The bustle of Ponyville in mid-morning was just beginning as the citizens wandered to and fro throughout the town, talking, laughing, playing, and working in their peaceful harmony. Applejack glanced around a corner from the alleyway where she and Amethyst stood. She glanced back and forth for a few moments then turned to her companion. “The coast is clear, sugarcube. Just follow my lead.”
Amethyst nodded silently and slowly walked out of the alleyway after Applejack, throwing her hood up further over her face. Applejack bit her lip and continued to glance around nervously. If they could just get to Twilight’s house without notice, everything would be fine. The last thing that they needed was-
“Hi there, Applejack! Whatcha doing? Who’s your friend?”
Applejack winced and sighed. Pinkie Pie. The one pony that she was trying most to avoid. It wasn’t that she disliked Pinkie, not in the least, but Pinkie’s insane level of friendliness wouldn’t be good for Amethyst if she needed to keep incognito.
Amethyst shrunk back into her cloak as Pinkie Pie bounced up next to her, smiling cheerfully. “Hey there! What’s your name? Are you new here? Cause I’ve never seen you here before, and I know everypony in Ponyville!” she gasped. “So that must mean you are new here!” She started bounding and leaping with joy, making a circle around the shocked Amethyst. “I’ve got to make you a welcome party! We’ll have balloons and cakes and games and punch and everything! It’ll be great!”
Applejack grabbed Pinkie’s tail and pulled her aside. She put a hoof over the energetic pony’s mouth, quieting her as she whispered sternly, “Listen Pinkie, this here pony is new to Ponyville and she needs to find somepony to take care of her. You can throw a party for her later, but for now she just needs to settle in. So go get yer place ready for a party or whatever. I’ll let you know when she’s ready, okay sugarcube?”
Pinkie Pie blinked and stood staring wordlessly at her for a moment, then she grinned. “Okie dokie loki!”
Pinkie turned back to Amethyst. “I’ll throw you the biggest party EVER! I’ll have my welcome wagon there too!” She gasped again. “The welcome wagon! I should’ve brought it right now! I’ll be right back!”
She took off in a pink streak of light. Applejack helped Amethyst up and motioned for her to hurry. “Come on, Amethyst, we need to get you to Twilight’s before Pinkie gets back.”
Amethyst gulped and nodded, glancing around anxiously before they both trotted off.
Unbeknownst to either of them, a pair of suspicious eyes had been watching them carefully, and a pair of ears listening to everything they said. The creature to whom they belonged slunk back into the shadows of the alley, eyes narrowed in thought. Soon, very soon, she would make her move. And then the final step would be complete.
Twilight Sparkle sat in her study, laboriously reading the large book sprawled in front of her. She bit her lip and turned a page, calling behind her, “Hey Spike, could you get me that one book, the uh, History of Almond Farming in Equestria?”
Spike looked up from the sofa where he had been resting. “Almond farming?” he asked incredulously. “Why would anypony need to know about that?”
Twilight turned and glared at him. “I do. Just go get it please.” Suddenly a knock sounded at the door. “Oh, and go answer the door. I’m rather busy at the moment.”
Spike mumbled something about useless information and jumped down from the sofa, walking over to the door. He opened it and smiled. “Hi Applejack! What brings you here?”
Applejack smiled back and glanced behind her. “Howdy Spike. I’ve just got to talk to Twilight for a moment. It’s really important.”
Twilight turned and got off of her chair. “Hi AJ. What did you need to talk about?”
Applejack took a deep breath as if she was about to answer, then sighed and motioned behind her. “There’s somepony here who really wants to meet you.” She lowered her voice to a whisper, “She’s... kind of antsy and nervous if you get what I mean. Just be careful around her.”
Twilight blinked in confusion and shrugged. “Well, okay. Come on in.”
Applejack trotted inside, followed closely by the cloaked Amethyst. Twilight and Spike stared at her curiously, while Applejack closed the door behind them. AJ turned and nodded to Amethyst. “Twilight, Spike, this is Amethyst. She’s new here and she really wants to see you. I’ll let her explain why.”
Amethyst stared flatly at Twilight and Spike for a few minutes, making them shift uncomfortably. Then she threw back her hood and spoke, “You are Twilight Sparkle, Wielder of the Elements of Harmony?”
Twilight blinked and stared with open mouth as she glanced over the mysterious dark unicorn in speechlessness. She shook her head to clear it and answered, “Well, yes I am. But I didn’t wield them all by myself, you see-“
Amethyst was suddenly right next to her, staring into her eyes imploringly. “Please, you must help me! They’re coming….. they’re coming to take the.... the….” Her voice trailed off and she lowered her eyes, staring silently at the floor, her dark mane flowing over her face.
Twilight glanced uncertainly at AJ and Spike before leaning down and asking softly, “Who’s coming? What’s wrong? What are they coming to take?”
Amethyst raised her eyes, now brimming in tears, and whispered brokenly, “I can’t do it. I can’t…. can’t help them do it. I must..... must…..” She lowered her head again and sank to the floor on her knees. “I just need to sleep.”
Twilight glanced again at AJ and Spike, who both stood staring wordlessly with wide eyes. She took a deep breath and helped Amethyst up, walking her over to the stairs. “It’s okay, Amethyst. I’ll take you to my room; you can sleep there.”
Amethyst did not reply, but let Twilight help her along the stairs, her head still lowered. Applejack and Spike watched them go into the bedroom, then looked at each other in silent wonder. What exactly was going on?
After a few minutes Twilight came back down, her face still wearing a puzzled expression. Finally she spoke, her voice not hiding her concern. “There’s definitely something wrong here.”
Spike frowned. “Ya think?”
She glared at him briefly before continuing, “She’s obviously either crazy, fatigued, or actually warning us of something very real.”
Spike scratched his head. “She talked about somepony coming and that they were going to take something. A group of robbers, maybe?”
Twilight began to pace back and forth, something she did while thinking hard. “Maybe. But her voice, it sounded….. genuinely scared or perhaps conflicted. Like she knew some disaster was coming.”
Applejack rubbed her chin and frowned. “She also said something ‘bout not helping them. I suppose that means that she was a part of whatever they’re doin’.”
Twilight sighed and stopped pacing. “Well whatever it is, we’ll get answers when she wakes up. But for now, her secrets do not leave this room. Do not tell anypony about any of this. Nopony at all.”
The other two nodded and crossed their hearts, their eyes still wide in apprehension.
Twilight stood still for a moment, then looked up and smiled slightly. “And don’t let this ruin your day. Just put it out of your mind for now and don’t worry about it. Applejack, I’ll let you know when she wakes up, if you’re curious to listen to her.”
Applejack shrugged and turned to leave. “Sure thing, Twilight. I’ve got a lot of work to do today, but I’ll try to get as much done as I can so I still have time to come back here. See ya’ll later.”
Twilight and Spike waved to her as she left, then turned to each other. Twilight smiled sadly and walked back to her desk. Spike glanced upstairs at the closed bedroom door and shuddered before going back to work. He picked up a book and turned to Twilight. “Do you still need the almond book?”
Twilight sighed and shook her head, staring blankly out the window. There was something about this that just didn’t seem right, even beyond the ominous warnings. It was something specifically about Amethyst that was different from most other ponies.... most other unicorns, if fact. The look in her eyes, the shape of her horn, the way she moved.... But all this would be answered in a few hours when Amethyst woke up. Now was the time to stop worrying and get back to her studies.
Little did Twilight realize that those few hours of waiting would bring about more trouble than she could ever foresee.