The Alternate After Party

by Blackdrag-rose

IV: The Stranger Comes

Rocket was no stranger to flying, as he had spent a good portion of his time mastering the techniques necessary for flight in his own time. Still, he had watched Rainbow show off the basics to flying and he quickly followed suit. It was nice, flying in the afternoon sky without having to worry about anything other than making sure you landed correctly. According to Rainbow she just happened to have an extra bed at her cloud house and Rocket actually thought it was weird; each of the Elements actually had a spare bed in their houses.

It was confusing to think of everything that had happened, everything that he and his friends had been through, was now never to happen. Discord had messed with the timeline and had altered him into a pegasus, but Rocket began to suspect that there was something else Discord was playing with.

First off there was Sunset Shimmer, she was oddly friendly towards a stallion she didn't know and yet she was being hunted by another pony. That stallion was the second piece, who the buck was he, why was he following Sunset around, and why was he referring to her as a Windigo? From what was happening it seemed like he would be able to easily adjust to life as a pegasus, but he knew that a peaceful life would not fix things.

So when Rainbow and Rocket returned to her house she quickly showed him where her guest room was located and wished him good night. Rocket sighed, the mare actually kept everything in the unused room organized and clean, something he hadn't expected from her. He quickly stretched his body and laid down on the bed, finding it weird that he actually liked the feel of the bed. Before he knew what hit him he laid his head on a cloud pillow and quickly fell asleep.

~Ponyville Streets~

The strange stallion from earlier that day walked right past the train station, only pausing for a minute to make sure that the train was the same from earlier. He knew that the tan mare had to be somewhere in the town, the question was where was she? He considered staking out the townsponies until he found the one he was looking for, but it was also sometimes easier to hunt while they weren't expecting you.

He resumed walking and he silently passed by the town hall, the one location that could hold any information of where his prey might be living. That was considering that she was even still in the town and had not yet returned to the safety of Canterlot. He heard a gasp and moved to the right as a huge grey stone hit where he had just been standing. Floating in the air was a grey pegasus with a yellow colored mane and with what looked like crossed eyes.

"Nature is definitely out of balance," he said, continuing on as the mare raced down to get the stone.

"I'm sorry mister, I didn't see you at all," the mare exclaimed, floating in front of the stallion, "Were you hurt?"

"Not hurt," he replied, "just surprised. Nature out of balance due to Windigo's meddling."

Okay then," the mare said, returning to the stone before facing the stallion again, "The name's Derpy Hooves. Maybe we'll meet again sometime."

"That I doubt," the stallion remarked, "Need to end Windigo and restore Nature's balance."

Before Derpy could respond the strange stallion vanished into thin air, as if she had been talking to a spirit the entire time and not a living pony. She picked up the stone and found nothing crushed underneath, which made her wonder who the stallion was anyway. She shrugged, muttered something about muffins, and returned the stone to the carrier it had fallen from. At least nopony had gotten hurt this time.

The stallion had expected to meet nopony when he had entered the town, yet he had met one mare who was clearly out of balance due to the Windigo's presence. How many more ponies were tainted by her being here?

His silent question was answered when he was talked to the ground by something, that something turning out to be a pink mare with a fluffy mane. Where the buck had she come from and why was she pulling out a crystal shard from her mane?

"Ooooh, another new pony for me to have a party with," the pink mare said, staring straight into his eyes, "Tell me; do you like streamers and balloons or are you the type of pony who prefers having the bare minimum for a party?"

"I have no time for your foolishness," the stallion replied, trying to push the mare off and was surprised when she appeared next to him, "What manner of sorcery is this?"

"Oh silly, trying to explain how I work is like trying to explain why fanfiction writers write what they write," the mare explained, already losing the stallion, "Like one story where I started killing ponies and turned them all into cupcakes."

"You are out of balance, like crossed eyed mare," the stallion said, swiping the shard from the annoying mare, "only more annoying. And stupid."

"You are no fun Tonto," the pink mare said, catching the stallion by speaking his name.

"How you know my name?" the stallion asked.

"Oh silly Tonto, I know everypony in Ponyville," the pink mare continued, "and that includes the newcomers Tick Tock, Peachy Keen, Inner Wisdom, Rocket Sky, and Sunset Shimmer."

"So, the Windigo is still here," Tonto said, mostly to himself, "Where Windigo reside?"

"You would have to either ask Twilight or the author," the pink one continued, pulling out what looked like a can and took a sip of what was inside, "I know Twilight would help you, but I'm not sure the author wants you finding her just yet."

"I know not of this 'author' that you speak of," Tonto replied, "I know only of the Great Mother. She tell me hunt Windigo and restore balance."

"Are you sure?" the pink one asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion, "I thought the author wanted to mess with your head and make you lose track of her."

"Now pink one, stop talking about this 'author'," Tonto said, holding the shard against her throat with his magic, "Great Mother tell me to hunt, so hunt I shall. Maybe we make trade, gold for food and board."

"I'm not in the market for gold, but I do know who is," the pink one answered, "and I'm not this 'pink one' as you call me. The names Pinkie Pie."

"Horse out of balance," Tonto replied, shaking his head, "Lead me to the one who would make trade and be on your way."

"Okie Dokie Lokie."

Later, after about an hour after meeting the mare who would trade for gold and trading a vast portion of his gold to her, Tonto began to regret choosing to follow the pink mare. He stared out a window after a good hour of trying on suits he had no intention of ever wearing, but since he wanted food and board he had to before the white mare kicked him out. The white mare, Rarity, had such an anger like he had never seen before.

"Made bad trade," he muttered, "but soon I find Windigo and put an end to her schemes."