“So, remind me again why we're brushing up on ancient history?” Spike asked as he pulled yet another tome from the shelves of the Castle of Friendship's extensive library, adding it to his already-towering stack.
“Because, Spike,” Twilight Sparkle answered as she trotted past her assistant on a lower level of the room, several books floating around her in a magical field, “we've had so many magical disasters turn up out of nowhere. I just don't think we can afford to be surprised by every little threat to Equestria!”
“Ooh, I get it,” Spike said in slow comprehension as he carefully lifted the stack of books he'd collected. “So then this is kinda like what you did with Nightmare Moon then, right?” he asked the Princess as he slowly started to head for the stairs. “Find out some prophecy about something major happening ahead of time so you can try and stop it?”
“Kind of,” Twilight replied, pausing to catch a few books with her magic as they fell from her assistant's tower. “Unfortunately, the returns of Nightmare Moon and the Crystal Empire are the exceptions rather than the rule. Most of the stuff we've had to deal with were never foretold anywhere, even Princess Celestia didn't know they'd happen before they did! Discord, Tirek,” Twilight began to count off as she stopped at an empty table, “the plunderseeds...”
“The Changelings,” Starlight Glimmer supplied helpfully from another nearby table, a hint of pride in her voice as she read through a book held in front of her by magic.
“Exactly,” Twilight said, giving her student a nod. “All of those were major threats that we had absolutely no warning of.”
Spike dropped to the floor nearby, then paused a few moments to steady his swaying stack of books. “Okay, but if most of the stuff we've had to deal with hasn't been prophecized or whatever, what's the point of all this research?” he asked, carrying the books to the two ponies.
“Well, just because we probably won't find any,” Twilight said as she looked through her books, “doesn't mean we shouldn't look. I mean,” she paused to let out a short laugh, “it's not like we have some other way to predict magical catastrophes.”
“Plus,” Starlight spoke up, “even if we don't find any predictions of the future it's still a good idea to brush up on old legends just in case we need them in the future. Right?”
“Exactly!” Twilight said, giving her student another happy nod.
“In fact, I've already come across a few things that might be worth looking into,” Starlight continued, opening up another book with her magic and moving it next to the other one she was reading. “The Urn of Devastation, the Lost Land of Libra Dolce, the Cavern of the Lost...”
“Cavern of the Lost?” Spike repeated, raising a brow as he dumped a few more books onto Starlight's table. “What's that,” he said in a scoffing manner, “a cave where things that you lose end up?” He paused in his tracks. “Actually, we should check that out. I lost a couple of rubies the other day and-”
“Not that kind of lost,” Starlight told him. “Lost as in 'lost souls'.” Spike froze, his eyes wide in alarm. “According to legend,” Starlight read, ignoring the dragonling, “the Cavern of the Lost is a place where the spirits of ponies who died in great tragedies gather, unable to find true peace. Apparently, if the spirits' hate and anger grows strong enough, they can manifest as shadows of their original forms bent on revenge against those who killed them.”
Spike shivered. “Wow. That's way scarier than what I thought it was.”
Twilight laughed awkwardly as she walked over. “Yeah, true. Hopefully we won't run into it, I kiiiiinda don't like the idea of dealing with angry spirits.”
Spike and Starlight laughed as well. “I'll just set it aside for later, then,” Starlight said, floating one of the three books she'd had open back down to the table.
A rather long berry bush rustled. Seconds later, a mare walked out around it – her coat a cold white, her eyes a dull slate devoid of feeling. Though she bore no visible scratches or other wounds as she stepped out into the sun, there were more than a few leaves and twigs stuck in her dull black mane and tail.
She stopped, having emerged from the forest at the side of a simple dirt road. She turned her head and looked down it to the left, then to the right; neither direction bore any immediate signs of pony life.
She looked straight ahead, and blinked slowly.
Then, in a calm and fluid motion, she reached back and pulled a leaf from her mane. She held it on her hoof out in front of her, and stayed stock still until a gust of wind picked up.
It blew the leaf away to the right. Moments later she galloped out onto the road following in that same direction, her face still devoid of expression.
Some time later she came upon a sign on the side of the road and paused. It read 'Ponyville Ahead'.
She blinked slowly again, then resumed galloping down the road at a slightly faster pace.
Rainbow Dash inched a small piece of melon across her blanket to where her tortoise, Tank, was waiting. She smiled as he ever-so-slowly reached his neck out towards it, and giggled a little as he opened his mouth to take a bite.
Then she heard a knock from down at her front door. “Wha?” she asked, pony and pet alike raising their heads in confusion.
The knock was repeated a few seconds later, prompting Rainbow to shrug and zip down through her house to answer it.
It was Fluttershy. “Oh hey, what's up?” Rainbow asked her friend.
“Oh, umm, sorry to disturb you,” Fluttershy replied softly, leaning to the side to look behind Rainbow Dash and causing her to send a confused look over her shoulder as well. “I was just wondering if you'd seen Discord lately.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Discord? Why would he be here?”
“Umm, well, that's the thing,” Fluttershy answered, averting her gaze, “I don't really know. But I do know that this is our usual tea party time, only he hasn't shown up yet, and Discord is never late!” She turned an almost pleading look to her friend.
Rainbow Dash let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay, so the guy's missing. What made you come look for him at my place?” she asked again, waving a hoof back into her house as she hovered in the doorway.
“Well, I just thought that maybe I'd done something to make him mad,” Fluttershy explained, “and since he gets along with you so well, at least better than our other friends, that maybe he came here to try and make me jealous. Oh, not that it was definitely that,” she quickly added, averting her gaze again as she worked through her explanation, “I'm sure he has plenty of other reasons to come visit you during our usual tea time, but it's just-”
Rainbow cut her off with a hoof over her mouth. “Yeah, don't worry, he's not here,” she said.
Fluttershy let out a sad little “Oh...”, followed shortly after by “I hope he's okay...”
“If you're that worried about him why didn't you just ask Twilight?” Rainbow asked, her hooves on her hips. “I'm sure she can track him down way easier than I can.”
“I know,” Fluttershy nodded and smiled, “I just didn't wanna make a big deal out of this if I didn't have to.”
Rainbow Dash sighed again. “Well, you're gonna have to make a big deal out of it,” she told her friend. “If the guy who can teleport wherever he wants whenever he wants is late to something he likes so much, something's up and it's our duty as friends to figure out what.”
Fluttershy's spirits rose visibly with Rainbow Dash's confidence. “Yeah! Let's go ask Twilight to help us find him!” she agreed.
“Yeah!” Rainbow echoed, raising a hoof. She prepared to zoom out the door, then paused. “Actually, hold on a second,” she told her friend before zipping back up to her bedroom where Tank was happily munching on the same piece of melon. “I gotta go for a bit,” she told her pet. “You be good, okay?”
Tank gave her a smile and nodded, slowly. When he finally finished, Rainbow Dash gave him a pat on the head and dashed back down to Fluttershy. “Alright, let's go!” she said, bursting with her usual confidence.
She sped off without waiting for a reply, but Fluttershy happily followed right after her.
Several minutes earlier, the mare with the cold white coat and the blank expression arrived in Ponyville. It was a decently busy day in town, with ponies of all sorts happily going about their errands, tending to their businesses, and visiting with friends. The mare paused about a yard into town and looked around at its residents with the same vacant look she gave everything; in turn none of them seemed to pay her any mind.
She slowly blinked, then resumed walking into town – only to stop again when she saw two ponies walking towards her, apparently embroiled in conversation. Both were earth ponies though the similarities ended there; the mare on the left was dull and drab with half-lidded eyes and a blank expression, while the mare on the right was quite literally bouncing with joy and an excited smile on her face.
“-and so then Rainbow Dash was like 'whoosh!' And then Rarity was like 'Oh no!' And then-” Pinkie recounted, stopping along with Maud in front of the white-coated mare.
The white-coated mare blinked, and the Pie sisters did the same a moment later.
The stranger opened her mouth and took a short breath, then spoke. “Excuse me-” Her voice was light and clear, but also flat and utterly monotonous.
She was also interrupted almost immediately by Pinkie Pie, who gasped so hard she lifted herself off the ground. Pinkie promptly bolted away, leaving her sister with the stranger.
The stranger closed her mouth, then blinked. Then blinked again. After a few seconds, she looked straight at Maud and said “I do not understand her reaction.”
“Oh,” Maud replied, her voice lower than the stranger's but just as flat. She briefly looked back in the direction her sister had gone, then said “She must not have recognized you. Are you new here?”
“Yes,” the stranger answered without pause. “I come to this land seeking audience with its ruler. Do you know where I can find them?”
Maud stared at her for a second, then pointed back over her shoulder. “If you mean Princess Twilight, her castle's at the other end of town. It's hard to miss.”
The stranger slowly blinked, paused, then bowed. “Thank you,” she said before she began to trot off down the street.
“Wait,” Maud called out, causing the stranger to pause and look back at her. “Who are you? My sister is gonna want to know.”
The stranger blinked. “Oh, my apologies,” she said before clearing her throat and closing her eyes. “Greetings and salutations,” she recited in a sort of awkward, obviously-rehearsed yet still monotonous manner. “I am called Cold Reason.” She paused to bow before continuing. “I come to this land seeking audience with its ruler. Do you know where I can find them?”
Maud just stared at her. “My name is Maud,” she finally said. “Why did you repeat the part about coming to talk with the Princess?”
Cold Reason stiffened ever-so-slightly, and blinked with a surprising quickness. “I apologize for unintentionally giving you my full introduction, Miss Maud. I most likely did it out of habit.”
“Oh. Okay,” Maud replied. She and Cold Reason stared at one another for a moment before she added “By the way, do you like parties?”
Cold Reason blinked, then blinked again. “I do not currently wish to partake in any festivities. I have an important message to deliver to Princess Twilight. Thank you for giving me directions to her castle.”
Then she turned and continued on down the road, leaving Maud by herself. Maud watched Cold go for a few seconds, then reached into her rock pouch and pulled out her pet. She held the small stone up to her ear, then nodded. “You're right, Boulder. She was pretty strange. Pinkie will be disappointed.”
She put her pet back into her rock pouch, then calmly headed back up the street in the same direction as Cold Reason.
“So, same time next week?” Rarity asked as she and Applejack exited the Ponyville Spa looking rather refreshed and relaxed.
“I'll see if I can fit it in,” Applejack replied with a small smile.
The two were stopped in their tracks by the sudden appearance of a pink blur in front of them, which soon slowed down enough to reveal itself as Pinkie Pie. “Rarity! Applejack!” she shouted. “There you are! I've been looking all over for you! It's an emergency!”
The two in question shared an alarmed look. “What's the matter, Pinkie?” Applejack asked. “Weren't you visitin' with Maud today?” She gasped in realization. “She ain't in trouble, is she?”
“No!” Pinkie replied, jumping up and down impatiently.
“Oh, it's not another monster attack, is it?” Rarity asked in concern.
“No!” Pinkie repeated at the crest of another jump.
“Some kinda ancient evil come back seekin' revenge?” Applejack added.
“No, it isn't any of those things!” Pinkie Pie replied in a panic. “There's a new pony in town and she's all alone, so we need to throw a welcome party to welcome her and there's just so much to prepare on such short notice!”
Rarity and Applejack shared another look, and then a small smile. “Relax, Pinkie,” Applejack told her impatiently bouncing friend, “we'll help you with whatever you need.”
“Of course, dear,” Rarity added. “Just tell us what it is you want us to do.”
Pinkie landed and took a deep breath. “Okay, so, I already left Maud to get the scoop on the new girl,” she said, briefly gesturing back over her shoulder, “but that's not gonna be enough. We need cake and streamers and loads of other party supplies,” she explained rapidly, “which I can get myself, but we also need a place to throw the party, cause what's a party without somewhere to throw it? Nothing, that's what. But I was wondering where to throw it, cause I don't know anything about this new pony yet, and then it hit me: the castle!”
Rarity and Applejack shared a surprised look. “It's, like, super big and super duper cool,” Pinkie continued to explain, “plus it's like the Castle of Friendship, duh, so it's like the perfect place to throw a big welcome party for our brand new friend!”
“So...where do we come into all this, exactly?” Applejack asked as Rarity quirked a brow.
She let out a small startled gasp as Pinkie zipped up face-to-face with her. “I need you two to go talk to Twilight and get her to help. Oh! And then go find Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and get them to help too! I'll grab what I can and meet you all at the castle, okay?”
She was gone before her friends could reply. “Well...I suppose we'd better get going, then,” Rarity said, still a little shocked.
“I reckon so,” Applejack replied. “Can't wait to meet this new pony, though,” she added as she and Rarity turned and started heading for the castle.
“Oh me too,” Rarity said. “I wonder what she's like?”
As it happened Applejack and Rarity reached the castle first, and Spike was the one to answer their knocking.
“Hey Applejack, Rarity,” he greeted, winking sending a flirtatious wink the unicorn's way that was completely ignored, “what's up?”
“Howdy, Spike,” Applejack replied as she and Rarity invited themselves in. “Hope we aren't interruptin' nothin'.”
“Pinkie Pie asked us to come,” Rarity explained. “It seems there's a new pony in town, and she'd like for Twilight to host a welcome party here.”
“New pony, huh?” Spike said, rubbing his chin as he shut the door. “Cool. I bet Twilight would love to host a welcome party. She and Starlight are in the library studying,” he explained, motioning for the girls to follow him.
Applejack chuckled. “Figures.”
The walk to the library was more than enough time for the girls to regale Spike with what little information they'd gotten from Pinkie Pie regarding both the newcomer and the party to be thrown for her, and so the three entered relatively unannounced. They were not, however, unnoticed.
“Oh hey,” Twilight greeted, perking up at the sight of her friends and trotting over to meet them. “I wasn't expecting the two of you to show up today.”
“Neither were we, darling,” Rarity replied. “But Pinkie has a bit of a party emergency and would like to make use of the castle.”
“Party emergency?” Twilight asked in confusion.
“Yup,” Applejack said. “Apparently she came across a new pony in town, and wants to throw a party to welcome her. She's off roundin' up supplies, leavin' us,” she motioned to Rarity and herself, “to round up help.”
Twilight's face lit up with excitement. “Ooh, that sounds like a great idea,” she gushed, “I'd love to help! Not only will it be a great way to welcome them, but it'll also be a perfect opportunity for Starlight to make friends with somepony that nopony knows!” She turned her excitement back to her student, who looked up from her books with a slightly wary look.
“Sounds...great...!” Starlight said with just a hint of uncertainty and nervousness in her smile.
“I know, right?” Twilight said, teleporting next to her and throwing a foreleg around her. “I'm so excited I just can't wait!” Starlight chuckled nervously.
“Well then, that settles it,” Applejack said confidently. “Now we just gotta-”
She was cut off by an urgent knocking that carried surprisingly well through the castle. “I'll get it!” Spike volunteered, immediately scampering out of the library.
“I expect that's Pinkie Pie,” Rarity noted as Spike left. “She did say she was going to rendezvous with us here after she picked up some things for the party.”
As the four continued chatting about the party, Spike hustled to the door as the knocking became more and more impatient. “Hold on, I'm coming!” he called out in exasperation, but the moment he touched the handle Rainbow Dash flung it open herself and flew in, Fluttershy right behind her. Spike tumbled backwards at the sudden blow, but soon got back on his feet and rubbed his nose in irritation. “Jeez, what's your problem?” he asked, Fluttershy giving him an apologetic smile.
“Sorry Spike,” Rainbow Dash said offhandedly, looking around as she hovered above him. “Where's Twilight?”
“Oh, you must be here to help with the party, right?” Spike asked with a smile. “Twilight and the others are figuring it out in the library.”
Both pegasi gave him looks of confusion. “Party?” Fluttershy asked. “We're not here for any party. We're here because Discord is missing!”
“He is?” Spike asked in surprise.
“Yeah,” Rainbow answered impatiently. “We'll explain more when we're with Twilight.” She promptly dashed away, prompting Fluttershy and Spike to follow after her.
Rainbow Dash arrived at the library just as Twilight, Starlight, Applejack, and Rarity were exiting it. “So obviously the great hall is going to need-” the Princess began to say before noticing her friend.
“Hey girls,” Rainbow shouted as Fluttershy arrived, “we got a potential emergency here!”
“Emergency?” Twilight replied, exchanging looks with her other friends. “Is this about the party?” she asked, cocking her head to one side with a skeptical expression.
Rainbow let out a grunt of exasperation. “What is it with everypony and parties right now?”
It was then that Spike arrived, huffing and puffing for air. “It's-” he began to say before Fluttershy flew up to the fore.
“Sorry for making such a big deal out of this,” she apologized, “but Discord hasn't shown up for our usual tea party, and I'm getting worried. I don't suppose you can help me find him can you?”
“Well of course,” Twilight replied, “I-”
She was cut off by a trio of calm, even knocks on the castle door. “Augh,” Spike groaned, “I just came from there!” He hustled back down the hall, leaving the ponies to share a look.
“Okay, now that's gotta be Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said.
“We should probably go meet her,” Twilight suggested, heading onward down the hall prompting the others to follow. “If something's really happened to Discord, that'll have to take priority over the welcome party.”
“Welcome party?” Fluttershy asked in confusion. “For who?”
“We'll have to ask Pinkie to explain, I'm afraid,” Rarity answered.
The six ponies quickly caught up to Spike, Twilight lifting her winded assistant up onto her back with her magic as the group continued to the door. The trio of knocks repeated, and the Princess opened it.
It was Cold Reason.
Ignoring the stares she was receiving, her gaze immediately fixated on Twilight. She blinked, then dropped into an exaggerated bow – repeating it with an added flourish after a brief pause. “Greetings and salutations, Your Royal Highness Princess Twilight,” she said in the same flat voice she'd used with Maud, earning seven odd looks. “I am called Cold Reason. I have come to your lands to give you a dire message.”
She stood back up and stared at Twilight, prompting her and her friends to exchange several nervous and uncertain glances.