//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Ponyville 
// Story: Broken 
// by MistyPegasus 
//------------------------------//

   In Luna's night, the darkness hid her well. The shadowy pegasus slunk around the streets of Ponyville, her black cloak hiding her bright coat, mane and tail.

She passed a few houses, none of them the one she was looking for. Finally, she stopped in front of a two-story house with a small terrace facing the street. It was house #41, home of Derpy Hooves and Dinky Doo. Knocking in the door, the cloaked mare looked around to make sure she was alone. The door creaked open and a grey mare looked sleepily at the visitor with her criss-crossed eyes.

"Hello! How can I help you?" she asked.

"Hi Derpy, I need a favour from you," whispered the hidden pony in a hushed voice, "though I will be certain to pay you back" -she pulled a muffin out of her saddlebag- "with this."

Derpy's eyes opened wide as she said, "Wow, what a yummy-looking muffin! Come right in and we can talk." Both mares entered the house as the unexpected pony explained that she needed a place to stay for a few nights. Derpy instantly agreed and took the muffin as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

The Next Day...

"TWILIGHT, YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP RIGHT NOW!" a voice shouted into the Golden Oaks Library at 6:00 in the morning. Twilight Sparkle, who was not a morning mare, groaned as she pulled herself out of the cosy warmth underneath her bed covers.

What does that mare want now? Why is she even UP?! Twilight's brain thought groggily, for it was still not fully awake.

The lavender unicorn opened her door to reveal a somewhat agitated rainbow pegasus and the rest of her friends.

"What is going on?" Twilight asked, looking at each of them suspiciously. Especially Pinkie Pie, because she had a knack for throwing surprise parties when a pony least suspects them. But to the librarian's surprise, each pony's face was grim and worried.

Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight's hoof and dragged her out. Everypony else followed in frightening silence. Even Pinkie walked instead of bouncing her usual way.

"Ponies, please explain WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" Twilight shouted crossly at her silent friends. They had reached Town Square. Applejack pointed a hoof at a mare standing at the centre of the plaza.

All six ponies walked towards the cloaked figure. The mare pulled the cloak off as everypony gasped.

"LIGHTNING DUST?"