Chapter 10: Adjusting
(Still continuing from the previous chapter)
Twilight trotted her way towards the Town hall. Her thoughts still focused on the Question of who or what are those boxes for and the for the reason behind Celestia not responding to any of her earlier reports and letters. Tonight she is gonna confront the Mayor what exactly has been happening in Canterlot and here in town.
"Hey Twilight look at this." Spike placed the newspaper on her forehead.
"Canterlot conducts an unscheduled military field training today and succeeded without anypony getting hurt. Sightings of the Canterlot monster increase." Twilight read the headlines without watching where she was walking to.
"What do you think that means?" Asked Spike keeping his eyes on a few of the other pages. "I think this the latest print available. How long has it been since we actually picked one of these-" he continued to ramble.
"Spike you're blocking the way-ay-aha!"she collided into the Town hall startling the Mayor and her assistant.
"Ms. Twilight Sparkle are you alright?" Asked the mayor as Twilight got back on her legs. Spike began chasing after the pages in the air and floor. For some what reason it possessed him to keep looking through it.
"The pages of the newspaper littered the office. "Yes, I'm sorry about this." Twilight replied as her horn lit up with magic. Each of the pages flew together forming a complete newspaper then it floated back into Spikes claws. "I was meaning to come here earlier but, I had to take care of something."
"I can understand that. What can I help you with?" Answered Mayor Mare with an earnest expression. She leaned back into her chair and rearranged a few stacks of folders including one containing the picture of the Red Unicorn.
"Well, I've been wondering. Where were those boxes from? The ones that were going into the Windmill today. They looked like they were from Canterlot." Asked Twilight. She moved closer to the desk where the elderly Assistant was sitting.
The Mayors happy expression turned into a more stern cautious one. "I'm afraid I cannot expose that information to you. The new owner has requested for Privacy during his stay." She paused and cleared her throat. "Is there any other matter I can assist you with Ms. Sparkle?"
Twilight seemed to get her curiosity itching as the mayor explained. "Okay... How about the Princess? Has she sent any info or letters as of late?" She asked changing the topic. "As of late I haven't been receiving any letters from her recently. Do you know if anything had happened I her?"
"I believe she has been rather busy dealing with the remnants of what happened a few nights ago. Only yesterday did I receive just the documents for the new resident. She has not given any other documents since then." Explained the Mayor as she managed to open one of her drawers and place the folder into.
Spike finally losing interest in the newspaper stretched as he walked over to the side of Twilight and stood there next to her. "It's getting late shouldn't we get a few things for the sleep over?" As he said that his stomach started to make a rumbling noise. He brought his stomach over it as he burped and three Scrolls appeared as well as an envelope. "Bleh!... Express delivery..." He walked over and picked them all up. "Hey Twilight check this out there are names written on them. This Envelope is for the Mayor. Hey and there's a Scroll for me!"
Twilight levitated the envelope over to the Mayor and took the scroll meant for herself. She looked at it cautiously even as her magic undid the bow that held the scroll. It unrolled and floated down to her face. "Dear, Twilight Sparkle my most Faithful student. I apologize for my lack of replies for the past few days. As you have noticed, The kingdom recently had its military presence increased around the borders. There have also been Certain developments since we last met. The Diamond Dog mines have been properly taken care of as well as those who were held there have been compensated for their pain. I hope you accept my apology and be expecting things to return to what they were before. Sincerely, Princess Celestia." She rolled the Scroll back up and sighed. "That answered one Question but, I still don't feel right... I think she's hiding something from me." She turned to Spike as he read his Scroll.
Spike read the note then quickly incinerated it with normal dragons breath.
"Spike! What did you do that for?" Asked Twilight slightly annoyed.
"It said that I will be expecting more letters in the future and why she hasn't been sending any." He replied as he hoped onto her back. "But, hey what do you think ever happened to that Canterlot Monster?"
Twilight looked at Spike slightly vexed at his ignorance then at the Mayor who scanned through her letter and put it into her desk. She seemed at the moment satisfied with her current answers but still felt a twinge of curiosity for what had been going on.
"Ms. Sparkle It seems our time here is done. It is time to lock up." Said the Mayor interrupting Twilight's train of thought. The time she had spent there had gone by faster than she thought. Suddenly, a thought had hit her like a bag of apples. "Spike we have to go! The sleep over we still have to get things for tonight!" She yelled as they quickly galloped out of the Town hall.
Later...
Twilight was able to collect on the items needed for the little party. Both her and Spike were walking through the town carrying bags of groceries until a familiar face came along. Applejack was at her cart of apples along with Big Mac and the CMC. Apple Bloom noticed her and waved her over. Twilight who was happy to see her friends, trotted over. "Hey there Apple Jack how did the sales go today?"
"They're alright. Macintosh here finished bucking early and was able to sell a few. He says I can go ahead and join y'all at the sleep over." AppleJack replied. She picked up the last bushel of apples and placed them into the cart. "Care for some apples?"
"You bet." Said spike as he held his bag of groceries open. AppleJack placed six bright red apples along with one larger than the rest. Spike smiled as he grabbed it and began to munch on it.
Twilight grabbed her bit bag and levitated a few of them over to Applejack who placed them into her hat. "Thanks Applejack." Said Twilight as she put the bit bag away. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the windmill with most of its lights off other than the upper floor where a pony's silhouette was visible through a window. Applejack watched as her friend squinted her eyes. "Uhh. Twilight what're you looking at?"
Twilight watched as the Ponies horn light up and lift books into the air. "Have any of you heard anything about the Windmill?"
Apple Bloom happily jumped in front of them followed by other two. "Yeah here. We took photos of him." Said Sweetie bell as she pulled a little pink folder from the cart.
Twilight levitated each of the pictures and closely examined them. "Hmmm... Why do you have pictures of him?" Asked Spike as he grabbed one of the pictures as well. "That's a bit creepy."
"He's a blank flanked Unicorn!" shouted Scootaloo. While pointing at a picture. The pictures showed the pony as he walked around the windmill and inside it.
"Now Apple Bloom you know it's not right to do that sort of thing. Why are you going around taking pictures of ponies and their flanks?" Asked Applejack as she scolded her little sister. "This could get you into alot of trouble you know."
Spike's eyes suddenly widened as he noticed something was wrong with the picture. He spat out some of the apple and pointed directly at the reddish splotches. "Twilight look at this!" He dropped the apple and held the photo up to her face."Look at that! That looks like magic coming off his coat."
Twilight looked at the rest of the pictures and noticed it too. As she looked closer, she noticed a dim yellow glow coming off of the necklace he wore. "That's strange... He has no cutie mark, a request for privacy, and last of all that." She once again pointed at the necklace.
"Maybe there's something wrong with the camera they were using." Inserted Applejack. As she looked at the same photo Twilight was focused on.
"That's one thing I'm not to sure about. But that is a probability. Mind if I keep this picture girls?" Asked Twilight as she levitated the rest of the pictures back into the folder except for one. "Well I think it's time we got home the rest of the girls will be showing up pretty soon. She placed the photo into her bag and levitated Spike's bag into his claws.
"Alright then you two we'll be seeing ya." Applejack said as She and Mac put on their harnesses. They waved goodbye as they made their way home.
Twilight seemed to be in deep concentration during the walk home. Who was this pony? What was he doing that he requested privacy? These questions seemed to boggle her mind as more and more possibilities sprouted.
They soon passed through the river. Twilight noticed the light in the windmill still showed the silhouette of the pony with even more books floating in the air. It appeared as if he was still unpacking those boxes. The boxes that she believes are from Canterlot. She looked back until the windmill was out of sight and out of mind.
"Hey Spike? What Exactly did the Princess tell you in the letter? Was it anything urgent?" Asked twilight shifting her focus.
"Spike scratched at his chin as he thought about it. "Well for the first part. The princess said that I will be receiving more mail but, some of that won't be for you. Some will go to the rest of the girls and some other guy. Oh well, that's nothing to be worried about."
"Is that it?" Asked Twilight poking even further into her number one assistant. Spike shook his head no. But luckily they had reached home where a few girls were already inside.
Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity all sat in the kitchen where Pinkie Was already setting up to cook a batch of cupcakes but, with a weary face. Both Fluttershy and Rarity were busy talking to each other. As soon as Twilight and Spike stepped in, Pinkie Pie instantaneously popped up next to them causing Spike to drop a bag of groceries. . "Is it True?! There's a new pony in town?! Where?! What color is his coat?! Does He have a Horn?! No wait wings! Does he have Wings?!" Asked Pinkie almost all at once.
"Calm down Pinkie! I haven't even met him yet. And there's something strange about him." She replied as she levitated the bags of food to the kitchen and her bag towards the closet which also contained a mystery bag. "I was only able to obtain a bare minimum of info from the visit with the Mayor along with why The Princess hasn't been replying to my reports." She sighed as she explained the rest in detail to the rest of her friends.
On the other side of town at the Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack was already heading out when Rainbow Dash happen to fly in with a small cloud. "Oh hey there RD y'all ready to head onto Twilight's now?" Applejack as she locked the gate towards the house. "Hey what's wrong?"
Rainbow Dash looked edgy while she kept the cloud around. "Have you heard?" She whispered. Looking around.
"Have I heard of what now?" Replied her friend with a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"That Canterlot monster. The ponies in Cloudsdale are saying its moved again and yesterday that Drill in Canterlot wasn't a drill. They were hunting after it." She took a moment to recollect herself as she exhaled. Suddenly the sound of a twig breaking spooked her. Causing her to shriek and fly higher into the air.
Applejack couldn't help but to chuckle as her friend slowly floated back down. "What's wrong? That whole monster thing got you all spooked?" She joked.
Rainbow Dash perked her ears up as her bravado returned. "Nahh... I'm just messing with ya you know. Just conjuring up a little something to bring to the sleep over." She replied but still sounding a little spooked. "Anyway what's this I hear about a new pony in town. Wouldn't have Pinkie been all over that?"
Applejack nodded her head as she began to continue on the path. "I think it's better we let Twilight explain that later. Besides look at the time." Rainbow still holding the cloud flew down by the cowpony and slowly flapped her wings just to stay close.
A little later (at the Library)
Rainbow Dash and Apple jack finally opened the door to see Pinkie tied up with what seemed to be a blanket while next to her were Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight who seemed to be writing up some sort of battle plan on the chalkboard. "Okay what exactly is going on?" Applejack as she put down her bag. Rainbow Dash floated in on her cloud and stepped off of it.
"Hey Egghead! I thought this was supposed to be a slumber party. I didn't know we were gonna end up joining the hoofball league." Said Rainbow Dash as she flew over to Twilight who continued to strategize. "Fluttershy help me out here. What is all this?"
Fluttershy looked up with her usual semi-expressionless face. "Umm. Well, Rarity started talking about this new pony in town that she had heard about from Sweetie Belle earlier today. Then when Twilight came home she took out a picture of him and explained something about him having a weird aura around him. But, after that Pinkie went insane demanding we go over to invite him to a party, but then Twilight got mad when she picked up some of the food she just bought and tried to head outside. I think she was going to try to go to the Windmill. So, Twilight tied her up using the blanket for that couch. It was all rather exciting if you ask me."
"Uhh... Ooookay... Did you get any of that Applejack?...Applejack?" Replied Rainbow after that rather long briefing.
Applejack seemed to be occupying herself with the Pinkie in a Blanket. "Gimme a sec. I'll be right there." She answered using her teeth to pull out a knot in the Blanket. Suddenly Pinkie came undone spinning like a tornado until she finally stopped in front of her savior.
"Thannnnk...youuuu...Applejack... I think I'm gonna lay down here for a while. Maybe until the planet gets back into orbit." She collapsed and laid there like a dead dog.
Suddenly Rarity held her right hoof up and without turning her head. Twilight answered. "Yes Rarity?"
"Ahem. This plan of yours what were we supposed to be doing again?" Asked Rarity in a calm yet patient manner.
"Like what I said earlier. We have to make sure he's not a threat." Answered Twilight as her aura around chalk dissipated as she placed it down.
"I don't get this Twilight? So we're just gonna bust into this poor fellers home and interrogate him?" Asked Applejack. "Wouldn't it be wiser just to leave him alone? You remember what the Mayor told ya. He wanted to be alone."
"This is different. We're not going to bust in and question him. We're just going... To... Watch him"
"But, Twilight wouldn't it be rude to spy? I mean if somepony was spying on me. I would be pretty mad. Wouldn't you?" Inserted Fluttershy getting up as well.
"Now just hold on a second. I remembered something about no cutie marks. What about that?" Said Rainbow dash rubbing her chin. "Why would he not have a cutie mark unless he was hiding it. There's a spell for that right Twilight?"
"I don't really know if there even is a spell like that..." She replied. She looked around the room and noticed something. It was unusually Quiet aside from their bickering. She spotted the blankets on the Ground and that there were only five of them in the room. "Girls...girls! Pinkie is gone!" Each of the girls turned away from the board and looked around. Pinkie was indeed gone.
Outside. (In the middle of the night.)
Pinkie was wearing a black suit and a pair of goggles slowly crept while balancing several cupcakes on her back. She didn't have time to plan a party but she did have enough time to welcome him to the Town. She slowly made her way over to the center of town.
Suddenly, the sounds of wings flapping and hooves approaching. She quickly gathered up and jumped into the shadows without dropping a single crumb. Twilight and everyone else dressed up in a rather similar style Except for Applejack and Rarity. Applejack still had her hat on while Rarity wore what looked to be like a pony version of what the modern cat woman would wear. It's dark reflective faux leather along with several gems shined in the moonlight.
Twilight looked at them with a face of dissatisfaction. "What? I couldn't pass up the right opportunity to try this outfit. I mean doesn't look marvelous?" Asked Rarity as she danced in the moonlight.
They each slowly snuck around while calling for Pinkie. As they did this, the Pink cupcake totting spy walked the roofs of Ponyville to her advantage. The girls couldn't and surely wouldn't be able to find her.
Twilight looked around unable to see where her friend had gone as they inched close enough to the Windmill that the lights could still be seen. "Where is she?" She asked herself. If Pinkie were to disturb him during this over watch operation. They could lose their only chance to spy on him.
Suddenly, Pinkie dropped down from above her and hung there looking her straight in the eyes. "Hey there Twilight. When did you guys put on costumes?" She loudly asked.
"Pinkie shush he could hear us." Whispered Twilight. Almost as if not hearing Twilight at all Pinkie climbed back up and continued on her way.
"Hang on Egghead I'll get her."said Rainbow Dash taking to the air. "Pinkie comeback here!" She flew by her friend grabbing but failing. Pinkie just Rocketed ahead as she got several feet to the entrance of the windmill. About to bash the door in an invisible shield stopped her dead in her tracks. The batch Pinkie was carrying fell to the doorstep ruining several of them. Rainbow dragged her friend away just in time as the door was opened. Red poked his head out to look for the source of what had caused the commotion only to see a single cupcake that was unharmed. He picked it up with his magic, looked it over and sniffed it. He shrugged. Then took a bite. He saw no one was there and went back inside still eating the cupcake.
Twilight wiped the sweat off her brow "Phew... That was a close one. thank goodness for that shield. But, why was he using one?" She thought to herself. She watched as the Red Unicorn trot upstairs and closed the curtains after a while the light then went off. He seemed to already be locking up for the night until she noticed him through the window by the entrance.
"That Pendant it... It can't be...can it?" Said Twilight as he floated several other books into a bookcase. After several seconds he closed the curtain blocking him out.
The girls walked their way back towards the Library. Twilight held her head down in concentration. Rainbow Dash flew above them all just a few meters as if she gave much of a care. Rarity still danced in the moonlight letting gems glisten. Fluttershy along with Applejack watched over Pinkie pie whose mane straightened out instead of it being its usual puffy Cotton candy like style.
"I failed... I failed... He didn't get a good welcome...why?..." Said Pinkie dramatically. "I couldn't even say welcome... Welcome to Ponyville.
"Aww come on Pinkie you always got tomorrow to try to get him his party. That can make up missing it today." Said Applejack in her comforting tone of voice.
"Yeah. Didn't you notice how much he was enjoying that Cupcake? He smiled when he took that bite." Said Fluttershy placing her wing on Pinkie's back.
Suddenly, Pinkies hair puffed back into her usual style as she locked both of her friends in a lock type hug. "Ohhhh!. I guess you two are right. Next time! Next Time He's gonna get the party he's got coming to him... But first I need his name..." She jumped back towards Twilight to concentrate then to Rarity to dance as well as she did.
In the windmill before the spies.
Joe was going through several of the boxes that were stacked up against the wall. They bore the mark of Celestia's school for gifted Unicorns on the box. He picked up a few of them and brought them to the table. As he undid the seal on the box he opened them to find that these were volumes of Equestrian history and spell books. They looked as if they were brand new.
"The Princess really wants me to learn magic." He said to himself as he looked at the other box and picked it up as well. The box contained several things such as a few blank scrolls. A little puzzle box and a letter. It was addressed to him from The Captain of the Guard." I have included in these parcels a book on offense and defensive magic. you may study them under princess Luna's teachings. but may this be a warning to you, I highly Suggest you use them only when you or the town are in immediate danger." said the letter. "P.S Princess Cadence here. I hope you enjoy your stay there. there are plenty of different ponies there I suggest you make friends with them.
Joe sighed as he placed the letter into its envelope. "I'm sorry Mrs. Cadence. I didn't come here to make some friends I came here to learn and look for the spell that will bring me home." His words felt a little cold denying that bit of advice from a mare such as Cadence. He took out the book, examined it and put it back. He eyed the book shelf by the window.
Suddenly, he stopped and placed the pendant on his neck and changed back into a pony. There were sounds of activity from outside. There were audible shouts and wings flapping. "I better check upstairs. But... Just incase they try to get inside." He thought as his horn began to glow a faint red. He then shot a dim pillar of magic through the roof and it cascaded down making a transparent shield around the whole place. the big shield caused the big windmill to slowly stop to a halt. as soon as his horn stopped glowing He made his way trying to climb the stairs with his hoofs which he was still getting used to.
Once upstairs he closed the curtains and looked through the curtains. There seemed to be a few of them outside probably playing a game... Or something. He turned around and trotted towards the door. Before leaving he made sure the light was out and trotted his way back downstairs. He made his way to the bookcase and used his magic to levitate the boxes of books over to him. He then used his magic to move each of the books into the shelves in order. As he was doing this, the sound of something big hitting against a big sheet of glass caught his attention. It was right out side the door. He placed the cautiously trotted over to the door. It slowly opened and he stuck his head out.
There was nobody there except for a few ruined cupcakes scattered all around the entrance to the door except for one particular one. "Five second rule." he thought to himself as he picked it up and gave it a smell. He shrugged and took a bite. Then he turned around and went back inside.
After finishing the cupcake he turned back to the bookcase and placed the last few books up. He noticed that the curtain next to him was still opened so he closed it. He placed the boxes to the corner and trotted toward the box that had the letter. He levitated his journal and placed the letter in it. Then he looked at the book on spells. It was cover was gold and had big cobalt blue letters on it. It was titled "Offensive and defensive spells: Intermediate level." He flipped open a few pages and noticed Shining's name on a page. It was the high level shield that he had showed him. On one side it showed the picture of the whole town and castle surrounded by it. And underneath the text it showed him inside an alley version. At the bottom of the text it showed a little high lighted area. "If charged regularly the shield will remain unbreakable."
"Not anymore" snickered Joe as he remembered shattering the first one he was in. He placed both of his books, the two bags, jar of medicinal jelly and the pack of bandages into the one box. He then picked up the saddle bag and placed it into a small closet. He turned on a few lights and saw the rest of the room he was in. It looked like a living room but on the other side was the kitchen which seemed a little empty. On the table was a basket of apples. Probably a welcome to Ponyville gift from the Mayor. He grabbed one and munched on it. After a few more bites he threw the finished core into a waste basket. He turned off the lights in the living room and the kitchen. He levitated the box headed up the stairs. He went into one of the rooms and placed the box down. He turned around and explored the rest of the building. There were four levels of the windmill. The basement was accessible through the kitchen. The first floor being the living room. The second floor was where the bedrooms sat. And finally the third floor was the room where the mechanical parts of the windmill's turbine spun a column leading to a power generator down in the basement. This building along with several others around the wide area seemed to be the only ones using electricity.
While looking at the column in the stairway,he instantly remembered that he had stopped the turbine when the shield went up. As he turned around to head downstairs the lights flickered off he then tumbled down a few.
"Oww... " He groaned as his horn lit up. Out side the shield flickered and dissipated. Then the turbine began to glow red with his aura as it slowly started turning again. "Note to self. Don't stop the windmill."
Back on the second floor he entered the first room he saw and turned on the light. "No bed." He complained exiting the room then he went to the room beside it. "No bed." It was the same for the third bedroom. "They didn't give me a bed" he whined "Tomorrow..."He went back down to the living room and threw himself on the couch. He took off the pendant turning him back into a human and placed it on the little table you can pretty much call the coffee table then pointed held his hand out. The first book on the bookcase levitated off the case and into his hand. He began to read the first book of the history of Ponyville.
Back at the library.
Everypony except Twilight entered the living room after going upstairs and removing their spy gear. Twilight stayed in her room as she stood in front of a display case full of what seemed to be from Celestia's school of gifted Unicorns. She looked at her acceptance letter, a picture of her and Celestia, and... a pendant that exactly resemble the one the Red Unicorn was wearing except with a purple jewel within it. She looked at it for a while until Spike came up behind her.
"Hey what's going on Twilight? Everyone is waiting for you." Asked her assistant. "What happened out there?"
Twilight explained what she had found out. "I think he is one of Celestia's other students but, his jewel was red." She finished.
"What's so wrong with it being red?" Asked Spike looking at the pendant as well.
"That's just it, it means he's an apprentice. Since when did Celestia have an Apprentice?" Asked Twilight as she shook Spike. "Celestia never said anything about one. Here look at this." She levitated a picture that they had taken a couple of years ago with Everypony from the castle except for Luna.
"He's not there. Replied Spike. He pushed the picture away and looked at his friend. He spoke in a loud yet non offensive way. "TWILIGHT...LET IT GO. MAYBE CELESTIA HAD HER REASONS NOT TO."
"I can't Spike. I need to know. What if he poses a threat to Ponyville. He has a strong aura. That means he is a pretty high leveled Unicorn." She panicked. "What if he's faking being Apprentice?!" She shouted.
"Okay but, we can check that out later." Replied Spike as he got back up.
"HELLOOOOO! Twilight are you coming down yet! It's getting boring. Shouted Pinkie coming up the stairs.
"Should we tell them what you know? Asked Spike closing the door just as Pinkie was about to poke her head in.
"No... Not yet we need to find out more." She replied towards Spike. "Just give me a second Pinkie. She walked over to the door and opened it letting Pinkie fall into the room. "C'mon Pinkie don't fall asleep yet." She levitated the dizzy pony downstairs and set her with her friends. "So girls what do you all feel like doing?"
After a few hours of Them partying.
All of them sat in a circle around a little lantern to resemble a camp fire. Applejack sat up waving her hooves as she finished her Scary story. "And That's How the Headless pony got her name." Finished Applejack.
"Aww... That was boring. Said Rainbow Dash as she sat up from her cloud.
"But you're the one who told me that story in the first place." Replied Applejack.
"It sounds cooler when I tell it. Okay how about this one." She said as she got up and stood upright. Her shadow resembled that of a bipedal creature.
"Eep!...what about no..." Yelped Fluttershy as she shivered underneath her sleeping bag. She resembled a tucked in turtle.
"Aww...come on this one isn't that scary. "Replied Rainbow Dash. "I got this one from a pony I know in Cloudsdale, who Knew a pony in Dodge Junction who knew a pony in Canterlot who told her this one."
"Okay...maybe one more..." Said the turtle. She popped her head out from her sleeping bag turtle shell.
"Okay then! The story began in the Canterlot gardens where they took care of the little animals... But then, some ponies noticed something was wrong. One day when the ponies who feed the animals came in to feed them, they were all gone. The ponies who came back said that there was a big black creature running away."
"Oh dear... What happened to the animals?..." Whispered Fluttershy as she shook in the sleeping bag turtle shell. "I hope they're alright..."
"Oh but the animals disappearing wasn't enough. The next day the ponies who went to investigate disappeared as well." Said Rainbow Dash hovering above her friends.
"But wouldn't the ponies watching alert Celestia, the guards and the media?" Asked Rarity while she applied a sort of cream to her face."
"That's the thing. The creature broke into the castle and tried to probably capture the princesses. But Celestia capture it and brought it to the courtyard to see what it was. Then sometime later destroy it."
"I don't think the Princess would've done that wouldn't she have tried to communicate with the creature?" Asked Twilight raising her eye at the assumption.
"That's just it somepony said that while the princess tried talking to it the thing used some kind of weird magic or something that overpowered Celestia causing the creature to escape back into the castle."Rainbow jumped over to Pinkie and locked her hooves around her as if she had an octopus wrapping her head. "After that it spent a day hidden in the castle."
"Then what happened to the princess?" Asked Applejack getting closer towards everyone. "You said she got beat."
"We'll, they were saying that the monster messed with her head as she held it. She was out cold for the whole time the creature took its stay." Replied Rainbow as she let go of Pinkie and moved back towards her cloud. "Oh and today they say that the creature broke out and rampaged around the town. That's why the shield was up today just watch somepony is gonna tell ya. Several parts of Canterlot were messed up in that."
"Wait a minute, are you trying to say that this creature. Was able to turnover Canterlot By itself and nobody was able to say anything about it?" Asked Twilight still looking a bit distraught and confused." I know I would've. Seen something about it somewhere."
"Have you even been reading the Newspapers Twilight the evidence is all there." She replied turning towards the closet door. "Hey Spike can you get us the recent issues of Equestria dailies?"
Suddenly, Spike tumbled out of the closet spilling his bowl of popcorn. "Yeah... I guess you caught me..." He replied as he got back up and went towards the kitchen.
"Spike. It's way past your bedtime." Scolded Twilight as she levitated the bundle of newspapers from the young dragon. She read each of the headlines in front of her. "After mysterious events in The Everfree mysterious creature spotted around Canterlot Castle... First evidence of creature." She looked at the very blurry image of the creature. "After strange incident in castle gardens... Authorities refuse to issue reports... Celestia refuses appearance." She looked at the last paper and held her hoof to her chin. "Unexplained military exercises leaves questions."
"But how does that tie the whole pony stealing creature into play?" Asked Applejack taking one of the newspapers.
"Just sit down and let me finish the story." She continued as everyone sat back down on their seats. "Ahem... This morning the same creature was able to cause another rampage but with those pony's who went missing. The creature brainwashed them and some say the princess. It managed to get all the way back to the castle until the princess was able to chase him away and capture those under his spell."
"So... The Princess was able to breakaway from whatever it did? Or was it something else?" Asked Fluttershy as she finally got out of her sleeping bag and sat upright. But, where did the creature go?"
"Oh that's what I was about to get at. Several ponies up in Canterlot say they saw what appeared to be the creature around the forest somewhere around here. Soooo, I'd be on the look out if I were you Fluttershy." She crept up to Fluttershy prowling like a monster.
Fluttershy quickly jumped away and into the sleeping bag where she zipped it up tightly. "Can...can we... Maybe go to sleep now?...but with the lantern on maybe... If you don't mind..."
"Alright that's enough Stories for now..." Said Twilight as she put the newspaper aside. And climbed into her bag.
"Umm... Twilight do you think I can sleep down here for tonight?.." Asked Spike already totting his basket.
"Oh here Spikey Wikey you can sleep over here if you're feeling afraid." Suggested Rarity as she watched the little dragon.
As soon as she had said that Spike dragged his basket over there and tucked himself away comfortably. Twilight sighed and tuckered herself away as well. Everyone went their ways climbing into their sleeping bag except Fluttershy who was pretty much already locked up and Rainbow Dash Who was laying on her cloud. The sounds of the night were calming as everyone one by one fell asleep.