Disappear

by ShimmeringStallion

Mare on a Mission

Mare on a Mission

Twilight reached Fluttershy’s cottage in order to recruit the embodiment of the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy might have been seen as weak by some, but Twilight saw her stand up for her friends against a dragon, so she knew that Fluttershy was dependable, and essential for stopping the mysterious pony that had visited the library. Upon reaching the cottage, Twilight could see Fluttershy through the window. She knocked on the door with haste; she didn’t have much time to spare. Fluttershy opened the door, and was surprised to see her friend breathing so hard. “Oh! Twilight! Are you okay?”

Twilight caught her breath before speaking properly. “Fluttershy, I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to get Applejack and come meet me at Ponyville Hospital. Get her as fast as you can, understand? I’m going to go get Pinkie Pie and Rarity and we’ll be there shortly.” Fluttershy was startled by the sudden request. “T-The hospital? Why the hospital, Twili-” Twilight had already turned her back to Fluttershy, ready to run off again. “I’m sorry, I can’t explain right now. Just get Applejack and meet us there! Please, hurry!” Twilight dashed back down the dirt pathway, over the short bridge, and up the dirt road back to Ponyville. Fluttershy nervously called out to her friend, “Umm, T-Twilight, wait!” but Twilight didn’t listen. She had to make sure the others knew about the visitor.

While running through Ponyville, she wondered why the stallion seemed to have such curiosity directed towards the Elements of Harmony. It almost seemed like he wasn’t from Ponyville, but then again, if he was from Ponyville, Twilight should know who he was, but this pony seemed very different from others around town. The way he spoke, the way he acted, and the hat; he definitely didn’t appear to be a local, but if there was one pony who would know for sure whether he’s from around town or not, it was her friend, Pinkie Pie. She always liked to make new friends, after all.

A shiver ran up her spine. "What if Pinkie already met him?"

Twilight saw Sugarcube Corner just up ahead. Before she could go in, however, out came Pinkie Pie with a joyful trot. Twilight stopped right before crashing into her, and tried to explain the situation to Pinkie. “Pinkie, I need you to come with me right n-” Pinkie interrupted her. “Hey, Twilight! You’ll never GUESS who I just saw in Sugarcube Corner! He was so cool! He had a hat, and a saddlebag! Well, I guess Applejack also wears a hat, and sometimes uses a saddlebag, but this guy was so cool! He was dark blue, and had a gray mane on him! I thought it made him look a bit old, but then I remembered tha…” Twilight stuck her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth to stop her raving.

“Pinkie, this is important, so listen to me: I need you to tell me exactly what that pony did while in Sugarcube Corner, okay? I don’t want any detail to be left out.” Pinkie sat down on the steps outside of Sugarcube Corner, and tried thinking hard about what happened, placing her hooves on her left and right temples. “Well… I didn’t see him the whole time, but from what I saw, he took a couple steps forward, breathed in, breathed out, went up to the counter, breathed in, rang the bell for service, breathed out, breathed i...” Twilight stopped her again. “Okay, leave THOSE details out. Just tell me what happened when he was here.”

Pinkie perked up and relaxed, upon being given the request. “Okey-Dokey-Loki! Let’s see… Well, he came in and seemed to be confused on what to get. I was going to recommend some cupcakes, because really, who doesn’t just love cupcakes!? Anyway, he told me it was for a friend named ‘Derpy Hooves’, and I figured, “Hey! I know what she likes!” So I told Mrs. Cake to bake a batch of Derpy’s favorite muffins, and helped him put it in his saddlebag. He said he was ‘most grateful for my assistance’, and asked me where he could find Ponyville Hospital. I told him it was down the road, near the edge of Ponyville, and he thanked me again after I pointed in the direction he should go!”

Twilight couldn’t believe Pinkie Pie told him where Derpy was. “Was that all that he asked about? Did he say anything about the Elements of Harmony?” Pinkie was surprised at the question, but thought about it. “Nope! Nothing like that at all! He said that Derpy was in Ponyville Hospital, and I get the feeling he felt like he was the reason for her being there.” Twilight was taken aback by this information. “Wait, why do you think that?” Pinkie thought some more, placing her hoof under her chin, as if to consider the reason for herself. “Well… I guess it was because he said "I’m the reason she was sent to the hospital… I’m responsible for it.”… Yeah… I think it’s because of when he said that.”

Twilight covered her face with her hoof. She couldn’t believe Pinkie would just stand there and hear all this without coming to see her. Pinkie continued, “Anyway, I don’t have time to stand around!” Pinkie bounced over Twilight and started hopping down the street. “I’ll see you later, Twilight. I have to go see him again! I forgot that there was something I wanted to ask him while he was here.”

Twilight ran in front of Pinkie, causing Pinkie to be startled slightly, but still bouncing up and down with a smile on her face. “That’s what I was coming here to get you for!” Pinkie stopped bouncing, laughing at Twilight’s reaction. “Twilight, why would I need help just to ask him something that I forgot to ask while he was here? That’s just silly!” Twilight shook her head. “No, Pinkie! I need you to come with me to the hospital! That pony came by the library earlier, asking about the Elements of Harmony. He doesn’t seem to know that we’re the embodiments of the Spirits of the Elements! We need to get the others before he finds out!”

Pinkie didn’t really understand Twilight’s reaction. “He seems perfectly fine! After all, he likes muffins, and probably cupcakes! There’s nothing suspicious at all abou-” Twilight stopped her again. “Look, we REALLY need to hurry and go get Rarity! If that pony really was responsible for Derpy’s condition, then she may be in even more danger now that he knows where the hospital is!” Pinkie couldn’t grasp Twilight’s logic. “But then why would he buy muffins for her?”

Twilight didn’t listen to Pinkie Pie. “Just come with me! Please!” Twilight ran off, while Pinkie stood in place for a moment before joyfully trotting towards Carousel Boutique. Twilight reached it first, and ran in, considering the sign in the window displayed the store as being ‘Open’. The sound of the bell over the door had gotten the attention of Rarity, before the sight of her friend did. “Twilight, what’s wrong? You look terrible!” Rarity was preparing a chest of various gems, meant to be carried to her inspiration room for their application to a variety of gowns. “Rarity, I don’t have time to explain. I need you to come with me and Pinkie Pie right away. We’re going to the Ponyville Hospital.”

Rarity was surprised at the request. She hadn’t been to Ponyville Hospital since Rainbow Dash got hurt. “What’s the matter, darling? Is Rainbow Dash in trouble?” Twilight was surprised at Rarity’s question, but realized that Rainbow Dash would be the most likely to hurt herself given her reckless flying style. “No… W-Well, yes... wait, I mean… Not exactly. Look, I think Rainbow Dash might be in trouble the longer we wait around here. Somepony's on their way to the hospital, and I think things could get bad if they encounter Rainbow. Now come on!” Twilight grabbed Rarity’s tail with her magic, pulling her from the chest of gems before running out the door.

Rarity regained her composure and stopped Twilight momentarily. “W-Well, if I must, but let me just do one last thing, dear.” Rarity turned the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’, used her magic in order to lock up the boutique, and turned back to Twilight in order to properly speak to her. “Okay, let’s not waste any more time.” Twilight thought the sign was a pointless issue, but there was a chest of gems right inside, and it was Rarity’s business and home. She understood the need for security, considering how Rarity was a mare of not only fashion, but also a mare of business.

Pinkie Pie took her time, for the most part, but finally reached Twilight as Rarity was turning the sign. With Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rarity together, they galloped with haste to Ponyville Hospital. Twilight was going to run straight in, but saw Applejack and a rather exhausted Fluttershy coming down from the other side of the road. Twilight stopped at the intersection between the two paths, which also led right to the front doors of Ponyville Hospital.

“Alright, girl, we’re here… well, I am anyways. Give 'er a chance to catch her breath before we go stormin’ in.” Twilight was worried, but she knew Applejack was right. Seeing Fluttershy catching her breath, she thought this was a good time to fill her friends in on the situation. “Alright, listen up, girls. Rainbow Dash brought Derpy to me, but Derpy was missing her wings.” She took a moment to pause so that her friends could comprehend what they just heard; it was pretty unbelievable, after all. “After Rainbow Dash took Derpy to Ponyville Hospital, another pony came by my library, asking for the ‘The Elements of Harmony’ book, as well as a book on Ponyville history. I learned from Pinkie Pie that he also said that he knew Derpy, and was heading here, to the hospital.”

Having caught her breath, Fluttershy spoke up. “Oh dear… T-Twilight, do you think there’s a connection between Derpy’s condition and this… o-other pony?” Twilight nodded. “It’s hard to imagine a connection between the two, not existing… according to Pinkie Pie, he said he felt ‘responsible’. I can’t take a chance with Rainbow Dash and that guy in the same room.” The others nodded in agreement. They understood the severity of the situation, and were willing to join Twilight in making sure Rainbow Dash and Derpy weren’t in any danger. “Is everypony ready?” The confirmed their status by nodding in affirmation. Pinkie Pie chimed in with an affirmative “Let’s go!” followed by Fluttershy confirming her agreement with a timid “Right behind you, girls.” as Applejack stepped behind Twilight in the makeshift line, herding her friends by simply saying “C’mon. Let’s hurry.” With that, they went into the hospital, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Comments

[Leux]

A shiver ran up her spine. "What if Pinkie already met him?"

Twilight Mental Meltdown Counter Level or in short TMMCL: 4 of 7.

No new D.) or E.) grade decisions occurred ^^

[ShimmeringStallion]

2832067 Well she knows Pinkie would be more than happy to talk about herself and her friends, so she feared that if he encountered her, she might say that she's a member of the Elements, or mention the book, or, well, several other things Pinkie might be capable of doing. Heh...