//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Signs of Distress 
// Story: Acceptance 
// by Meatabex 
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	I barely took another step when I spotted a pink blur out of my eye. Before I could react, I was knocked off my hooves. Staring down at me was a bright pink pony, with an especially curly and bouncy mane. Once she opened her mouth, words spilled out.
 
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to knock you over. I mean, cause I was so excited to find my friends that I had to get to them as fast as possible and show them my newest batch of cupcakes that I made with hot jalapeno sauce and- Hey, wait!” She stared cock-eyed at me. Then she made a long, drawn out gasp, and disappeared in another pink blur.
 
“What, just, happened?” My head went dizzy slightly.
 
“Oh, you must be new!”  I turned, and a yellow pegasus pony with a bright pink straight mane and a similar colored tail stood there, smiling gently. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to Pinkie Pie’s randomness someday.” I just stared at her for a bit.
 
She began to back up a little, afraid, and whispered, “I’m sorry, I was trying to be more assertive, like Rainbow Dash asked me to. Did I hurt your feelings?”
 
I quickly responded, “No! No, you didn’t! Thanks for greeting me, actually, I didn’t know ponies could be so respectful…what’s your name?”
 
My staring already started to spook her, though, and she started to back up a little more, and whispered something quiet.
 
“Uh,” I slowly started towards her, “I couldn’t hear you. I’m sorry?”
 
She only backed up more, and squeaked something unintelligible.
 
“Um, ok then.” I wondered if all ponies were afraid of strangers. I started to turn around and back away when suddenly, she spoke again.
 
“Oh my!” she exclaimed, shyness mostly gone, although her voice was still soft. She almost bowled me over in an attempt to get to me. I looked at her, and traced her line of vision to my cutie mark. “Wow, I’ve never seen a cutie mark like that before… it’s a leaf…”
 
“Yeah, so?” I asked quizzically, not understanding.
 
“Well,” the pony replied, “I really like animals. And, well, everything else too. But trees are were a lot of my animal friends live. I would like to be a tree, if I weren’t a pony…your cutie mark is so… so… wonderful,” she flapped her wings happily and beamed.
 
“Wait,” I asked, “you have animal friends?”
 
“Why, yes,” the pony replied, “I love all animals. I take care of them at my cottage near the Everfree Forest, whether it’s a bird with a cramped wing, or a mouse with gingivitis.”
 
“Cool!” I said, unconsciously waggling my wings. “I want to meet your animal friends! I love animals too!”
 
“Sure, maybe later,” the pony whispered, smiling. “I have to get to my pony friends for now, though. They told me Rarity is in trouble... I do hope you don’t mind.”
 
“Sure! Wait, isn’t that where Twilight and Rainbow Dash were going?” I asked.
 
“Oh, yes,” the pony replied, as she trotted down a road, and I followed. “All of them are my friends. Oh, and by the way, my name’s Fluttershy.”
 
“Nice to meet you, Fluttershy,” I grinned. “I’m Leafwing!”
 
“You’re really nice, Leafwing.” She started to trot faster, and I cantered along with her. Soon, it started to feel natural, being on four legs.
 
Before I knew it, we were in front of an elegant house. Something was amiss, though. First off, a faint techno-like music was piping in from the wind, and sounded rather aggressive. Turning to the boutique, the top of the house was entirely gone, and a raging pony, with white fur and a grey mane, began to rip off parts of the building, which were flying towards a group of mares on the other side of the room.
 
“No! You will not take Tom from me! He’s mine!” The ground shuddered as another section of the building fell.
 
“Oh my,” Fluttershy gasped. “Rarity, what happened?” She quickly galloped into the house. I followed, dodging planks of wood.

Inside, things couldn’t be worse. Clothes of all sorts scattered the floor, and cloth hung on pony mannequins. String and sewing equipment was piled onto one table. A path of pebbles and debris was visible from the door to the upstairs. Fluttershy quickly hovered up the stairs. I went right behind her.

Upstairs made me retract my previous thought. Half the doors in the hallways were knocked off, and there were holes in the walls that separated the rooms. Debris, dust, and crushed candles, probably from falling in front of whatever “Rarity” dragged through the door, showed a path “Rarity” took, to the room straight up ahead. Fluttershy opened the door, only to have it fall in with a loud bang.
 
Fluttershy squeaked, and hid behind me. I slowly trotted in.
 
Chaos ensued as a group of ponies, consisting of Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Applejack, and that pink bouncing pony (probably the “Pinkie Pie” Fluttershy was talking about) and Spike were trying to coax “Rarity” out of the corner of what was left in the room. The white pony was holding on to a gigantic boulder larger than her.
 
“This can’t be happening!” Twilight exclaimed. “I thought we defeated Discord! His magic couldn’t possibly be lingering around, could it?”
 
“Hey! Rarity! What’s gotten into you?” Rainbow Dash yelled, as a wooden plank barely grazed her wing.
 
“Out! All of you!” Rarity screamed. “This is my Tom! MINE!”
 
“Em, Rarity, we can’t do that,” Applejack replied, “We’re your friends! We care fer you!”
 
“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie cried out. “Stop being a rock-loving-pony-hating-meany-pants and come over here!”
 
“It’s no rock! It’s a beautiful gemstone!” Rarity screeched, hugging “Tom” even tighter. “I REFUSE!”
 
“You’re…cheating on me?” Spike started to develop tears. “NOOOOOOO!”
 
“Then, we’ll have to do it the hard way!” Rainbow Dash hollered, ignoring Spike. She nodded to Applejack, who produced a lasso out of nowhere, and started swinging it above her head.
 
“Jus’ don’t struggle, and everythin’ will be ok-” A purple magic surrounded the lasso, and Applejack gasped as the lasso was forced out of her mouth and out of the building.
 
“Please, Rarity, could you excuse me, but that’s a rock you’re hugging,” Fluttershy piped up. Rarity stared at the rock, then Fluttershy, and then her eyes began to glow with malice. Pinkie Pie started to shudder, and her ears and mane stood up from the ends.
 
“Uh oh, my Pinkie sense-” Pinkie Pie was interrupted by Rarity.
 
“How DARE you call my beautiful gem a ROCK?” Her horn shone, and another piece of wood lifted off the floor.
 
“Watch out!” Pinkie Pie and I yelled simultaneously.
 
“Oh, don’t worry.” Fluttershy replied calmly, not looking at the wood, “Rarity wouldn’t hurt me-”
 
The wood fired at an extreme speed at the yellow pony. She yelped. Pinkie leapt through the air, smacking into Fluttershy, pushing her away from the path of the plank. I looked away in fear.
 
Expecting the worst, I looked back up. A red energy was holding back the wooden plank.
 
“Erg,” Twilight was channeling the red energy, “what are you doing Rarity? Stop!”
 
“Never!” Rarity cried. “Until you give up, I will threaten you to my last breath!”
 
She must’ve spoken too soon, because a rainbow blur smashed into Rarity from behind and knocked her into the ground floor. Twilight sighed as she let the wood drop to the floor. Fluttershy started to cry, and ran next to Spike. Pinkie Pie bounced over to Fluttershy to comfort her.
 
“There there, Fluttershy. Dashie is dealing with miss-meanie-mare!” Pinkie Pie hugged Fluttershy, who was sputtering in tears.
 
“But…but… that’s not like Rarity…”
 
“She… cheated on me…” Spike mumbled.
 
Twilight and Applejack quickly ran down the stairs. I followed close behind, afraid of what could come next from that crazy pony.
 
My fears were realized as we made it to the last steps. Rainbow Dash’s tail was being held to the wall by Rarity’s magic, which was now causing Rainbow to hit the wall repeatedly.
 
“Let me go! Stop it!” Rainbow Dash yelled, still trying to fly at Rarity. I looked to Twilight, who was bracing her hooves. Her horn shone again, and suddenly, with a flash of light, she was right next to Rarity. She tried to wrestle Rarity away, but she was stronger, and pushed Twilight away with her magic.
 
Rarity grabbed one of her sewing scissors, and prepared to stab it into Rainbow Dash, who was now exhausted from flying in place.
 
“Say goodbye, Rainbow-”
 
Applejack tackled Rarity to the ground, making her lose focus, dropping Rainbow Dash and the scissors.
 
Rainbow Dash fell to the floor. “Oof!” She quickly brushed herself off.
 
“Get off me!” Rarity shrieked. Applejack pinned Rarity down with her hooves.
 
“Twi! Little help!” Applejack struggled with Rarity. I watched Twilight gallop over. Tipping her horn towards Rarity’s head, Twilight began to channel magic into Rarity. Rarity’s eyes widened, and she collapsed as the magic did its work.
 
 “Now what in Equestria did ya jus’ do there, Twi?” Applejack asked.
 
“Memory spell, like I did with you guys.” Twilight managed a slight grin. “At least that’s over.”
 
“But her boutique is ruined!” Rainbow cried.
 
“We’ll fix it later,” Twilight replied, still looking at Rarity’s limp body. “But we need to get Rarity out of here. And we need to tell Princess Celestia right away!”
-----
We hurried back to Twilight’s library, Spike and Fluttershy still shedding tears over what happened.
 
As soon as we got to the library, Twilight started talking again.
 
“Now, Applejack! Rainbow! Put Rarity on the couch.” Rarity was dumped onto the red couch, and Rainbow craned her neck.
 
“She sure is heavy for a fashion pony!” Rainbow rubbed her back.
 
“Are you sayin’ that she was hard te’ carry?” Applejack grinned. “Cuz ah didn’t.”
 
“N-no! I could have totally carried Rarity all by myself!” Rainbow pouted. “I could’ve carried six Rarities at the same time!”
 
“Uh-huh.” Applejack smirked. Rainbow stuck her tongue out. Applejack extended her tongue in response.
 
Pinkie Pie also stuck her tongue out. “Egh… aiii a ee uooi iith?”

“Spike! Write a letter… Spike?” Twilight turned. Spike was sitting next to the couch, brushing Rarity off.
 
“I know Rarity likes her hair straight,” Spike muttered, tears dropping over Rarity’s coat. A purple color had now embodied her mane and tail, and I could now see her cutie mark clearly, a set of diamonds. Twilight grinned a little, and motioned to Spike.
 
“C’mon Spike,” Twilight giggled, “She wasn’t really cheating on you. It was Discord, or something along the lines of him. Now, we have to tell Celestia right now, or something worse will happen than some drama!”
 
Spike moaned. “Worse? What could possibly be worse than Rarity cheating on me?” Twilight glared at Spike. Spike gulped, and then grabbed a quill and parchment. Twilight started pacing the library as she composed another letter in her head.
 
“Dear Celestia,
 
I hope you have received my other letter. Rarity has been acting up lately, and her symptoms were like those when Discord escaped his first stone imprisonment. It may be possible that he escaped again. We are coming to visit as soon as possible, and we await your response.
 
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.”
 
“Gosh,” I whispered, “I do hope its not my fault.” I remembered the past, and how much sadness there was in that world. If any of it clung to me when I came here, this mess could be all my fault. I shuddered slightly.
 
“Why would you say that?” Twilight asked, still focusing on the letter. “Spike, send it now, please.” Spike breathed an envelope of fire that surrounded the paper. The paper disappeared in a poof of smoke.
 
“It could too be Leafwing!” Rainbow Dash rounded up on me. “Things have been acting up since you came around…”
 
“Hey,” Applejack grabbed Rainbow’s back, “ya’ll remember Zecora? We all thought she was some evil enchantress, right?”
 
“Oh! Oh!”  Pinkie Pie jumped up and down. “I remember that song! I remember every song I’ve sung!” She cleared her throat, and then began to bounce around the room.
 
“She’s an evil enchantress! She does evil dances!
And if you look deep in her eyes, she’ll put you in trances!
Then what will she do? She’ll mix up an evil brew!
Then she’ll gobble you up in a big tasty stew!
Sooo… WATCH OUT!”
 
With those last two words, she jumped up on to her hind legs onto a table.
 
“Wow,” I said, slightly shaken by her sudden musical rendition, and also surprised by the tuba and drum sounds were emanating from seemingly nowhere. “That’s, uh, catchy.”
 
“It’s a work in progress,” she replied, smiling.
 
“I think what Applejack is trying to say, if you all excuse me, is that Leafwing is innocent,” Fluttershy spoke up for the first time since the debacle at Rarity’s shop.
 
Applejack continued. “Yeah, R.D! Ya can’t just assume she’s the reason everythin’s happening…”
 
Spike suddenly started coughing. Twilight looked intently at Spike.
 
“Spike?” I asked.
 
“He’s receiving a letter!” Twilight explained.
 
Spike started to gag a little, and then suddenly, a breath of fire and smoke left his mouth towards Rarity. As the fire and smoke hit Rarity, her limp body suddenly twitched, and she leapt off the couch, awake.
 
“AHH!” Rarity stumbled away from the couch.
 
“You’re awake!” Spike exclaimed. Rarity blushed.
 
“I’m so terribly sorry-” Rarity was cut off by Applejack.
 
“Wha’ happened to the letter?” she gasped.
 
Torn up pieces of parchment floated out of the flames. Twilight picked up the pieces with her magic. Slowly, the pieces began to burn.
 
“It… It couldn’t…” Twilight tried to grab the embers, but the ashes were blown away by the wind, which picked up rather suddenly. “This isn’t possible…”
 
“You!” Rainbow Dash knocked me over. “You did this!”
 
“What?” I cried, incredulous. “Why would I?”
 
“It is rather suspicious…” Applejack commented.
 
“But-”
 
“Maybe she’s an evil enchantress!” Pinkie Pie suggested suddenly.
 
“It could be!” Spike suddenly cowered behind Rarity, who cowered behind Twilight. Fluttershy was crying and Pinkie Pie was bringing out instruments. Applejack had her lasso out, a grim look on her face. Rainbow Dash prepared to hoof me in the face.
 
“STOP!” Twilight yelled. Everyone froze in place. Pinkie Pie’s mouth was on the tuba, and her cheeks were inflated with air, ready to blow.
 
“It’s not her! I can’t believe my friends would this! Blaming all the town’s problems on a new pony!” Twilight said harshly.
 
Rainbow Dash slowly backed off of me, still glaring. Applejack put down her lasso, and Pinkie Pie breathed a sigh of relief as she put her tuba away.
 
“You’re being rather harsh on Leafwing, if you want my opinion, that is,” Fluttershy said meekly.
 
“Maybe,” Rainbow said gruffly. “But, it’s not just Rarity. Cloud buildup has been larger than usual. And there are reports of snow clouds appearing, nearly six months ahead of schedule.”
 
“Crops have been strange,” Applejack added. “More of the apples have been rotten than usual. It’s like the caterpillars have become hungrier.”
 
“The animals I used to nurse now don’t seem to want my help anymore,” Fluttershy whispered. “Many of them refused all the treats I tried to feed them.”
 
“Some of my gems went missing,” Rarity whimpered. We all turned to hear her. “Someone broke in, and stole all my beautiful sapphires! I went gem hunting, and that’s when I found Tom, once again. Something made me… come back to that horrid rock!” She hoofed the ground angrily.
 
Spike breathed a ball of fire into the air, and raised his fists furiously. “Why, if I find that rock again…” he muttered, swinging his little fists at an imaginary Tom.
 
“And someone’s been tampering with my flour!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “Why, just last Tuesday, Sugarcube Corner was covered in flour all over the place!”
 
“Um, that was your doing,” Twilight reminded. “Remember your babysitting?”
 
“Oh! Yeah!” Pinkie Pie smiled, and hugged me suddenly. “I’m sorry, Leafie!”
 
“Uh, its ok,” I replied, unsure what to think at this point.
 
“Well, we have to get to the bottom of this!” Applejack grabbed her lasso.
 
“Yes,” Twilight opened the door. “Let’s get a ride to Canterlot. Maybe we’ll figure out why things are so strange.”
 
“Can I come?” I asked suddenly.
 
“No!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack both exclaimed.
 
“No harsh feelins’, sugarcube, but it’s too dangerous outside Ponyville!” Applejack stepped in.
 
“Yes, and Princess Celestia will probably need us six to harness the elements of harmony,” Twilight explained. “As far as I know of, there isn’t a seventh.”
 
“You’ll probably get in the way!” Rainbow Dash agreed. Twilight glared at her. She cringed. “I mean we don’t want you to get hurt!”
 
“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie bounced. “That won’t be any fun!”
 
“I hope you understand,” Rarity put a hoof on my mane. “And I’m terribly sorry you had to witness my awful condition!”
 
“I could stay, I mean, if that’s ok with you girls,” Fluttershy whispered. Applejack sighed.
 
“Shy, we need you! We can’t jus use the elements without the mos’ important of all, kindness!” She started pushing Fluttershy out of the building with her head.
 
“I’m so sorry…” Fluttershy barely cried as she and the other ponies left, each mumbling an apology.
 
“Don’t worry,” Twilight turned, as she was about to leave. “We’ll come back as soon as possible, so you can make a visit to Princess Celestia. Until then, go out and make some friends!”
 
And with that, they all left. Except for Spike, of course.
 
For a while, I stood there, not knowing what to do as the ponies disappeared from my view.
 
“Hey,” Spike broke the silence. “So, you gonna stay here?”
 
“I guess so,” my head was still swimming. How was I going to get back to the normal world now? And how was I going to make friends?
 
“Well, I’d better start cleaning. It’ll take forever to organize these books,” Spike groaned. “Owlowiscious, you mind helping me out?”
 
“Who?” An owl swooped down from the rafters, and landed on Spike’s head.
 
“You, Owlowiscious! Silly.” Spike bent over to grab a book. The owl flew to the floor, and snatched a book up in each talon, pressing them into the bookshelves.  Spike began to hum to himself. I noticed I didn’t belong, and backed out of the house, glummer than before.