Cursed Eclipse - Manehatten

by AImostpure

Future Horizons

Summer warmth flew away with the changing of the leaves falling from the trees. Shedding life to keep life during the coming cold of winter's grasp. Ponies began to wear scarfs, sweaters, and heavy padded saddles to fight back the coming chill. Weather teams worked in anticipation of the coming frost and snow.

Before a familiar condominium tower stood two ponies at the entrance. The doorpony watched on but paid no real mind to the conversation. An orange and sherbert orange pony stood speaking of goodbyes and farewells. “Ah just want to thank ya again, Aunt Orange. Ahm sure mamma would be happy tah hear I'm giving her broach to somepony finally.” The orange pony spoke with a southern drawl typically of her upbringing. Messy blond hair tied near the end with a red bind. Her tail matched her hair in every aspect from the bedhead appearance and red tie. Three red apples were her cutie mark signifying her life and her name. The pony wiggled her flank once letting her green saddlebags jingle with the contents inside. Each was stitched with her cutie mark to identify owner. “Ahm real sorry that Apple Bloom and Big Mac couldn't make it. Apple Bloom and her friends are always causing some fuss or another. And Big Mac...,” The pony trailed off letting green eyes avert away, “Well he's not one to from the farm too often. Big guy has enough problems with the fillies in town always trying to rastle him down with a band.”

The sherbert pony let out a marvelous laugh. A gold, plate necklace around her neck shining in the afternoon sun. The color of her mane and hair matched that of the orange pony's. It was styled in a more upper class bun. “Oh Applejack, just seeing you is enough for your Uncle and I. Just knowing you found somepony special makes us both happy.” The mare smiled gently to the other. “I remember when your mother gave your father the broach. You know the Orange custom. If the pony doesn't lose the broach and can return it during vows, then it is meant to be. If the pony loses or forgets it, then it wasn't. It was amusing to see the panic your father went through when your mother hid it.”

The doorpony took a moment looking at the upper class mare's flank at her three slices of oranges cutie mark. He felt hungry suddenly being near pictures of apples and oranges. Applejack glared at his wandering eyes, queerly staring at him. “That and... Thanks for understandin about the pony ah plan to give it to. Ah know not many of the Apple Family save Granny Smith and Big Mac even approve of this sort of thing.”

Aunt Orange moved forward raising her front legs to bring Applejack into a hug. “Worry not, my dear, we Manehattenites are not so shallow so oppose love. As long as this pony makes you happy then we are happy for you.” The mares came together in one last quick hug. Aunt Orange's hoof patting her niece on the back. “Now be careful going through Fillyton. Since the sheriff was arrested there has been quite an increase in gangs and bandits.” A frown appeared when she withdrew enough to look at Applejack's face. “Are you certain your Uncle and I can't buy you a train ticket or even a carriage to get home?”

Applejack took a step back. She closed her eyes, shook her head, and pressed a hoof to her chest. Her Aunt and Uncle had done so much for her already, and she wouldn't let them do anymore. “No siree at all. Ah'll be just, fine Aunt Orange. Ah'll write once ah get back to Ponyville.” Setting a hoof to the brim of her hat, Applejack tipped a nod in her aunt's direction then turned to begin her journey home.

There was a change in perspective now that a single tall hurdle was well behind. Applejack felt a certain skip in her step ushering her forward towards a new horizon. The first few steps, realization and acceptance, took everything in her just to come to grips with. Imagination ran wild picturing how the events would unfold declaring love with the broach of her mother. A heavy feeling knocked the wind right out of Applejack. The orange pony was one of the bravest ponies in Ponyville. Her face scrunched up feeling warmth come to her white freckles. As the Element of Honesty she had faced down Discord and Nightmare Moon. Her athleticism kept her going against the fastest pegasus in Equestria time and time again. Yet, the sudden feeling of having to take the next step made her feel queasy. Aw horsefeathers. Applejack thought to herself. Ahm getting all rilled up about somethin that's not even gonna happen for a few days. In the middle of the sidewalk the orange pony hunkered down throwing her forelegs over her head. The queasy feeling was causing a pain in her heavy gut. If ah don't get movin soon it'll be sundown before ah get to Fillyton. But ah just can't my legs tah move none!

Green eyes raised up staring around her. She found that she had dropped down in front of a concert hall. Several older ponies were entering inside, but no sign of a ticket taker nor usher was to be found. Wanting to rid her mind of her doubts, Applejack hoofed forward past the large wooden doors to see what might have been going on. Blond hair tossed over her left shoulder when she peaked her head inside. Jaw dropped open, her nose scrunching to the smell of old wood and musty antiques. It reminded her too much of the library for her comfort but she'd enter anyhow. She'd find the elderly ponies stopping in front of a pony at the doors to the theater then going within. Hoof steps brought her to this pony hoping some answers to what this place was could be given.

“He..Here you go, Miss Tock.” The pony at the theater doors was behind a plastic, lightweight table adorned with cookies, cupcakes, and small paper bowls of pudding. Each guest to the theater was offered their choice of confectionery.

“You're a good filly, Eclipse.” The old mare mumbled taking a cookie into her mouth for later.

Applejack had never seen a pony like her before. The orange farm pony stepped to the end of the line entering struck by curiosity. Glowing eyes, cloudy diamond twinkling hair that always stayed fallen over her left eye, and her wings mismatched. She wore a forest green beret covering the area where a unicorn's horn would be. Was she even fully grown? The gray pony seemed small for a mare. Knowing the kind of spells her friend, Twilight Sparkle did, she had to wonder if this pony was in the wrong place at the wrong time with a unicorn. “Excuse me there, sugarcube.”

“Oh.” Eclipse looked right up away from her pastries then back down to the line up. “I'm so..sorry but I don't ha..have any sugar cubes.” A frown touched her lips gazing back to the orange pony. “I do..do have some cupcakes with cream ch..cheese icing.”

It took even Applejack a moment to figure out what Eclipse was referring to. She used the term, sugarcube, so often among friends and potential friends that she never realized somepony may take it to mean actual sugar cubes. A hoof waved dismissing the cupcake and the desire for sugar cubes. “No, ya misunderstand me. Ahm calling you sugarcube, sugarcube.” In a polite manner, Applejack pulled her hat from her head setting it to her chest. “Name's Applejack. Ahm from Ponyville.” Her hat settled again on her head set between her ears.

The gray pony took a hoof step back from the table. Her right foreleg curled up near her chest while her head bowed forward. Glowing visions traced back to face the orange mare giving a fancy smile towards her. “Muh..My name is Eclipse.” It took time but she learned to drop the 'cursed' from her introduction. Wings ruffled lightly, namely the bat wing coming up, stretching to the right then resting back down. Eclipse seemed to always have a problem with that one giving her cramps.

Applejack couldn't keep her eyes just on Eclipse's face. It seemed that each time she looked at the other mare she found something new about her. “Sugarcube, iffin you don't mind my askin somethin that maybe personal?”

A quick blink. Eclipse was a pony who hid information. A closet full of skeletons she wished not to get out could have bust open at any time with the wrong question. Still, Applejack was nice enough to ask before just blurting out a random quiz. “I don't see..see why not.”

Applejack knew only one pony who stuttered and that was her friend, Fluttershy. That pony only stuttered from being too dang shy. Eclipse didn't come across as being a shy pony so her stutter must have been something else. A seat was taken, resting down on her haunches, on the other side of Eclipse to keep the door from being blocked. A cookie was taken to take a quick munch. It was an odd flavor, not extremely sweet, but mild. “Well, ah have a friend, name's Twilight, she's crazy 'bout anythin that has to do with magic. She'd probably ask ya a million questions if she met ya. But.... Are those things natural or one of those unicorn spells?”

Eclipse heard that question before. It didn't bother her considering she knew no other pony like that. “No. I was bo...born with th..them.”

“Well ah'll be.” A quick head shake before peering intently at each glowing pool. They looked just like real eyes but glowed as Luna's moon. An errand front hoof came up scratching at her blonde mane. “Now, what about them wings? I know a certain rainbow maned lunkhead who would make a pony go deaf going nuts over those. They natural too?”

Twisting her torso to look at each wing, Eclipse turned back to Applejack affirming her question with a nod. “Ye..yes. I was born with the..these as well. My hair is nat..nat..natural too.” She figured what the next question might be and tackled it ahead of time. Not wanting to seem rude, Eclipse came sitting down next to Applejack. From inside the theater the sound of music began to play.

“Are ya missin something now, Sugarcube? Ah wouldn't want ya to miss it on account of my questions.” A tinge of guilt poked at the Element of Honesty.

“It's al..alright. Miss Octavia says I sh..should talk to ponies more oft..often. Would you li..like another tre..treat?” A bit of magic raised a white, fluffy whipped icing cupcake down in front of Applejack. Eclipse looked on hopeful that she would take even the smallest bite.

A quick bite was taken when Applejack couldn't turn down the look in the filly's eyes. “Sure. Say, these ain't as sweet as I'm used to. Not enough sugar 'round to use?”

“No..Not at all. Many eld..elderly ponies prefer the sweetness le..lesser. So I made it to fit th..their needs.” Attentive to others needs.

The orange mare tipped her head again, the cupcake resting at her hooves she took another quick bite. “Rather kind of ya, if I do say so myself. Now, Ah hear music inside but if it's a party ah don't hear enough commotion. Unless it's like those hoity toity Canterlot shindigs they do.” Both ponies began to laugh. Applejack for remembering the garden party and the Grand Galloping Gala. Eclipse for believing that any and all parties consisted of rave music, flashing lights, and Vinyl stage diving into crowds.

“Nah..Not at all. This is a small theater that my fri..friend Octavia uses to pra...practice with the Celestial Manehatten Orchestra.” There was a sense of pride from Eclipse as she looked to the open door. Every day that was a new blessing since arriving in Manehatten. There wasn't a reason not to feel pride. “Bu..but foals use it fo..for recitals and sma..smaller orchestras for the..their shows. I us..usually come here ev..everyday with Miss Octavia. The Con..conductor asks me to ta..take notes when watching too.”

There was an understanding. Knowing exactly how the filly must have felt for her friend. Applejack felt the same with the uniqueness each of her friend's held. A gong from a clock struck Applejack like a hoof to the chest. If she wasn't careful she'd be hitting the road at night instead of under Celestia's sun. “Ah really hate to say this but ah really need to get a hoof on. Say, iffin you're ever in Ponyville stop by Sweet Apple Acres. Ah'll pay ya back with some of my famous apple pie.”

It was the second time somepony invited her to Ponyville. One of these days the offer would need to be taken up. Both ponies raised up, trotting towards the exit back out to the city streets. “I'll re..remember that. Tha..Thank you, Miss Applejack.”

“Just Applejack, Sugarcube. Take care now, ya hear?” The pony set a hoof to her hat, nodding to the smaller pony. Eclipse waited until the farm pony was out of sight.

“She looked to be a nice pony.” Eclipse turned to the sound of her friend's voice.

Octavia was waiting patiently for Eclipse to finish speaking to the orange pony. An interruption would have ended the session of friend making far too soon. In truth, Octavia had been unnoticed since Applejack and Eclipse began their conversation. She was standing on the side observing as a protective mother to her foal.

“Did you fi..finish the set alrea..already?” The question came out looking past Octavia to the concert hall. The sounds of the instruments still came out. Glancing between the door and back to Octavia, Eclipse tilted her head.

“Not at all. I was not apart of this piece. My solo practice begins shortly, but I am in a bind it seems and I was hoping you would help me.” Octavia led Eclipse on a beeline path to the door to enter the backstage. White light glowed from florescent light bulbs along the walls. Neither pony ever believed this new kind of lighting would ever beat magic or fire. “My first song during the concert is to be played with Sapphire Shores.”

“Oh...Only one song? But what abo..about my stut..stut...stut..”

“Stuttering? Not at all. Eclipse, you have a lovely voice.” Her movements stopped at the bottom of the steps to the stage. Octavia turned herself around. “If you do not feel comfortable it is alright, Eclipse. I would not want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

It wasn't as if there was an actual audience. It was the old ponies and perhaps the orchestra that she talked to and spent time with each day. “I'll do it.” Voice was soft, shy and timid. Octavia beamed reaching her hoof down curling around Eclipse's foreleg guiding her onto the stage.

Eclipse had been on this stage many times during music pieces giving the members water or helping to setup instruments. This time there was a stand with music sheets set up for the canceled Sapphire Shores. On a normal night spot lights would shine down on the musicians but now it was the normal lighting. It was what Eclipse expected out in the audience. The elderly were settled in the front row, members of the orchestra were scattered around in the seating like teenagers at a late night ate movie, and the conductor settled at the front center of the stage preparing to guide Octavia.

The cello was setup to the left behind Eclipse as to not take full view away from the singer. Octavia positioned her self, bow in hand, to begin playing at her own convenience. “The opening of the song has me playing solo. Follow the tune until you're ready to enter and just sing the lyrics.” The bows slid effortlessly across the cello strings bringing forth a soft, eerie melody. The song brought forth memories of love lost and chances forfeited.

Nervous and quick steps went straight for the stand and sheet music. The lyrics gazed over examining the words and notes. It was a song of losing ones self to temptation and wishing to return back the time to fix mistakes. Unbeknownst to Eclipse this song was popular currently. Lids fell across glowing pools leaving the afterimage of the crowd and theater. Immersing herself in the music was an easy feat with one of Octavia's skill. Chest raised pulling a breath into her lungs. Lips parted as she began to sing. The lyrics were not what she was meant to sing, but something from a memory long lost.

When Eclipse opened her eyes she was no longer in the theater. Since the night of the eclipse, the illusions had grown more frequent and intense. Now, she found herself in a place of stone much smaller than where she once was. It was a bedroom. Two large cushions laid before her with the alicorn mares of white and midnight blue watching her with adoration and calm. Eclipse was upon her haunches in front of a hearth. Although a memory, she could hear the crackling and feel the heat of the flames. A nearby window showed the night sky twinkling with stars. A quick glance back down at her self, she was a filly again, flank blank and wings small.

The words that she sang were not ones any modern pony would have knowledge. While not many would know the lyrics, they would feel the emotion behind it. Each word slid from the alicorn's tongue telling a story of the ancients. Of a time before Equestria of a time before ponies understood themselves. Eclipse raised one hoof guiding it upwards motioning to the sky. Her head tilted back letting her eyes follow while she sang. Her voice never stuttered nor did it break. As the sound of the cello became an echo to the filly's mind, the sound of her own voice grew louder in her ears.

The light from the fire and the darkness of the shadows became dancers to her words leaving their homes and places of origins to sway and move with each syllable and drop in tune. The flow of energy came swirling around Eclipse. Front hooves came forward swaying back and forth motioning to where the darkness and light would go next. Images of warriors and monsters battling when her song became faster and chaotic. As the war waged in the imagery, the song returned to its soft form casting away the light and dark to return back to its natural state.

Finally, casting her gaze back to the alicorns before her as the song came to its conclusion. The two had raised to all fours clopping their hooves in front of them applauding the younger. Tears glowed streaming down their cheeks. Eclipse could hear the white one speak, “Dear sister, thank thee for the marvelous song thou has sung to us.”

As a ripple in water, the memory of when she knew not faded from Eclipse's eyes. Once again, to the trumpeting applause of the small audience, and even Octavia behind her, Eclipse returned to reality. The clomping of hooves echoed through the near empty theater creating timid emotions to sprout forth. Ting of red touched her cheeks, Eclipse turned away to look at Octavia who was urging her to bow. Peering out at the ensemble of ponies, the alicorn lowered herself forward giving a bow in gratitude to the audience's cheers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Where did you learn such a song, Eclipse? It was a challenge to play the music according to your song but I think I managed fine.” Octavia praised her words to the filly besides her. They walked down the dimmed streets returning home after the practice. The final two hours were spent with Eclipse being questioned on the song, why she wasn't performing, and how she had managed to move the light and shadows the way she had. Adoration and praise came from every pony, including several that came inside upon hearing her sing. “Here I thought I was going to practice my piece but hearing your voice made up for anything missed.”

“I do..don't know. Re..remember what I tol..told you about the oth..other night? What I sa..saw?” Hesitant to speak of the event fearing the risk of sanity being brought into question made explaining that much more difficult to want to do. “It wa..was like that ag..again.” Head shook lightly.

The gray filly was examined again in silence. Octavia looked at her flank, to her wings, to her head for any oddities that may have come during the song. It was obvious that she wasn't in her right mind after conjuring the light and shadow the same way she did at the club. It happened the first night Eclipse went with Vinyl since meeting them without Eclipse getting drunk. The cellist would see something different, this was in Eclipse's mane and tail. It wasn't as gray as it had been when they first met. Slowly, but surely, whenever mention of another 'vision' was brought up, Eclipse's hair became less gray and appeared more like a cloudy diamond. A jeweler would have wanted to cut her hair off to use in rings or necklaces. “Whatever it was, Eclipse, it was stunning. Would you sing for Vinyl and my parents during our trip?”

The trip was a week away. In seven days, at the prime time rush hour, the trio were expected to born a train heading north to Trottingham. Ears perked then lowered at the request made. No wasn't an answer that could be given, not with everything Octavia had done for Eclipse. Behind a false smile of confidence, the filly nodded her head. “I wi..will.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heat. Sweat. Blood. Iron Mind could feel it. Iron Mind could taste it. Iron Mind could see it. In a clearing off the side of the main road, he stared down an ambush by about a dozen highway ponies. A knight's sword attached to his right roof, bladed hoof guards scratched and stained in red, and his brightly glowing horn were his only tools for defense. He was unafraid to take a pony's life especially with Princess Luna at stake.

Princess Luna. Iron took a moment to look away from the encroaching ponies to look at the wounded princess. A sharp blade cut through her wing, launched by the highway men to take down their bounty, and now she was unable to continue the fight along side the captain. It was of no consequence. Iron Mind knew his duty. And they would all die if they did not surrender. The day took a turn just two hours ago...

A regime of guards had been gathered outside of the Sheriff's office in Fillyton. A blanket search would begin once more from Fillyton to the Manehatten bridge to ensure that nothing was missed. Each were given a block of land to cover and report back immediately should any discover come forth. Camps were setup every five miles to give refreshments and check-ins, with the final camp being the base of the bridge.

Her majesty, Princess Luna, had been staying in Fillyton since the eclipse a week prior. Iron noted she appeared pained and saddened the search had thus far turned nothing up. Within Iron's office she remained most days and nights doing the same Iron had been doing, until he had gotten the break from Fleur-De-Lis, looking and re-looking over evidence, notes, and drawings.

Two mugs of coffee floated besides Iron Mind as he entered into his temporary office. “Your Majesty.” He spoke bowing his head forward until the Princess raised a hoof for him to rise. Regardless how often the two princesses told him not to bow in private, he did so still. “The guards have been set off to begin their final patrols. It is only a hope that they can manage to find something. If not the Police Department in Manehatten has prior knowledge to my arrival to begin there. We have been informed we have full cooperation with their units.

“Your last letter mentioned finding an employee we had not heard before, a miss Blueberry pie?” Luna could find comfort in the professionalism that Iron Mind kept. Unwavering, unemotional, and intimidating to a point made him an impeccable soldier to have in the kingdom's ranks. Her magic took one of the mugs of peasant coffee bringing it to her lips with a grateful gulp.

“Yes, we have not yet found clues to where she is, but she is a wanderer from what we have learned. I met her once, many years prior. She is a hero from when the kobolds and the minotaurs went to war. My only concern is that she remembers the pony and is willing to aid us in pursuing Gold Mine. We are not yet aware of what he may have done to her to keep her silence.” Iron let his forehead and horn come against the window, sighing aggravatingly.

“It is astounding that this could have gone hidden for as long as it did. Did no pony consider that things were unusual? A perfectly healthy mare suddenly falls ill after a failed birth, two wealthy socialites becoming recluses, and the strict manner they handled employees.”

“If it was any other pony, it would have. Forgive me for saying so, Princess Luna,” Iron Mind stood before a window overlooking the town. The ponies went about their lives without a knowledge or care of what was going on just outside the borders. To them, it was rich pony problems that didn't involve them, and they were right. For many wealthy in Fillyton they kept anyone below their level out of their lives unless they had to bribe them to ignore some crime or destroy their lives to cover up. “Much as I presume it was before certain events, ponies now hide things with their wealth. In this day and age the ease has only increased. I apologize if my words are condescending, I mean no disrespect, but as we both know, your Majesty, just as there are good ponies there are... bad... ponies...”

Luna looked up from the papers once Iron's words trailed. “Iron...?” The moon princess questioned as he turned from the window trotting quickly to the door. At the door Iron kept his tools; his guard armor, four bladed hoof guards and a pony usable sword. Bladed hoof guards, save for the right, was slid on his hooves. Magic slid the sheathed sword to connect onto the side of his breast plate, which in turn moved to cover his torso.

“Your Majesty, I believe I just saw one who could help us leaving this station in a hurry. A pink griffon to be precise. If you'll excuse me.” He was prepared for a fight if one was to come from this. When Iron let his magic swing the door open, two guards were preparing to do the same.

“Captain, an intruder broke into the evidence room and has stolen information on the remaining witnesses.” Luna came up behind Iron Mind. She motioned for the guards to depart letting the alicorn and pony begin pursuit.

“Your Majesty...” Iron Mind began once they left the office door leading outside.

“Nothing you say will stop me from accompanying you.” Luna spoke in a commanding tone. Her wings spread outwards taking herself to the air as Iron Mind galloped below her. With one in the sky, and the other on the ground, it was easy to find the pink figure that was ahead of them. The chase led the pair quickly out of town towards the area that was referred to as the slums. The distance closed its self between the two. Why the griffon was flying slower than a pony galloping was found by the extra weight she carried in her talons.

Iron Mind was now directly below the pink griffon and Luna was at her tail feathers. “Halt!” The guard captain shouted casting only momentary glances in front of him, preferring to keep his visions up to the thief. A curse onto himself. If Iron had brought a knife he could have used his magic to throw it into the criminal. Unfortunately, he was not the only pony to have such an idea on this day.

The pained cry of a mare and the hollow sound of a body striking the ground was what finally took Iron's attention away from the fleeing griffon. Dust rose around his hooves forcing his speeding body to a fast halt twisting to look behind him. The Princess had fallen. Crimson seeping from a wound on her wing. A hasty retreat brought him to the princess' side. His magic drawing the knife out causing the princess to yelp. “Forgive me, your highness.” Iron whispered.

The griffon was no longer in sight. She had flown to the point that chase was no an option. A new concern had come to them. “Lookit here colts and fillies. We have a real life royalty and some puny guard. Betcha the blue one makes a real good bank account.”

There were fifteen of them, unicorns and earth ponies, with clubs and knives in their mouths or with magic. “No no boss! That's the Princess. The princes of, ya know, the moon. We could get a town for her rewa...” The words were cut off by the sound of liquid gurgling from the pony's throat.

No quarter was given and no time to reconsider was allowed. Iron Mind threw himself right into the group. His left blade hoof guard slid into the chest of the pony with a kick of his leg forward. His right hoof moved back drawing out his blade. The metal hilt clicked locking its self in place. “Nopony harms the monarchy.” The gleam of his sword shined under the light before cutting downwards across the flank of the leader. Iron Mind was in his element. A third pony came from the captain's right tossing her head forward to bring her club down against his neck. It wouldn't reach. Magic pulled a knife from one of the slain pony's mouths lunging it into the newest assailant’s side.

Crimson splattered over Iron's face and body, but not his own. The sword was held in a threatening manner, hop steps taking him to the Princess' side to protect her directly. Twelve remaining bandits drew closer towards them. Revenge gleamed in their eyes moving on the outnumbered and cornered captain. Two unicorns rushed forward lunging to strike the captain together. Iron lowered his sword raising with a quick strike upwards knocking the first pony back. His hind legs bucked backwards letting each hoof blade cut into the pony's knees splitting the knee caps.

Iron sunk his sword to the hilt of the second attacker's chest. He raised his head staring at the remaining bandits. A growl rumbled in his throat, left hoof raising beckoning for the others to come attack.

“Iron Mind. Stop this.” Luna spoke pushing to her feet. She raised her head back, magic pulsating from the tip of her horn. “I will handle the rest.” The guard captain moved back close to Luna standing between the bandits and the princess. A worried glance shared between them, they turned to begin fleeing from the two. Luna smirked. They would not be able to run far. Her head lowered downwards aimed towards the cowards. Sparks of electricity and ice gathered towards in a gust of fog blowing forward enveloping the group. Their movements stalled, bodies frozen in solid ice.

Luna drifted on her hooves prepared to fall, but the captain was there to catch her. He pushed his body beneath her's prepared to carry her back to Fillyton. She could not fly with her wing in its condition, nor after casting a spell after her fall could she walk back on her own. “Rest, Princess, I will protect you.” The griffon escaped, there were now dead or frozen highway ponies, and the princess was wounded. What was stolen he did not know yet, but he guessed it would be another setback. Shaking his head, Iron Mind turned, keeping the princess in mind, as he trotted in the direction of Fillyton.

Overhead, to the sound of beating wings, four pegasus guards landed in front of Iron Mind and Luna. With them they brought a small, royal carriage and first aid. “Princess, Captain!” The lead of the four landed soundless in front of the two. The other three guards detached themselves from the carriage moving to help guide the princess into the carriage. “We hurried to follow but another problem occurred. The sheriff, he ran into the offices shortly after you left, something happened and they're in flames. We believe the sheriff didn't make it out... Nor do we believe he wanted to come out. Fire ponies are working to put it out but it doesn't appear much can be saved.”

Stolen evidence, attacked by highway ponies, and now a suicide with a fire involved. Since the investigation began this was turning into the worst day he could have asked for. Frustration peaked, his front hooves slammed against the ground releasing his sword from his hoof. Iron howled out in pure rage. A maelstrom of emotions flooding through him.

Luna only watched as the captain vented his anger. She too was feeling the agony but for a cause similar and different than she felt the captain was. In his mind, a sister he knew not of had and may have been suffering. In her mind, a sister she failed once had returned and was lost just as fast. The pegasus guards, two of them brought the carriage upwards to take the princess back to Canterlot. She would need her wing tended.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In a large plush chair, a glass of old whiskey floating besides him, and an illegal kobold cigar between his lips. Gold Mine was enjoying the study of his new mansion in Hoofington. The stallion loved Hoofington in the fall and winter so much better than the autumn in Fillyton. Here, he was closer to his newest refineries and his recently purchased manufacturing factories. Gold was expanding his profits and nothing was failing for him.

“Ah. By now Handy has what I sent her to collect, the thugs would have stopped anypony foolish enough to follow, and I believe that the tree with the annoying baby birds will be cut down tomorrow.” A short sip of whiskey, letting the smokey flavor roll over his tongue. “Ah what to do tomorrow. Maybe the maid. Nopony will notice her missing. No... Nopony at all.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Mares and Gentlecolts I need to hear you scream!” Yellow and red lights flashed from strobes and spotlights guiding over the crowd of ponies. Vinyl paced on the stage back and forth, magic raising a mic to her muzzle. “Now all of you know that this will be the Pon-3's last concert for a few weeks. 'Fraid the old mare's dragging me off to see her folks and mine.”

It was a typical Friday night in Manehatten. The Magic Wisp was filled to capacity as it was every weekend. Vinyl Scratch was giving a farewell speech. She would be without her people for two weeks and wanted to make sure they felt the love from the DJ. Behind the turntables, the mic set aside, the music, her magic began to get the club bouncing.

The door of the service exit creaked open giving Eclipse enough room to squeeze inside. A box of recycling was delivered outside, one of the few things she did at the club to earn a few bits under the table. The filly, underage according to drinking laws, wouldn't be handling any serving or making drinks for customers but could take out garbage, restock the bar, or clean the bathrooms. Very little fuss was made over which she was asked to do, which made the owner that much happier to see her. Every employee and regularly knew who Eclipse was; a pleasant filly always smiling.

Taking her regularly seat at the bar, near the end close to the stage for Vinyl to watch her, Eclipse relaxed with a glass of orange juice and listened to the music. The clink of a glass robbed her attention away from Vinyl. It sounded far too close to be for some other pony. Head turned to see the bartender, a mar setting a glass with an odd, neon green liquid inside it.

“Don't drink it, 'Clipse, just doing what a couple of 'bro' ponies over there asked me to do. Take my word for it, don't leave your stool even if ya see 'em waving at you.” The bartender kept her voice to a whisper then went back to serving the next customer to come up with an order.

Eclipse turned her head in the direction the mare was speaking. At a table not far from her, two earth ponies sat leeringly watching the filly. Smiles were degrading, focused more on Eclipse's flank or cutie mark than her face. The two stallions' eyes leered lustfully at her. An ill feeling rushed through, averting her gaze from the pair. They wouldn't like this act, but she wasn't watching them to know.

“Don't like our choice in drink? Ya know when somepony buys another pony a drink you're supposed to drink it.” An unfamiliar stallion's voice spoke up from behind Eclipse. Before she could turn to identify whom it originated from, the two stallions had come standing at opposite sides of her ensuring there was no hasty retreat. The bar mare gave a worried glance in Eclipse's direction prepared to call for the bouncer if they did anything more.

“I'm so..sorry I don't dri..drink alcohol. Miss Oct..Octavia says I sh..shouldn't.” The twinkle haired filly shook her head twice. “I do th..thank you for the off..offer though.”

Each stallion shook their head, the one to the right of Eclipse sliding a forearm along Eclipse's shoulders. It was a break in her personal space she didn't like. Sure, ponies came to hang onto her, friendly random hugs from ponies she knew here, but this had a different feel to it. “Now that's just not right. You should try drinking a bit before you let some old mare tell ya what not to do.” The other pony pushed his foreleg around Eclipse's waist. She shivered sickly squirming to get out from the ponies' grasp.

“Um.. Pl..please don't to..touch me.” Mismatched wings shook on her head, spreading out to push the stallions away. All they did was chuckle. The thick alcohol scent of their breath touched Eclipse's nose. She had been warned of these types, but this was the first she actually had a problem with them.

“Ah, she's usin' some weird costume on one of her wings. She'd a bit of an odd one but a cute one.” The other spoke this time. They didn't care what she had to say. Their tails made the final violation they would be allowed, letting them come over in contact with Eclipse's tail and flank. The surprise squeak she let out was silenced with their leering faces lowered down to her. “Now come on sugar, just have a sip and we'll see where it goes from there.”

“Nah, let's see where it goes from here.”

“Nah, let's see how fast you two get lost.” The two stallions heard voices in their ears. To the free side of either 'bro' stallions two military ponies positioned themselves with a foreleg around the offending stallions' shoulders. These two ponies were large, with crew cuts and military tattoos. Flanks depicted medieval weapons of guards and knights. “How about you two ponies get lost,” the left new stallion ordered dipping a free leg to grab the green drink for a quick gulp, “Drinks gone now and you two should be gone too.”

In a cloud of dust the ponies touching Eclipse ducked down from beneath the soldier ponies' legs. They mumbled a threat then rushed away to save their own hides. A sigh of relief, the feeling of nausea and discomfort vanishing in an instant the ponies were gone. “Ya doing alright now, Eclipse?” Her heroes came in to fill the spots the other two ponies had left. Each of them took a chance to give a friendly hug to the filly, which she accepted cheerfully.

“Ye..yes I am. Tha..Thank you two fo..for that.” The two ponies returned back to their own activities on the dance floor leaving Eclipse on her own again.

The call for another batch of recycling to be taken out came from the bartender with a quick hoof wave to Eclipse. Gingerly, she dropped off her stool trotting to the box of bottles and cans. A chipper hum vibrated from her throat as she crossed the lounge to the service exit as she did multiple times in the night.

Bright red exit sign flashed over the thick metal door guiding her to the outer perimeter of the club. Cold night air brushed across her gray coat tickling her uncovered form. A familiar click of the door signaled its closing behind her. Dim light swayed overhead moving Eclipse's shadow to dance in the moon light. The bright blue bin in front of her had its lid raised in preparation for her hourly return. Clinking bottles and rattling cans played a chorus melody tumbling from the box into the plastic container. Before being satisfied that the last items fell in, the click of the door closing whisked her attention to the door. Eclipse gasped lightly, her magic releasing the box to the ground losing focus on the simple act.

Two wolves in pony clothing blocked her re-entry into the club. It was the stallions from before come to take their dues from the filly who snubbed them. Movements towards here were not straight not. Rather they did the same as when she sat at the bar, they curved their trotting making sure she couldn't run to either side of them nor down the center.

“No big bruisers here to help ya. How about you thank us for that drink now.” Tongue slid out of the pony's mouth rolling along his lips. Deliberately slow to increase the tension. There was a thirst for Eclipse to be afraid with the way their stares focused on her eyes instead of her body.

A hard swallow of air and courage vanished under the predatory eyes of the ponies. She clambered backwards until her tail hit the stone wall of another building behind her. Frightened, Eclipse glanced around for another means of escape. Sadly, a fence blocked the path to the street, unlocked for when the garbage carriage made its path around in the mornings. This kept it normally safe back here. “I do..don't want any trou..trouble.” She confessed.

“Trouble? Nah we're going to make you feel good, filly.” The right stallion slammed a hoof against the wall near Eclipse. Breath could be felt crossing over the gray filly's face. Each whimper she made stirred their blood in a carnal way. “She looks cold. How about we warm her up.. huh?”

In an instant the left pony was knocked off his hooves. Movement went to his unprotected left side forcing in front of him. A white and blue blur knocked him back slamming a brass covered hoof into his jaw. The other stumbled back narrowly maneuvering around the same hoof coming for him. Splatter of blood coughed from the left stallion's mouth. The right only glared at what now blocked their path to Eclipse.

“Touch Nightlight and I'mma break more than just your bucking faces.” A clink of metal to stone, and in all her glory, Vinyl Scratch stood with her front and back legs spread to brace, and her head lowered to strike. Ruby goggles gleamed in the white light of the moon. Lips curving up into a smile, almost enjoying this moment. A single pony became a brick wall guarding the frightened filly from impending damage. “Now, you two bucks can turn around and get out of here or I'll lay the bass down on your flanks so hard you'll never be able to get your danglies hard for anypony.”

“It's the Celestia bucking DJ!” The right pony laughed at the single mare that came to Eclipse's defense. “What? The fillyfooler think she'll get a second filly toy if she goes all white knight? Go back to whatever hag you hooked up with and leave this trinket to us.” Coming close, face to face with Vinyl mocking her with his cool smile and uncaring eyes. “Wouldn't want your stage face hurt, wouldja?”

Patoohy! A wad of spit spat from Vinyl's lips splattering onto the pony's face. She twisted her self about bucking her legs for a short length kick keeping him away from the two of them. Returning to her defensive posture, watching the stallion stumble, she smirked proudly. “Nah, Nightlight here is one of my favorite mares. Mess with her, you mess with the Pon-3.”

The second had recovered. Hooves hammered the ground thumping over bringing him to charge, tackling against Vinyl. She was pinned recklessly against the wall, slamming her brass covered hoof against the stallion's midsection. Even as her head had bounced against the wall behind her, it didn't stop her hammering against the pony's side. So focused on this one, she did not see the spit faced stallion come to punch his hoof into her eye. The glass of her goggle broke from the forced digging a shard beneath her eye.

Warm fluid leaked down her cheek. Revealed crimson eye glaring at the pony who assaulted her as she dealt with the friend. While the DJ wasn't letting him pounding at the one who was holding her's side, nor was his friend stopping his own blows against Vinyl. This one had fire, Vinyl wasn't going to just let up from a little bloody scratch.

It took an act of bravery and stupidity to push the stallions off of Vinyl, and Eclipse was prepared to do it. Her magic shot out to the recycling bin drawing out multiple empty bottles. Each swung straight at the stallions shattering on their soft bodies and heads. Eclipse made short steps to come next to Vinyl when the two finally broke away from her. Instinctively, she moved to let Vinyl rest her left foreleg around Eclipse's shoulder. The filly pulled her own fore legs around the DJ's waist supporting her not to fall.

“Dude, let's get out of here.” The stallion who took the pummeling coughed another splatter of crimson to the ground. His tongue felt around his mouth until not one, but two teeth fell out from when Vinyl struck him earlier. “Dude, my dad's gonna kill me when he sees the dental bill!”

“Nah. This fillyfooler's gonna get to love a stallion's touch when I'm done with her.” His tongue slid out over his lips again stepping back towards Vinyl.

When Vinyl gave a bright smile, the stallion hesitated. “Nah, bros, I'd look behind ya before you get anymore ideas.” The marshmallow colored pony leaned against Eclipse's hold, looking down to wink at her with her exposed eye.

The stallions heard it. It was the most frightening sound they could have imagined right then; the clicking of the back door closing. They had been quiet when they came out to the garbage area. None wanting to make a sound until they all gathered. Fifteen ponies stood blocking the only exit the two stallions could have ran through. Bartenders, bouncers, regulars, the two guard ponies, and various others were in wait. Vinyl began to laugh.

“Hey thanks for showing up. Drinks on me until the place closes. Nightlight,” Vinyl whispered nodding her head to the door. “Let's head home.”

The mob moved on the two trembling stallions. The pair saw their lives flashing before their eyes at the impending beat down that would come upon them. Eclipse moved quickly to guide Vinyl to the backdoor and back into the club. She whispered a thank you each time one of them looked at her, getting only an understanding smile in return. The door shut closed behind the two, now only the sounds of the stallions' cries for help to be heard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The trot home seemed to take longer than normal. Eclipse was now only supporting Vinyl with one arm around the DJ's shoulder and Vinyl keeping an arm around Eclipse. No words had been spoken between the two. Vinyl understood why just looking at the filly's face.

“Hey, Nightlight, don't worry about it.” Vinyl grinned nuzzling the filly's cheek. “As I said, you're one of my favorite mares, no one messes with one of my favorite mares. If the folks ask about this I'll just tell em Octy did it. They'll believe it without much of a fight.”

“Bu..but if I was care...careful they wou...wouldn't have...” A quiver in her voice threatened for her to begin crying.

Vinyl didn't let them stop moving, there would be time when they got with Octy to properly comfort Eclipse. “Nah, they woulda found a way to do something even if you had a bodyguard at the door. Those types don't quit until somepony bigger than them decides to put their faces to the ground.” Vinyl made a quick thump with her free forehoof to her chest. “You come to my aid during the fight and that shows a lot too. Tomorrow we'll get packed, and Sunday we board the train to Trottingham.”

Eclipse smiled. “Yes, let's.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Okay, Nightlight, this is a battlefield we're going to go into. I need you to be ready to run at anytime. Even a moment of hesitation can spell life or death!” The three ponies stood outside the train depot. Octavia was verifying their ticket information at the booth and Vinyl was pacing in front of a seated Eclipse preparing her for the situation to come. “There will be ponies in there ready to rip you, tear you, beat you apart!”

The shake two nights prior was gone from the filly. A new terror revealed its self the moment they arrived at the station. Vinyl was wearing a brand new pair of goggles instead of glasses. A white bandage over her eye from the cut she received. Vinyl chastised them both for being so reckless, but it was only for show. Octavia had been more grateful they were both in one piece.

Each pony wore their saddle bags filled with things they may need on the six hour train ride. Eclipse made sure not to pack her two dolls, pepper spray, and rock in the normal luggage in case she wanted to pull them out for any reason. A second bottle of pepper spray now hung around her neck by a chain, Octavia given this to her yesterday after the run in with the two stallions.

“Vinyl.” Octavia's voice spoke close to Vinyl as she returned from the booth.

“Don't take candy from strange ponies. Don't follow anyone you don't know into any rooms you haven't seen. Don't listen to classical music unless you want to hurt your self trying to get rid of the sound.”

“Vinyl!”

“And above all don't forget that what happens in Las Pegasus stays on the ponynet!”

“VINYL!” The shout was nothing out of the ordinary for Eclipse and Vinyl. For everypony else they turned to stare at the trio. Octavia was breathing heavy, her face red, and her eyes narrowed at her marefriend. She had to grit her teeth to keep from biting onto Vinyl's ear and dragging her to the train for that display and speech.

Vinyl laughed bringing her fore hooves to Octavia's shoulders. “Ah come on, Octy, it's better to scare her now then when she sees what it'll be like in there!”

Eclipse tilted her head bewildered by Vinyl speech and newest words. She wondered what could have been so bad inside the station that would make Vinyl think scaring her now would be helpful. She was about to find out.

The train station inside was a chaotic mess. Ponies and other species of sentient life were gathered, pushing, shoving, and fighting over just mere inches of room to get to their respective trains or just to leave. Breathing room and personal space was a forgotten ideal in the train station. Eclipse felt her jaw drop at how ruthless ponies became when crammed into an ill desired setting fighting just to reach one of the escape points.

“Alright, Vinyl and Eclipse, we need to get to train platform ten and board. The faster we get there, the less likely we have ourselves violated by some pony who takes advantage of tight quarters.” Black mane was whipped aside when Octavia looked back to them then stared forward. “Out of my way!” She gave a warriors shout pushing her body forward to enter the crowd of ponies.

Vinyl and Eclipse gulped in unison. Eclipse had never seen such raw passion come from Octavia as she did seeing her fight the mob. On the other hoof, it was turning Vinyl on. The DJ was grinning like an idiot until a shout from Octavia brought both ponies into work to charge into the crowd after the gray cellist.

Several attempts were made to break into the onslaught of ponies. More than five times Octavia and Vinyl were forcefully separated from Eclipse, having to back track to find her at the front doors of the station. It was becoming a losing battle and with fatigue setting in, would continue to be a losing battle.

Regrouping, circled to set up a plan, the three stared at the ground in front of them. Octavia was the first to speak. “The problem is Eclipse keeps losing sight of us. So, we need to remedy this. Eclipse,” violate eyes moved Eclipse. “Once we get down into the crowd again, if you're worried about splitting off, bite onto Vinyl's tail, hold on for dear life, and shut your eyes so you don't get nervous.”

Each pushed a hoof down in front, Octavia's on top of Vinyl's and Eclipse's on top of Octavia's. Together, they gave a quick cheer, “Break!” Then turned back to the crowd. Time was ticking down for their departure and one more screw up would only lead to a later train trip.

“Charge!” It was Vinyl's turn to lead the attack forward, followed by Eclipse then Octavia. The three mares rushed into the crowds lowering their heads and pushing others aside. Common curtsey was no long an option to consider.

As the ponies pushed and shoved their way through, Eclipse felt herself slipping behind the other two. Octavia had since passed her, moving a foreleg around Eclipse's to get her to come forward some. In desperation, Eclipse leaned forward snapping her teeth around a blue tail in front of her. Eyes flinched closed, and she let the mare guide her through the crowded station.

Feeling a tug on her tail, Vinyl smiled feeling that she could really pushed through now. Eclipse had finally given in to take the easy way and sure enough, Octavia and Vinyl would lead them to the necessary train before the conductor gave the final boarding call. Clambering up the stairs and into the train car, they finally found some relief and space to relax.

“We made it.” Octavia sighed blissfully at the cool feeling of not being flank to flank with dozens of other ponies in a tight setting. “Vinyl? Eclipse? Are you two alright?” The cellist turned to her companions wanting to do a pony head count just in case. All she found was Vinyl grinning at her.

“Yeah, boss, we're both fine. Right, Nightlight?” Vinyl twisted her neck to look back at her, still feeling the weight on her tail. She hadn't known it before, but the weight she felt couldn't have been enough to ever have a pony hanging onto her. No, what she felt was a pair of dentures that were latched onto the tip of her tail. Vinyl's goggles went wide the same as her eyes did. The unicorn turned, turned again, and again looking around frantic for the alicorn.

The pair of mares heard the whistle blow for the train to begin departing. Octavia felt her nerves explode as sweat moistened her body. “Eclipse! Eclipse!” The cry for the filly went out through the train. Maybe she had boarded at a different one? With Vinyl on her hooves, Octavia began to race up and down through the train cars. “Eclipse! Where are you!”

“Octavia! I found her!” Vinyl's voice brought Octavia to a screeching halt. The two mares rushed to a central window in the train car they stopped at. The white unicorn raised her hoof up pointing through the window at the train parallel to them.

Sure, enough, the earth pony would see Eclipse as well. In another train. A train that was now pulling away in the direction opposite that Vinyl and Octavia was to depart. Octavia and Vinyl began another sprint, rushing to the front of the train where the conductor was settling in for the train to finally leave. The gray mare presented her self in front of him setting her hooves to his shoulders. “Please stop the train! Our friend is on the other one and we need to get her on this one!”

Vinyl felt out of breath catching up to her marefriend once more, just to hear the conductor. “'Fraid now, missy, this train can't stop for nopony no how. It would take an act of Celestia for us to stop. Now, iffin your friend is smart she'll just get on another train and meetcha.”

“She wont know how to do any of that!” As Octavia became more frantic, the conductor becoming annoyed, Vinyl reached her hooves around her marefriend pulling her back to enter one of the passenger cars. They looked out the window together to the train Eclipse was on. The alicorn filly had followed them in their mad dash in her train trying to keep sight.

“Where's the worse she could be going? Probably Canterlot or Phillydelphia.” Vinyl assured her rubbing her neck to Octavia's.

“Nope. Train is going to Appleloosa.” The conductor chimed in, shutting the door to the employee car shortly after behind him.

Vinyl and Octavia stared at each other for a long moment then back to Eclipse. The trains began their departure, pulling away from the station moving in opposite directions. None of them could leave their trains to reunite with the others. Time slowed down drastically for the three. Vinyl and Octavia could only watch, mortified at their mistake, as Eclipse's train gradually drifted further and further away, as both trains went further from Manehatten.

Appleloosa was the town farthest west in Equestria's borders, only city that came close to it was Las Pegasus. It was smack dab in the middle of the desert that parted Equestria from the unknown lands beyond the hot sands.

All Eclipse had now was her saddlebags. Her luggage was safely stowed on the proper train. She knew not where she was going, anypony who knew her was in Manehatten, and the two most important ponies to know her were on a train to Trottingham. For now, she went to take a seat, curling her self in the corner of the booth staring out the window. Fear, the same fear she felt when she escaped her prison had returned. Venturing again into the unknown not knowing where to start to get back to her two friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two days after the unannounced eclipse, Twilight received a letter from Princess Celestia that the aforementioned book would be arriving by guard later that day. Sure enough, as the sun began its decent. Four royal guards had delivered one of the thickest, larges tomes that Spike and Twilight had ever seen. It took up a fifth of the library floor, when opened, on the first floor. For almost two weeks Twilight had been buried in it reading what she could make out. The pages were thick, made of a material of paper that gave whatever was written onto it a brail texture.

Each page was written in the mannerisms of thousands of years ago. Twilight suspected even before the emergence of Nightmare Moon. Two inch wide margins were left on the top, bottom, and opposite of the spine. Notes had been scribbled in from past scholars deciphering the meaning behind some of the words and phrases used. It was a marvelous study in ancient language and literature.

The tome's author was non other than Star Swirl the Bearded's. The introduction spoke that he had been tasked by Celestia to create a family diary of the three goddesses. Three Goddesses? A magic spell was placed after the introduction for a unicorn to learn before reading the pages. Twilight spent three days perfecting it, but wasn't aware what she was perfecting yet.

As she delved deeper into the book, she found that the words were actually magic infused runes. Notes on the side gave a small explanation. They stated that these runes would take images of real life and replay them when the spell to record the moment was active. The indigo unicorn had a bit of sense in her to use the spell she learned earlier on the runes. What she found was beyond what she could even say.

Each page, each group of runes, played a different sequence. Holographic, three dimensional images of the past appeared in front of Twilight and the book. It was unlike she had ever seen before in magic. For hours on end, sometimes repeating two or three playings, she watched a young Celestia, young Luna, and whom she assumed was the third goddess, smaller than her sisters, Eclipse, play, learn, and converse together.

It seemed that even back then Luna and Celestia had an enjoyment for playing pranks on each other and the guards. Eclipse was never the target of the pranks but often helped in them. This included pelting Celestia with snow balls, spiking Luna's bubble bath with poison joke, or switch guards armor around to create confusion. The three seemed to love each other dearly in this more peaceful time.

On a note pad Twilight kept with her, she kept notes on Eclipse. The way her mane appeared to be crystals growing from her flank and head, her mismatched wings, and how she was never let out of the castle. Eclipse had asked numerous times to go with her sisters to various functions outside of the castle walls, but was told time and time again that her special talent was too special. If anypony or any creature as to use her for it, it could spell the end of Equestria.

“Twilight!”

The indigo unicorn could have sworn she heard a voice call her name. She shook her head believing it to be from the images or perhaps just herself thinking.

“Twilight!”

It came again. Twilight turn to raise to her hooves from in front of the tome, twisting to peer around the dark library. Once again she had been reading the tome into the wee hours of the night almost forgetting sleep, and probably having forgotten dinner once more. Believing it to be her imagination once more, she turned back around only to shriek in surprise.

There before Twilight was a bouncing pink pony. Poofy dark pink, mane moving with each bounce she made getting higher and higher. “Twilight! You wont believe what super awesome special exciting mega terrific thing has happened!”

“Pinkie?” She said trying to get her friend to calm down enough for her to get some words in edge wise.

“It's even better than that time I ate twenty cakes. Or was it thirty? At the cake eating contest! Even more super then when the dragons migrated or when...”

“Pinkie!” Twilight put more oomph into her words stomping her front legs downwards to create some noise.

“Hey remember when we went up against Cerberus and all that stuff? This even beats those things but I dunno if it would be a dangerous as those things. It is super keen though! Not as super keen at whatever this is!” Pinkiepie announced pointing a hoof at the magical holographic images. “This is a really neat spell you cooked up this time!”

“PINKIE!” Twilight felt her body raise off the ground several feet, as her anger levels boiled to peak.

The pink pony turned to her friend, smiling ever so brightly. “Yes, Twilight?” As per the norm, she appeared to have no idea why the unicorn shouted.

“I am very busy with this book. What is it that's happening?” Twilight moved past Pinkie to perform a cancellation spell. She didn't know how many ponies could know of the book, seeing as it was under guard for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

“I'm throwing a party!” Pinkiepie announced as an explosion of confetti followed her throwing her hooves to the sky.

Twilight Sparkle learned not to be so surprised when things exploded around Pinkiepie. Falling to sit on her haunches, the fatigue she had forced back was finally being felt. “You always throw parties. Wonderful parties but why come in the middle of the night to tell me?”

“Because it's for my most favortest aunt in the whole wide world!” Pinkie began to bounce again on all fours, right in front of Twilight pressing her snout to the unicorn's snout. The earth pony grinned even brighter tossing her self back again with another explosion of confetti. “Blueberry Pie!”

Comments

[Deathpony]

oh noes Eclipse is going to be lost D: I cant wait for the next chapter is it next week?

[AImostpure]

587270 Hopefully. I try to get a new chapter out each week.