A mare ran through the Everfree Forest. It was the dead of night, and the wind was howling.
No doubt this will turn into a storm. The mare said to herself, pulling her cloak on tighter. Sure enough, fat drops of water began plummeting from the sky, wetting the mare and everything around her. She cursed nature as her long purple mane and tail began to get muddied.
I've got to get there fast! Finding her second wind, she shot off through the forest, running faster than she ever had before. Seeing the pale glint of moonlight reflecting in water, her pace slowed. Just ahead was an exit into Ponyville. Yes!
She trotted out of the forest, breathless and soaked, as the rain came down harder. She ran again, determined to get to her destination. Must...find...Twilight!
Spike pulled back the curtains to the library's windows and peeked out at the storm. "It's really coming down out there. Wasn't it supposed to be sunny this weekend?"
Twilight turned a page in her book. "The pegasi changed their minds."
"Oh."
"Can you blame them?" Twilight adjusted herself on her pillow. "We haven't had a good rain since...I don't even remember the last time!"
Spike spent another minute looking out at the rain. "Say, Twilight, do you think..."
"Spike, those stories where somepony knocks on your door during a storm is purely fictional, I can guarantee that."
“How can you be so sure?” Spike asked nervously. “In lots of stories I’ve read, ominous rains draw out the strangest of ponies…”
“That’s not how things work in real life, Spike.”
Somepony pounded anxiously on the door, causing the alicorn and the baby dragon to jump.
“Yeah, they’re purely fictional alright!” Spike yelped as he cowered behind Twilight.
Twilight snorted. “Please. It’s probably just some poor old pony who got lost in the rain. I’m sure he or she doesn’t want to, I don’t know,” Twilight waved her hoof in the air. “Eat our souls, or anything!”
“That’s exactly what everypony says before their souls get eaten!”
“SPIKE! Calm down!” Twilight got up and slowly trotted to the door. “If you’re so scared, go in the kitchen, or something.”
“Will do!” Spike dashed into the kitchen.
Twilight rolled her eyes and yanked the door open.
“Hello…” Somepony said in a hoarse voice. Standing in the doorway of the Golden Oaks Library was a tall mare wearing a wheat-colored cloak, her face hidden from Twilight’s view.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!” Spike shrieked from the kitchen, where he was peeking out from the doorway and waving a claw in the air. “DEMON!!!”
“Oh, shut up Spike!” The mare yelled. She stomped into the library. “That’s really no way to be treating a mare, now is it?”
Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Who are…”
A white aura enveloped the hood of the cloak, pulling it away from her face. The mare had a horn that was about equal in length to Cadance’s, long amethyst colored mane, and beautiful emerald eyes which were slightly surrounded by wrinkles—suggesting the mare either smiled a lot or frowned a lot.
“I apologize for my intrusion,” the mare spoke. “Please, allow me to introduce myself.” She turned to Twilight and bowed slightly. “My name is Pluto.”
“Pluto…” Twilight said with a nervous laugh. “What an...interesting name. That was my grandmother’s name.”
“How nice, Twilight, but not everypony falls for that trick.”
“It’s not a trick.”
The mare lifted her head. “That was a ploy to try to get me on your good side, was it not?” Before Twilight could respond, Pluto rolled her eyes.
“Please. I’m not a dangerous pony, or anything. Why does everypony always assume that?”
“Because you look like a demon.” Spike said as he slowly came back into the main room. “A gorgeous demon.”
“Save it for Rarity.” Pluto looked back at Twilight. “I suppose you’re wondering why I have showed up out of the blue to the home of a pony I know nothing about?”
“Well...yes...the question has crossed my mind many times since you came in here…”
“I shall tell you then.” Pluto sighed. “But please, promise not to tell anyone unless I say so, alright?”
Spike and Twilight eyed each other for a moment, then nodded.
Pluto took a deep breath. “I am seeking you, Princess Twilight, because I need to know the location of Princesses Luna and Celestia.”
“What about Cadance?”
Pluto snorted. “That ridiculous pegasus-turned-alicorn is of no concern to me. I would like to never meet her for all of eter-” Pluto’s eyes bulged, and she covered her mouth with a hoof to cough. “I would like nothing more than to never meet her for the rest of my life.”
Twilight bit back a retort.
Pluto sighed. “Oh dear. That was quite rude of me, was it not? My apologies. I’m quite aware of how found you are of Cadance. Not only because she was your former foalsitter, but also because she is currently married to your brother. Shining Armor.”
Twilight’s mouth dropped open. “How did you-”
“That does not concern you, Twilight.” Pluto said simply. “Will you please tell me the location of Princess Luna and Celestia?”
“Why do you wanna know?” Spike asked defensively.
Pluto sighed again. “That is another thing which is of no concern to either of you.”
“Well, I’m beginning to think you’re a pretty dangerous pony because of how much information you know about Twilight!” Spike said. “So how do we know you’re not going to somehow capture them and take over Equestria?”
“Do you really think I would be capable of a feat such as that?”
“We barely know you.” Twilight said, waving a hoof. “We don’t know if you would be capable of something like that. That’s why we’re concerned.”
The two ponies and the dragon sat in silence for a moment.
Pluto was the one to break the silence. “I do not wish to tell you my reasons for wanting to see the princesses, nor will I ever if you keep treating me this way.” She smirked. “Fine then. I envisioned something quite similar to this happening when I was planning out what to say on my way over here. In truth, I already know where their castle is. Everypony does. I just felt like dropping in, and needed a good reason to do so.” She stood and trotted to the door. “If I am truly up to no good, as you say, the princesses will have no trouble taking care of me. So do not worry about it.” And just like that, she was gone.
Twilight shuddered. “That mare gives me the creeps.”
“Same here.” Spike said. “Something about her just seemed...off…”
Pluto slammed the door to Golden Oaks Library shut. She stood at the entrance for a moment, staring off into space. As she turned and walked away, another sigh escaped her.
"I did it again." She whispered. "I always do that. I always make everypony mad at me." She laughed weakly. "Granted, this time it was just a princess and a dragon..." Looking through the inky blackness, a mixture of rain and night, Pluto checked to see if anyone was watching. Who would be? She said to herself.
Sighing again, she lifted her hood back up. She took the tail end of the cloak and wrapped it gently around her neck. She spent a moment stretching her wings, then took off for Canterlot, the way illuminated by her white magic aura.
"Woah. Weird." Rainbow Dash said after Twilight had told her and the rest of their friends of the strange ordeals she had encountered the night before. The Mane Six was hanging out at Sugar Cube Corner, drinking milkshakes.
"And...you're ABSOLUTELY sure you've never seen her before?" Rarity asked.
"Yes." Twilight nodded as she slurped on her vanilla shake. "I'm certain I would have remembered her if I had seen her before." She nudged her glass away from the table's edge. "She had a long, sparkly purple mane, pale green eyes, and a face that seemed like it could either be friendly or really, REALLY mean." Twilight paused before adding, "And she had a really long horn, too. Like Cadance's."
"Maybe she came from Canterlot?" Rarity asked. "I have a good friend there named Fleur Dis Lee, who has the same stature as Princess Cadance. So maybe she's not the only unicorn there who has that?" Rarity shrugged. "That's all I've got, darling." She sipped her milkshake.
Rainbow coughed. "Um...hey Rarity, what kind of milkshake is that?"
"Oh, it's marshmallow." She said, picking the glass up in her magic and looking at the beverage. "It's quite delicious, actually..." She stopped when she realized Rainbow was laughing. "...What ever is so funny, darling?"
"It's just..." Rainbow wheezed. "A marshmallow...drinking a marshmallow!" She collapsed in another fit of hysterical laughter.
"Rainbow, that's not funny in the least." Twilight said.
"I don't get it." Rarity said. Everypony looked at her.
Rainbow's laughter died down. "Because...you're white...like a marshmallow..."
Rarity narrowed her eyes. "Oh. I see."
"Twilight! Twilight!" Spike came running into Sugar Cube Corner. "Twilight! I think I'm about to get a letter from Princess Celesti-" With a belch of green fire, a srcoll appeared. Twilight sighed and seized it in her magic, then opened it and read it. "Oh...oh my. Hm."
"What is it?" Fluttershy asked softly.
Twilight shook her head. "Take a look for yourselves."
Dear Twilight, A strange mare came to visit me and Luna this morning. Your prescence, as well as your friends', is required in Canterlot at once. Sincerely, Princess Celestia
"Now whut the hay is all that about?" Applejack asked.
"I have no idea," twilight said, rolling the scroll back up. "But I guess we'd better get over to Canterlot as soon as possible."
"Ah got work t' do today!" Applejack complained. "Ah can't be takin' no unscheduled trip t' Canterlot!"
"It's the princess's orders." Twilight said as she slid out of the booth. "Are we really in a position to disobey?"
Applejack sighed. "Ah'll...Ah'll go git mah things."
"Yeah, same here." Pinkie gathered up her friends' empty glasses. "I'm gonna take these to the sink, then I'll go pack. See you guys at the train station later?"
"Sounds good." Twilight said. "Just...be fast, you guys. Her note said 'at once.' That kinda means we have to get there soon."
Pinkie saluted. "Will do!" She hopped off to the kitchen, chanting, "Party in Canterlot! Party in Canterlot!"
Ten minutes later, the Mane Six had packed up a few things (except Rarity, who had brought a mountain of useless items. As usual.), and were waiting in line for the train to Canterlot.
The trip up the mountain was uneventful, for the Mane Six were all deep in their own thoughts about what Princess Celestia wanted with them.
Princess Luna met them outside of the castle. "Welcome, Twilight Sparkle." She greeted warmly. Well, as warm as Luna got. "Sister is with the visitor right now. Come along." She led the princess and her friends inside.
In the throne room, Celestia was standing just in front of the throne, chatting lightly with a tall mare in a light brown cloak. Celestia glanced upward ans smiled. "Twilight! Welcome back." She stepped away from the visitor and up onto her throne, motioning for the mare to stand beside her.
"Hello, princess." Twilight bowed.
"Honestly, you've got to stop doing that." Celestia said. "You're a princess yourself now, you realize."
Twilight laughed. "Force of habit, sorry."
Luna cleared her throat. Celestia sighed. "Right. Down to business." She turned to the visitor. "Where...should I begin?"
"Tell them everything I told you, starting from when I bursted in here." the mare said, flipping her hood back to reveal her face. "Everything."
Pluto! Twilight thought.
"Alright." Celestia said. "Here's what happened..."
Celestia was sitting on her throne, completing the usual boring stack of papers. It never ends, does it? She thought bitterly. Gek.
"Your Highness," a member of the royal guard said, entering the throne room. "There is somepony who wishes to speak with you."
"Ah, good." Celestia said, gently freeing the papers from her magic's aura. "A break from these papers! Bring them in."
The guard walked out of the room, and returned a few seconds later with a tall mare in a light brown cloak, which concealed her face and just about everything about her. The guard bowed and left the room.
"Your Majesty," the mare said, bowing. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"And you as well." Celestia said. "So, what do you wish to discuss with me?"
"Well...that is a delicate matter, Your Majesty." The mare said, nodding her head back so the hood of the cloak fell away and no longer shrouded her face. "My name is Pluto, by the way."
That head nod...I've only ever seen Luna do that. Celestia said to herself. Strange. "Well, go on, Pluto."
"There is a fifth alicorn." Pluto said.
Celestia blinked. "...what? A fifth...what?"
"Alicorn, Your Majesty." Pluto stated. "There is a fifth alicorn."
"A born one?"
"Yes, a born one."
"Oh my. That is..." Celestia laughed. "Wow. That's...wow. Younger than me, I presume?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Younger than you."
"Please, call me Celestia." The sun princess said.
"Alright. Celestia." Pluto said, speaking in the same, monotone voice.
"And...how did you come across this alicorn?"
Pluto's eyes widened briefly, then snapped shut as she sighed. "I...used to travel around quite a bit. I...encountered the alicorn that way."
"I see." Celestia nodded. "How long have been in Equestria for, Pluto?"
"I just got here last night." Pluto replied. "From the Everfree Forest."
"Hm..." Celestia thought for a moment. "Would you happen to know where this alicorn is?"
"Yes." Pluto said. "But...well...this may come as a shock to you..." Pluto carefully removed her cloak with her magic, revealing beautiful purple wings.
Celestia's eyes widened. "Oh...my..."
"There's more." Pluto said. "I'm not just an alicorn. I am also your youngest sister, Princess Pluto." Pluto bowed again. "The Princess of Time."
Celestia opened her mouth, but words refused to come out.
Pluto laughed. "Of course, I've never actually had anypony call me princess before. I'm not exactly used to it yet."
"You...how...what?"
"I will explain everything, sister. But there are a few ponies I would like you to invite over before doing so." Pluto lifted her head a bit. "They do not care for me, so I would like them to see this."
"I...alright." Celestia said. "Who would you like for me to contact?"
"Princess Twilight and her friends." Pluto replied.
"Why?" Celestia asked. "They don't...like you?"
"I've only actually met Twilight." Pluto admitted. "But she has told her friends about me bitterly, so now they think about me negatively, no doubt."
"I...don't..." Celestia sighed. "I'll send a letter."
"Thank you."
"And that's what happened." Celestia finished.
To prove to the Mane Six what she had told Celestia was true, Pluto carefully removed her cloak with her magic, revealing broad purple wings, much like Twilight's. A clock Cutie Mark was apparent on her flank.
"The Princess of Time?" Twilight asked.
"Yes." Pluto responded.
"Who is also the little sister of Celestia?"
"And Luna." Pluto titled her head. "Shall I tell my story?"
"Please do." Luna replied, taking a seat on her throne. "I would love to hear this."
"Very well." Pluto cleared her throat. "My mother is...was Queen Galaxia, and my father was King Cosmos, same as Luna and Celestia's parents. I was born five years after Luna. Or so I was told. I don't actually know if it's true or not. Anyway, after the battle between the changelings, where Luna and Celestia were, supposedly, the only ones who survived, my parents barely made it away alive. They spent five years searching for their daughters. That was when I was born. My birth killed my mother, and left my father so depressed that he died when I was three.
"I had no family around me. Part of me felt like giving up, like dying and joining mother and father in the afterlife. But there were so many things I wanted to do, to see—I just couldn't.
"I remembered that father had told me of his two other daughters, the ones born before the changeling war. He told me that we had to search for them. So that's what I decided to do." Pluto sighed. "I spent a few years in Hoofrica, Saddle Arabia, and Neighpon." She laughed a bit. "Actually...I spent about a hundred years in Neighpon. I love that place. Now I'm fluent in Neighponese." She waved to Pinkie Pie. "Konnichiwa! Watashi wa Puruto desu!"
Pinkie waved back. "Hajimemashite! Watashi wa Pie Pinkie desu!"
The rest of the Mane Six just stared. "...what?"
Pluto waved her hoof around. "Anyway. I had figured that a few years in foreign countries couldn't hurt. Why would it? ...Then, Neighpon gets attacked by these super creepy, weird...misshapen...THINGS called witches." Pluto sighs. "Terrifying." She looked back up. "Oh! And after I cleared Neighpon of witches and left, I spent some time in the human world."
"The human world?" Celestia asked. "How did you get there? The Crystal Empire wasn't-"
"The portal in the Crystal Empire is not the only portal there is," Pluto interrupted. "Let's leave it at that." Pluto sighed. "About 'round that time, I decided I was done screwing around. A year later-" she shrugged a bit. "I found the Everfree Forest and traveled into Ponyville."
"..."
"..."
"Wow." Twilight broke the silence. "You're a brave pony, you know that?"
Pluto shrugged again. "Being abandoned at the age of three and traveling ever since will do that to a mare."
"Let's..." Celestia shook her head. "I don't even know where to begin. You're certain you're our little sister?"
"Yes." Pluto nodded. "But I am not the only other sibling you and Luna have."
Celestia tilted her head to the side a bit. "What do you mean?"
"Have you heard of a Queen Chrysalis?" Pluto asked calmly.
Luna and Celestia nodded slowly, not quite sure if they liked where their conversation was heading.
"No." Celestia shook her head in disbelief. "No. You may be right about being our youngest sister, but there is no way...that thing is related to us, too. There's just no way."
"She didn't originally look like she does now, you know." Pluto said. "With holes in her legs and whatnot. She didn't have those. She used to be a normal pony."
"So what...happened to her?" Twilight asked.
"Well, to put it simply, she was abandoned, bullied by her younger sisters when she found her parents, and then she developed a powerful magic when she met the changelings." Pluto paused for a moment. "...I mean, it's not impossible for alicorns to change form, you know."
Twilight blinked. "Wha?"
"Watch." A great white aura surrounded Pluto's horn, and she was briefly surrounded by light before emerging as Twilight.
Twilight blinked. "Holy-"
"It's quite simple, actually," Pluto said, even speaking in Twilight's voice. "All alicorns can do this, and even some high-level unicorns. Probably Sunset Shimmer, too."
"Sunset Shimmer?" Celestia asked. "How...how do you know about her?"
Pluto tossed her head, her long purple mane casting away from her face. "How do I know about anything? It's a mystery. But really, I know about everything that's happened in Equestria since Twilight Sparkle was sent to Ponyville."
"How-"
"IT DOES NOT MATTER." Pluto said firmly. "If I ever wish to discuss it, I swear upon all the honesty in myself that I will someday. But I do not want to talk about it right now, and you're just going to have to accept that."
"O-okay," Celestia said, seemingly weak to her youngest sister's words. "Sorry."
Pluto dipped her head slightly, eyes sorrowful. "No...I'm sorry. This is my first time seeing you all in person, and...here I am, being a huge...huge..." Pluto tipped her head back and looked at the ceiling, eyes now full of rage. "...ASS!!!"
This took everypony by surprise.
"...What?" Rainbow Dash's head tilted to the side. "Um...I didn't see that one coming..."
"Sometimes I really loathe myself," Pluto spoke in a cold tone, just barely audible. "I'm such a jerk..."
"H-hey," Celestia said, taking a few steps forward, face showing concern and confusement at the same time. "It, um...it'll be alright."
Pluto, Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and her friends spent most of the rest of the day talking about Chrysalis and how Pluto came to Equestria. When evening came, Pluto was led by the Royal Guard to a guest bedroom off the throne room, where guards were put up outside just in case the alicorn wasn't as nice as she made herself out to be. Now, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight were all standing in the throne room, conversing quietly.
"What do you think of her, Princess?" Twilight asked Celestia.
Celestia shook her head. "I...don't really know what to think of her...at one point, she seems dark and mysterious, but at the next she's scolding herself and acting all innocent." Celestia shrugged. "I seriously don't know what to think of her."
"Do you...believe she's your sister?"
Celestia glanced at Luna. "I do," Celestia said after a moment. "There's certainly some things only a member of our family could have known, and she's proven that she does know them...she does some things I've only seen Luna do...I don't know, I just really feel like she's my sister."
"I agree," Luna spoke up. "She definitely seems like she could be related to me. I see much of my younger self in her, which is quite a bit terrifying."
"I see..." Twilight looked at the ground.
"But even though she may be related to me and Luna, that doesn't mean I'm not suspicious of her."
Twilight looked up. "Huh?"
"I just feel like she's up to something," Celestia said. "Something about her makes me feel a little bit uneasy..."
"Mayhaps she is a changeling?" Luna suggested.
"It's not an impossible theory," Celestia spoke. "But I'm not quite sure that's it. I just don't know what it is." Celestia turned and started walking towards another hallway off the throne room.
"Princess?" Twilight asked, walking at a brisk pace to try to catch up.
"I'm going to bed," Celestia said tiredly, almost miserably. "A lot of stuff has been crammed into my brain today, and...it's made me very sleepy."
"I shall turn in as well." Luna turned and trotted off after her sister. "You are welcome to spend the night in the castle, Twilight Sparkle. Your friends have already done so. But I must advise you," she turned and looked back and Twilight, and suddenly her eyes seemed a lot older. "Please do not stay in a room that is down the same hall as Pluto's room. If she is a dangerous pony...I would hate to have anything happen to our newest princess." Luna paused. "Well...our youngest not-natural alicorn." With that, she cantered down towards the wing that held her bedroom.
Twilight just stood in that same spot for a moment, deep in thought. Eventually, she caught sight of a member of the royal guard in the corner of the room. She clopped over to him meekly. "Um...could you please guide me to an open guest room? Princess Luna suggested one in a separate hall from Princess Pluto..."
Pluto started up at the dark ceiling, the only light of the room a silver beam of moonlight peeking out from behind the curtain that mostly blocked the window. She rolled onto her side, pulling the thick quilts over her head and cocooning herself.
She was well aware of the conversation the three princesses were having in the throne room at that very moment, of the fact that they were talking about her.
It was nothing new. Everypony who had ever met Pluto talked about her behind her back, thinking she couldn't possibly know.
But she did know.
As her eyelids grew heavy and her mental functions grew slow, she felt her mouth curl into a leer.
