Twilight laid on the ground in foetus position, she rolled from left to right, she was sucking her hooves. Dash and Fluttery were worried as they watched her.
“Um…Twilight,” started timidly Fluttershy. “You are laying and drooling for almost twenty minutes already. Aren’t you supposed to climb up the growing-up stages, before I have to change a diaper.”
Twilight didn’t even say anything.
“I suppose, this time we are in really big trouble.” she turned to Rainbow Dash. “ After the second nervous-breakdown and third iproniazid pill she usually put herself together and think out a plan.”
“Don’t shit yourself! You know how it goes: we put together the team, put on our swag, face the enemy, like a stupid lamb in the slaughter house, we ram the rainbow in its face, everypony is happy, we eat a pizza than go home and go to bed. Why would this situation different than the last one-hundred- million times?
The books of the library collapsed in from the shelves, and parts of the wooden furniture.
“What the Discord was that?” Dash asked. “Are you alright, Flutty, Twalot?
“Sure, only for a second I thought my tooth was going to fall out of my mouth, I was scared so much,” said Fluttershy, holding Twilight tight in her lap.
Both of them looked up to the ceiling, a huge hole looked back at them there. Soon, a giant, black figure appeared in the hole, glowing red.
Fluttershy trembled, still holding Twilight close, who barfed from the shaking. Fluttershy started to cry and got self-pity. “I wanted nothing, but a big sleep, after a big cup of cocoa tonight.”
Dash protectively stood between her friends and the big, black, glowing figure. She stood on her back legs and started to box the air. “I don’t know who you are, but I’ll punch in your face if I must!”
The figure dropped before them with a superhero landing. I was like a meteor crash. The figure got clearer and clearer as it stopped glowing. First, it looked like a jelly sphere that was just un-wrapping itself, getting into a familiar form. A gorgeous, four meters wingspan, two meters tall, red coated, silver maned and tailed mare.
It stood proudly, and looked around the library. Her eyes once stopped at the three pony friends. It headed for them with a severe look on her face.
We can add to Rainbow Dash awesomeness, she didn’t even recoil after this overwhelming entrance. Though, the power could be cut in the air, she stood there as still as the internet of Ponyville. The uninvited guest stood some meters before them already: nothing happened. Dash used this moment to loop up and down the lavish mare that loomed over her.
There was a half-meter long, twisted horn in the middle of her forehead that looked like as though a confectioner had wanted to cook chimney cake and an ice-cream cone at the same time. In spite of the fact of that it looked fearfully pointy. The guest wasn’t as tall as it looked at first time; only her opened wings and the fact there was no light in the library except the pale moonlight. These made her look bigger. Their guest was an alicorn, Rainbow made the conclusion. There was only one question left: what does she want?
“Who are you? Do you know the law punishing property damage and breaking-in?” Rainbow Dash said.
A devilish smirk appeared on the guest’s face.
“Whoa, you, little filly!” she said in her ethereal tone. It was like Luna’s royal voice, without ear breaking noise and gusts as she spoke. It was like a strong, but calm echo.
“You destroyed the house of my friend’s and the only intellectual institution of the village!” Dash told her off.
“Oh, my! I actually did.” answered that happily then it stomped with her foreleg. The library restored itself to its original, intact condition in seconds.
“Fascinating.” Dash said as the voice of group. She turned her head toward the voicelessly staring Fluttershy, and the still decadent Twilight. There was no choice: she had to handle this. So it goes.
“Who are you?” she asked the giant intruder.
“My name is Birner. I came to bring Twilight Sparkle before the council of alicorns, definitely. I have no time to waste.” Birner looked directly at the catatonic Twilight. Her horn glowed in greenish –yellow light as she grabbed the unicorn girl. Fluttershy didn’t want to let her go and tried to hold back against Birner. But the alicorn broke her out of her grip with a simple jerk.
Rainbow Dash found this moment the best to act. She jumped at Briner’s back, she rounded her foreleg around her neck, she tried to balance her weight disadvantage with this. Birner was much bigger than her so she would not have any chance she got below. Soon, she realized it was not a smart idea. She felt as a vibration spread all over her body then some kind of elemental power pulled her off Briner’s back, whom stared at her with angry eyes.
“You good-for-nothing! You imagine you can stand against me? And even you dare to attach me from back?!”
“She did not mean to harm you.” Fluttershy started her say. “She only thought, you should be and feel better in another story.”
Birner looked confused.
“What an earth are you talking about?” Birner snorted on her.
“That’s right! We’ll stop you! Don’t worry! If the others gon’ be here, you get it!” said Dash wriggling in the air in her billowy trap. “ We’ve dealt with bigger douche bags then you!”
Then Fluttershy took action: she took a book up from the ground, jumped high, opened the book and closed it on Briner’s face.
Nothing happened.
“You two vile, dishonest, worthless mobs!” Birner blew up at them. She took up Fluttershy as well.
“I am going to teach you what respect is. If you violate my trust, if my politeness is not enough for you, I am going to show you my power.”
Dash and Fluttershy desperately struggled. They wanted to scream, but no word left their lips. They felt like a giant snake twisted around them and clenched them stronger and stronger.
“ENOUGH! Leave them alone! They don’t know what they’re doing!” said a new voice and the grip loosened. Twilight was that, on her four hooves. Fluttershy and Rainbow dropped on the floor, panting for air.
“Kick her ass, Twilight. Put her back inside the book.” Dash said.
“She isn’t the demon. This is Birner. Head of the council of alicorns.” Twilight announced.
“Well, she’s got a big head, that’s sure.” Dash said.
“I didn’t know alicorns have a trade-union. How many alicorns are there, exactly?” Fluttershy asked.
“I cannot respond that question. It is not a secret society for giving a lecture about.” answered Twilight sadly.
“As if anypony believed us if we start talking about alicorns and their secret shadow government in the bar. There are already more of them then my legs. Where are the others? What do they do? Twiddle their tails?” Dash asked.
“We’re very sorry for the choking and cuffing you with a book. We thought you were the demon, who came back to kill us.” Fluttershy said.
“Very well. I forgive you. If it was only a misunderstanding. I have to admit I arrived with a very…overwhelming entrance. But we, alicorns, like being in the limelight.”
“Isn’t it a paradox with secrets and stuff?” asked Rainbow. But nopony listened.
Birner’s horn glittered, she took crystal ball out of her saddle bag. “You know the rules, Sparkle.”
Twilight lowered her head, and sadly accepted what is going to happen. After a big glow, Twilight found herself inside the crystal ball.
“It’s so cute!” Fluttershy said, as she looked at the tiny Twilight in the crystal ball. She saw the mini-Twilight was moving her mouth, but she heard nothing from it.
“Cool! Is it also part of your bragging?” Dash asked.
Birner snorted. “No. Alicorns transport malefactors inside special crystalballs.”
In that moment it was as if the air freezed.
“Ma-malefactors? What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah, Twilight isn’t even a male, if you didn’t noticed.” Dash pointed on Birner with her hoof.
“Well, you have friends not for your brain.” Birner mockedRainbow.
“Sparkle has to answer in front of the council of alicorns for accusation of committing cause of ponycalypse as a result of negligence.” She explained to Fluttershy.
“But, she has nothing to do with it! It is not right, she got punished for our stupidity!” Fluttershy got frustrated. “That’s not fair!”
“As a librarian, it was her responsibility to make sure that dangerous books cannot get in wrong hooves. Because…this will happen.” scolded them Birner. “Anyway, as it said: why do you need enemies if you can have friends.” she said, putting Twilight into her saddle bag, and she was about to leave.
Fluttershy and Dash, if it was possible, they felt even worse than before. The last statement hit them hard. What’s gonna happen to Twilight? Will they see her again? Why did this have to happen? Why do I listen to Rainbow Dash all the time? Asked Fluttershy herself. Twilight knew exactly, that “bounty hunter” came for her, but she saved them anyway, in spite of them getting her in trouble. And she’s going to be punished for their crime.
As they were fighting with their conscience, Spike the dragon walked down the stairs. He rubbed his sleepy eyes.
“What was that ruckus?”
Spike felt a strong pull on his tail. “Oh, yeah, I take the lizard, too.” Birner said and put him into one pocket of her bag.
Dash as if she forgot the last ten minutes, attacked Birner again with her famous speed.
“Dash, don’t!” Fluttershy screamed. Birner, as if she was counting on it, stepped aside and Rainbow crushed into the bookshelf before her. Birner smiled malevolently then she flew away.
“Did you get hurt?” Fluttershy asked concerned.
“Only my ego, but nothing else,” she replied, as she painfully stood up on her hooves.” That jerk! I’m able to change my direction half-meter above the ground meanwhile I outrun my own voice, but that bastard intentionally directed me into the wall with her magic.”
“You deserved it.” Fluttershy said.” Did you go crazy? Be happy, you get away with just this. What if she start choking you again? Twilight could not save your flank again! What could I do?” Fluttershy started crying. “I would have had to watch you die. Don’t be so reckless. I was so afraid!”
Dash felt ashamed. “I’m sorry, Flutty, I didn’t think about that. I just went my own way.” she said as she cuddled Fluttershy. She was not the emotional type, but at this devastating moment, after all that happened even she needed the comfort. They were there hugging each other.