//------------------------------//
// 12) Six Weeks in (part 2) 
// Story: Fact or Fiction 
// by Mocha Star 
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Six weeks had passed since Rainbow Dash and Daring Do had disappeared along with the mysterious cyber mare. Life in Equestria had been going smoothly and winter had come as easily as it ever did. Tuff Boulder was getting used living alone, in fact he was turning twelve that winter. Instead of his usual quiet self he had become a bit of a trouble maker. Something inside him just felt restless without doing anything. The Crusaders would either see first hand or hear about Tuff Boulder being caught poking around somepony else's yard or shoplifting. He'd get a scolding from the adult who found him but the worst thing was just being thrown out of the store.

While Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle found all this acceptable, Scootaloo found it exciting. She'd often want to follow along with Tuff's petty crime endeavors but her conscience held her back...for awhile.

During one meeting at the Crusader's tree house, the girls chatted about what they wanted for Hearth's Warming Eve. Tuff spoke little, he too busy counting up Bits that mysteriously showed up in his jacket. When asked what he wanted, he just shrugged with a casual look.

Applebloom put a hoof to her chin, "Oh come on now, ya'lls gotta want something."

Tuff stacked his bits, "If I can't buy it myself, I don't want it."

Sweetie Belle encouraged the colt, "But Hearths Warming is about coming together and sharing what we have, you're not going to spend it alone are you?"

Tuff groaned, "If you want to get me something, go ahead."

Scootaloo smirked, "We will, all three of us."

Tuff froze internally, "Now I have to get three presents..."



Later that day Tuff went to Sugarcube Corner. He wasn't planning on buying any candy, he just wanted some advice. Pinkie Pie knew a lot about presents, right? She'd help him out with this. He walked in from the frosty air outside to the warm interior of the bakery. Pinkie waved at him,"Heya! How're you doing today?" 

"I'm okay, I just… just need some help," Tuff said, "The Cutiemark Crusaders told me they're getting me something for Hearth's Warming… I don't really have enough money for a present of all three of them..." 

"They're getting you presents? That's great!" Pinkie Pie cried.

Tuff groaned, "But I can't give them presents back… not without making some money..."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Maybe you don't have to buy a present. Just make them something that means a lot to them."

Tuff bit his lip, "I'm no good at making things, picking up 'lost' things maybe..."

Pinkie Pie smiled,"You don't have to have a craftpony's cutie mark to make something, just do it. They'll love it cus' you made it for them," She stuffed a cupcake in her mouth, Cupcake?"

Tuff took Pinkie's advice with a lifted heart, "Thank you, Pinkie! I'll see you later!" He said then bolted through the door, off on an adventure to build something for the Crusaders.

Pinkie scrunched her nose,"He didn't even want a cupcake… oh well."

Pinkie went back to standing behind the counter awaiting customers. After a short time Volm suddenly popped in across the counter from her. He was wearing a yellow coat and a wry grin. Pinkie took his sudden appearance well, he had done this 'popping in' thing quite a bit in the last few days.

"Hey sugar cube," Volm said as he leaned over the counter, "I heard that Tuff's planning on making something for his filly friends,".

"Yep, we were just talking about that," She leaned up to him and whispered," But it's supposed to be s super-secret-nopony-know-surprise."

Volm chuckled, "Oh I see. I'd love to help out if you'd like, let's talk over a cupcake," He pointed to a dozen of cupcakes that who's icing was sculpted into stars. Pinkie noticed that Volm had a gold watch and at least four rings on his pointing hand. Volm saw her gaze, "You like? I found a jewelry store in Saddle-Arabia with good deals, I practically made off like a thief there."

Pinkie picked up the cupcakes Volm picked and placed their try on the counter, "Twenty bits," she chirped.

Volm reached behind her ear and somehow money was in his hand, "Would you look at that? You didn't leave money in your mane again, did you?"

Pinkie took the money, "No silly, I only put extra cookies in my mane...or use it of I can't find a mop," Pinkie said as counted out the bits,"Umm...you only owed me twenty. This is a lot more than-"

Volm held up his hand, "Keep the change, I insist," Volm tossed a cupcake into his mouth, "Mmm, you make some damn good cupcakes!" He covered his mouth quickly, "Oh! Sorry, I mean Dadgum good cupcakes."

Pinkie laughed and Volm looked a bit embarrassed. They chatted about how Volm was planing on getting everypony[/in Ponyville a present for Hearth's Warming Eve. Volm said that money was no object to him and meant to be shared. In fact some of the money was coming from a few friends of his, for out of town.

Pinkie rose an eyebrow, "You said nobody really liked you from where you're from. How come you didn't tell us about your only friends?"

Volm drummed his fingers on his chin thinking, "Well… they're quite shy. I'm really the only one they know besides each other. I'd introduce you but they're still hiding."

Pinkie Pie looked around the room, "You're right, I can't see them anywhere. What's their names?"

Volm leaned back, as if to recall a distant memory, "The smaller ones' name is Friday and the midnight blue ones' name is Wednesday."

Pinkie giggled, "They sound like fun, when do you think they'll come out?"

Volm shrugged, "Dunno. Maybe today, maybe next week. They don't adapt to change very well."

Pinkie put on a cynical look, "How about I throw a 'Welcome-To-Ponyville' party? It could just be a liddle widdle one, not a super duper big one."

Volm seemed hesitant, "I'll talk to them about it. Anyways I've got to get going, thanks for the cupcake Pinkie." And with a wave he vanished.







Fluttershy was warm and cozy inside her little cabin snuggled up in a big green sweater. She sipped on some freshly brewed tea and looked out at the show covered ground. She had a full day of not doing anything planned, all to herself to get some ol' R&R. She had been thinking about Rainbow Dash's well being for the past few days, she hoped to Celestia she was alright. With a sigh she pulled the sweater neck over her muzzle and dozed off.

Meanwhile Angel Bunny was tromping through the snow and was being a general nuisance to the winter birds. Next on his list was throwing some snow in the chicken coop behind Fluttershy's house. He rolled up a big snow ball and readied to toss it in the door. When he looked in through the chickens were silent save a minute cluck...something else was there besides the chickens. Angel Bunny dropped his snowball which startled a chicken. The thing turned around...

Angel Bunny fled terrified to the safety of Fluttershy's cabin. He hopped on top of Fluttershy wit his snow drenched feet, waking the pegasus abruptly. 

"What is it Angel Bunny?" Fluttershy asked grumpily. She would rather be sleeping still instead of this. Angel Bunny hopped and pointed to the back yard, a look of desperation was in his eyes. Fluttershy became on edge slightly, she could tell something was going on and not just some prank.  Fluttershy  got off her sofa,"Tell me what's going on, Angel."

The rabbit walked around in a circle clucking, "The Chickens..." Angel nodded. He then stretched his body up and hunched over, holding his hands out like he was going to grab something. Fluttershy inhaled sharply ,"Is something after the chickens?" Angel nodded quickly and tugged on Fluttershy's sweater sleeve. Not sure how dangerous the situation was Fluttershy dashed to her coop, expecting the worse.

Angel Bunny didn't even get near the coop. Fluttershy Peeked inside and found a peculiar sight. What looked like a big black blanket sat in the center of the coop. It had weird 'arms ' they looked like hands hidden under a black cloth. Whatever it was, it holding a sleeping chicken. Where one would expect a face to be, or at least a head, was a white mask that had two holes with big, scared blue eyes. The figure stared at Fluttershy, both equally frightened to see each other.

"Umm...Hello?" Fluttershy asked. 

The figure shrank back making a small, "Ahh." Sounding like it didn't know how to speak.

Fluttershy motioned it to come out with a welcoming smile,"C-come on...don't be shy now..." The mask shook its head. Fluttershy knew she could become friends with the stranger, if she could scold a dragon this shouldn't be very much trouble should it?

"It's much warmer inside..." Fluttershy insisted, "I have some tea inside too… i-if you're interested." The masked figure cocked it's head to the side. Fluttershy's eyes lit up, "Are you hungry? I have some nice tea cakes inside too!"

The mask looked down to the sleeping chicken. It looked sad parting with the bird but put the chicken back in her nest. Fluttershy backed out of the entrance and the figure slid out of the coop. Fluttershy was taken back by it's size. The mask would be well over the top of Celestia's horn. The mask's big blue eyes blinked at Fluttershy and brought her back to her senses. She led the figure to her back door and it slid in with no trouble.

Inside it's head scraped the ceiling. The figure crouched down to about Big Mac's height and just looked at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy shuffled her hooves nervously,"My name is Fluttershy, Mr. Mask. C-Can you tell me yours?" The masked figure shook its head, pointing to it's mask. Fluttershy was confused, "You can't speak?" It nodded sadly. 

Fluttershy heard a growl coming from the figure's stomach. "O-oh, right!" her eyes darted around nervously, "I'll just grab you some food. B-be right back." With that she went quickly to her kitchen.

The figure 'sat' down on the floor, it looking like a big black blanket spread on the floor with someone at the center. It sat patiently waiting, not a sound came from it. Angel Bunny was hiding behind the sofa peeking at it. The mask's blue eyes caught the rabbit and stared. Angel quickly shrunk back into hiding.

The black figure extended a hand and a carrot slid out of it. Angel blinked in disbelief at the sight. The figure nodded and more carrots came from it's hand. Soon they overflowed and fell to the floor. Angel Bunny ran to the feast and began gobbling up the carrots. The mask watched the rabbit intently until Fluttershy came in with a tray of newly heated tea next to some little cakes.

She smiled, "I knew you weren't bad! I'm so glad you and Angel are getting along… but where did all of these carrots some from?" The figure held out it's hand again, motioning of the little cakes Fluttershy was holding, "Oh dear, how rude of me. Here you go."

The figure took the tray and with another hand, daintily picked up one with it's large fingers. It held the small cake up to it's eyes and examined it. From under the bottom of the mask a sliver of a mouth opened from the blackness of it's body.  It put the cake carefully in it's mouth and chewed it. The eyes seemed to light up and it quickly, but with some manners, ate the rest of the cakes.

"Goodness! You sure do eat a lot," Fluttershy admired. She looked to Angel Bunny, who was stuffed from carrots but still a dozen were around him. The masked figure decided to relieve him from all of those extra carrots. Fluttershy offered tea but the mask looked puzzled seeing the tea cup.

Fluttershy put one near it and took up her own, "You drink it, like this,"She lifted it up and carefully sipped it, "Now you try."

The masked figure picked up the tea cup as if it could explode any second. Fluttershy made the dainty sipping motion again for it. The mask brought the tea cup to it's mouth carefully. Fluttershy nodded proudly, "That's it, now sip carefully. It's hot."

The big blue eyes looked from Fluttershy to the cup. Without warning it stuffed the cup it its' mouth. Fluttershy bit her lip, "Close enough, Mr.Mask."


The blanket of a creature looked a bit guilty for eating Fluttershy's tea cup. It extended an arm out to her and a cup exactly like hers was in it's big hand. She picked it up gratefully, "Why thank you! I would still like to know your name… if that's alright with you?"

The figure slumped. Looking around it noticed a calendar on the wall. The figure got up and slid silently over to the calendar then brought it over to Fluttershy. It's index finger was pointed to the day 'Wednesday'. Fluttershy cocked her head to the side, “Is your birthday this Wednesday?"

The figure shook its head. Tapping the word again saying,"ah ah!"

Fluttershy made a goofy smile, "Oh silly me! That's your name, I'm sorry Wednesday."

The figure seemed to beam. It put the calendar back where it found it. A knock came to the door and Wednesday shrunk into a corner hiding. Fluttershy trotted up to the door and answered it. To her surprise it was Volm.

"Hello Mr.V, what can I help you with?" she asked.

Volm rubbed his hands together for warmth, "I'm looking for a friend of mine, perhaps he came by?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened, "W-what's your friend's name?"

Volm blew into his cupped hands for warmth,"Well...I can't find Wednesday."

Fluttershy called back inside, "Mr.Mask...Wednesday...somepony's here to see you!"

Wednesday slid into view, he seemed happily relieved to see Volm. Wednesday hugged Fluttershy and slid out the door into the snow outside. 

Fluttershy felt saddened to see Wednesday go so fast, "E-excuse me, will I get to see you again?"

Wednesday turned and nodded happily. Volm looked back as well, "Of course," he said, "Every day if you like." Volm nodded a thank you and began walking off, trailed by the eerily tall Wednesday. 

Fluttershy waved a goodbye to them and went back inside, baffled at what just happened. She moved to her sofa, looking over at Angel Bunny she smiled. The rabbit was fast asleep. Fluttershy couldn't get the visual of those big blue eyes out of her head...she had to tell somepony… but who?