A New Winter Looms

**A New Winter Looms** is the eighth episode of the Punch Time Exploders Shorts.

## Plot

After an eventful Winter Wrap Up, everypony in Ponyville is unaware that not everyone celebrated the changing of the season.

## Script

(In Ponyville, Springtime... on time)

Mayor Mare: I can't believe it. Spring is here! On time! And we have you to thank for it. If it weren't for your organizing skills, we would still be arguing.

Big McIntosh: Eeyup. [the ponies laugh]

Twilight Sparkle: It was a team effort.

Mayor Mare: And since you helped every team, we have an official vest for you. (Rarity levitates a special vest for Twilight with all the team colors) We give you the title, "All-Team Organizer".

Twilight: Gosh, I don't even know what to say. Thank you, everypony.

Mayor Mare: And hereby I declare that winter is... wrapped up on time. [the ponies cheer as the Musicorn Leaders watch from above]

Alto Aria: Yep, sure looks like spring really came on time for those folks in Ponyville.

Radiance Song: As well as all of Equestria. But not all the ponies celebrated this change in the seasons.

Art Baritone: Now the Alicorn gods of Equestria had let their mortal ponies do their work as they please, but there was one in particular who didn't like the way things are now.

Radiance Song: And he had made reservations to make things go back to the way they were before.

Alto Aria:

He ran the underworld

And thought the living were dull and uncouth

He was as mean as he was desperate

And that's the gospel truth

He has plans to shake things up

And that's

The gospel

Truth

(In the Equestrian Underworld...)

Death Coffin, a walking talking Alicorn Skeleton, was seen on a throne.

Death Coffin: GRIEVOUS! (A Fat Imp was coming in)

Fat Imp: Coming, your Death Coffin-ness! (Trips down the stairs and plops around and lands butt first onto a standby pitchfork) AAAAAAAAACK!

Death Coffin: "HYSTERIA!" (A Skinny Imp was panicking and came in)

Skinny Imp: OH! Sire, sorry I was late, I'm sorry, (Runs down the stairs) HERE I COME! (The Fat Imp pulled himself Free, only for the Skinny Imp to crash into him, the skinny imp flailing around and landing horns first into the Fat Imp's butt)

Fat Imp: A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-OOW! (Death Coffin face hoofed at this) GRIEVOUS! Ohhhhhh!

Skinny Imp: And Hysteria! (Yelps)

Grievous/Hysteria: "REPORTING FOR DUTY!"

Death Coffin: "Ugh, you Imps are such clumsy SOTS! Has that Sphynx reported in yet?"

Grievous: (Frees Hysteria from his butt) She's on her way right now, boss. (the Sphynx arrives at the throne room)

Death Coffin: Ah, Madame Alvira Sphynx. The years have been kind.

Madame Sphynx: Yes, no thanks to you. I'm here to announce that thanks to Celestia's protégé, spring has successfully arrived in Ponyville... right on schedule.

Death Coffin: Oh, that's just great. As if the Running of the Leaves wasn't bad enough.

Madame Sphynx: "Still dejected with how mortal kind has been treating Alicorn Duties?"

Death Coffin: "Do I have to SAY IT OUT LOUD?! The way they have been handling them, it's DISGRACEFUL! They treat it like it's a game or an excuse to get into musicals!"

Madame Sphynx: "Well, I do sometimes wonder on what the Alicorns even saw in mortal pony kind to the point they betrayed the Flame Vortex Dragon just when it was due to reset life again as per usual."

Death Coffin: "Sometimes I wonder if it was right to even do that anymore, or at least if we waited for mortals that RESPECTED our duties to do what was done!"

Hysteria: "Um, sorry if this was a stupid question, but... Why DID the Alicorns betrayed the Flame Vortex Dragon? Wasn't there a sort of, rebirth/destruction deal going on there?"

Death Coffin: "It was a means to clean out any traces of Void corruption during the time of the first war, to make this world pure and incapable of corruption. But the alicorns had too much of a soft spot for mortal pony kind and betrayed the Flame Vortex Dragon before he was able to do his job again. And obviously it has proven costly. Void energy STILL infested the world if a certain Night Princess was reliable evidence of this."

Madame Sphynx: "Though how does this relate to your distain to how mortal kind treated what was once the duties of Alicorn Gods?"

Death Coffin: I'm still working on a plan to put the mortals in their place. I cannot deal with them here and now as I'd like. But in order to do so, I would need the council of... them.

Grievous: The missing king and queen? (Death Coffin and Madame Sphynx give him looks of annoyance)

Death Coffin: No... THEM.

Hysteria: Oh, no! Not... them.

Death Coffin: Yes... I will need to speak to... the Sisters of Destiny.

Madame Sphynx: I don't think we need to involve the Sisters in this. They have enough problems already, ensuring none of the ponies fall to this Lord Rottenday.

Death Coffin: "Well THEY will have to be open to fit me into their schedule, because I need answers."

Madame Sphynx: (Sighs) Boneheaded determination like that makes it no secret why the Alicorn Gods sent you down here."

Death Coffin: "If not for your uses, I would not be so patient with that sass. Now, to seek out the sisters..."

???: Actually... (three elderly ponies arrive in the throne room)

Pony #1: We have time to squeeze you in.

Pony #2: We knew you would need our guidance.

Pony #3: We know everything!

Past Sister: Past...

Present Sister: Present...

Future Sister: And Future. (to Hysteria, quietly) We'll be hit with a surge in technology after the war. It's gonna be big.

Hysteria: "(Awkward nervous chuckle), Good to know."

Death Coffin: "Good that you three are here. Now, listen, just recently the ponies have-"

Sisters: "We know."

Death Coffin: "Yes, I'm aware that you know. Now here's my issue: Ponykind. Ever since they were given the duties of Alicorns they have treated with such disrespect it's maddening, and just recently-"

Sisters: Ponyville made spring arrive in time!

Past Sister: We KNOW!

Death Coffin: I KNOW! I'm aware that you know! I get the concept!

Madame Sphynx: "Nice to know the foreseers of fate, have an eccentric side."

Death Coffin: Yes, but I need them to be serious right now! (to the sisters) Now, sisters, how shall I go about teaching the mortals a lesson in godhood?

Present Sister: Well, the first thing to know is--

Past Sister: Oh, no, you don't! We're not supposed to reveal the future! (Death Coffin groans)

Madame Sphynx: Let me handle this... (At the Sisters) Good Sisters of Destiny, be more open minded. Imagine if one day the Alicorn Gods decided your jobs are better off to mortal ponies? Would it not concern you that they would treat it like a joke? (The Sisters were silent, then huddled for a bit and whispered; after a while, they broke up the huddle)

Present Sister: The Sisters of Destiny have spoken... mostly of the impossibility of the fact that mortals could take our place.

Future Sister: But nonetheless, we will show you what the future holds. (a crystallized eye appears and shines)

Present Sister:

In three seasons' time, give or take a day or three

The Elements will align, back where they should be...

Death Coffin: Three seasons? That doesn't give me much time at all!

Madame Sphynx: Shh! Let them have this.

Past Sister:

They'll unleash a demon to wander the land

Allowing for you to gather a monstrous band.

Death Coffin: A demon, you say? Go on.

Past Sister:

The Heartless will rise under your deathly stance;

Not even the most powerful magic will have a chance.

Madame Sphynx: Yes, yes, and...?

Present Sister:

Then the alicorns will see their error as the mortals fall

And with you as their guide, they, once again, will rule all!

Death Coffin: (Madame Sphynx laughs evilly) Yes! My plan will come to fruition! I shall succeed yet!

Future Sister:

A word of caution to this tale...

Death Coffin: (Madame Sphynx stops laughing) What?

Future Sister:

Should the brave heroes fight, it will fail!

(The sisters disappear, as well as the crystal eye, leaving everything quiet)

Madame Sphynx: (Sighs disgruntledly) I bet it goes back to those alien outsiders. The same ones that helped Fire's Bane finally befall the Flame Vortex Dragon.

Death Coffin: (Scowls) Then we have a problem... A severe, problem...

Madame Sphynx: Yes... a severe problem that I'm sure will be dealt with in due time. But for now, we must wait.

Death Coffin: But Alvira...

Madame Sphynx: Be patient, Death Coffin. The "three seasons" part of their prophecy could mean anything. It could mean within the year... Or perhaps, they were being post-modern and refer to seasons as in what refers to a show's run time. And sometimes, seasons for shows can take generous years to approach.

Death Coffin: Hmmm... Either way, it does offer more time to plan accordingly... And above all... Allow us an ability to deal away with the alien interlopers. Then with them gone, there is just the matter of finally putting mortal kind, in their place. (Chuckles evilly) That is all for now, Alvira. (Madame Sphynx leaves)

Madame Sphynx: (to herself) Of course, the "brave heroes" part could refer to Sparkle as well. Three seasons could be a long time... all the more time for me...

The End

## Trivia

* The short takes place after the MLP episode *Winter Wrap Up* and references the events of *Fall Weather Friends*.
* This short is a prequel to a future episode inspired by SAF's *The Keyhole of Equestria*.