Hum Drum): There it is.
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): Is that a. . . shampoo factory?
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Eh, that's kind of lame for a lair. . . I can't complain though since it makes sense considering she's the "Mane"-iac.
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): All right, Power Ponies, here's the plan. Rarity, you, (Y/N), me, and-
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Come on out, Mane-iac! Or the Power Ponies are comin' in!
She summons a lightning strike that blows out the sign in a cascade of sparks and nearly takes her out in the bargain. Everypony else just gives Rainbow Dash bored looks.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): *sarcastically* Nice. . . No Plan A to Z. Fine, we'll just improvise.
All but Spike move out as he just doesn't seem happy with his role in his group at all.
Spike (Hum Drum): Guess I'll just hang back here doing nothing.
Rainbow Dash then finishes her light show, which has left the sign a charred wreck.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Oh, I don't think she's home. Maybe we should just come back later.
A peal of wild laughter scares Fluttershy's eyes down to pinpoints.
Rarity (Radiance): She's home.
A steel door rolls upward to expose a squad of irate Earth Pony stallions, all well-dressed and sporting carefully styled manes in a range of cuts and colors.
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): Time to Power Pony up!
Pinkie Pie (Fili-Second): Ooh! Nice catchphrase!
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): (A certain mini squad of avengers also use a similar catchphrase.)
As the toughs start to charge out of the factory, the heroes then zips off into action.
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Freeze ray!
This time, she manages to fire off a beam from her horn, but it ends up only pelting one of the adversaries with a snowball. He shakes this off and resumes his rush, and Rarity who was now on a flying carpet she has created, floats over to Twilight's side.
Rarity (Radiance): It's an improvement, darling.
Another stallion races toward a smirking Applejack, who nips two of those gold horseshoes from her saddlebags, catches them on a foreleg, and lets them fly. They hook around the stallion's forelegs, causing him to lose his balance and slide to a painful stop on his belly.
Pinkie then zips in, carrying a partially eaten cake which she proceeds to wolf down in one bite before a third hench-pony closes on her. She is gone in a blur, then returns from the opposite direction to tap him on the rump. As quickly as he turns around, she is gone again.
On her next pass, she gives him several quick pokes back there; for the third, she crouches down and taps the side of his head. By now, his dander is well and truly up, so for her fourth go-round, she smacks him in the face with a banana cream pie. The splatter leaves a banana and two cherries to form a frowning face over his own. Pinkie laughs at the sight before streaking away.
Elsewhere, Rarity who has called up a pair of needles and a length of thread, and put them to work lashing her opponent to the street surface. A large bow finishes the job, but a thud from overhead draws her eyes toward the sky.
Another stallion is perched on the ledge and kicking at the ruined sign, whose supports give way to send the mass of metal plummeting toward her. Rarity cringes mightily under the growing shadow, but before she could get crushed (Y/N) comes in to grab it and with no effort, he hurls it back at the stallion with so much force that it sends it far into the sky.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): It's going. . . It's going. . . Gone! That's (L/N)'s twentieth home run, this season!
(Y/N) said this proudly as he lands on the ground and Rarity walks up to peck (Y/N) on the cheek giving him a little surprise before he turns around to her and bows with a smirk.
Another one of the Mane-iac's goons then charges past behind her, bearing down on Fluttershy. She cowers with a whimper, but is saved when a lightning bolt laces down to crisp her would-be assailant's coiffure nicely.
Henchpony: My hair!
He gallops away as Fluttershy stands up and Rainbow descends toward her.
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Seriously? You aren't even just a little angry right now?
Fluttershy shakes her head meekly from that as (Y/N) walks up right beside her.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): I can't blame you. . . You don't really experience anger much at, but if even the smallest bit of something makes you angry, let it grow okay?
Fluttershy nods shyly as she is still unsure if she'll be able to do that.
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Nice work, Power Ponies! Now let's take care of the Mane-iac and get ourselves home!
Mane-iac: I don't think so!
Her emerald green tresses raise into view followed by the rest of the unstable purple mare being lifted high above the street on them.
Mane-iac: I have a city to destroy, and I'm not about to let the Power Ponies stop me! Not this time!
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Just watch us!
Taking her pendant in her teeth, Rainbow Dash flies toward the Mane-iac, who lifts a giant aerosol can in her mane and gets one of her hair tentacles poised above its pushbutton.
Spike (Hum Drum): The Hairspray Ray of Doom! It stops you in your tracks and renders your powers useless!
Pinkie whisks herself away, but Rainbow gets a heavy blast right in the face that leaves her frozen stiff in midair. She hangs there for a moment before thudding down on her side next to Twilight, her pendant rattling against the blacktop.
Rarity (Radiance): We'll just see about that!
She, Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie gallop in, Applejack preparing her lasso and Twilight firing a horn blast, but the Mane-iac holds her ground and sweeps the block with her spray. The glittering pink clouds dissipate to show the quartet stopped cold just as Rainbow was. (Y/N) sees this and growls before he makes some steaming hot lasers come out of his eyes and shoots them towards the Mane-iac.
The Mane-iac cowers behind her can to try and defend herself from the lasers which somehow worked as they were deflected into another direction surprising (Y/N). He turns to Spike shocked from the sudden outcome.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Why didn't you tell me that laser eyes don't do well with metallic objects?!
Spike (Hum Drum): Guess I didn't pay attention to any of the weaknesses. . . Sorry!
Before (Y/N) could react, he is suddenly sprayed by the Mane-iac and since he was flying in the air, he drop to the ground like a golden bit whirling around when dropped.
The captured minions who were now free, approach the group to the sound of the Mane-iac's triumphant laughter and completely miss Fluttershy and Spike. The former peeks out from behind a mailbox, whose hatch drops open to reveal the latter's frightened eyes within before he puts his head out. Fluttershy ducks away again behind the mailbox scared.
Spike (Hum Drum): Fluttershy, please! Just a little anger?!
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Well, I'm not so much angry as I am concerned, bordering on terrified!
Here comes that spray can, unleashing a squirt to paralyze her, and the Mane-iac reels her in while taking aim at Spike.
Spike (Hum Drum): Don't spray!
The Mane-iac pulls the can away, laughing, and bends down to him.
Mane-iac: *cackles* Oh, Hum Drum, why in all of Maretropolis would I use the Hairspray Ray of Doom on you? Rather pointless, don't you think?
She backs off, laughing again, and she and her underlings haul away seven immobilized and panicking heroes through the factory. Once they are all inside, the door comes down with a slam.
Spike climbs out of the mailbox and start hustling across the street, but he stops short at the sound of a metallic clunk and looks down glumly. Sure enough, he has gotten one foot wedged in a bucket, just as he did during the ponies' castle cleanup.
It didn't take him long, but Spike was able to find another entrance inside of the factory as he was crawling through an air duct that he entered in from the roof.
Spike (Hum Drum): What am I supposed to do? I'm useless. No wonder my friends never need me to do anything important. They're the ones with superpowers. They've probably already figured out how to escape.
By the end of this line he has come to a stop squarely on another vent cover, which begins to creak loudly under his weight. He falls through to see that he successfully infiltrated the factory without getting caught. He drags himself up onto the railing, and his eyes pop wide open to see the opposite of what he was expecting as he sees a suspended cage holding the seven ponies. The Mane-iac's giant hairspray can was aimed directly at them, and one more stallion at the top of a wheeled staircase and poised by the pushbutton.
Spike (Hum Drum): Or not!
In the cage, (Y/N) begins to recover from the paralyzing effect, managing to narrow his eyes, grimace, and shift a front hoof slightly. The stallion on guard duty looks up from his paper at the sound of the bell on a nearby kitchen timer this is his cue to give the cage a fresh spritz that leaves him and the rest rigid once again.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Oh, come on!
Spike then walks along the catwalk wanting to get a closer look and hear in on what the Mane-iac is saying.
Mane-iac: Congratulations, Power Ponies! *laughs* You shall live just long enough to see me fire. . .
One of the underlings then grabs the edge of the tarp covering an object with his teeth and pulls, exposing the base of a giant object mounted on an elevated swivel base, with a control seat and levers attached behind the breech. The weapon was shaped like a giant hair dryer.
Mane-iac: The instrument of your destruction!
She cackles before she plugs in the Electro-Orb onto the device to start it up.
Mane-iac: Once the Electro-Orb has powered it up completely, this cannon will amplify the power of my mane ONE MILLION times, expelling an energy blast that will cause everypony in Maretropolis's mane to grow wild! *laughs* You will be my weapon's first victims, and there is nopony who can save you from this fate! *laughs evilly*
The Power Ponies regain just enough facial control to register varying degrees of anger, annoyance, and wide-eyed horror.
Now the Mane-iac takes her seat and adjusts the position, laughing all the while, as Spike watches and tries to hide himself behind one of the railing's supports. The sound of Fluttershy's throat being cleared from below snaps him out of it and stops the laughter coming from the sinister villain.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Ahem. I don't mean to interrupt, but aren't you forgetting about somepony?
Mane-iac: Hum Drum? Little guy? No superpowers whatsoever? *laughs* He's utterly useless!
That gets the said little guy's hackles up, but the sound of the kitchen timer's bell stops him from acting on it. The stallion on guard duty sprays the cage anew.
Mane-iac: Puh-lease. Everypony knows you just keep him around because you *mocking* feel sowwy for him. Wah. Wah.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): That's not true!
Mane-iac: What?
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Spike. . . er, I mean. . . Hum Drum may not have any superpowers like us, but you just don't get it. Some ponies can still be helpful or even make a difference for others if they just try. Hum Drum's a good example of that. You may think that it's the heroes who will one hundred percent save the day, but sometimes even heroes need help. And Hum Drum. . . I know that he'll come to our aid!
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): That's right! Your world sees Hum Drum as just a tool to us, but our world sees him as the one who will always come through in the end when we need him! Always!
Spike heard this as he smiles and wipes a tear from one eye as various sounds of angry assent float up to him, then stands with fresh resolve.
Spike (Hum Drum): I'm not like Hum Drum! When my friends really need me, I do come through! And they need me now!
He then takes a look at the cannon's base with three stallions posted around it, and the discarded tarp that had covered it. Spike smiles with a sudden inspiration, paying no mind to a burst of laughter from the Mane-iac. He crawls away with his plan in mind.
Mane-iac: *laughs* I see dementia must be a side-effect of prolonged exposure to the Hairspray Ray of Doom.
Spike then drops and sneaks across the floor toward the tarp. He picks up an edge of it wondering what he should do with it before he sees a hook.
Mane-iac: Tonight, we stand upon the brink of immortality, for we collectively—though, mostly me—have finally defeated our most hated nemeses! We have hurled the brush of badness into the now fearful face of *laughs* goodness. . .
Spike runs the hook through a grommet set into the cloth. Now he works his way around the upward-staring stallions, dragging the tarp to encircle them and completely avoiding detection. (Y/N) was able to see this out of the corner of his eye and gives a small smirk at the Mane-iac.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): (Typical. . . Why is it that most of these villains always lose when they think that they've won?)
Mane-iac: . . .and have struck a blow for freedom in the name of oppression! And nothing will stop us!
A peal of insane laughing distracts her from seeing that the chain, which runs over a ceiling pulley, has begun to go taut and pull off to one side. The reason for the sudden tension is that Spike is up on a catwalk and using all his strength to push a large crate, now wrapped in the chain's free end, up onto the railing.
One last heave sends the crate over the edge and the chain's rattling draws the Mane-iac's attention to it and then the floor. The tarp is swiftly yanked away, sweeping the floor clean of all the stallions caught in its perimeter, and they end up as a yelling, cloth-covered mass suspended from the pulley.
This is the point at which the guard's kitchen timer rings for a fresh dose of spray. Before he can get to the can, though, he looks ahead with a surprised little neigh and here comes Spike, swinging in on the chain's free end to deliver a dead-on flying kick. The impact sends the stallion over the railing, knocking over the can and dislodging the button. Its contents spew in all directions and quickly paralyze most of the still-free hench-ponies where they stand.
Twilight Sparkle (Masked Matter-Horn): Way to go, Spike!
A moment's strain, and she manages to straighten one foreleg and turn her head with a calculating smile. Rarity is next to start regaining mobility, and with a foreleg moving, she is able to conjure up a huge nail file and project it to one side and she was able to break all of them out of the cage. The seven unlikely heroes, now all fully able to operate under their own power, are now standing ready to throw down at the new opening.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Time for some brutality!
Rainbow then turns her attention to Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Get mad!
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): I'm trying!
As she strains desperately to summon her inner psychopath, the others descend to the fight with Twilight, (Y/N), and Rainbow Dash by flying, Pinkie zipping down, Applejack leaping down, Rarity creating a staircase and hopping daintily from one step to the next.
Pinkie Pie (Fili-Second): Tag you're it! Tag you're it! Tag you're it! Tag you're it!
She pushes down a frozen stallion on each of the first two repetitions, stops behind a mobile one on the third, and bugs out on the fourth so that the one trying to tackle her takes out his buddy instead. The Mane-iac, points madly around to follow the sound of Pinkie's movements.
Mane-iac: Over there! There! There! Idiots!
She then felt a tap on her shoulder and turns around to see (Y/N) waving at her with a cocky smirk.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Hi there~
He follows this up with a quick punch to the face knocking the Mane-iac off of her device. He then looks to see Twilight in the melee as she unloads a shot into the floor that sends a layer of ice radiating out from where it hits. Three charging mooks lose traction and skid into the side of the wheeled staircase, knocking themselves out.
Rainbow Dash grimaces down at the scene as she pulls out the lightning-bolt pendant once more, this time her eyes briefly flare white as well, and a knot of storm clouds forms at roof level. A couple of thugs hit the brakes, finding themselves in the path of a well-controlled tornado, and have no time to find safety before it vacuums them up. Several more get the same treatment in short order.
Rainbow Dash (Zapp): Need a place to put these guys!
Rarity stops gliding across the iced floor on the skates she has made for herself, dispels them, and quickly calls forth a giant, ornate birdcage as (Y/N) was chasing a stallion using his laser eyes more efficiently. The birdcage is placed on an unoccupied patch of floor, two others appearing alongside it, and two or more stallions are quickly thrown into each and the doors slammed behind them.
Pinkie zips past the cages and buzzes another one who is making a break for an exit door where several have gathered. Their frantic pounding at the door brings Applejack on the trot, lasso at the ready as Pinkie whisks two more off their hooves.
Applejack (Mistress Mare-velous): Hold it right there, partner!
One accurate throw drops the loop around the whole bunch and she cinches it tight. Applejack then directs her thoughts toward the ceiling, and they are quickly hoisted up. The free end wraps around a beam and ties itself off, leaving both the captives and a couple of onlookers wondering just how their leader's plan could go so far off the rails.
(Y/N) then drops right in front of a bunch of stallions trying to get out as well and he get's an idea as he turns to the others.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): Everypony cover their ears!
The rest including Spike did just that as (Y/N) takes a deep breath and then yells. . .
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): FUS-RO-DAH!!!
That extremely loud yell was enough to shatter nearly all of the glass windows in the factory and the place where (Y/N) aimed sent the stallions out of the factory knocking them flat onto another building. One of them tries to get up, but they were so disoriented from the yell that he fell back down feeling dizzy.
Back in the factory, Spike surveys the scene contentedly from the top of the wheeled staircase, but suddenly realizes that one pony is conspicuous by her absence. He addresses himself over the other side to see Fluttershy trying to slip away.
Spike (Hum Drum): Fluttershy, where are you going?
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): You seem to have everything under control.
Spike (Hum Drum): Fluttershy, we need you! You have to power up!
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): I'm sorry, it's just that nothing is making me mad.
The Mane-iac had returned to the controls of her device and she had her attention fully engaged on Fluttershy as she starts to make adjustments.
A firefly giving a smile then flits into view, blocking the Mane-iac's clear shot at Fluttershy. The Mane-iac's eye she has at the scope pops open in annoyed surprise, and a lock of her mane lashes through the sighting aperture to whip the insect away. It smacks hard into a wall and tumbles to the floor with its light flickering and Fluttershy hurries over to it.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Oh, goodness! Are you okay?
It lifts its head weakly and now, only now, does Fluttershy start to boil over as she turns back toward the Mane-iac.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Are you kidding me? I mean, I know you're evil and everything, but you hurt a teensy, little, harmless firefly?! REALLY?!
Her increasing frustration brings puzzlement to the Mane-iac as her voice was starting to get deeper.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): Well you're just a great, big, MEANIE!
That gets the villain just a bit scared as now the pitch of Fluttershy's voice starts to work its way down by steps as her anger keeps building and veins start to bulge on her head and neck.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): *deep voice* THERE! I SAID IT! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU'RE SO SPECIAL?! LIKE THE RULE OF COMMON COURTERSY DON'T APPLY TO YOU?!
As she continues, her eyes burn red and her coat which have gone a deeper shade of yellow and start to rip through her outfit as she was getting bigger and bulker.
Fluttershy (Saddle Rager): *deep voice* WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEPONY YOU'RE OWN SIZE?!?!
As she finishes, the lacy scarf snaps and she had grown to the approximate weight and bulk of a small elephant, bodysuit badly ripped from the sudden growth, and just plain boiling mad.
She lets go with a roar that shakes the entire factory and throws the fear of Celestia into her equine friends as (Y/N) backs up just a little, but Spike just pumps his fist fiercely at the sound of it.
The Mane-iac gapes from her seat and starts hammering furiously at the cannon's controls. A beam lances down from the muzzle, scoring a direct hit on the yellow behemoth and having no effect whatever. A roar sends the blast rebounding back into the Mane-iac's face, knocking her from the perch with a yell.
She has not even hit the floor before Fluttershy leaps onto the breech, wasting not a moment in smashing and tearing the cannon to pieces. Six disbelieving ponies and one dragon gather to watch, debris raining down around them; after nearly ten seconds of crazed demolition, Fluttershy stops dead with a hunk of metal clamped in her teeth.
(Y/N) (Super Stallion): . . .Holy. . . Tartarus. . .
Seeing her friends being so dumbfounded, she spits the metal out and smiles sheepishly, tapping her front hooves together. The sound of crackling electricity makes itself clearly heard as the ponies look to see the Mane-iac defeated as her mane slowly wraps her up due to the electricity.
Mane-iac: My mane! *laughs* My MAAAAAANE!
Words give way to frighteningly unhinged laughter as she thuds to the floor, now securely cocooned from neck to hooves in her own green hair. She starts to flop around like a fish at the bottom of a rowboat. However, the seven ponies and Spike stood proud at their victory.
Spike (Hum Drum): Once again, the day is saved by-
He never gets to finish the proclamation, as a spot of blazing white light appears above the stupendous seven and sucks them all away before disappearing. After their yells of surprise fade away, no trace is left of their presence.
Back at the Castle of The Two Sisters in the hidden room where Spike's comic book lies, the book floats up and opens, a second light spot appearing to eject the Mane 7 and Spike onto the floor in a heap. They are out of their superhero attire and back to their normal appearances.
Just as quickly as it appeared, the light vanishes and the book plops back onto its stand. A scramble of relieved voices is heard as they disentangle themselves, but at the center of it all, Spike just settles for wiping his forehead in relief.
Rainbow Dash: Did you see how I was raining down a storm of justice at the end there?!
Applejack: You catch how I was wieldin' that lasso?
Pinkie then holds a tray of cupcakes out of nowhere.
Pinkie Pie: Cupcakes?
Rarity: How did you?
Pinkie Pie: Eh, we had a good half second before we got sucked back out of the comic, and the Maretropolis bakery was only sixty-five blocks away!
(Y/N): Huh. Maretropolis cupcakes. Don't mind if I do.
(Y/N) munches on one of the cupcakes that Pinkie gave out and Spike walks over to flop on a pillow exhausted.
Spike: I'm just glad to be back.
Twilight Sparkle: We wouldn't have made it without you, Spike. And I hope you realize that just because we don't always need your help, it doesn't mean that we don't think you're helpful.
(Y/N): Exactly. Help is not always necessary, but Spike don't ever think that just because your different from somepony else doesn't make you not useful.
Spike: Yeah. You were right, (Y/N). I don't need superpowers to be a super friend.
Everypony let's out chatter in agreement to that before a question pops up in (Y/N)'s mind.
(Y/N): Something is still bothering me though, where exactly did you get that comic book, Spike? That's probably the only one that I've seen that could lead somepony to the world itself.
Spike: This one I got in Canterlot at the House of Enchanted Comics.
Puzzled glances pass between the seven ponies before they then become slightly irritated as they train themselves on him.
Spike: Well, I didn't know it meant they were literally enchanted!
Their irritation gives way to amusement, and both Twilight and (Y/N) allow themselves a weary little head shake as the other five laugh gently.
Spike: I thought it just meant, like, the comics they sold there had really enchanting storylines!
The Mane 7 then head past Spike and out of the room.
Spike: Hey, wait up! I'm an important part of this team, remember?!
Unseen by dragon or pony, the comic book is suddenly enveloped by a flare of white and vanishes.
Chapter 6 End.