It was a bright and sunny day in Ponyville as Twilight Sparkle made her way down the street, Spike sitting on her back. She would often pause to wave or greet one of the many ponies who greeted her as she made her way to her destination. As she walked into Sugarcube Corner, she couldn't help but overhear one group of ponies conversation.
"Tragic, isn't it? What happened in Sparkling Meadows?" One pegasus mare was saying.
"What? What happened?!" A earth pony stallion asked.
His wife, a lovely unicorn mare, looked at her husband. "There was some sort of accident at an orphanage."
"What?! No! Not old Care Taker's place! Sunny Meadows is one of the best orphanages in Equestria!" He exclaimed.
His wife kicked him under the table. "Shh!"
Their friend leaned in closer to them. "Now, officially, it's been deemed an accident, bur there are some officials who believe otherwise."
The unicorn mare's eyes widened. "They suspect it was intentional? What exactly happened?!"
"An explosion." She raised a hoof, stemming off their questions. "By the grace of Celestia and Luna, there weren't any fatalities. Just a few minor burns, and smoke inhalation. But here's the bizarre part. A filly is missing. The strange thing is, it was at her bed that the explosion occurred, which is how the others managed to survive. Plus, Care Taker hadn't gone to bed yet, rushed back in and herded them all out. It wasn't until several hours later, after the fire brigade got the fire out, that she realized the filly was missing. And it was then that she realized it was at her bed that the fire started."
"No! Oh that poor little filly!" The unicorn mare's eyes widened. "Don't tell me they think she started it?!"
The pegasus merely shrugged. "A friend of mine is one of the investigators of the case. According to him, this filly has acted out before. The poor thing's parents had been in some sort of accident, no one seems sure what, though. Even Care Taker couldn't get the little filly to talk. Had a couple of doctors and counsellors talk to her and everything, but all she'd say was, 'I was told to run.'" She leaned in again. "Now, I don't know what exactly is going on, but I think it's all a bit strange. Something doesn't add up right."
The stallion leaned forward. "You're not suggesting she started the fire herself!"
The pegasus shook her head. "I think that the filly's parents weren't in an accident."
The unicorn nodded with wide eyes. "You believe they were killed. Then..." Her face paled. "You believe whoever it was came after the filly and finished the job!"
Her friend shook her head. "No. They tried to finish the job." Her friends gasped. "They never found a body. And in a ditch just down the road aways, they found a spot where it looked like a colt or filly had stumbled and then struggled to get out. There was even a muddy trail, but they quickly lost it. They have teams out trying to find the poor thing right now, but so far there hasn't been a trace. It's like she's just vanished."
"Hiya, Twilight!" The unicorn nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden appearance of Pinkie Pie. Spike grumbled as he picked himself up off the ground. "I got the things you wanted right here, all packaged for you. Oh! And I've also got some really delicious cupcakes for you too! You're going to need them when you go to Sweet Apple Acres."
"But I'm not...why would I be going to Sweet Apple Acres?" Twilight frowned at her very pink friend.
"Cause Applejack could totally use your help, silly filly." She leaned in real close and whispered, "Use the cupcakes to lure her out!"
"What? Lure who...wait! Pinkie!" But the pink mare was already gone, quickly stepping up to the counter to help her next customers. She turned to Spike, but the little dragon just shrugged his shoulders.
"Pinkie Sense, maybe?" He suggested.
"Well it is Pinkie Pie. And if she's saying that Applejack needs us, we might as well go see how we can help." Twilight said with resignation. She carefully levitated her packages onto her back and exited the building, Spike walking right beside her.
The little dragon twiddled his claws. "So...Twilight..."
"Don't worry, Spike. I'm sure that they will find that little filly. Poor thing must be so scared and confused." She was quiet for a time. "I really hope it all was just an accident."
"You don't think she's cursed do you?" Spike fidgeted, still twiddling his claws.
Twilight barely resisted the urge to deadpan. "Spike, we've already been over this with Zecora. There's no such thing as curses." She faced forward. "Sometimes, bad things happen to good ponies, but it doesn't mean they're cursed." She frowned. "Still, I wonder what's gotten Applejack in need of help. Has to be something if Pinkie's senses picked it up."
Spike dodged a group of ponies as they traversed the road leading out of Ponyville and to Sweet Apple Acres. The orchard was beginning to come into view. "I don't know, Twilight. Maybe we should get the others. Or send a letter to Celestia!"
Twilight chuckled. "I don't think that's necessary, Spike. If it was something that big, Pinkie wouldn't have simply gone back to work. I'm pretty sure she would have gone crazy." She paused. "Well, crazier than usual."
As the two made their way up the path to the farm house, Twilight couldn't help but notice an immediate oddness. Usually by this point, she'd have been able to hear Applejack or Big Mac bucking trees, or else have seen one of them moving about, tending to the trees. But the orchard was silent. As the barn came closer, she could just make out Big Mac near the barn, Apple Bloom standing near him. Apple Bloom turned and saw her.
At that moment, Applejack came hurtling head-over-hooves through the open barn doors, landing with a thud as she slid across the farmyard. Big Mac and Apple Bloom hurried over to her as Twilight ran the rest of the way.
"Applejack! Are you ok?!" Twilight panted as she came to a stop next to her friend.
The earth pony mare sat up and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof as she grabbed her battered stetson off the ground. "Ah think so." She cracked her back and then turned to Twilight. "Ah sure am glad to see ya, Twi'. Ah was about to send Apple Bloom to fetch ya."
"Actually, Pinkie sent me. Said you were in need of help." Her horn glowed as she levitated the box until it was floating in front of her. "I don't suppose you need cupcakes do you?"
Her friend frowned, scrunching up her muzzle. "Cupcakes?" Her eyes lit up. "Oh, Ah reckon we sure could use some of PInkie's delicious cupcakes right now!" She gave Twilight an appraising look. "And since Ah know for a fact that you can lift at least an Ursa Minor, Ah reckon it just might work!"
As Applejack took the box of cupcakes, Twilight asked, "What exactly is going on, Applejack? Why do we need cupcakes?"
"A filly's barricaded herself in our barn." Big Mac said in his deep, soft voice.
"Only, she's wilder than some of them timber wolves that live in the Everfree Forest." Apple Bloom added. "And the way she was casting magic at muh brother and sister was just astoundin'. She was throwing spells around almost like you can, Twilight."
"A filly?" Twilight's eyes widened. "It couldn't be...!"
Applejack hurried back over to them. "Alright now, Twi. Get ready."
Twilight nodded, taking a stance just out of sight of the door. Applejack had placed a cupcake just inside the door, and while they had a whole box of them, they couldn't afford to lose too many. As soon as she saw the soft silver light of the filly's aura, she reached out with her own magic. There was a small shriek, and the cupcake was hurled across the yard. Wrapped in Twilight's lavender aura, she gently brought out the small filly, who was struggling to get free.
"No! No! No! Lemme go! Lemme go!" She pleaded, struggling unsuccessfully to get out of Twilight's aura. Her horn began to light up, but Twilight quickly cast a magic inhibiting spell.
"Hey, now just calm down. There's no need to be so upset." Twilight said softly, gently lowering the filly to the ground.
"No! It's going to get me! I need to run! Have to run!" She shouted, her legs already trying to touch the ground.
Applejack trotted over and took the filly into her arms. "Now, now, there's no need fer all that." The filly pushed against her, trying to escape, but Applejack just held her close, stroking her mane and back. "Shush now. That's it, just calm down now."
The filly went limp as the fight went out of her. She began to sniffle. Then moan. Finally, she broke down, clinging to Applejack as she cried her heart out. Applejack continued holding her, comforting her.
"Hey, so what's going on?" Rainbow Dash said as she landed next to Twilight. "I was clearing the skies over the orchard, when I heard all this shouting." She pointed at the weeping filly. "Is she alright?"
Twilight shook her head. "No, she's not. Can you go get Fluttershy? We're going to need her if we're going to help this filly get treated. I don't like the looks of that hindleg. Looks like she's hurt it."
The rainbow maned pegasus nodded and burst, leaving a rainbow trail behind her.