Ponies ran wildly throughout the school's front lawn. The fillies and colts ran, talked, and played. All except for three. Scootaloo sat down, acting like she didn't care that Ryon was hanging out with Silver Spoon. Soon they'd be going out. Soon Ryon would forget about about Scootaloo... if he already hasn't.
Aside from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle was also alone. She scanned the schoolyard like a hawk for a friend. She saw Scootaloo, but didn't want to be around her. Sweetie had assumed that her pegasus friend would turn her down for somepony else, like how Apple Bloom did.
Somepony tapped Sweetie Belle's back. She jumped from fright, but after seeing who it was she became calm.
"It's only me, dear friend." Irothrust's mysterious yet soothing voice rang.
"Hi, Irothrust." Sweetie Belle replied.
"I must ask of you a favor. Can you handle this?" The caped pony asked her.
"Sure, I guess. Uh, what is it, exactly?" Sweetie responded.
"I am going to need to unleash a new secret to you that I have never told anypony. Meet me in the forest under the Sunset Gates again after school."
"Alright!"
"Good. Now, if you must excuse me, I am going to talk to somepony."
"Okay!"
As Irothrust walked away, two other ponies walked up. "Why, hello Sweetie Belle!" Loviatar said.
"Uh, hi?"
"It's so nice to see a good pony around here." The white furred pegasus continued.
"What do you mean, 'good pony'?"
"I'm saying that you're not a mean, ugly pony!"
"Who's like that?"
"Just a certain pony I used to know at my old school last year. So, how do you like school this year? I know it's only Wednesday, but, three days can hold a lot of events!"
"It sure can." Sweetie Belle chuckled.
"You know, Sweetie Belle, if you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to a... party."
"Party? I like parties! Is Pinkie Pie hosting it?" The unicorn squeaked.
"No, uh, yes, maybe. I don't know..." Loviatar became confused. Clearing her mind, she continued. "So, are you in, or are you out?"
"I can see if I can go. When is it?"
"This Saturday. My brother will be gone with his friends Snips and Snails, so everything will work out perfect. For my party, that is."
"Oh, okay! I'll try to come. It's all really up to what my sister Rarity says."
"You- you are babied by your sister? Ha! D-doesn't that make you feel, oh, I don't know... insecure sometimes when she isn't around to save you from a small breeze, or even a tiny little-"
"Stop it! It's not like that! I've just gotta make sure I have no plans!"
"Shouldn't you already know? Or does she not trust you enough to tell you?"
"Who would?" The other pony asked. That other pony being Diamond Tiara.
"Can't you ponies pick on somepony else?" Sweetie Belle begged.
"On one condition." Loviatar smiled.
"Yeah...?"
"You attend that party. From start to finish. No chickening out." Sweetie Belle gulped. The other two ponies walked away back from where they came from.
"I never knew you were that good!" Diamond Tiara complimented.
"You mean that bad!" Loviatar snickered.
"So, what kind of party is this?"
"It's my birthday party."
"Why would you force her to go?"
"More ponies, more presents. Who doesn't love presents? Besides, I have to build up my reputation for holding big events and such." The ponies turned the corner and found Apple Bloom right where they told her to meet them.
"How'd it go?" The country pony asked.
"Wonderful. Your little idea worked perfectly. Sweetie Belle loves fun, and fun is parties. She is also afraid of being publicly humiliated! Oh the fun we could have with this, girls! The pain we'll bring upon her! All because I-" Loviatar stopped. What was she doing? She couldn't let them know about her past!
"All because I loving pulling harmless pranks! Ha, ha." She finished with a lie.
"Can I come to your party?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"Of course! You too Apple Bloom!"
"Me?"
"Yes! You're my friend, aren't you?"
"I- I guess so." Apple Bloom sighed. Deep down she knew that she wasn't happy, but after the way these ponies seemed to have everything whereas her and her friends were always deserted by the rest of the ponies... this just seemed like a happier choice for her at first.
Scootaloo sat alone on the grass, watching Ryon and Silver Spoon. She knew that she'd have to stay calm and not let her jealousy get the best of her.
"Hello." A new voice said behind her.
"What the- Irothrust, is that you?" Scootaloo was surprised to see this pony beside her.
"Yes."
"Why are you over here? Shouldn't you be with your friend Sweetie Belle?"
"Don't you mean our friend?"
"How do you know- did Sweetie Belle tell you about us? Our trio..."
"No. I can just tell that you would be her friend. Believe it or not, I feel that Apple Bloom would be your friend, too."
"She did tell you. Don't try to lie."
"I am not lying, Scootaloo." The pony paused. "I am just trying to reunite you. I feel that if you three are torn apart, a lot of damage could occur as a result." Irothrust walked away into the schoolyard leaving Scootaloo curious. On her way back, a certain pegasus stopped Irothrust.
"You are just begging to die, aren't you?"
"What do you want, Loviatar? You know you aren't going to succeed, so why try?"
"You know as well as I do that Starswirl and Commander Hurricane didn't know what they were getting themselves into when they allowed us this power!"
"And that fits into the equation where...?"
"They should've ranked me higher! I strive for the most power!"
"So why aren't you happy with being silver? At least you're not third!"
"Says the one in the top rank!" With that, Loviatar's eyes grew bright red. Irothrust gasped for air, but no matter how hard she tried it was hard for her to breath. More magic had just been abducted.