A new breed of evil

by Rarity Belle

23 Emerald Masquerade

The blue lightning occupied the throne room for the third and last time in just under a few minutes. Only after the portal had opened itself was the pink maned pegasus dropped out of it. She landed straight on her flanks with a little bounce. The mare blinked a couple of times. She had not a single clue of what had either happened or where she had been zapped back to.

Something that took her perhaps more than just a few seconds to realize. When Fluttershy looked over the throne room, there wasn't even the breathing of the other ponies that could be heard within her own ears. She had to relocate herself a bit more than she would have ever thought. Everything inside of her mind had become a mess and the change of location that fast actually caused it to almost become scrambled eggs.

“Fluttershy, please turn around, you’re back in Canterlot,” the voice of Celestia said to her in her calm tone. One that was really aimed towards the confused pegasus. Though any initial response they didn't truly managed to have gotten out of the mare. Instead she kept on looking until finally and out of herself, she turned herself over to the royals with a set of blinking eyes. “There you are, took you a little while to make the realization now didn't it?” Celestia chuckled a bit to her before she calmly walked up to her.

Fluttershy just gave a silent nod in return as she didn't truly knew just how to answer upon that question. However, what she did realize, was the fact that Rainbow Dash laid literally wasted upon the ground while holding her tummy. “W-What happened to her?”

It was a question that caused the mulberry unicorn to sigh a little bit but she didn't answer the question. She didn't found it would have been her place to do such a thing, not with the events as they were turning out to be and have been. But Pinkie Pie on the other end, who laid next to the pegasus to keep an eye on her, giggled as her head peeked up. “Let’s say that Rainbow’s liver isn't as strong as I thought it would have been.”

“W-What have you, done to her, Pinkie?!” Fluttershy yelled in a low tone before she darted over to the cyan coated mare and simply looked over her. “Don’t tell me you have done anything bad to her! You know how sensitive she will get because of that, don’t you?”

Pinkie stood up on all four of her legs and nodded towards both of her friends before she would be opening her mouth again to speak her words. “Let’s say that we had a little drinking completion while we were in Manehatten. More, is best left for private ears.”

“…And I’m not one of those ears?”

“Didn't want you to be scared to death by them?” added Pinkie.

“If I may, ladies?” the voice of Celestia echoed through the room. Her voice caused all of the mares to look up to the alicorn of the day to the best of their abilities. Though to make things a little bit easier for them, the white mare spread her wings and gave them a couple powerful flaps before she got airborne. She didn't fly away or anything, only raised up to a higher altitude to look at all five of them below with her calm yet stern eye.

“We’ll talk about this later,” whispered Fluttershy before her attention became truly fixated upon the alicorn. Celestia had become again the center point of all the attention.

“Each of the groups has told me the news in the chase of the stallion. However, without much luck. The leads we had seemed to be wearing slimmer and slimmer. That is, unless you have something good to bring, Fluttershy. Your time in the Crystal Empire, did you found anything? Anything that could be helping us to find this pony?” the concerned voice of the princess echoed through the throne room.

All of the ponies understood the words from the mare more than ever. Perhaps the entire fate of Equestria laid in the balance whether or not Fluttershy had discovered anything.

All of the eyes were suddenly looking at her. The pupils of Fluttershy herself literally went from corner to corner before a yelp was released through her mouth. As scared as she was, she had to tell them just what was actually going on in the walls of the Empire. “I, I, I've,” she began before closing back up again to formulate the sentences right in her head.

Perhaps it was a good thing that Rainbow Dash wasn't there awake. The other pegasus normally would have been pushing her to hurry up. It saved the yellow pegasus the yells that she needed to hurry up. She actually took her time a lot more than others while everypony was kept waiting in anticipation. “Okay, here goes nothing,” she managed to bring out.

A sigh in relief was taken from each of the mares. Though never so loud that Fluttershy could actually hear the sounds that were being created. A little something that also acted hugely in the favor of the pegasus. “I, I have found him, really.”

Those words alone were more than enough to get a set of wide eyes from every single pony that was in the room. Nopony could have believed the fact that Fluttershy –the shyest pony they had ever met in their entire lives– had actually discovered the biggest lead into the case for the successor of Nightmare Moon. “Unbelievable,” whispered Luna to herself. She was the only one to speak the thoughts of everypony present.

“I, I’m certain it’s the right stallion although we didn't got the time to truly talk to one another about it before I got… zapped back to here. Though I did a-arrange a meeting for us to continue the conversation. There,” Fluttershy continued to speak. Her stage-fright managed to take over again and she released a small yelp before crashing down upon the ground.

Applejack released a gentle chuckle before she walked her way over to her friend and laid a warm hoof over the back. “Ah reckon we all know where we’re heading to now, don’t we?” she spoke up mostly towards Fluttershy to show her, she wouldn't be alone in the events to come.

Princess Luna took a few steps forward while Celestia landed back down on the ground. The white alicorn would have tucked her wings against the body with a smile. Though it would have been Luna who would be speaking the words that were on both of the royal sister’s minds. “You five, shall indeed be going to the Empire on the first available train. Grab the things that you will think you’re needing. Then it’s off with you all for Fluttershy has to catch her, date,” Celestia said to them all.

A few giggles left and right were released by the mares while Fluttershy herself dared to peek through her mane towards the lunar princess with a gulp. She never intended to actually date the stallion but from the looks of it, she might as well have been.

None of them knew just what they would be discovering within the walls of the Empire itself, none of them even could made the predictions for it. And at one end they didn't wanted to either. They seemed to have wanted to keep everything a secret for what it was as literally everything and anything could still be happening. A fact that they knew just all too well there and then.

~~~~

They all had packed their stuff into the saddlebags that were given by the royals, who also conjured the requested items towards the room they were in. Rainbow Dash had finally managed to return to the land of the wake again thanks to Twilight's magic. Which meant that finally the five friends had gone on board the train. They just waited for the massive engine to come to life and make its departure. Something about the whole trip seemed to be in the terms of bad memory, especially for Twilight. The events with the ancient unicorn king were still a little but too fresh in her mind.

Though the others were just happy that they could be visiting the place so far north in Equestria once again. Never could they just go up there and pay it a visit with the group they were. All of their schedules were walking like mad just for that single reason. Even though it was a thing that bummed them out, it was also a little something that they could all understand.

Each of the mares had made themselves comfortable upon the benches of the private cabin and giggled to one another while the memories were released. Times of peril from their own to memories of groups together. None of it stayed spared or safe. Luckily for Rainbow Dash, her liver had been fixed by the lunar princess to the best of her ability. Something she was truly more than thankful for. Whatever she had drunk with Pinkie Pie, it was strong stuff indeed.

“Y'all remember that time we went to Appleloosa? While we carried Bloomberg in the back of it? Now that was a trip to remember,” Applejack said before erupted out in a snicker. A snicker that actually managed to hide the whistling steam engine that came back to live to depart.

Yet where most of the ponies were chatting and laughing, Twilight had her forehoof placed against her chin and she looked over to the world outside. The wonderful station of Canterlot was a truly marvelous architectural landmark to look at. Though her thoughts just didn't seem to be leaving her home. The Golden Oak library was running without her. Twilight couldn't tell if Spike even understood one bit of the events that were going on.

No doubt on her mind spoke about the fact that he didn't knew what was going on. The images and sounds revealed upon that one night should have been more than enough to literally go even through his thick skull. Nonetheless it still looked like Twilight wasn't actually be able to calm herself down from the hurricane of worries.

It felt to her as if there was something bad about to happen sooner or later with her assistant. She could feel it in the wind that blew towards the station. Even in the cabin did she meant to have smelled it. Something was about to happen for certain. She just couldn't figure out whether it would be good or bad. Though when Spike would have been involved, it would have most likely been the latter. Which in return managed to frighten the unicorn a bit too much.

That was in fact the sole fact of which the unicorn was the most frightened of out of anything else. Compared to anything in the world that she could lose, that purple scared baby dragon was truly among the last things that she would let go. “I wish Spike was here,” Twilight carefully mumbled aloud, even unknown to herself.

It was Fluttershy who sat next to her. Shed gently shook her head towards the words before she gave the mulberry unicorn a tight hug. “He’s going to be fine, Twilight, just you wait. He’s a smart little dragon, now isn't he?” she said to her dear friend. Her lips curled themselves up into a smile that could prove her more than right.

“You’re right, Fluttershy,” Twilight returned to her before a small nuzzle upon the cheek was given. “He’s a smart little dragon indeed. Maybe, I shouldn’t be worrying about home for a bit and about what comes on the track.”

“That’s the spirit, Twi,” replied Applejack with a smile of her own. They all felt that the train finally went into motion. Their destination had been set and there wouldn't be a way back until the job itself was finally done. Even if it meant to get the stallion in a manner that seemed to be rather unorthodox. Though they allowed Fluttershy to persuade him over first with her personal charm.

~~~~

Rolling out of the station and over the switches to be placed upon the right track, the train had moved forth at a snail’s pace. Though none of the ponies seemed to be noticing one bit from it. All of them were just doing their own things to occupy the time. The journey would be a long and boring one towards the Frozen North. There would be more than enough time to actually bicker about something and someone along the way.

Though when the train did picked up the speed it was supposed to be driving on, it really did manage to pick up the speed it had. The massive engine caused the whole thing to be thundering down the rails like it was nothing. Though perhaps the creepiest thing of all was the fact that the track led the train almost directly past the woods of White Tails. That was a little something that caused the mares for the first time together be able to actually witness the very fog that seemed to be haunting every single pony to no end.

“So that’s White Tails, now ain't it?” Applejack asked while she glanced out of the window after some time. Twilight nodded as a confirmation to the thoughts. It indeed were the woods.

“Changed a lot since I was there last time. Before all of this began,” said Rainbow in a sad tone. She looked with almost teary eyes towards the sad scene outside. It was true that only Twilight seemed to have had the troubles up close but all the others could just feel it there and then.

“Let’s, let’s get some shuteye, shall we? It’s still a long way towards the Empire and we might be needing our sleep for the troubles tomorrow,” Twilight recommended to them. All of the mares actually gave a nod to the words and made themselves comfortable upon their places.

Applejack placed their hat over her eyes and leaned back against her seating. She laid down as if she laid against a tree with Pinkie Pie falling upon her shoulders. It wasn't something that she minded to happen as she sat in the middle of their bench. Rainbow on the other end choose another option and placed her head against the wall that separated them from the hall of the railway carriage.

Twilight released a small giggle as Fluttershy snuggled up against her as well as their bench. She couldn't be taking offense into it. Instead she released a small chuckle before she closed her eyes gently while the train continued to thunder down the track towards the Frozen North.

All five of them soon were peacefully asleep, or so they thought. For little did they knew the fact that the nightmarish impact of the unicorn even went that far as to getting them all on board of the train itself. As unbelievable as it seemed to be, they all caught faint flashes of the unicorn’s appearance behind their closed set of eyes.

Flashes that were soon to be forgotten. Like it was actually at all for them, but they were in fact powerful enough to cause each of them to shudder and shiver a little bit in the fears and frights of what they saw.

It wasn't anything they would be dealing with on their own and even if they could, wouldn't have been able to actually defeat it. Yet as they all had fallen asleep, faint whispers of inaudible words were released by all of the mares. Whispers that didn't seem to be meaning anything to the naked ear. Yet combined they all formed sentences of hatred once spewed by the unicorn herself.

The best part? None of the mares even knew what was going on when it happened.

~~~~

Through the rest of the trip did each of them woke up one by one while the train continued to thunder down the line towards the Crystal Empire. They all had enjoyed their slumber after receiving a rather rough start, the five of them felt as if they could be taking on the world. Which in a sense, they would be doing more and more after their friendship became tighter and tighter.

Though they didn't forget the things that they had seen within their dreams. “Ah don’t know ‘bout you girls, but Ah've seen her again and again in mah dreams. Not all the way, but the first part, that face of hers…” Applejack said to them. It was followed by shiver of true fright. “Whatever happened to Rares, whatever took control of her, it’s not good and it will never be unless we can stop it.”

“I get what you are saying here, Applejack. Not even I could have prepared myself for the things that I have witnessed just yet behind my eyes. Though the words that she spoke, those sentences about us leaving her, anypony an idea where that could have come from?” Twilight returned to each of them. Fluttershy was the last to have woken up. She rubbed her eyes with care before a yawn was released and found herself lying, snuggled up against the side of Twilight. “Morning sunshine,” was spoken against her. Fluttershy only released a squee with a blush.

The yellow pegasus scooted back up to her normal sitting position and tried everything to get the blush off of her cheeks. “S-Sorry Twilight,” yelped Fluttershy softly. She then turned her attention over to the hallway outside of their personal cabin.

“It’s alright, Fluttershy, we all have those moments now don’t we?” Twilight returned to her with a friendly chuckle. She gave a well-meant stroke through the mane of the mare. “But, as I was saying, anypony an idea?”

“Didn't Luna read out of the diary that Rares had nightmares just like that?” Rainbow answered. With that did all of the others looked into her direction. They looked at her as if she had spoken out a curse upon them. “What?! You are not going to tell me I was the only one listening to that part, now are you?”

“Well, uhm, maybe?” Pinkie giggled to herself.

“You never listened,” the cyan coated pegasus replied to her with a snarl.

“Hey! That’s not true! I heard that she talked about those nightmares as well,” Pinkie pleaded in her own defense on the matter. But Twilight just placed a hoof before her face and groaned deep to each of them. “Whoopsies, sorry.”

“Thank you, Pinkie,” Twilight brought out. Her head had raised itself again and the hoof was being lowered. “It doesn't matter who has listened and who hasn't, the important part is that we now know it. Rarity feared us, that we would leave her for somepony better, that’s a powerful dream to give somepony. Especially with how close we just happen to be with one another. Girls, this is got a whole lot tougher than I originally had anticipated and even could have though.”

In response to those words did all of the mares nodded their heads softly. They understood every last word that was spoken by the mulberry unicorn. “Uhm, Twilight, can I ask you something though?” Fluttershy then asked. She caught the sun setting on the other side of the train.

“Outside of the question you just asked? Sure,” the unicorn replied calm. She turned her attention to the pegasus. That calm expression in her eyes was only a deception to ease everypony.

“How long do you think it is going to be, before we are there?” she asked in a genuine concerned tone. “You see, I, I have an appointment with him tomorrow at noon.”

It was a fact that caused the mares to fall in shock. None of them had expected that it would be packing out in the way it did. The trip towards the Empire took a day to begin with. Yet it still depended on where the two would be meeting up and the time they would be. “Fluttershy, no offence but, couldn't you have told us that earlier?!” Twilight almost yelled towards the pegasus. She felt the gears in her head crushing and cracking to get everything back upon one timeline.

“S-S-Sorry,” the pegasus whispered before she scooted over to the other side of the bench. There she hid herself in both her mane and her tail. “I, I thought that the train would be faster to get us there Twilight. I never expected that, that it would be taking this long.”

Another massive facehoof was given by the unicorn before a groan of annoyance left her. “Don’t. None of you, just don’t, okay?” she spoke after she noted how Pinkie wanted to say something against her. But whatever would be coming out of her mouth would be everything except running in her favor. “Fluttershy, just tell me everything there is needing to be known, alright? After that, we will see how we sort this mess out.”

The day would have turned itself over into the night. After a long and tedious conversation were all of the details of the meeting finally known to the unicorn. Twilight managed to come up with a plan in her mind. A little plan that seemed to be packing out rather well for Fluttershy. It meant that she could still be on time for her meet. Though it was the lack of time that worried the unicorn the most of everything. They had been having delays for almost all of the way already. Twilight was genuinely scared that they would be missing perhaps the one opportunity that they had to get their friend back.

Thought the plan was known to the pegasus herself. She snuggled up against the cushions that occupied the benches of the seating. One way or the other would they be getting themselves into a whole lot more trouble than that they perhaps would have wanted and could have handled. But it all was to stop one thing and get another back for it. They had to be doing it no matter what.

With everypony already having fallen asleep in the cabin, Twilight was the only mare who was still up. She had released a deep sigh through her nostrils before her mind as put to rest as well. Everything had become just that little bit too much for her liking. Not to mention the sheer fact that that they were still hours away from the Empire. All of those matters that continued to grind themselves through her head. Though she made the wise decision to keep them right out of there and just go to sleep for the time being.

~~~~

Yet in the meantime and in the Golden Oak library was Spike just sitting upon the perfectly made up bed of Twilight Sparkle. He released a sigh through his mouth. Days had turned into weeks while he had to take care of himself. Everything seemed to be just so quiet with the unicorn gone. It was just quiet as nothing worked without her magic in the living tree.

Not that it was an actual fact that the baby dragon could be complaining about, even if he wanted. It did turn a bit into the home of a ghost due to the silence. Days had he waited for anything positive to be heard from both Twilight and her friends. Though all the letters that he got were as vague as ever when it came down to the princesses. It was something that caused the shivers to travel over his spine every single time a new one was received.

Even he had seen the image on the moon and heard the laughter inside of his head. It was something that terrified him more in his life then literally anything else he had gone through. For where others couldn't recognize the figure, Spike seemed to be realizing pretty well just who that figure happened to be. He instantly had recognized the figure as nopony else then his beloved crush, Rarity. Yet the time to send a message about it just wasn't there for him.

He couldn't even write the princesses about the things that he had seen and learned because all of the letters that he send, were returned to him straight away without even having been opened. “If that is going to be the manner we’re going to play it, I might as well throw myself out there and get some things done,” mumbled Spike to himself. He jumped off of the bed and wandered over to his basket. He was tired, the night had set in and the only thing he could think about was sleep.

Yet there was this sudden determination that got inside of his head. He would be going over to the woods of White Tails one way or the other and actually discover just what was going on there first hand. Literally first hand. Though the planning would be done carefully and he needs to have at least one pony with him that could actually help him in the matter.

The help of a pony who wanted to get Rarity back just as much as he needed was the thing that he required. “Sweetie Belle!” he whispered under his breath before snuggling up against the insides of the basket and placed the blankets over his body. Certain parts of the plan had been made and explained to himself. But there were still so many unknown variables. Variables that he would be getting behind when the time itself would finally be there and perhaps the two of them, stood before the gateway of White Tails.

~~~~

Back on the train had all of the ponies woken up from their restful night of sleep by the screeching brakes of the machine itself. The speed was reduced to nothing but a massive snail’s pace. The mares looked outside. Each of them knew what was going on but none spoke up the words. For they had arrived at the Empire and when they looked back to one another, made a sudden realization.

Each of them was in their crystalline form thanks to the shield that was cast around the city to keep the cold weather out. Which caused the lot of them to shine like gems found in the ground of Equestria. Not to mention that they almost could be seen through. “This magic, always had me wondered how it was created,” Twilight said to herself with a giggle. The mare then she looked up one of her hooves and smiled deeply. “But perhaps keep it a mystery for myself, for joy’s sake.”

Slowly did the train managed to dock itself upon the station. The moment that happened was Fluttershy getting it upon her hips. She seemed to have been late already for the meeting with the stallion and that was about one of the last things that she wanted to be. “Twilight, I, I am deeply sorry but, could you carry my luggage to the hotel? I, I really need to get going otherwise I’m too late. Please, please, please?” the pegasus mare asked, if not begged.

“Uhm, Fluttershy? If you didn't spoke so many words, I could have said yes almost straight away. But I’ll do that for you. Now go, go and get that stallion. You’re our only hope now, Fluttershy. Whether you like it or not,” replied Twilight to her. She then pointed to the door of the cabin. The pegasus herself released a thankful squee before she darted through the door. Fluttershy then rushed towards the first set of doors that led her straight towards the stallion.

Back inside of the cabin did Rainbow rose an eyebrow to the words that were spoken towards the mare. “You are our only hope? Really now, Twilight? Out of everything you could have said, you went with that?” she said against the unicorn. Talking like that made it sound like a bad line from a novel in her eyes.

“Oh shut it would you? She kinda is when you think about it,” countered Twilight.

“Suppose you’re right.”

“Anyway, get your stuff, we still got a little hike towards the hotel,” the unicorn said to them. Her horn charged itself up and packed both of the saddlebags of Fluttershy and herself. Only then she left the cabin in which they had spent countless hours.

Fluttershy was among of the first few ponies who got off of the train and onto the station. With her eyes did she looked at the landmarks visible. Quickly had she realized just where she happened to be in the Empire. It appeared much to her own luck that she happened to be pretty close to the cafe where they had made the appointment with one another. The pegasus released a deep sigh in relief before the sprint was drawn towards the exit of the station and unto the streets.

Once she arrived, the pegasus could just have looked over everything that there was to be seen. The clear blue skies, the gem carved buildings and not to mention, the crystalline ponies themselves. Yet out of everything that there was to be seen, there was just one place that she happened to be truly interested in. That little place she had visited only once before in her entire life.

Everything was set upon everything. Fluttershy galloped through the streets of the Empire with everything within her might. Huffs and puffs were being made while the wings fluttered around to give her even more of a speed bonus. Though she would never be on time for the appointment as the clocks in the Empire rung that noon hour in loudly. The play of bells in and of itself was something amazing to listen to. Fluttershy had become mesmerized by that for some reason.

Her ears perked themselves and twitched softly to each hit made by the bells. Songs known only to the Empire were released within them and every last one of them just sounded so joyful if not straight up amazing. Music of Equestria’s greatest composers turned into the music played with church bells. “Simply amazing,” Fluttershy whispered to herself after the sounds faded away again and the realization came through to her more and more.

She still had to find that one little place where they had said that they would be. The only problem was that Fluttershy happened to be in a rush. She had to find it as soon as possible before he would be leaving. The mare wandered and galloped around to get the sights in her eyes as they were not a mere two days ago.

The yellow, crystalline pegasus was about to give it up before she realized something. The mare then slowly trotted over to the edge of the street she was on. A deep exhale was being made through her mouth before the eyes opened themselves. With those green rimmed eyes of her, she looked over the square she stood on and finally caught the thing in her sights that was where she was looking for. All of the sudden was there a massive wave of relief that came over her.

With a massive and cute sounding squee had she made her way up to the place. Fluttershy saw the stallion already sitting down on the terrace with a cup of tea. She had arrived and he was still there. Two birds killed in one stone. Though the hardest part still had to come for the mare. Getting him so far as to join the their little band of ponies to take down the unicorn mare.

~~~~

“Hey Emerald,” Fluttershy spoke to him. She stood next to the table and looked at him with a smile. The stallion turned his attention over to the mare and smiled in return. He gestured her to sit down upon the chair opposing his. It was something that Fluttershy did with grace and thankfulness before she placed both of her forelegs upon the table and looked at him. “Excuse me the rather lateness of this, but, the train had a few delays. Just got off of it, actually.”

“It doesn't matter, you’re here and that’s the very thing that’s counting right?” Emerald returned to her before he called a waiter towards them. “Could we have two more tea and some cake of the house? You like apple pie, Fluttershy?” The pegasus herself was a little bit confused and taken by the words that were spoken to her. She managed to hear them right luckily and nodded to him. “Excellent, that will be all then.”

The waiter nodded to him before he made his departure again to prepare the order. Emerald Masquerade still had a couple questions of his own that he wanted to ask her. Some were burning upon his mind while others seemed to be able to wait. “So tell me, Fluttershy, you just arrived by the train, so I don’t take it you are going to disappear into thin air again like before?” he asked of her.

It was something that caused the mare to giggle a bit to herself while she looked over to emerald haired, earth pony stallion. Only to shake her head slowly from side to side. “No disappearing this time. At least not that I am aware of.” All of her usual shyness seemed to have gone like snow before the sun while she spoke to him. Though little did he knew –or anypony for that matter– that she was calling upon her courage like literally never before. Every last ounce that she had and could receive was being asked from her body. Just to make certain that she didn't seem to be so shy or nervous. It also helped that he eyed so relaxed, calm even.

“Perhaps, we should be getting to know one another a little bit more, before we take things further from here. You mind if I ask you a few personal questions? Of Course you may also return them straight back to me,” Emerald Masquerade spoke up towards her with a friendly smile.

“Go ahead and ask me what you like,” returned Fluttershy to him. She leaned back in her chair to get the nerves a bit further under control. Though she couldn't leave it to look at the crystalline building which was the cafe from time to time. She just wasn't used to the sheer beauty of the place.

“Right then,” the stallion stated. He almost came to business straight away. “Who are you really, and perhaps most important of them all, how did a mare like yourself discover where I am?”

It was a set of questions that took even Fluttershy by a massive surprise. Could it have been that the stallion truly had something to hide from the Manehatten underworld as was spoken to both Rainbow and Pinkie?

“Uhm, well, how, how do I say this…” Fluttershy began to stutter towards him. She couldn't be forming words at all anymore. All of that calmness seemed to have vanished just like that, replaced with something unknown to her. Something that terrified her.

“If this is about Rarity getting back to me, tell that wench that I am no longer interested in her. We both knew that things didn't work back then. We both swore upon it that we wouldn't be searching contact with one another, ever again. For all I care, she can sit with her broken heart. I know who you are, element of kindness, but you’re not getting to me,” Emerald spoke to her in a sudden, bitter tone. The stallion really wasn't interested in returning to Rarity as her coltfriend.

It were words that literal smacked in the face for Fluttershy time and time again. She just couldn't believe that a pony had such anger about Rarity stored into the body. Not to mention the fact that that anger was actually genuine.

“Excuse me for a moment,” the voice of the waiter echoed in their ears. He placed both slices of apple pie on the table only to have them followed up by the cups of tea. “May you enjoy it.” He made a small bow before them as the two of them gave him a thankful smile.

After the waiter had gone away, was it Fluttershy who snapped as a whole. Somepony dared to speak such foal words about her most treasured friend in the whole wide world. If there was one side nopony needed to be seeing from the pegasus, it certainly would have been her snapped side. “Now you listen to me, and you will be listening carefully because the words I’m about to say, either will make or break you as a figure! You got that?”

Even though Emerald didn't wanted to admit it openly, Fluttershy was a rather intimidating mare when all of the wires had been snapped. He was pushed into a rather tight corner without being able to get out that quick. The only thing that he could be doing, was to lean in a little bit and grant her the ability to speak her words. “Say what you need to,” he brought out to her.

“And that I will!” Fluttershy almost hissed towards him before she would be releasing all of her words towards him. “I don’t know if you have noticed, but back in Equestria have a lot of ponies simply gone missing. Even more have gone insane and I am quite certain that even you heard that insane laughter and saw the figure upon the moon a few days ago. So, stop, whining, against, me.”

More confusion was the thing that managed to hit the stallion. He too had seen the image and heard the laughter. “But, but what has to do that with me?! I can’t be helping you with such a lunatic on the loose! I’m a bloody accountant who had a bit of a debt in the Manehatten underworld for, ‘creative’ accounting. What has that thing, to do with it all?!” he pleaded for himself.

“Because that figure, was Rarity!” Fluttershy hissed even deeper. She also had leaned further in towards him, nopony else had to know what they were arguing about. But with the revelation split wide open to him, the mind of the stallion almost went numb.

It took him a few seconds to place each of the words in the right place. Never could have even imagined that such words would be spoken against him. “Okay, okay, if I do believe that, what part do you want me to play within it? You know I am capable of nearly nothing, right? I’m an earth pony for goodness sake. Unless you want me to mess up the accountancy of a dark mare, there isn’t much I’m good for,” returned Emerald to Fluttershy with massive doubts of his own.

“If you want to discover what your part into this is going to be, I suggest you’re coming with me to the hotel we stay. And hear us out,” the pegasus replied to him.

The stallion shook his head a little bit at her words as he found one thing not entirely adding up to everything. “Now hold just a minute here, who are ‘we’ here?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“The remaining elements of harmony. But, can we go after this? I’ve been starving for a bit here,” Fluttershy said to him. She took the fork in her hoof and began to eat from the pie with a squee. Yet Emerald, he had not a clue of where he had gotten himself into, but if the words were true of what she spoke, he was in a big load of trouble.

The stallion took his cup of steaming tea and carefully set it to the lips before a sip was taken out of it. His eyes continued to look over Fluttershy with a thoughtful expression into them before a sigh was released. “Alright… I’m in. If I’m going to die anyway sooner or later, might as well give up this running and live for a bit,” he said to her. Though the regret was already audible within his voice.