The three ponies forcefully pulled me back into my house, dragging me into the cluttered kitchen. The room was a mess, filled with herbs, trash, and a thick layer of dust. Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly in her chair, her energy seemingly boundless. Rainbow Dash stood tall against the countertop, her wings flared out, radiating an intimidating aura. Applejack, on the other hand, approached me with an unsure expression on her face.
Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs defiantly and spoke with suspicion in her voice. "Alright, spill it, Anon. What do you know about the chaos in town?"
Trying to keep calm, my mind raced as I desperately searched for a way to escape. "Honestly, I have no idea. I just stepped out and saw everything in disarray."
Pinkie Pie hopped onto the table, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Oh, come on, Anon! You're hiding something, aren't you? Did you help Nightmare Moon? Are you trying to make night last forever too?"
Taken aback by Pinkie's accusations, I blinked in surprise. "No, no, you've got it all wrong! I don't even know who this Nightmare Moon is. I'm not involved."
Sensing the tension, Applejack calmly stepped forward. "Look, Anon, we ain't accusin' you just yet. We just need to figure things out and ensure everyone's safety. Can you help us?"
My mind continued to race for a possible escape plan, but I knew I had to remain composed. "I...I'm not sure. But I think the library might have something about it. Maybe you should check it out."
Pinkie Pie tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Oooh! The library? Let's go, let's go! It might have some clues about what's going on!"
With suspicion evident in her voice, Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at me. "Nice try, Anon. You're not getting rid of us that easily. We're taking you with us to make sure you're not playing any tricks."
Letting out a defeated sigh, I realized their distrust would not allow me to escape. "Fine, take me with you if you must. But please remember, I have nothing to do with this chaos."
Applejack nodded cautiously. "We'll be keeping a close eye on you, Anon. Don't try anything funny."
I nodded in defeat. "Yeah, let's just go to the library and get this over with."
Pinkie's voice filled with excitement as she clapped her hooves together. "Yay! It's a mystery-solving adventure! And if we find anything awesome, we can throw a party to celebrate!"
Pinkie's comment momentarily set aside the earlier suspicions and accusations. Her infectious energy seemed to spread to the rest of us. I was a bit confused by the sudden change, but if it kept the anger away from me, I was okay with it.
Rainbow Dash's eyes sparkled with newfound purpose. "You know what, Pinkie? That's a great idea. Let's uncover what's really going on and throw the best party ever once we're done!"
Applejack nodded, a small smile on her face. "Sounds like a plan, y'all. Let's get to the bottom of this mystery and make it an adventure worth celebrating."
Pinkie Pie jumped out of her chair, bouncing excitedly. "Woo-hoo! To the library!"
We left my cluttered house and began making our way towards the library. Pinkie's excitement dimmed for a moment as she realized something. Her eyes widened with realization, and she turned to me with curiosity and confusion.
"Wait a minute," Pinkie exclaimed, realization in her voice. "Anon, I've never seen you at one of my parties before, have I?"
Feeling uncomfortable, I shifted under Rainbow Dash's suspicious gaze. "Um, no, Pinkie. I haven't been to any of your parties."
Rainbow Dash's skepticism grew, her eyes locked onto me. "Hold on a second. No one can avoid Pinkie's parties for that long unless they're some sort of super spy or something. What's really going on here, Anon?"
Applejack glanced between us, surprise evident on her face. "Well, now that y'all mention it, it is mighty strange. I've never seen Anon at one of Pinkie's bashes."
Feeling trapped, their suspicions surrounding me like a tightening net, I could only mutter, "I-I don't know why I haven't attended any of Pinkie's parties. I just... haven't had the chance, I suppose."
Pinkie Pie's curiosity quickly shifted back to excitement as she bounced back into her usual energetic state. "Ooh, that makes it even more exciting! Anon, you definitely need to come to our party once this mystery is solved! We'll make it the best party ever!"
Rainbow Dash didn't seem convinced, still scrutinizing me carefully. "Alright, but this doesn't mean we're letting our guard down. We'll be keeping an extra close eye on you, Anon."
I nodded, realizing that any attempt to escape scrutiny would be futile. "That's fair."
As we entered the library, a heavy cloud of tension engulfed the air, emanating not from our small group, but from a heated exchange between two ponies. Before us, a purple unicorn and a pink and purple-maned pony were facing off against a white unicorn with a purple mane. In the background, a timid mare with yellow fur and a pink mane cowered, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
Intrigued, I couldn't help but inquire, "Why are Marshmallow and Grape Juice fighting?" My question momentarily silenced the two mares as they turned their attention towards me.
"Apologies, but did you just call me Marshmallow? Oh, dear Anon! It feels like forever since we last crossed paths. How have you been?" Marshmallow exclaimed, surprise and delight in her voice.
Before I could respond, Grape Juice interrupted, her expression grumpy. "Sorry, but I don't have time for this. Nightmare Moon is... Wait, is that a monkey in a suit?"
Confusion filled the room, and I instinctively scanned my surroundings, half-expecting to find a hidden camera crew. The word "monkey" seemed to be thrown around inexplicably. It was as if everyone had a fixation on it.
"I'm not a monkey, I'm a human," I protested, but Marshmallow cut me off with a self-satisfied grin.
"He's a houman, Twilight. Maybe you should crack open a book, dear," she taunted, her voice dripping with smugness.
"Actually, it's pronounced 'human'," I corrected, my patience wearing thin. However, their argument continued to escalate, each pony attempting to outwit the other with their knowledge and cleverness. The chaos and absurdity were overwhelming, and I turned to the remaining three ponies, desperately hoping they could restore some semblance of order.
Rainbow Dash promptly shrugged. Pinkie Pie assumed a thoughtful pose, while Applejack contemplated the feasibility of using her lasso to intervene.
Realizing that the others were too preoccupied to act anytime soon, I approached Strawberry Banana, who seemed lost in her own thoughts and didn't notice my presence. I settled down beside her and cleared my throat softly to get her attention, causing her to startle.
"Hey, uh, my name is Anon. What's your name?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Uh, my name is Fluttershy," muttered Strawberry Banana barely audibly, her words stumbling over each other.
"Huh? Sorry, I couldn't hear you. Can you speak up a bit?" I requested, cupping my ear.
"My name is Flutershy" she repeated, speaking a little louder this time. I wanted to ask her to speak up again, but she seemed on the verge of tears, so I decided to go with what I heard.
"Okay, Flubershy. Mind telling me why you're all here?" I asked, attempting to sound reassuring.
"My name is Fluttershy!" she corrected, her voice a little sharper this time. Startled, I jumped up in surprise. Flames seemed to flicker in her eyes as she then turned towards the two ponies still engaged in their verbal battle. The three ponies who had followed me over noticed Fluttershy's sudden change in demeanor and cowardly edged their way toward me as she approached the oblivious duo.
Fluttershy confronted Twilight and Marshmallow with determination in her eyes. Sensing her presence, the two unicorns turned to face her, momentarily taken aback by the intensity radiating from the typically reserved Fluttershy.
"Twilight, Rarity, this argument has gone on long enough," Fluttershy spoke firmly, her voice commanding attention. "Blaming each other won't solve anything."
Twilight and Rarity exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of guilt and defiance. They both opened their mouths, seemingly ready to continue their blame game, but Fluttershy's stare silenced them, cutting off their words before they could be spoken.
"Enough!" Fluttershy's voice held a hint of steel, her usually gentle demeanor replaced by unwavering resolve. "You two are better than this. It's time to put your egos aside and apologize to each other."
Twilight and Rarity exchanged a tense glance, realization slowly dawning on their faces. They had allowed their disagreement to spiral out of control.
Rarity took a deep breath, her voice softer as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to come off so accusatory. I should have listened to you instead of jumping to conclusions."
Twilight's expression softened as well, her voice tinged with remorse. "And I'm sorry too, Rarity. I shouldn't have been so distant. We're all just trying to get to the bottom of this."
The tension dissolved, and the two unicorns embraced in a heartfelt hug, accepting each other's apologies. As their heated argument transformed into genuine understanding, the room seemed to exhale, the air lightening.
Feeling a bit confused by the sudden change, I couldn't help but think that when someone gives you the 'I'm gonna beat your ass' look, it's easier to let bygones be bygones.
As peace settled in the library once more, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack approached us.
"So, what was all that about?" Rainbow Dash asked, sharing a confused glance with Pinkie Pie and Applejack.
"Yeah, you were really mad," Pinkie Pie chimed in.
Applejack nodded in agreement. "That was one intense fight, sugarcube."
Rarity coughed delicately into her hoof, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she glanced around the room. Twilight, meanwhile, seemed to find the library ceiling incredibly fascinating.
"Well, you see," Rarity began with a strained smile, her eyes darting around to avoid direct eye contact. "I might have overheard Twilight mentioning her knowledge about Nightmare Moon, so I may have, ahem, followed her home and accused her of a few things."
Glancing at the three mares standing beside me, who wore expressions of both confusion and concern, I cleared my throat and muttered, "Small world, isn't it?"
Twilight finally tore her gaze away from the ceiling and redirected it to the floor, her face slightly flushed. "Um, yes, well... I guess I did act a bit strange and unclear when Rarity confronted me. I might have ended up sounding like an outsider delivering gloomy prophecies about Nightmare Moon's return."
The tension in the room slowly dissipated as the ponies absorbed Twilight and Rarity's apologies. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack exchanged puzzled glances, trying to make sense of it all.
It was Rainbow Dash who broke the silence. "So, about Nightmare Moon... Do any of you know how we can stop her?"
Twilight let out a thoughtful sigh, her determination evident on her furrowed brows. "We don't have all the answers yet, but we need to gather more information and come up with a plan. Nightmare Moon was defeated once before, and we can do it again."
Pinkie Pie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Ooh, ooh! I have an idea! We could throw a huge party with all the ponies in Equestria and challenge Nightmare Moon to a dance battle! The loser gets sent to the moon!"
Applejack shook her head, wearing a skeptical expression. "That might be a tad unrealistic, Pinkie Pie. We need to figure out a way to weaken Nightmare Moon."
Rainbow Dash's wings twitched, her eyes glinting with determination. "I say we confront Nightmare Moon head-on!"
Fluttershy, her voice gentle and soft-spoken, cleared her throat to speak up. "Um, perhaps we should try talking to her first. Maybe we can change her mind?"
"I'm with Rainbow on this one. Let's just take her down like the British!" I chimed in from my corner.
Applejack glared at me, suspicion in her eyes. "Hold on there, partner. What if you're a spy? And biting the bullet in battle won't do us no good."
"Oh, come on! That's exactly what a spy would say. But yeah, my plan is awesome!" I replied nonchalantly, smirking at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash flashed a triumphant grin, thrilled to have someone supporting her bold approach.
Applejack interjected, "And what do we do when she starts firing magic at us?"
"Simple. Use Rainbow as a shield," I retorted, dismissing the concern.
"Fly out of the way! And what do you think you're gonna do, you little-" Applejack began before being cut off.
"That's enough!" Twilight yelled, commanding everyone's attention. "We don't need any of that. We just need to find the Elements of Harmony."
"But are you sure these Elements of Harmony can really defeat someone who can move the moon? I mean, just based on their names, it's hard to believe they can beat her," I voiced my doubts.
"Absolutely. They stopped Nightmare Moon once before, and they can do it again. We just need to find them, wherever they are," Twilight said, her determination shining through her furrowed brows.
There was a moment of silence as everyone pondered the situation. I glanced around and noticed that no one was paying attention to me anymore. They were fully engrossed in their discussion. Seeing an opportunity, I began stealthily making my way towards the door, drawing on my sneaky skills from childhood. Surprisingly, reaching the door took mere seconds. But just as I reached for the doorknob, Pinkie Pie's voice rang out, causing a jump in my heart rate and a sheen of sweat to form on my forehead.
"The Elements of Harmony, a reference guide."
My nerves calmed slightly as I turned to see the ponies in time to witness Twilight body-checking Pinkie to grab hold of the book.
"How did you find that?" Twilight asked, surprised.
"It was under 'E'!" Pinkie Pie sing-songed as she bounced around.
"Oh," Twilight replied, her ears drooping with realization.
Twilight used her magic to pull the book out, capturing the attention of the ponies gathered around her. As they anxiously listened to her talk about the elements, I took a moment to calm myself down from a small panic attack and regulated my breathing and heart rate.
"There are six elements of harmony, but only five are known: kindness, generosity, laughter, honesty, and loyalty. The sixth element remains a complete mystery."
Realizing that the ponies were engrossed in their storybook, I seized the opportunity to make my escape. I quickly sprinted towards my house, but my plans abruptly changed when I saw my home surrounded by an angry mob brandishing pitchforks and torches.
"Anon has taken the princess; now we must take his life!" Flash Trade bellowed with a bloodthirsty fervor, standing on a makeshift platform.
"Um, I don't really want to kill him," a mare in the crowd said, her expression uncertain.
"Yeah, can't we just burn down his house and apprehend him?" a stallion chimed in, tilting his head thoughtfully.
"Ugh! Fine, but we're still going to rough him up!" Flash Trade grumbled, his annoyance evident. The mob cheered as they set fire to my home, their screams piercing the air and urging me to sprint even faster.
As I dashed through the forest, I racked my brain for possible places to seek refuge for the night. The nearest town would be hours away, and navigating the deep parts of the Everfree Forest after dark was out of the question.
The zebra girl is friendly, and we often trade, so she might let me stay the night. But involving her in this mess would be completely unfair. What about the water serpent? No, wait, he doesn't have a house, and with his incessant talking, I would probably end up diving into the river to get away.
I could try that abandoned castle. Most ponies wouldn't think to search for me there, especially not until they regrouped, which might take a few days. And even if they managed to gather their wits and search within an hour, the main path to the castle is treacherous. I remember my first time taking it—ominous trees, animal dens, cliff trails, that serpent, and that wretched rope bridge. Thankfully, there's an alternate route, more overgrown with bushes but still preferable to that death trap.
With renewed determination, I set my sights on the castle, praying it would provide a temporary sanctuary from the chaos that ensued behind me.