Hidden by Shadows

by Authora97

The Party

2 Hours of Party Planning Later

The party at Sugarcube Corner had started a little under an hour ago and was still going strong as most Pinkie Pie Parties did. Some of the streamers were pink, purple, and dark green, as Authora requested but was translated by Flutterwing.

Fluttershy had been sitting with Authora, who was writing her half of the conversation. It was quite a sight for Flutterwing.

“So...Authora, do you like the party?” Fluttershy asked. A near white aura surrounded the pencil Authora had been given by Pinkie Pie.

“Yeah, this is the first party to go one for an hour and my sisters haven’t started fighting!” The two mares laughed.

It felt weird for Authora to laugh but not have voice to go with it. It was almost unnatural.

Fluttershy thought of another question.

“Why did you come to Ponyville? I mean...I love Ponyville I don’t ever want to leave...but, what caused you to move away from your home? You and your sisters...you look...um...” Authora held the pencil in front of her as ifto silence her. She continued writing on the paper.

“Too young to be on our own?” Fluttershy nodded. “Don’t worry, plenty of other ponies asked the same thing.” Authora used her magic to grab a piece of paper in a pile at least an inch thick.

“The truth is; we wanted to leave. Pip had the hardest time in Magic Kindergarten. The eldest filly and still no cutie-mark. Flutterwing and I wanted to pull her out so she could search for it, Mom and Dad thought she would find it in school. We packed our bags and left.”

“Oh, that must’ve been hard.” Fluttershy commented. The page turned over.

“It was. So far we’ve been on the road for two days. Pipsqueak already has signs of finding herself and some friends to help...” Authora looked over and found her younger sister. Her look slowly turned to that of worry.

“THE CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS!”

Pipsqueak wasn’t having the greatest time at the party. There were no kids her age, Flutterwing was being her usual social butterfly self, and Authora had barely stopped talking with Fluttershy except for to talk with Pinkie or another one of the Mane 6.

She then noticed three fillies, all sitting at a table happily. All of them with blank flanks.

Huh, I do need some kids to talk to. Thora would kill me if I didn’t at least try to socialize. Pipsqueak thought.

One of the fillies was an earth pony. She had apple red hair tied back with a pink bow. Her coat was apple yellow (Author’s Note: There’s a type of apple that’s yellow people!). Her bright orange eyes looked very much excited to be at a welcoming party.

The next filly was a unicorn. Her coat was like a cloud. The tips of her mane curled of and split equally into pastel pink and purple. She had eyes as green as grass and also had a child-like joy to them.

The last filly was one Pipsqueak was certain she would be friends with. She was an orange pegasus. Her hair was dark pink, very much like her older sister’s coat, and similar colored eyes.

“Uh, hey?” Pipsqueak said as she approached the fillies. “My name’s Pipsqueak, nice to meet you.” She held out her neon green hoof.

“Howdy,” Cheered the yellow earth filly, “Nice to meet ya, my name’s Apple Bloom, that there’s my friend Sweetie Belle,” She pointed to the unicorn, “And this is Scootaloo!” The orange pegasus.

“Cool, I also noticed...that you have...blank flanks...” Pipsqueak said, embarrassed. The fillies excitement died down for a second but came right back up.

“Yeah, we are. But we never stop trying.” Sweetie Belle chimed. She opened her mouth to say more but an orange hoof inserted itself in her mouth.

“We do all this stuff around Ponyville to try and find our Cutie-marks. We call ourselves...”

“THE CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS!”

Pipsqueak’s wild mane had been blown back by the combined yells of all three fillies. Her face of shook grew more excited.

"Awesome.” Pipsqueak said in a low voice. “Can you really help me get my cutie mark?” The fillies nodded.

“We can do better than that Pipsqueak. We can make you a crusader too!” Scootaloo explained. “What do you have to say?” She didn’t know how it was possible, but Pipsqueak’s smile got bigger.

“When can we start?”

---

Twilight had finally finished doing all the research. She noticed already asleep on her back as she entered Ponyville.

“Poor little dragon,” She thought, “must’ve fallen asleep a few minutes ago.” She only took a few more steps when she remembered her promise to Pinkie.

“Well, you can’t break a Pinkie Promise."

“EVER!”

“I’m not even going to ask.” She grumbled as she trotted towards Sugarcube Corner, where the party obviously was.

She began thinking about the burnt grass again. How can something be that and not attract immediate attention? Does Celestia know about this? How long until this thing decides to take over Equestria? Would it take the Elements of Harmony to defeat it? Would it kill it kill Celest or Luna! Was Ponyville really safe?

Twilight realized she was overreacting again. She couldn’t meet these mares acting how she was. She would scare them from her.

Looking up she found the gingerbread bakery. Sounds of a party already ensuing.

“Spike, wake up!” Twilight whispered into her baby dragon’s ear. He shot off her back in a flash.

“Huh, wha-?” The sound of a giggling mare stopped him. “Very funny Twilight. Let’s just go inside.” Spike grumbled.

The door swung open and Pinkie gasped.

In a flash of pink the three mares knew it, they were ripped from respective conversations and thrust to Twilight and Spike.

“Hey Twilight these are those ponies I told you about, the ones you Pinkie Promised to see! Twilight, Spike, meet Authora, Flutterwing and Pipsqueak. Authora, Flutterwing, Pipsqueak, meet Twilight and Spike!” Before they could even comprehend what was going on Pinkie disappeared. Leaving them confused and a little disoriented.

“What just happened?” Pipsqueak asked.

"Pinkie Pie. Don’t even bother asking about it.” Twilight answered.

“As Pinkie told you, these are my sisters. Authora, Pipsqueak, and I’m Flutterwing but you can call me Flutter.” Flutterwing spoke up.

“Nice too meet you.” Twilight shook hoofs with all three of them. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, this is my assistant Spike.”

“Hey, nice to meet you.” Authora took one look at him and froze. Her horn glowed white and her eyes began to tear. Twilight heard something strange then.

Dandelion. I lost Dandelion. What kind of mother loses her baby? Especially a baby as precious Dandelion? The voice left just as soon as it came. Twilight felt a familiar magical energry come with the voice.

Where have I felt that before? She asked herself

Flutterwing turned to Pipsqueak quickly as Authora’s horn stopped glowing.

“Pip, can you handle Thora?” She asked her younger sister.

“Not a problem.” The filly dragged her older sister off, leaving a confused violet unicorn and dragon behind.

“Sorry, my older sister was probably reminded of some old pet when she saw Spike. We meant no harm against you or Spike. She usually isn’t like this.” Flutterwing explained.
Twilight was still trying to get over the voice. Spike spoke for her.

“It’s nothing. Most people freak out because I’m a dragon. Almost felt strange not to have someone do it.” Spike joked. Flutter laughed awkwardly. She felt embarrassed at the fact her sister had done this at a welcoming party for them in their new life. Some stupid pet shouldn’t give them up!

“I should go. I was talking with Rainbow Dash before Pinkie dragged me off” Flutterwing excused herself.

Once the dark purple pegasus was out of range, Twilight turned to Spike.

“Spike, I think something is up with those ponies.” She said boldly.

“Why? They seemed alright to me.” Spike said.

“Authora, before she ran off I heard something and felt some weird magic I know I felt before.” Twilight explained to him as she was dragged inside the bakery.

“That isn’t enough to suspect them of anything Twi, just give them a little time.” Spike offered.

“I heard a voice. Female. Talk about losing some foal by the name of Dandelion. She said ‘what kind of mother loses her baby?’ and...” Twilight stopped as she remembered where she felt the magical energy.

“And what Twi?” Spike asked, now a little concerned.

“And that was the same magical energy I felt by the huge burn mark in the ground!” Twilight explained. Spike gasped. If that was nearby and it lost a baby, it might be a little hostile.

What they didn't see, was the small green filly who was hiding by their table.

And they say I screw everything up. She ran off to find her sisters, as to warn them.

---

Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest.

The small ceature finally saw signs of life. A dirt path. Not too far away was a cottage, witha chicken coop, andmultiple bird houses. Her mother told her about this house. It was a house where a nice mare livedand healed hurt little animals.

"I'm coming Mommy." The yeellow creature cried as she hobbled towards the hut.

Author's Note:

Ok, thankfully I have no life on Tuesdays so I wrote this all in a school day!