"Oh, well..." Fluttershy began as she reached into the apple box to grab the book. "I found it this morning, just in front of the...portal to Equestria. I was going to tell you guys about it, really, but-!"
"Hold on, it was just sittin' out there in the snow?" Applejack asked, and Fluttershy nodded. "But that must mean..."
" ...Sunset's gone back to Equestria... " Rarity finished solemnly. In the corner of the room, the CMC threw each other wide-eyed glances, and silence seized the room again.
Rainbow Dash was fuming, however, and she turned with a face contorted with rage on the three younger girls huddled together a little ways away. "I hope you're proud of yourselves!" she shouted. "Not only have you spread some of our deepest secrets, but you've also driven Sunset away; but that's what you all wanted this whole time, isn't it?"
"No," Scootaloo cried, "we just wanted to spend more time with you guys! We didn't mean-"
"I don't care! Sunset's been through so much, and she didn't need this to make her feel even worse than she already did. The reason we spent so much time with her was because she needed support and because she's our friend. You'd have wanted the same thing if you'd been through what she had!" Rainbow grunted and rubbed her eyes quickly with the back of her fist, the fiery tone in her voice chilling to ice. "I just...I can't believe you, Scootaloo. I really thought you were someone I could trust, you know?"
As she ran a hand slowly through her rainbow hair, Fluttershy rested a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. Scootaloo, feeling a strong tug on her heart, hugged herself tightly and slid down the wall, wishing she could disappear as she closed her moistening eyes. Unsure of what to do, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom let their eyes slip to the ground guiltily.
"I-I'm sure it can't be all bad," chimed Pinkie Pie, sounding unusually hesitant. "Sunset is probably enjoying herself. Equestria is her home, after all, so surely she's been missing it."
With a gentle smile, Rarity added, "Hm, Pinkie's right."
Applejack had begun flipping through the worn journal, which Fluttershy had handed her, with a thoughtful frown on her face. "Looks like we were right about 'er leaving. But s'anyone else wondering why it was glowing earlier? There aren't any new messages from Twilight in here."
"The book doesn't usually fly around the room like that, either! Or maybe it does, and Sunset just doesn't tell us about it. Either way, that is strange, AJ," Pinkie pointed out, complete with wild hand gestures.
"Can I see it?" Rainbow Dash reached out a hand in the farm-girl's direction. She seemed to have calmed down greatly, but the skin around her eyes had become just a bit red. Applejack began to hand Sunset's book to her friend, though before it could touch Rainbow's fingertips, the pinkish aura reappeared around it, and it was yanked from her grasp. A fairly thin vine, about the width of a finger, pushed up through a small crack in the floorboards and swiftly wrapped itself around Rainbow's wrist, causing her to cry out in panic.
"What the hay?" exclaimed Applejack, mouth agape. She tugged on the vine, as did Rainbow, and the two finally yanked it loose; they watched it slither back through the hole in which it came.
Although that wasn't the last of it. More and more of them emerged from the ground and from the walls, as well, varying in thickness and shade. Fear rippled throughout the room as wood splinters flew and plant life took over each corner of the small barn, grappling for the limbs of its inhabitants.
"Oh, so the book hates me, apparently!" Rainbow Dash shouted over the chaos.
"Shut yer trap and come help me!" Applejack yelled, using a metal shovel that had been leaning against the wall beside the front door to slice through a vine. Rainbow scrambled over, dodging one vine darting overhead and jumping over another slithering below, and pulled a metal rake from a rack that was also beside the door. She twirled it skillfully a few times before bringing it down on a leafy plant attempting to wrap itself around her ankle.
At the other end of the room, Pinkie Pie had caught the swift, glowing journal and held it firmly in her crossed arms. "Boy, you sure are a fast one. I bet you're almost as fast as my sister's pet, Boulder! Too bad they aren't here right now. Hiiiiii-ya!"
Pinkie stomped her foot hard onto a small group of vines that were twisting together below her, severing each one in two.
"Nice job, Pinkie!" Fluttershy cheered softly from a space untouched by the menacing plants, although there was one slowly slinking in from behind the pink-haired girl.
"Fluttershy, watch out!" She jumped out of the way as the vine lunged forward, missing her, but the distraction was just enough for a slim green tentacle to snap around Pinkie's arm and pull. Sunset Shimmer's journal slipped from her weakened hold and took off yet again. "Oh no, the book-!"
Rarity crouched down with a scream and covered her head as the book whizzed by just above her. Her hair was matted, and her tight curls hung loose; she seemed very upset about this. Applejack! What kind of plants are you growing in that so called garden of yours?"
"This ain't my doin', Rarity, so you can keep the complaints to yerself!"
"Then where are these abominations coming from?!"
"Um, I-I think the book may-" Fluttershy mumbled, but she was cut off by a shout.
"Applejack! Rarity!"
Applejack's head swiveled in the direction of the source; everyone in their panic had forgotten about the CMC. "Apple Bloom!" She rushed over to where the three girls struggled against the tight grip of a cluster of thick vines, Rarity following some distance behind. They pulled at the binds, Rarity doing so rather reluctantly, but all they got for their efforts were some calloused hands. "Ugh. These ones are mighty tight."
"No kidding." Rarity grunted. "It's as if these things were after our sisters."
Rainbow flung her arms into the air. "Did everyone just forget about the book?!"
"Well, that ain't exactly the priority right now, Rainbow! Why don't y'all come n' give us a hand?" Although it was with no success, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had begun yanking at the vines, as well. They only seemed to be getting tighter.
Rainbow Dash groaned and said, "That isn't going to work, though! I'm gonna catch the book so we can send a message to Twilight for help." And with that, she hopped onto the counter, knocking off in the process a mug of hot chocolate, which fell upon the wood floor to shatter, sending the shards sprawling across the now-hot-chocolate-stained boards. Rainbow cringed nervously for a moment before she spun around to follow the zig-zagging book with her eyes, scowling. She crouched down, getting ready to jump at the perfect moment, looking much like a predator preparing to pounce on its prey. As the book flew in her direction, she leaped from the counter top with a yell, arms outstretched, and grabbed the book with a strong grip. The book, unfortunately, was resilient and, apparently, strong enough to carry Rainbow's weight.
"Woah, hey, wait a second-!" Rainbow panicked, gazing at the floor beneath her dangling legs.
"Rainbow Dash," Rarity exclaimed, "what on earth are you doing?!"
Pinkie Pie squealed. "She's flying!"
"Get me down from here!" Rainbow kicked her legs frantically, flinching back whenever she came close to a collision with the wall, but it was luckily avoided each time.
"Just let go of the book," Rarity said.
"Are you kidding? I'll fall, and I won't be able to catch the book a second time!" And so she kept her hold, getting dragged along as the book continued its chaotic flying pattern.
Sweetie Belle, still trapped, stirred. "I'm feeling kinda lightheaded."
"Yeah, these things are digging into my skin," Scootaloo complained, gritting her teeth.
"Could ya'll...hurry it up just a tad?" wheezed Apple Bloom.
"Rainbow was right, urrgh...this is no use," breathed Applejack. "Fluttershy, could you go grab me my-"
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Rainbow Dash and the book dove straight into the seven girls, knocking them over like bowling pins. The pink aura around Sunset's journal faded, and the dozens of vines spread about the barn poofed into clouds of sparkling dust. The CMC were freed and were hit by an instant wave of relief, leaning against the wall to catch their breath.
Though the problem was gone, that unfortunately didn't mean the damage had not been done. Scattered with rubble and chunks of wood, Applejack's barn was nearly in pieces. Holes littered the walls and the floor, furniture and farming tools were strewn about the room, and there was the mug Rainbow had shattered, laying ruined and helpless among the spilled cold-chocolate on the floorboards beside the counter.
To put it bluntly, it was a disappointment, and no one in the room had expected their 'Christmas party' to have gone so wrong.
Applejack, bruised and scratched, reached out for her younger sister and held her tightly in her arms. "Apple Bloom! Gosh, are you alright? I'm so sorry; I have no idea what happened."
"Yeah, Sis, I'm fine," Apple Bloom whined, embarrassed. "It's not helpin' much that yer huggin' me tighter than those vines were."
"Heh heh, sorry," chuckled Applejack, letting her go. A few feet away, Rarity was also wordlessly hugging Sweetie Belle, which Sweetie Belle was wordlessly accepting and hugged her back.
Scootaloo sat up on her own and rubbed her sore arms, imprinted with ridges where the vines had wrapped around her. She looked to her left and right at her two friends with their sisters and felt the warm rush of tears welling up in her eyes, though they were easily blinked away. It'd be stupid to cry over something like that, she thought. But she still glanced over to Rainbow Dash, who was sitting up slowly with a hand on her head.
"R-Rainbow Dash! Are you o-"
"Fine." Rainbow's harsh tone made Scootaloo shrink back, hurt. She rubbed at her eyes.
As Rainbow Dash brushed herself off and the others recovered from the whole ideal, Applejack stood, grabbing her hat, now torn slightly, from the ground. She looked around at the destruction, a stunned and horrified look on her face. Her voice was quiet.
"What am I gonna tell Granny Smith?" Apple Bloom grasped her hand, and Rarity came over to rest a hand on her shoulder. Pinkie Pie gave her a small hug from behind.
"Well, at least I've got the book now!" Rainbow held the book up triumphantly.
Applejack sighed. "That won't fix all of this."
"I guess not, but we need to let Twilight know that some more weird magic stuff is going on, or else this might happen again. Does anyone have a pen?"
Rainbow flipped to the next empty page in the journal and set it on the counter, taking the pen from Fluttershy.
"But if Sunset's upset with us, Twilight must be, too," Pinkie pointed out. "What if she doesn't want to help us?"
"Let's just hope she does," Rainbow said as she put the pen down and began the message to Equestria.