//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Gift Horse // by Autumnschild //------------------------------// “I dunno, Twi,” said Applejack as the two mares trotted through the snow covered streets of Ponyville. “Maybe it’s just Pinkie being Pinkie. Did your letter say somethin’ or other about bein’ scared, too?”   Twilight nodded, but kept her eyes forward. “In the postscript, yes. But she also said it was important.”   “Yeah,” huffed Applejack. “But did it have ta be important on Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve?”   As if punctuating her question, Daisy, Rose, and Lily galloped past them, screaming nonsense. Something about the horror of it all and some unmentioned approaching doom. “What the… hay?” asked Applejack. “I don’t even ask anymore,” said Twilight, shrugging it off as the trio burst into a nearby house and slammed the door shut. Focusing on the matter of Pinkie Pie’s note, she continued. “Maybe Pinkie’s lonely, what with the Cakes gone down south for the week.”   Applejack let out a sigh and watched her white puff of breath float up and away, coiling in the snowy evening air before eventually dissipating. “Could be. I imagine bein’ alone on Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve is the worst.”   Twilight said nothing, but couldn’t hide the look that flashed across her face, or her pinned back ears.   “Ah, shucks, Sugarcube. I forgot yer folks are off in the Crystal Empire visitin’ yer brother and Princess Cadence.”   “I-it’s alright,” Twilight lied with a smile, “I’ve spent Hearth’s Warming Eve alone before. It’s not that bad.”   “What about Spike? Where’d he get off to?”   “He’s at home, sleeping. Has been for the last two days.” she said with a shrug. “I think he has another growth spurt coming on. Just last Wednesday he bumped his head on the bottom of the opened freezer door.”   The purple princess giggled softly, “You should have seen the look on his face, Applejack; torn between the grumbling about the bump on his head and his excitement at being taller.”   Applejack nodded, “Mmhmm, I’m a might familiar with that particular expression, what with not-so-little Applebloom. I swear that girl’s gonna be as tall as me come next apple bucking season.”   “Yeah, I can see that happening,” Twilight added with a more sincere smile. “But, if’n yer lookin’ for some ponies ta spend the holiday with, well I—“   A sudden panicky hiss blurted out of the darkened building before them and they stopped walking.   “Psst!” it sounded again.   The two ponies found themselves standing in front of shuttered exterior of Sugarcube Corner, as a particularly bone-chilling wind raced across their coats.   “Pinkie Pie is that you?” asked a put-upon Applejack.   Sugarcube Corner’s front door creaked open, revealing the backlit outline of a familiar looking pony, standing on her hindlegs.   “Pinkie Pie? What’s this all abOOOUT?!” yelped the librarian, as two impossibly long pink limbs bounced out of the darkness and wound themselves tightly around the shivering mares.   Screaming out of equal parts confusion and alarm, Twilight realized that she was bound and being dragged inside. She kicked, she pulled, she tried everything her panic-addled mind could think of, but her fight-or-flight response was hard-stuck on the latter.   As the two fear-maddened ponies passed the threshold, the door to Sugarcube Corner slammed shut. Once more silence filled the streets of Ponyville. Silence and snow.