Into the Light

by nutcase4real

Prepare For Departure

"Oh but Angel, it'll only be for a day or two." Fluttershy tried to explain. "I'll be back..."

And for the fourth time in less than five minutes a carrot bounced off Fluttershy's muzzle. An angry bunny spun on its heels and dejectedly crossed its arms. Fluttershy gently took to the air and landed in front of him.

"Angel, please understand." she said as she lowered herself to his level.

He spun again and recrossed his arms.

"Angel Bunny, stop acting so foalish." Fluttershy blurted out as she stood to her full height.

The bunny slowly spun around and stared at her in awe. It was rare when Fluttershy would raise her voice to him, so he knew this must be important.

"Somewhere out there is a pony who can help us stop something very bad from happening, and that pony needs our help Angel. I'd feel terrible if something happened because I wasn't there to help them or my friends."

Angel hopped closer to Fluttershy and looked up into her eyes. They didn't show anger at all, they seemed sullen and worrisome. She wasn't angry at him. She feared for the unknown pony she spoke of. Angel Bunny hung his head low and hopped over to Fluttershy. He wrapped his fuzzy arms around her leg.

"I know you're sorry Angel, and I know you're lonely whenever I leave. But, I have to Angel." she said as she returned his little show of affection.

She released him and walked into her room to pack a few things she would need. She only had a few minutes before she would have to begin heading to the train station. She walked back into the room after a few minutes to find a salad that Angel had prepared. He hopped into sight and pushed it towards her.

Fluttershy smiled warmly at him, "Thank you Angel. I guess with everything that's been going on today I really haven't eaten anything."

Fluttershy finished the salad and gave Angel one last hug before heading out the door. However, she soon realized that she had forgotten her saddlebags in the cottage. She ran back inside and grabbed her bags, and began trotting quickly towards town once more.

Twilight stood in the ticket line at the train station with Spike.

"So do you think this is going to go bad?" Spike asked Twilight.

"Honestly, I don't know Spike. I mean I hope it doesn't, but if this 'Dark Society' really is as bad as the letter insists then anything is possible." Twilight answered.

Spike gulped audibly, "I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

Rainbow Dash landed right next to them, much to the annoyance of everypony behind them in the line "Don't you worry little guy! If things go south I'll be there to kick flank!" Dash rose up onto her hind legs and threw a few air punches.

"Our hero." Twilight said while rolling her eyes.

"Oh you know it." Rainbow said with a cheeky grin.

Twilight walked up to the ticket sales window, "Is there a stop in Galloping Hollows?"

The attendant looked at a map that had all of the lines stops on it. He studied it for a few moments and turned back towards Twilight, "I'm sorry Princess, but it would appear that there isn't."

"Hmm... in that case can I get two tickets to Manehatten?"

"One moment mam." he looked the schedule over, "It looks like the next departure will be in about three hours. Will that be satisfactory?"

"That's midnight right?"

The attendant nodded.

"I'll take them."

She pushed the required bits into the booth. He counted them and pushed two tickets towards Twilight. While that was going on, Rainbow Dash was busy explaining to the pony behind her why she had cut the line.

"Look I have to go with my friends to help save somepony!" she quickly explained.

"Oh sure you do, and I have a cat the size of Princess Celestia!" the mare said as she stomped a hoof.

"No really! I swear!" Rainbow leaned towards Twilight and whispered in her ear, "Come on, back me up on this."

Twilight walked in between the two mares, "I'm sorry my friend cut you." she turned towards Rainbow, "She's sorry too. So much so that she's going to move to the back of the line. Aren't you Rainbow?"

Rainbow's mouth fell open, "You're taking her side?"

"Aren't you?" Twilight asked with a bit more force and a glare.

"Uhhh, yeah. Sure." Dash replied with a fake smile.

As she moved out of the line and started walking towards the back of the line she looked towards Twilight, "What was that about? I could've just gotten my ticket and been done with it." she glared at Twilight now, "Now I have to wait for like ever in this line."

"It wouldn't have been right, besides our train isn't leaving for a while."

Rainbow opened her mouth to reply to that but was cut off by Spike.

"Hey look! There's Rarity!" he said as he started running over to her.

"Go get her lover boy." Dash said under her breath as she reached the back and sat dejectedly on her haunches.

Twilight caught up to Spike and Rarity just in time to hear, "Do be a dear and hurry Spikey-Wikey."

"Of course Rarity." Spike said in a dream like state as he hurried out the door.

"I hope you don't mind Twilight, but Spike offered to get my bags." Rarity said with a smile.

"That's fine Rarity. Make sure to get a ticket to Manehatten for the midnight departure." Twilight said with a smile of her own.

"Manehatten?" Rarity asked with a bit of confusion.

"Apparently Galloping Hollows doesn't have a station." Twilight explained.

Rarity nodded and walked over to a Rainbow Dash who was still glaring at Twilight. Pinkie Pie came bouncing in next.

"Um why is Spike carrying like a mountain of bags?" she asked.

"What?" asked Twilight.

The door swung open and in came a pile of bags that was apparently floating and grunting. The bags suddenly settled onto the ground.

"Ouch..." the pile said.

Twilight lifted the pile off of the floor and then levitated an exhausted Spike off of the floor and onto her back.

"Rarity I said bring only the essentials." Twilight said.

"Oh but darling these are essential."

"You need this much stuff for two days?"

"To be fair Twilight, we don't know if we'll be staying longer, and have you tried going on with an improperly kept mane?" Rarity surveyed Twilight for a moment "On second thought I can see that you have."

"Rarity you're not bringing all of that." Twilight said flatly.

"And why can't I bring my things?" Rarity asked pointedly.

"We can't transport all of that the entire time we're out there." Twilight responded.

Rarity thought for a moment, "Fine. I'll just take it all back home."

Pinkie Pie watched as Rarity walked out of the room followed by a parade of bags. She bounced over to Twilight who was checking on her number one assistant.

"Hey Twilight, where are we going?" Pinkie asked with a little pep.

"Well since Galloping Hollows does have a train station, we have to travel to Manehatten and walk from there or find a carriage service that'll take us."

"Ok!" Pinkie said as she bounced away. She quickly returned though, "Why is Dashie staring at you like that?"

"Cause I made her go to the back of the line after she cut others." Twilight explained as she helped Spike stand.

"Ok!" Pinkie said as she bounced back over to the end of the line with Rainbow.

Applejack came in and just walked over to the line without a single word. She just sat behind Pinkie Pie and waited patiently. Fluttershy came in afterwards and walked over to Twilight.

"I'm not late am I?" she asked quietly.

"Not at all Fluttershy. We have to get midnight tickets to Manehatten, since Galloping Hollows doesn't have a train station."

"Ok." Fluttershy said as she walked to the line.

After all of the girls had their tickets, they sat and waited for their train to arrive. Pinkie Pie for some odd reason just sat and kept eyeing all of her friends. Rainbow Dash took notice.

"What is it Pinkie?"

"Hmm? What was that Dashie?"

"You just keep staring at all of us. What gives?"

Pinkie turned towards Dash, "I had a strange Pinkie Sense after I left the castle. I was in my room packing when I got grumbly stomach, tingly hoovsies, and whippy tail."

"Oh? Tell me more." Rainbow Dash said.

"Well that combination means that one of my close friends is in danger."

"What?"

"AAANNNDDD, the weirdest thing of all" Pinkie stopped as her stomach grumbled, she slightly pranced on her hooves, and her tail shot out straight and returned to its original position, "is that it's still happening."

"Why haven't you told anypony?"

"I did just tell you, but what if one of us isn't us?"

"What?"

"That's why it's going off even though all of my closest friends are here. One of us isn't us and the real friend is somewhere and in danger."

"We need to warn the others!"

"Dashie!" Pinkie said as she grabbed Rainbow's tail "We don't know which friend isn't our friend."

"So what do we do?"

"We play along until we find the fake friend."

"Pinkie," Rainbow said with a hint of worry in her voice, "what if they're with the Dark Society? We can't let them get Dark Moonstar."

"Pff. I know that Dashie, and we can't go looking for our friend now cause that would be su... susp... weird to the not real friend."

Dash nodded and turned towards Pinkie Pie, "Do you think they'll harm our friend?"

"No, not really."

"How can you be sure Pinkie?"

"Cause they probably will want to use our friend to trade for Dark Moonstar if their spy fails."

'Platform six is now boarding for nonstop trip to Manehatten. Nonstop to Manehatten boarding now at platform six.' came over the intercom.

"Well," Rainbow started as she looked over to the train, "we better get going."

Author's Note:

Feel free to leave a comment below, negative or otherwise. It can only help me improve. As always critiques are more than welcomed, they are encouraged. Thanks for reading and have a great day.