> Brave to the Soul > by Allen H > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter one-Traversing Thoughts > --------------------------------------------------------------------------         A void of white stretched everywhere, leaving all sounds and senses empty. One would think that they were in the middle of nothingness. But the blank void was not as empty as it seemed; a small figure was floating about the void’s nonexistent gravity. It was the limp body of a black lamb, garbed in a green uniform that was waving about on a nonexistent breeze. Red droplets of blood trailed off the side of it's green jacket, creating a thin trail of crimson as it traveled slowly across the seemingly endless void of white.         “Awaken, young one,” A soothing voice called out, it's words echoing with presence of both genders.  “Your time to rest eternally has not yet come, and more days are yet waiting for you.”         “Who’s there?” A feminine voice laden with fatigue asked from a floating figure, not moving as it hovered in place.         “Awaken and you will see.”         “I can’t… I don’t have the energy to,” The lamb said, as her eyelids struggled to open.         “Here young one, let me lend you the energy so you may open your eyes to see me.”         A reassuring warmth spread throughout the lamb, rejuvenating her tired body. Her once limp floating frame was becoming rigid as she took in more of the energy from the comforting warmth. Her eyes slowly cracked open, and what she saw put her in a state of awe.  Before her was a glowing being that gleamed too brightly to look at straight on. An aura of blue surrounded the brilliant creature. It’s size was triple of the lamb floating in front of it. A pair of magnificent wings that matched it's size could be seen moving, as if they were keeping it aloft in the air. The wings looked to be that of a giant dragonfly, as they fluttered slowly.         “Who and what are you?” asked the lamb, now moving her body so that she was level to the creature before her. “That is not important at the moment, for you are here for a purpose that is not yet known,” The glowing being said as it seemingly nodded in honesty. "But I can tell you that I am to be your guide. Now you must waken.”         “AWAKEN NOW, BO!”         A vacuum of air surrounded Bo as a black portal opened up, greedily awaiting to suck her in.         “What’s happenin-….” Bo was unable to finish her question as she was swallowed up by the Blackness.The glowing blue being stayed still, it’s pair of wings coming to a stop. "I hope I have done the right thing," The genderless voice rang out, as it's owner started to shrink down slowly, until it was just a small orb of blue with wings barely visible on it's side “Ehhh, why does my head hurt so much?” Rubbing her head with one of her hooves,”…And where in the blazes am I?”         Getting up onto her legs, and brushing off dirt and debris from her green uniform and white shirt. The small black lamb Bo began a survey of the land about her. She took note that she was in what seemed like a thickly dense forest or woods. The canopy was too heavy to let in enough light to indicate what time in the day it was, but Bo could tell that the sun was sure enough still up.         “Where in Harmonia am I?”         Bo had gone to many of the Kingdoms that resided in the realm of Harmonia, but could not think of any that had such untamed vegetation. Ferns grew just about everywhere, bushes were large and misshapen, and even the trees looked like no one had cared for them from the moss and vines hanging carelessly off them.         Trying to recollect her last memories, the last thing she could recall was someplace in a void of white. Some weird celestial being that she had encountered in that bleak void had said she was needed, but hadn’t given any evidence as to what. Beyond that, everything seemed a touch hazy to recall, except for the time she and her fellow BraveHearts came to inform Royal Captain Hansel about needing to talk about Princess Ginger’s erratic changes.  Bo definitely had a feeling that she was missing a day’s worth of memories.         As she continued her thoughts, she looked down to her outfit and noticed that there was a patch of blood on the left side of her body. This caused her to panic, thinking that she had unknowingly been mortally wounded, but the fact that she was not feeling any discomfort or pain made her stop and examine the large patch of blood closer. There was a large puncture hole on the left side of her white shirt, and some blood had matted her black wool coat. She found no cuts or any other wounds around the spot, but the blood was fresh and had not congealed.         “That’s strange, and there is nothing around to indicate that something’s blood had spilled on me. But that idea still wouldn't explain the big hole in my shirt. I have to get out of here so I can find out why and what has happened.”         That was easier said than done, for Bo had no idea of anything to use as directions to get out of this forest area. She paced about in thought around a tree that had been close to the spot she had awaken from. She didn’t want to just wander about an unfamiliar area, and the sounds she was hearing around her of hungry beasts assured that staying here any longer would be a bad idea as well. There was one option she almost hadn’t thought of, seeing as there were numbers upon numbers of large tall trees.         “Why didn’t I think of this sooner….” Giving herself a facehoof.         Touching the small brass cowbell that was around her neck, a ringing sound resonated as a grappling hook in the shape of a ram's head materialized. It's two horns were facing forward as hooks, with a long chain attached to it's end.         “I should be able to get to the top of this tree, so I can see which direction I need to go.”         Gripping the chain close to the grappling hook's end, Bo started spinning it to gain momentum for the hook to reach the top of the tree. Letting it go, the grappling hook flew up high to one of the tree's highest branches, but fell back down when Bo gave the chain a reassuring pull. Bo had to give the grappling hook several more tosses before she finally had a firm grip to the tree with the hook. The work had taken longer then she would have wanted, but it would reward her with more knowledge of where she was, and of where she was to go.         Climbing up the grappling hook's chain wasn’t all too strenuous to Bo, but her thoughts were weighing her down. The fact that her memories of the past few hours couldn’t be accessed made her feel that something severe must have happened to cause her to block them out.         Pushing her concern aside when she reached the top of the tree, Bo scanned the horizon. The trees seemed to spread out beyond her vision, as if it were a sea of lush greens. Towering mountains could also be seen in the distance, their tops capped with whiteness of snow.  The sun showed that the time of day must be around midday, because of it's position in the center of the sky.         “Just where the fudge am I? No kingdom in Harmonia is this big.”         With all of her questioning thoughts now starting to pile up, Bo was starting to feel distressed. Lost memories, lack of knowledge of where she was, and now the thought that she might not even be in Harmonia anymore. The day was feeling like it wouldn’t end up being a good one. The only thing  that could raise her hopes now would be some sign of civilization.         Still scanning about the horizon, Bo spotted a thin trail of smoke. It could be a sign of someone living close by, and despite her feelings, it had lifted her spirit as she now had a destination. Traveling the dense forest hadn’t been too difficult, only an hour had passed since she started heading towards the trail of smoke she had spotted. Sure enough, Bo had to re-climb a tree what felt like every thirty minutes to insure that she was still heading in the right direction. Bo had been forced to move off of her path several times to avoid encountering dangerous looking animals. Sure she could easily protect herself, but she didn’t want to be the one provoking a fight, and there was also the fact that the animals she saw were almost alien to her.  One she almost thought was one of her friends, until she saw the scorpion tail and leathery wings it bore.         The lion-like creature that had the scorpion tail and wings had reminded her of a report she had read from the kingdom of imagination. It had been an interesting read, as it detailed information about many creatures Harmonia’s mirror world of humanity thought as being mythical. If she could recall, this particular beast was a manticore. Luckily, it had been sleeping when she had come across it.         A few more hours had passed, and Bo was slowly reaching the location of where the now wispy smoke was still flowing upward. Further checks on her location by climbing the trees had also let her have a better glimpse of what had been producing the smoke. It was still a far ways off, but Bo could see what looked like sort of small cottage. Better yet, she could see the forest’s tree line up ahead.         It was beginning to get late; the sun was just starting to dip beyond the horizon. Chilled night air was let to drift about. Bo knew that traveling in a forest this dense at night without any light could be dangerous. Her destination was about another hour off, and dehydration and hunger were starting to affect her. It seemed that before she had woken up in this weird place, she hadn’t eaten or drank anything for a long time. “I need to keep going forward; I can’t risk trying to sleep in this forest. There are just too many things that could eat me while I sleep.”         Bo just kept moving, seeing as it was her best and only option at the time.         Bo could hear moving water as she got closer and closer to the forest's edge. Just the sound of it was causing her dry mouth to plead for the refreshing liquid. Her lust for something to drink caused her to have a jolt of energy, allowing her to charge the final yards of the forest. She rushed over to the small stream that lay before her and dunked her head in, taking huge gulps of water until she had to pull out for air.         She was so happy to finally be out of that forest, she was starting to believe that something was watching her in that wild place, and she was happy to be clear of the place. She had reached the cottage at last; this could now hopefully allow her to relax. Unfortunately though, all the windows of the small cottage were pitch black. So who ever lived there was either gone or had gone to sleep.         Bo really didn’t want to wake the person from their sleep, seeing that she would be a stranger disturbing the peace. Going to the closest tree, one that wasn’t in the forest, Bo laid her head against it. She let out the fatigue of that day, drifting off to a peaceful dream.         If only it had truly been a peaceful dream.         “Hey, Fluttershy, come over here. There’s some strange animal sleeping under the tree.” A cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail called out to her friend.         “Oh my…you're right, the poor thing looks wounded,” a light yellow Pegasus said, her long pink mane hiding a part of her face. “Could you help me bring it inside the house…if that’s ok with you, Rainbow Dash…?”         “Ah, no problem Fluttershy, it should be a piece of cake anyways.”         “That’s not cake, silly filly,” A pink pony’s head popped out from underneath the branches of the tree, spooking both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash for a brief second. “That’s a lamb… and a weird one at that.”         “Pinkie Pie… what are you doing up there?” Rainbow Dash asked. Pinkie Pie gave Rainbow Dash a big smile. “My Pinkie Sense told me there was going to be a doozie when I was hopping by and….” Pinkie Pie stopped talking as she saw the red patch of blood on the lamb's green jacket. “Is that cherry syrup?” > Chapter two- Baaaad dreams > --------------------------------------------------------------------------         A hazy world of black was all about; echoes of fighting could be heard from every direction. The usual experience Bo was used to when sleeping wasn’t an option. Her dream didn’t feel right, it was out of control. The tranquil green hills she had always visited to clear her mind of her daily chores and to train, was now a dark, chaotic landscape before her. A foggy scene was playing in Bo’s mind. None of it seemed to make sense; it just felt so obscure to her. “Get out of the way Hansel, that’s not Ginger.” Bo yelled as she struggled with a large wolf monster before her; its sharp teeth dripping with hot, sticky salvia. Bo’s two ram blades were gripped tightly in its mouth, preventing her from moving her friend away as she held tight to the blade’s chains.         Beside the wolf, stood a girl in a black Gothic dress; her two blond pony-tails hanging carelessly from the sides of her head. A gnarled lollipop lance held menacingly in her right hand, poised to strike.         “No.” said Gingerman Hansel as he stood in front of Bo. “Can’t you see that-”         “It’s not the Princess. Get out of here, I don’t want you to get-.”         The world went red as the candy lance in the girl’s hand pierced Bo’s body, causing her to go limp as everything slowly faded to nothingness. The girl gave a wicked grin as she melted into the surrounding darkness. Her face revealed some new details; piercing red eyes and jagged teeth. As the she pulled the candy lance from Bo’s body, she spoke in a deep, cracking voice. “You are done for, little lamb.” ------         A loud yell of fright filled Fluttershy’s small cottage. The abrupt shout had caused the timid pegasus to dash for and hide under a nearby couch. Fluttershy hadn’t expected such a loud yell to come from the lamb. In fact she wasn’t sure if it was a lamb due to its body shape. Its hind legs were longer than its forelimbs and would bend in the wrong direction; this would make it difficult for it to walk on all four limbs. Pinkie Pie’s pinkie sense had spoken true.         “Gahhh, WHERE’S MY CLOTHES??” The black lamb cried out. “This is so embarrassing…just what the fudge happened while I was asleep? …Oh, this must be the inside of that cottage. I wonder where the owner is...”         This was her cue to say something. Fluttershy remained under the table across from the Black lamb. She spoke in a rather low whisper. “I took your clothes off…please don’t be angry at me. Your clothes were in such bad condition and covered in blood…I thought you were wounded….”         “Who said that, where are you?” The lamb scanned the room, searching for the person that spoke. “I-I’m down here.” Fluttershy motioned while poking her head over the other side of the table in front of Bo. She saw the black lamb blush as she clenched the blanket close to her chest. “I-I can bring your clothes back to you when they are d-dry. I cleaned them for you because they were so dirty…if that’s ok with you.” Fluttershy was still looking over at the lamb with her eyes leveled to the table’s surface. “A-and my name is Fluttershy.”         “Oh…I’m not angry…it just caught me off guard, at least you didn’t try taking off my underwear…then there would have been problems.” The lamb said as she tried to cover herself up as best it could. “Well since your intentions were good, and you were friendly enough to take me in, I have nothing against you. Let me introduce myself. My name is Bo, and I am a Brave Heart of Harmonia, though I doubt I’m anywhere near there.” Bo was a touch surprised to see the pegasus before her, she had thought they were only a creation of human imagination. But thinking back to the manticore, she had a feeling she would see many more surprises.         “Brave Heart? Harmonia? I’ve never heard of those before.” Fluttershy said while raising herself from the ground. “Though I bet Twilight might know, she’s quite knowledgeable with all those books at her place.”         “I fear that from your lack of knowledge of Harmonia, that I may no longer even be anywhere near there. I don’t think your friend would know about anything from Harmonia either.” This had put Bo in a rather distressed state. “And the fact that I didn’t go to the Dream Palace when I slept could be further proof.” Just what was that dream I had about anyway?         The Dream Palace was a place to provide all creatures young and old with soothing sleep. It is a realm older than time and imagination. To the people of Harmonia, it is more important than a place for more than soothing sleep; it is a place for their minds to go relax and lift the fatigue of their daily work and where they could meet with friends if they were thinking of each other. For Bo, not being able to reach the palace while she had slept had to mean that her connection was somehow blocked.                 “Bad dream?” Fluttershy asked. She thought about asking about the palace, but then thought it best to just leave that subject alone. Many of the words Bo was using were so foreign to her.         “Yes, but it was more than that, it felt so real. The weird thing is that that blood spot you saw on my white shirt,” Fluttershy nodded to what Bo mentioned, “I was stabbed in my dream in the same place. And it felt more like memories then some random thought, but I have no recollection of it. Though I do feel like I’ve lost some of my memories since I woke up in that forest.” She said.         “Oh my, I’m happy you didn’t get hurt while you in the EverFree Forest. That place is full of dangerous creatures!” Fluttershy gave Bo a concerned look, she noticed that the lamb wore a look that bothered her. “You didn’t harm any animals while you were in the EverFree forest did you?” She had been thinking about the blood she had washed out of Bo’s green jacket.         “It is quite harsh in there;” Bo said with a sigh. “but no,I didn’t harm any animals or beasts in that wild place. Although I did almost walk up to a manticore, thinking it was one of my friends.” Bo looked at the light yellow Pegasus across the small coffee table questionably. “Is this about the blood on my uniform?”         “Y-yes.” Fluttershy said, as she shrunk back under the table. “It just worried me that there could be an injured animal in the forest, and since you had no wounds…I thought that you c-could have d-done something….”         Bo was rather shocked at what Fluttershy had just said, but she couldn’t blame the pegasus. “I am quite able to protect myself from harm, but I would never needlessly injure an innocent being.” Bo hoped that this would ease the timid Fluttershy a touch. “It is part of my teachings as a BraveHeart to never do so.”         “To tell the truth,” Bo said as she lifted the blanket up; just enough take a small peek at the small patch of matted wool. “I think the blood was mine, but how it got there is beyond me.”         It had taken longer for Bo’s words to sink in, but Fluttershy finally rose back up from under the small table. She was also happy, as the blood had not come from any animal being harmed.  “Oh, where is the bell that was around my neck?” Bo noticed that she wasn’t wearing it anymore, she scanned the room around her.         “Oh, I left it on the table on the other side of the couch. It’s quite pretty”         ”Oh thank sweet lollipop. I Almost thought I lost it when I fell asleep.” Bo thought.         Bo crawled across the couch to reach the small table Fluttershy had pointed out, grabbed the bell by the ribbon, and gave it a ring. In the air in front of Bo, a brown poncho materialized. As Bo wrapped the poncho around her body, she noticed that Fluttershy’s eyes and mouth were both hanging wide open. “Are you ok, Fluttershy?”         “How did you do that?…can you use magic?” Fluttershy was in a state of awe.         Hanging the bell back around her neck, Bo thought about Fluttershy’s question. “Well, I wouldn’t call it magic... I learned how to use my bell like that during my time at Courage Campus, where I became a Brave Heart.”         Fluttershy understood the basics of what Bo had said, but it seemed that the more she spoke of her ‘Brave Heart’, the more confused she became.         “Oh, there was something I wanted to ask you Bo.” Fluttershy said while trotting over to the couch to lay next to Bo. She wanted to be comfortable before she asked her question. “Why did you act so embarrassed about not wearing clothes…you don’t have to answer if it bothers you….”         Bo’s cheeks went red with embarrassment, as she struggled with how to explain it. “Where I come from, everyone wears clothes. It is just a basic thing we do to be civil. A-and I just feel weird without any clothes….”         Fluttershy was taken aback by this information. “O-oh, well we wear clothes mostly for special events, or if a pony just wants to look nice.”         Bo felt like she had insulted Fluttershy. “I’m sorry if I made you f-” Bo was interrupted as a new arrival appearing in the open doorway of the cottage. A loud bang resulted from the large amount of force used on it.  “Sorry that I left so suddenly, Fluttershy. I almost forgot that I had to supply a rain shower for Sweet Apple Acres.” A cyan pegasus with the rainbow mane entered the room. The cyan pegasus stopped when she saw Bo sitting up on the couch. “I see that the weird lamb is awake. It didn’t try to do anything strange when it woke, did it?”         “Hey, who you calling weird?” Bo said in protest, giving the cyan pegasus a shock.         “Well for one, you don’t look like any any kind of lamb I’ve seen before…” The cyan pegasus now gave Bo a glare as she hovered right into her face. “You better not be here for any funny business. I don’t trust you, you just seem suspicious to me.” “Now now Rainbow Dash, be nice to Bo…if you could please…” Fluttershy asked the cyan pegasus.         “Your name is Bo?” Rainbow Dash asked.         “Yes, why do you ask?” Bo replied. Rainbow Dash fell on the floor laughing         “Bwahahaha, that name is just so uncool!         Bo didn’t understand what was so funny about her name. It was a rather normal name to her.         “Anyways Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash started, recovering from her laughing fit. “Rarity asked me on my way back over to remind you about your guys’ spa date.” Rainbow Dash said with distaste.         “Oh, oh my!” Fluttershy’s eyes lit up. “I almost forgot the time!” Her eyes became sad when a thought occurred to her. “Could you go tell Rarity that I will be bringing company? I just can’t leave Bo all alone. I know your clothes are not dry yet Bo, but going to the spa could calm and clear your mind.”         Bo clenched the side of her brown poncho, the only thing that was keeping her covered at the moment. “I-I guess I could. The experience could help me cleanse my mind enough to focus on my missing memories.”         “Alright…I’ll pass the message off to Rarity…” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. As she flew out the cottage, both Fluttershy and Bo could hear her saying “Bo! Bawhaha, who in their right mind named her that?”         “Oh Bo, would you like to clean yourself up a bit before we go? I was only able to clean your clothes.” Fluttershy asked after Rainbow Dash could had left.         Bo looked at herself, and saw that she looked completely dirty. There was dirt coating her hooves, and patches of her legs and arms. Never mind the fact she still had a patch of now dry blood in her wool. She looked as if she had run through an untamed wilderness, which in truth she did.                  “Yes please,” Bo accepted gladly, but now feeling the empty pit of her stomach. "A-and you don't have any food to spare do you? A fruit perhaps?" -------   Rarity had been waiting in front of the Day Spa for what felt like forever for Fluttershy. “Honestly, what could be keeping her, and who could she be bringing with her?” Rarity had thought on that question after Rainbow Dash had come to tell her Fluttershy’s message. For all Rarity knew, both Twilight and Applejack were too busy to do anything today. Twilight was in one of her studying moods, and Applejack was preoccupied with her farm work. Pinkie Pie was also surprisingly busy, due to Mr. and Mrs. Cake needing her help caring for the twins for the day. “Did dear Fluttershy make a new friend? She hasn’t mentioned anything as such.” Rarity became happy when a thought struck her. “Has she found a coltfriend?” She chuckled at the idea.         Rarity was becoming impatient, even though she loved going to the spa with Fluttershy, she didn’t want to miss out on her weekly visit. She was about to go on ahead without Fluttershy, thinking she couldn’t make it after all. Just when she was trying to make up her mind on what to do, Rarity spotted Fluttershy trotting towards her. Rarity was taken back when she noticed a black lamb walking beside Fluttershy on two legs, wearing a horrid brown cloth.         “Fluttershy, just who is this, eh, dressed thing next to you?.”         “Oh, this is Bo.I found her unconscious by my cottage this morning. She was in rather bad condition when Rainbow Dash and me found her.”         “Ok darling, but the spa doesn’t have any treatments for lambs I believe. Plus I think I have never seen one come to the spa ever.” The black lamb looked at Rarity with an angry scowl and to her surprise spoke.  “who you calling a thing. And please stop giving me that look of distaste, I know this poncho looks unattractive and sticks out like a thorn,  but my real clothes are hanging out to dry at Fluttershy’s cottage.” Bo hadn’t meant to snap like that, but her feeling of being “exposed” had made her too embarrassed to think about what she was reacting to. Fluttershy had cowered behind Rarity when Bo had started yelling, and Rarity was dumbfounded by what had just happened. “How did-who is- what just…” Rarity stuttered Fluttershy just looked calmly to her friend, then Bo “I think you could explain yourself to Rarity once we're inside the spa.” Bo agreed to that statement as the three walked into the spa. > Chapter three- Thoughts to care for > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bo’s reception inside the spa had been no better than Rarity’s first encounter with the black lamb. She was starting to feel that her presence might cause complications wherever she went in this small town.  She had been given some strange stares as she had walked through the town’s main road with Fluttershy.  Some ponies had even seemed to avoid being close to her, as if they were paranoid of her.  A light cerulean pony with her pale rose mane kept back by a white band behind the spa’s counter was trying to explain to Fluttershy that Bo couldn’t possibly have anything done for her here. “I’m sorry Ms. Fluttershy; we have no treatments for any animals, only ponies. Unless she is some sort of minotaur, we just can’t do anything for your friend.” The spa pony said, while examining the three feet tall biped black lamb behind Fluttershy, that was a hair's length taller compared to the timid light yellow pony.         “Aloe dear, could you take her on as a customer,” Rarity said in a shaky voice, still in shock from the unexpected talking lamb. “You could at least be able to do a pedicure for her.” Rarity wasn’t sure as to why she was trying to help the strange black lamb, but she trusted Bo due to Fluttershy feelings, despite Fluttershy’s natural caring instinct for animals. She had also didn’t want to miss the chance for the lamb to explain itself, since both Fluttershy and the lamb had agreed to do so when inside the spa.          “Oh please, could you allow Bo to do some of the basic options.” Fluttershy said with her whisper like voice. “I can’t just leave her alone while we are being taken care of.” Fluttershy sounded quite concerned about not leaving Bo alone. Rarity was just realizing that her friend was worried something bad might happen if she didn’t stay close to the weird lamb.         Bo was shifting about next to Rarity as they stood behind Fluttershy as she continued talking to the Aloe. The little lamb seemed nervous for some reason that that was not understandable. Rarity tilted her head to be closer to Bo, and asked her in a low voice. “May I ask what’s the matter with you? your face looks as if you're about to experience something dreadful.” and for extra assurance she added “And I’m sorry for the rude manner in which i stared at you, but that brown thing was truly horrid Ms.….Bo is it?” Bo was grateful that the silence that had been between them was broke when Rarity had talked to her. Bo had been ashamed at how she had lost her cool with the elegant pony Rarity in their first meeting. Sure the poncho was something she would rather have not worn out in public, but she would wear it any day if it meant to keep her covered. Form what Bo had seen on the way to the spa, most of the ponies wore nothing. Bo looked the white unicorn, she could see that Rarity was truly sorry, her swaying stylish purple hued mane added to how she was pleading with her expression. “Yes, and I-it’s a rather personal situation…. there is no big need to apologize, I should have been the one to explain myself to you, and it’s just been a stressful day. It might be too hard to explain, but let me just say that I have no clue as to where I am.” while Bo was looking down in thought, her eyes glanced upon Rarity's flank, and saw an emblem like Fluttershy and that cyan pepgasus Rainbow Dash. This time though, it was three diamonds. “Oh, you’re lost dear?” Rarity felt rather sad now for Bo, ”Maybe I could help, just tell me and I’ll do my best to assist you.” Snapping Bo's attention from at the looking at the emblem, she went back to her own thoughts.“Well…I come from the realm of Harmonia…and I don’t think you will be able to find it anywhere on a map of this land of…what is this realm called anyways, I never asked Fluttershy.” Bo had said, only after realizing the fact. Despite her current condition, she had almost forgotten the motto for the Brave Hearts. “A Braveheart should always keep one’s body and mind alert at all times! You should be ready for anything!” She might well as learn about where she is.         “Harmonia?” Rarity asked questionably “Sounds like an exquisite place. Anyways, you’re in the land of Equestria.” Giving a small smile to Bo for comfort, “If you need any more information, I suggest visiting the library. You might be able to find information on Harmonia in one of the books there too, you never know.” “Thanks for telling me that,” Bo replied, her mind starting to feel more at ease. “Could you direct me to how to get to this library after we’re done here?” “Gladly,” Rarity said, now happier that she had made some sort of connection with the mysterious Bo. “I have one final thing to ask,“ Bo’s cheeks were flushed with redness as she said this. “…does this spa have a robe I could use during my time here?” ------- It had taken some time for Aloe to agree to letting Bo have some basic treatment, but only after the black lamb approached her to ask what was the problem. The light cerulean spa pony hadn’t expected the black lamb to speak common equestrian, even though there are some non equine  races that are capable of speech, so were sheep, but Bo had seemed like something else entirety. Aloe hadn’t wanted to be rude, but couldn’t help to hesitate, as she was unsure of what to set up for Bo.         Bo was still wondering what the problem was, but after Aloe had talked with a pony, that was almost a twin to the light cerulean pony, she, Bo and the other two went to what seemed like a  changing room. They indeed did have robes to supply, though the white robe that had been given to Bo was plain looking compared to Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s. Rarity’s robe was trimmed in gold and was embroidered with a purple R that matched her mane, while Fluttershy’s had a simple purple.         After they had put the robes on, or in Bo’s case replaced the brown poncho with it, the twin pony of Aloe lead them to the next room. It looked to be a sauna; there were simple sitting places along the wall with a stone stove on the side to produce the steam. “So Ms. Bo,” Rarity started as she jumped onto the bench in the back of the room, and laid down in a comforting position. “Why don’t you tell me about this place Harmonia, the name just so sounds marvelous.” Water was ladled onto the hot rocks from the ladle being held in the spa pony’s mouth. When the water hit the hot rocks, a small hissing sound emitted, creating a drifting cloud of comforting steam.         Getting onto the long wooden bench to sit next to Rarity with her fore-hooves hanging off the side, Fluttershy turned her head to Bo, who was also now sitting on the bench but a touch away from them. “You don’t have to talk about where you’re from…if it bothers you too much.” she said, Giving Bo a supportive look.         Leaning back against the wall, she let the warm steam comfort her as she stood and thought. She never had to explain the realm of Harmonia to anyone before, since she had lived there her entire life. On second hand, there would be too much to describe. Harmonia had so many kingdoms that each had their own purpose.         “Well,” Bo moved herself to be closer to the two ponies. “Harmonia is like paradise, the numerous kingdoms that reside in it offer untold amounts of enjoyment. Each one is unique and contributes to Harmonia as a whole. They each supply a certain aspect, such as the sweetness of sweets, to its mirror world where humans lives. “Humans, pray tell what may that be?” Rarity asked, while all three of them moved to the next room for facial masks. Rarity had her whole face covered with the green facial cream, while Fluttershy just had some applied to her cheeks. Bo kindly declined having her whole face covered when she was approached, and followed in Fluttershy’s case.         Bo has never had to describe a human to anyone before; she was a dumbstruck as to what to say. She could describe something that closely resembled humans, but that would be insulting them. So Bo improvised with what she knew about humans to the best of her power.         “Eh…Humans are biped beings. They have arms and legs like me, but have hands and feet that have five digits on them…. Oh, and they always wear clothes too.” Bo had said all of this with a nervous laugh; she had felt a bit silly comparing a human to herself.         “Hmm,” Rarity had lost interest about humans now, they just didn’t seem that exhilarating to her anymore, but something Bo had previously said had made a thought come to mind. “You said each kingdom provides a unique aspect?” Bo confirmed. “Then do you think there may be one for fashion?” Rarity asked, as her horn was being filed by the spa pony Aloe.         Bo hadn’t been to all of the kingdoms in Harmonia, since she had been only assigned to look over and protect a select few. Bo couldn’t doubt that there must be a kingdom that helped with humans create creative fashion designs, but knowledge on what such a kingdom does exactly, she wouldn’t know.         “I guess there is one; I’ve only been to a small portion of the kingdoms in Harmonia during my studies and service to the Brave Hearts.” Bo could tell by the way Rarity’s body moved after what she said that the white unicorn was happy, though how much so was impossible due to the facial cream on her still.         “Have you been to it? I’m always interested into new fashion…Please tell me.” Rarity gave Bo a pleading smile. if her eyes weren’t covered with cucumber slices, they would also be goggling at Bo in a begging manner. “I’ve been having a hard time with inspiration, and this might just help.”         “Like I’ve said I haven’t-“ Bo was caught off guard with what Rarity had just said, and didn’t realize until she was about half done with what she was about to say. “Wait, what do you mean by inspiration? Do you design clothing?” It was not that Bo didn’t believe the unicorn; she sure did look like one that cared much about her appearance… she just couldn’t imagine how something with her body structure made fashionable clothing. How could anyone imagine a pony making clothes?         “Why yes dear, I make some of the best dresses and outfits throughout all of Equestria.”  Rarity stated. “Now PLEASE tell me anything you know about this kingdom dear.”         Bo didn’t want to disappoint Rarity, but she had to tell her the hard fact. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t been to it, and I said I believe there might be one….could we just stop talking about Harmonia?” Even though Bo loved Harmonia, she was starting to feel that talking about the place was starting to make her feel down. She had come to the spa to relax and to focus her mind, at Fluttershy’s request for an unknown reason, and everything was starting to feel as if it had been ripped away from her. She was far from her friends and colleagues, was still concerned with Princesses Ginger’s weird behavior, and the dream she had hadn’t helped either. It was starting to feel like a part of her died when she woke up in this world Equestria. “Bo…are you alright?” The black lamb heard Fluttershy ask her. “Y-you’re crying, is something the matter? Bo hadn’t realized that streams of tears were flowing down her smooth cheeks. The sudden thought that she might never see the people she cared for had surly started to show in her streaming tears as they flowed. Rarity had no clue what was happening, but the concerned tone Fluttershy had used must had meant more than a few tears were being shed. She tried her best to say something comforting. “Please don’t cry, pray tell we could help settle whatever may be upsetting you.” “It’s just…” Bo was now letting her sad thoughts overwhelm her; she sobbed into her fore-hooves heavily. “I-I don’t know if I w-will be able to s-s-see my friends again. I’m in a land that I’ve never heard of a-and that’s not even in the same world or realm as Harmonia.” Taking her face away from her fore-hooves, Bo’s faces showed red from the tears she was shedding and the green facial cream oozing down her cheeks. With her disheveled face she looked at Fluttershy. ”What if I never am able to see Hansel again?” “Now now dear,” Rarity said as she had the facial mask removed by one of the spa ponies she asked to do so. “Let those feelings out, letting them just bottle up will do no good to you.” Looking over to see how Fluttershy had been taking the situation, Rarity could see a small tear that was shed by her pegasus friend. ”Why don’t we head off to Sugar Cube Corner after we're done…Pinkie Pie can put a smile on anypony’s face, and it seems you could use it. --------         “Hungry…Must feed soon.”         Red eyes gazed about in the darkness of a tree’s shadow, surrounded by the covering of hundreds of trees.         “I smell some delicious madness close by, it’s just begging me to come gobble it up.” It gave a wide grin, showing teeth made of black sharp darkness, as it looked off in the distance at a large structure made of a black material. The dark being made a loud laugh of a crazed person, making all of the animals and beasts that were watching it run off in fear. > Chapter Four- Not feeling so Pinkie Keen > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Oh dear,” a voice echoed in a world of empty white. Though its power and presence had graced the ear of the black lamb Bo, it no longer held the god like qualities it had before. Its unisexual booming voice now sounded like that of a small girl, as a result of changing into a smaller form. “I didn’t expect this monstrosity to manifest…this is quite unsettling.”            Even though the glowing being in the vast emptiness of the white void had told Bo that she was entering a world for an untold purpose, it had been the half-truth of things. In fact, it had pulled her soul to the world of Equestria and gave it physical form for Bo’s own sake. It just didn’t want to watch her die at the hands of that evil force of that shrouded and twisted being. A demented girl that had struck Bo with her gnarled lollipop lance, causing her to have severe blood loss.            It had been observing other worlds and realms since the spark of life filled its shell. It had witnessed the rise of futuristic lands, the love between two couples, and even betrayal with trusted comrades through the many gapping magic portals it could create. The realm of Harmonia had been one of the many it cherished in watching, the way that its people continued providing another world with its pleasures unknowingly and not asking for anything in return. This power of observation was limited though, for each world could only be observed through one selected being’s eyes…and Bo had been the one picked for Harmonia.            There were over a hundred eyes it could peer through, but the lone being felt happy and a place in its heart felt filled with positive emotion when watching through Bo’s eyes.            When Bo had been lying on the verge of death, it had panicked; it didn’t want to lose something it thought precious to itself. With all its power, it reached across the vastness of the dimensional barrier, ripping and breaking itself while it followed the life line, the magical chain that had connected the observing being with Bo. Bo’s body might be dying, but her soul, her essence; her spirit was still intact and full of life. The whole event had drained the observing beings powers substantially, leaving only enough strength to send Bo to the closet world, which had been Equestria. It seems though that something had attached itself to Bo before the observing being dragged her off to its ever empty void. The walking shadow that now stalked the lands of Equestria had concealed itself within Bo’s brave heart and emerged when she came into this world, seeking to fill its hunger on its desired food. The anger and sorrow of other beings. The observer didn’t have to see the shadowy figure to know it was there. It could feel its presence through its link in Equestria, with the pony’s twitching body giving evidence to it too. “I need to warn Bo before it’s too late,” the glowing orb said in a small girl’s voice, filled with anxiety about what events may happen, and that it could have unleashed something that would damage the land of Equestria. ------ Twitchy-twitch, twitchy-twitch Pinkies whole body had been twitching and shaking all evening. She had thought that the funny looking lamb had been the source for the full body pinkie-sense twitch, which meant that there was going to be a doozie, but it had only lessened her pinkie-sense which had made her think one thing. There must be stranger, unexpected things to go find. Pinkie had her hooves full though and could not go looking about, she had pinkie-promised to take care of the shop and the Cake twins for Mr. and Mrs. Cake while they were away on a special delivery.            Though babysitting for Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake hadn’t been that difficult over the past few months compared to the first time, it was still difficult to keep track of the little foals. Pound Cake would fly around sometimes, and Pumpkin Cake would do some amazing feats when her magical outbursts happened.  Luckily there were no customers about when Pound Cake had landed in a blueberry pie, and started playfully splashing the filling all over the counter and floor.             Twitchy-twitch, twitchy-twitch The bell on the door of Sugarcube Corner rang out as a dark blue stallion unicorn trotted in; a faint smell of mechanical oil filled the front room when he had entered.            Pinkie finished cleaning up the blueberry mess that had been on the counter in an impossible split second when she saw him come up to the counter; it had been quite a mess still just as he had opened the door. Throwing the blue soaked cleaning cloth behind her without a glance, it landed perfectly in a bowl of water, causing only a small ripple as the cloth sank to the bottom of the bowl.            “Hello! What sweet yummy treat would you like…hey are you new here?” Pinkie gave the blue stallion a quizzical look; the orange goggles he was wearing reflected her expression. “I know everypony in town, and I don’t know you, so you must be new!” Pinkie said, while her pink body and mane began to bob as she starting to hop up and down cheerfully.            “eh…yeah you could say I’m new,” the dark blue stallion said, as he left his goggles on top of his shaggy brown mane, with metallic gray strikes going throughout it. “I’m here on a business trip and-“            “My name is Pinkie Pie. O, where you from, what you here for, o I need to throw you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” Pinkie giggled and laughed as she bounced about even faster.  Pound Cake, which had been placed behind the counter after the pie incident, joined in her joyful movements as he mimicked her.                 The unicorn stallion stared at Pinkie awkwardly, looking like he wasn’t sure how to take the strong joyfulness of the seemingly hyperactive mare. “Ok...?” he said as he watched her bounce up and down, her gleeful smile causing him to be hesitant “eh...Anyways, I came in to see if you have any apple cinnamon muffins. It’s been a long journey and-” “What's your name Mr. Pony that’s new to town,” Pinkie leaned over the counter closer to the dark blue unicorns face.   “If I give you my name would you please promise me that I can just get my muffins,” he said as his right eye started to twitch with frustration.   “Sure will do,” Pinkie reassured the unicorn, as she went through her Pinkie-Promise ritual. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” she ended with a happy filled smile.                 Twitchy-twitch, twitchy-twitch                 “My name is LewaBolt...and are you ok, you're shaking quite strongly.” Despite his frustration of her interruption every time he tried to get something to eat, her strong jittery shaking was really concerning and worrisome.                 “Oh that’s just my Pinkie sense acting up,” Pinkie said. “Now let’s get those muffins for you.” Giving off a small giggle of amusement, she looked in the glass display case next to the counter. “Let see, blueberry, lemon, triple chocolate...” Pinkie went on as she looked through the stock of muffins in the case. “...Hmm, it seems we are out of apple cinnamon. Let me whip up a fresh batch for you.”                 LewaBolt still eyed the pink mare; his face showed that he didn’t quite believe that Pinkie’s shaking was something minor. “Forget the muffins, are you really sure that you’re ok?”                 “Oh don’t be a silly, you came for apple cinnamon muffins, and you will get them. Don’t cha worry about my Pinkie sense, because this one sure is for a doozie, who knows what might happen?” Pinkie’s further comment on her shaking only left LewaBolt confused, as she went to the back to make his muffins.                 Letting out a sigh, LewaBolt said out loud to himself, “why didn’t I just ask for a different muffin instead of asking about her weird shaking, and what in Celestia’s name is Pinkie sense?” Pound Cake stared at the unicorn from behind the counter as LewaBolt gave himself a face hoof, causing the young foal to giggle.                 Pinkie Pie was beyond happy; in just one day she had met two new ponies she would be throwing a “Welcome to Ponyville” party for. Well one pony and a strange black lamb. None the less though, doing parties for new ponies in town had become a rare occasion for the fun loving pink mare, as new arrivals to Ponyville had become less and less. Even before one of her best friends, Twilight, came to Ponyville from Cantorlot, a new face would only be seen a couple of times in the past few years.                 “Hmm I wonder what sheep like to eat,” Pinkie thought for a second, while she started mixing up the batter for the apple cinnamon muffins. ”I wonder if she would like cake, who am I kidding silly, everypony loves cake.” She giggled once more as she placed the batter filled muffin pan in the oven. While she waited during the time it took the muffins to bake, she decided to decorate some cookies she had baked earlier. “I need to do something; I’ll be right back soon.” Pinkie heard the unicorn call out before the door opened and closed with the ringing bell on it.                 As Pinkie squeezed some rainbow icing, which she had been told by many ponies to be spicy, she watched Pumpkin Cake play with a pile of plush animals. Just as the little filly was about to put on of the plushies in her mouth, Pinkie called out in a gentle commanding voice. “Now now Pumpkin, only food and sweets go in your mouth, not stuffed animals.” Pinkie turned back to icing the cookie when Pumpkin had spit out the head of the plushie she was going to chew on.                 Just as she was about to squeeze some more of the multi colored icing onto more cookies, a familiar elegant voice rang from the front. “Pinkie dear, are you here? We need your help with something urgent.” Concern laced the words Pinkie heard. ------ Twenty minutes earlier                 “Oh Bo, please cheer up,“ Fluttershy said as she walked close to the gloomy black lamb. “I’m sure there is a way to get you back home.” Fluttershy really did want to make her new friend happy, but Bo’s sense of being dragged to Equestria was hitting her hard.                 Rarity looked between the two as they were on their way to Sugarcube Corner; she could see that her dear friend Fluttershy’s caring manners was the only thing keeping Bo from falling deep into a pit of despair. One thing had been nagging at the white unicorn’s mind; Bo had mentioned someone else by name. This name had seemed important to Bo, and only when she had mentioned it did she sink deeper into her current sadness.                 “Say Bo,” Rarity started, as they continued trotting down the road. “Who is this Hansel you mentioned, is he your coltfriend?”                 Bo’s face slowly turned to face Rarity. It was still a touch red from tears, but her eyes could tell you that she felt sad inside. “What's a coltfriend?” Bo asked in a low audible voice.                 “A coltfriend is your special somepony that you have feelings for,” Fluttershy said with her quiet voice.                 Even with her sad eyes, Bo’s now red blushed cheeks made her look happy. “Well, we were best friends before we both went to Brave Academy...” The blush had faded away when she paused in her speech. “But he has always had deeper feeling for Princess Ginger as he had been with her since she gave him life him. He thought it was his duty to comfort her since her mother's death since she was little. He was a special gingerbread man to the both of us.”                 Rarity and Fluttershy were astonished by what they heard, not that she had feelings for a baked good, but that it was alive.                 Rarity moved closer to Bo as the slow walk went on. “I’m sure you will be reunited with your gingerbread friend, I promise that you will get back home somehow dear.”                 Getting back to a rather old subject, Fluttershy asked, “Did the spa help you relax, I hope it did.” She gave Bo a sheepish smile in return for the small one on the lamb’s face as they looked at each other.         “Yes, it did help.” Bo tried her best to give them a bigger smile, but her depression was still weighing her heart down.         Even though she had begun to feel incredibly sad after her thoughts about never being able to see her friends and loved ones again, Bo had continued on with both ponies in their spa treatments. Her aura of depression had made the experience not as mentally soothing as it should have been, but physically she felt beyond great. The massage and herbal bath she had, despite her embarrassment of no clothes, loosened all the tight muscles she had had since waking up in the EverFree forest.         Bo wished though that she knew why she had come to this place, what force dragged her here. These thoughts only made her chest hurt         “Wait, my chest really does hurt.” A growing stab of pain could be felt. Bo let out a gasp of pain as she clutched the front of her poncho and fell to her knees. She saw her two new friends stop walking when they heard her cry of pain.         Both Rarity and Fluttershy looked concerned as they kept asking “what's wrong.” and “are you ok?”         None of their words were received, as the pain had increased tenfold knocking out any other reasonable senses. Bo tried desperately to keep herself from going unconscious from the now blinding pain in her chest.         The only thing the two ponies could do as they watched the lamb was see the depressed expression that had been on her be replaced with agony as she kneeled over on the ground.         “Watch over her while I try to get some help!” Rarity told Fluttershy in a panicked manner as she charged off in the direction of Sugarcube corner.         Fluttershy was going to protest; she wanted to get Bo to a safer place before any of them ran off for help. Fluttershy didn’t want to just leave Bo in the middle of the street while she was in pain. Rarity was gone before she could say anything though, and Bo had become unconscious now. The pain had overwhelmed her, causing her to fall into a sleep in natural defence against the pain. This only made things more dire as Bo could no longer move on her own, and Bo’s situation could now be even more serious. Most ponies that had witnessed the scene were in shock, unable to comprehend as to what just happened, but a grey pegasus with a blond mane had approached asking if she could help. Seeing the good gesture, Fluttershy asked if she could help her get Bo to the hospital. Even though Rarity had told her to watch over Bo while she went off for help, the black lamb needed to get to the hospital now, or something worse might happen to her health. ------         Bo’s eyes opened up wide. The pain in her chest was no longer there, and she could now breathe normally without its blinding pain, but something wasn’t right. The foggy chaotic landscape that had been in her dream previously was laid out in front of her once again. This time though, there wasn’t a scene playing before her, there was nothing around except the black rocks and the thick fog.  “Feed, must feed,” Bo heard a voice whisper, almost sounding familiar. Whatever was talking she could not see it, everything was around her was almost impossible to see through this cover of fog. “Must fill empty hunger,” it whispered again, louder this time, indicating that it was getting closer. Bo wanted to run away from the creeping voice, but her nature of being a BraveHeart made her keep her ground. A small figure, about the same height as Bo, could now be seen walking towards her, its red eyes piercing the veiling fog. “There is nothing you can do sister.” the voice said as it gave out a howling laugh, its voice now sounding almost identical to Bo’s. “I should know, I’m you after all.” > Chapter five- Shadow of thy self > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bo kept eye contact with the supposed doppelganger; she didn’t truly know how much of a threat the fog cloaked figure was. Even if they were in some dream realm, just its presence was leaving Bo agitated, and even angry at it. She clearly didn’t believe its claim of being her, she knew for a fact she had no sibling, and even if she did they would never have a sense of evil around them.  As if feeling the negative feeling Bo was giving at it, the mirrored shadowy figure walked closer to her, giving a small laugh while it got closer. The glowing red eyes were the only thing clearly visibly to keep track of its moments.    “Dear sister, those types of emotions will get you nowhere, they would only feed me,” the shadow said sinisterly, as it stepped out of the thick fog in front of Bo, revealing itself to be a black lamb that mirrored Bo.   Bo couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her BraveHeart uniform was dressed on the figure in pristine condition. It even had her bell around its neck, and the pink bow on its right ear, which she herself had misplaced before arriving in Equestria. The figure looked too perfect to be a fake, but only the glowing eyes, and the black sharp teeth she spied when it smiled, were the only thing that could tell them apart.   “What's wrong Bo, shepherd got your tongue?” the doppelganger mocked Bo, seeing her shocked face of denial. “If you need further proof, how about a demonstration?” Dark Bo said, as she grinned, displaying her sharp teeth once more.               Tapping the bell around her neck with her right hoof, a black aura surrounded it as it rang out. The aura around the bell grew; making it look like a void of darkness was manifesting. The energy suddenly shot up above the doppelganger, solidifying in the air as it became the object it had in mind, a large two handed sword, with a tainted colored steel blade and gold hilt decorated with twisted ram’s horns.   Bo was still unsure as to what was happening before her. “Who are you and how-“ Her inquiry was cut short, as the large blade from her copy came plowing through the air at her.                      Bo just barely avoided the blade as it crashed into the ground, causing fragments of rocks to fly off in several directions. Unluckily for Bo though, the impacting force of the blade sent a wave of pressurized air at her, unexpectedly knocking her off her feet.   Walking over to Bo while she was getting back up to her feet, the doppelganger looked down at her.  “No wonder she was able to pierce you, if you’re this pathetic to not even be able counter a simple attack.” Bo’s seemingly darker self looked at her with a face now full of hatred. “You don’t deserve to live, you weak little lamb,” she said as she raised the large blade above her head, poised to strike at Bo.   ------   Back in reality   Fluttershy pink mane whipped about as she flew with Bo laid on her back. She was having some difficulty getting Bo to the hospital, but she kept slipping from the timid pegasus’ back, but thankfully, a grey pegasus that had offered to help her after Bo had collapsed was able to adjust Bo’s body every time she was close to falling while they flew over the houses of Ponyville as fast as Fluttershy could manage. She couldn’t fly as fast as Rainbow Dash, but she pushed herself to her limit for Bo’s sake.   The grey pegasus couldn’t help but keep looking at the black lamb. She was getting a weird feeling from it at the tips of her wings. A tingly sensation as if there was some energy field around her. Fluttershy didn’t recognize the pegasus next to her when they flew off, since she had been in a hurry with Bo, but as the grey mare looked at Bo, Fluttershy recognized her face. It was Derpy Hooves, Ponyville’s mail mare. “Who is this? I’ve never seen a sheep like this? She looks all…Dangly and she has no snout,” Derpy said while looking at both Fluttershy and Bo. “I like that, its unique just like me.” She gave a friendly smile while her pale yellow eyes became googly before she shook her head to straighten them. Fluttershy told the Derpy Bo’s name, and how they had found her early this morning. She herself had thought it weird at first when she had examined her this morning, because she looked so much like a sheep but her face and hind limbs were structured completely different from any lamb in Equestria. Right now though she didn’t want to talk about the reason why she might be so different, Fluttershy just wanted to get her new friend to the hospital. Even with her knowledge of tending to animals, she had a feeling that Bo needed more than just first-aid.   Finally landing in front of the hospital after the flight from town, Fluttershy ran inside with Bo on her back as she gave thanks to the Derpy before she flew off, her bubble cutie-mark being the last thing she saw.   “I need a doctor, a nurse, anypony!” Fluttershy yelled as she came rushing into the hospital lobby. She felt her lungs burn for air after her yell.   A brown unicorn stallion came rushing from behind the lobby’s desk, his heart monitor cutie mark briefly showed as his white coat shifted on his flank. “What seems to be the emergency?” he asked, keeping his tone professional. He examined her, seemingly trying to indicate what medical need the panting light yellow mare needed.   Trying to catch her breath, Fluttershy tried her best to talk to the doctor between inhales. “My friend...needs help, she...started crying in pain and...became unconscious.” She pulled Bo off her back, and placed her gently on the cold floor of the hospital's lobby, before she herself dropped to the floor on her belly.   -------   Back in dreamland   An eruption of fragmented rock flew as the blade from Bo's doppelganger crashed into the ground, barely missing Bo when she rolled to her left out of its path. Bo was fortunate this time; the large two handed sword hadn't caused a whiplash of pressurized air. Though she wasn’t prepared for it the first time, a second blast of air could have resulted in the same results.   Jumping to her feet, Bo gathered herself into a defensive stance. “Just what the fudge is your problem? Who and what are you, how did I get here, and above all what do you mean by she was able to pierce me’?”   The doppelganger turned to Bo as she prepared for another strike. “Why I’m you, a shadow of your so called ‘Brave’ heart,” She slashed horizontally in the air in front of Bo, missing her mark once again. Pausing for a brief moment, it laughed in amusement. “Haven't you ever wondered where all those negative emotions go? Every form of energy is never destroyed, only transformed?” She threw the sword at Bo in what seemed like a last desperate move to hit her.   Bo rolled to the left, barely avoiding the spinning flying blade as it cut a few black hairs off of her right arm, but she was so focused on the blade that she hadn’t noticed the hoof about to ram into her stomach. The thrown sword had ended up being just a ploy. Bo lost her breath when the hoof connected with full force, making her kneel over gasping for air while the doppelganger retreated back a few steps.   “Even the energy of negative emotions is never destroyed. Now, onto your next questions,” she said while watching Bo gasp for air. “As to how we both were able to meet...I don’t care and don’t want to know, this is just too fun to spoil over a simple question.” Bending down closer to Bo ear, she said in a quiet voice. “And the ‘She’ I was referring to was the girl that killed you.” The doppelganger gave off a small evil laugh after that statement.   “The girl that killed me?” the thought rang in Bo’s mind, her lungs burning for the need of more air. “Ahg...why am I feeling so much pain? This should only be some sort of dream,” Bo thought to herself while she inhaled as much air as she could.   Struggling back up on her shaking legs, Bo stared into the glowing red eyes of the almost mirror image of her. “What do you mean by ‘The girl that killed me’?” Bo readied herself once again into a defensive stance, now taking note that her doppelganger fought dirty. Continuing with what she said, Bo said bluntly “I can plainly see that I’m alive at the moment, even if I was dragged into this dream world.”                 “Tsk Tsk, It seems you don’t remember what transpired. I would tell you, but that would ruin the fun of self-discovery, Bo.”   Bo’s doppelganger clearly liked to mess around with her mind, but with all this information it was spouting off about, she couldn’t tell if they were true or balderdash. It was true that she didn’t remember what might have happened to herself before she woke up in Equestria, but this copy had deceiving eyes. She also couldn’t believe that she could have ever harbored such darkness. For all Bo knew, it might be just toying with her to lower her guard.   The doppelganger tilted her head to the side, and started swaying back and forth on the tips of her hooves with her arms held behind her. She was obviously trying to act cute now, despite how grim her eyes and teeth looked. “Now then, why don’t you fight back now? This is getting rather boring.”   “I’m not here to entertain you doppelganger,” Bo replied angrily at her copy. She was starting to tire of its playful manner.   “Oh call me Senka. doppelganger is a touch crude, don’t you think?”   Senka moved slowly towards Bo, skipping like a child that just received a treat as she got closer to Bo.   Bo expected the doppelganger to attack her as senka breezed past her, but she showed no aggression, not even showing any hints of wanting to attack her. She was confused now about Senka, why would she just suddenly not want to attack her?   As Senka approached her blade, which had been behind Bo since she threw it at her, she turned to Bo. “If you don’t want to fight back, that’s fine for me, for now anyways. It seems our little get together is coming to an end, I can feel myself slipping back to my body.”  Tapping her bell, the blade now in Senka’s hand turned into black energy and slithered back into the gold shell of the cow bell.   She seemed to be right; Bo could feel the world about her slipping away and fading. The black rocks beneath her hooves were greying, turning white until they simply disappeared. The foglooked to be being consumed as it faded just like the black rocks. it was all happening so fast around her, it made the world around her feel like it was shrinking.   Bo heard a muffled voice of her dark copy as Senka shouted out as the white world encased her. “I won’t be as nice the next time we meet...sister.”   --------   Deep in the Everfree forest, an animated creature of wood slowly stalked up to what it saw as a free meal. It had been watching the unconscious black being that laid before it for about ten minutes to judge what condition it was in. The woody creature had been tracking the black being for quite some time when it had given a loud laugh that could have been heard from far away.   The creature was in fact a timber wolf. They usually traveled in packs, but this one had been unlucky to have been removed because of a pack dispute. If it still had its pack to back it up, the timber wolf could have easily overpowered this small being. With how it was though, it felt confident enough to go in for the kill alone.   The timber wolf was about to sink its fangs into the black being’s flesh, until it felt its woody paw being lifted off the ground.   “Nice, walking firewood,” the Timber wolf heard the thing say, as the being gripe its neck, holding the wolves dangling feet off the ground. “How about we play fetch, you’re the stick.” it laughed with an evil giggle.   The Timber wolf tried to struggle with its captor, but it seemed fruitless as its claw seemed to do little to no pain to the being while it began to spin about. The wolf could feel the pull of gravity as they continued to spin. As the black being let go of its hold, the Timber wolf felt relieved of being loose, but panicked when it saw it was flying high speed through the forest.   “Home run, he he he,” the dark being said after it let go the Timber wolf, feeling amused and satisfied by its actions. looking back in the direction it had been heading, the dark being said with a smirk "Now, back to getting my dinner.” the dark being could still feel the surge of hate and sorrow surging from the large black structure that was only about three more miles away. The hot spicy anger and cold sweet sorrow aroma filled its lungs. It’s erasable sent pulled at her.   Senka started to sing as she skipped off through the untamed wilderness of this EverFree forest. “Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go....” > Chapter Six- Knock Knock, anybody home! > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senka traveled along a rather trail-blazed path while she walked towards her destination. The wonky makeshift path seemed to have been used sparingly by the forest’s predators and prey, as many animal tracks could be seen if inspected closer. Many of the bolder beasts of the Everfree Forest stalked the demented lamb while she skipped and hopped forward. They only followed her though, they didn’t dare attack her as the atmosphere around her seemed to be absorbing all emotion around her. The dark little lamb had begun to like the look of the forest as she walked through it. The gnarled branches, the ever gloomy darkness that filled it, and the simple presence of the wild nature of the forest. It amused her greatly. She would stay to just bask in it, but she first had to deal with the emotional aroma that pulled at her, tugged her to keep moving forward. The grass covered ground began to fade into patches of coarse blades of green as Senka closed onto the structure she had been walked towards. The trees were also thinning out as she approached the colossal black rocked structure. Beside the gaping hole that leads into its interior, Senka spied two insectoid looking ponies. When she started to approach them, they took up a defensive stance, eyeing her with their glowing green eyes. “I’m sorry, but could you kind souls directed me to the Wizard of Oz,” Senka said as innocently as she could. “Huh? What?” the two insectoid ponies replied in unison. As the two guards looked at each other in confusion on what Senka said, and probably trying figuring out what she was, she brought out a large wooden mallet as dark energy shaped into it. The two looked at Senka with fear as they saw her lifted the large blunt weapon. “Well, it’s been smashing to meet you, but I must move along now,” she said as she smashed both of them into their sides with her mallet, causing them to to fly several feet away.  Some of their limbs must be broken now, but they'll live. As the dark lamb Senka strolled into the gaping opening, she could help but giggle as the emotion that filled this place poured out. “Let the feasting begin!” --------         A rather panicked changeling came storming in to the royal chambers of the changeling hive. He panted heavily as he stopped in front of a black decorated throne, itss strange design clashing with the one sitting in it.         “What do you want?” The changeling that was lying on the throne demanded angrily, leering at him as she waited for a response.         The changeling bowed respectfully before he spoke. “T-there is an intruder in the west entrance my queen...and we are having a great trouble disposing it.” He lowered himself even more before the changeling on the throne, the queen of the changelings, Queen Chrysalis. “The guards respectfully ask if you may be able to assist them....”                  Queen Chrysalis glared at the changeling, who compared to her was small. She looked to not want to get up and leave her throne, but her domain was being threatened.         With a bitter sigh, Queen Chrysalis moved off her throne. “Take me to the entrance, Worm.” The changeling complied to his queen’s command, and led her down the dark tunnel he came from. Queen Chrysalis was rather frustrated and angry that her subjects couldn’t handle one lone intruder.  “What sort of creature is it that the guards were so weak to not fend it off, and you better have some sort of explanation worm.” She said it so loud that it echoed and traveled down the many dark twisted corridors of the hive, leaving many unsuspecting changelings on their posts in fright of their queen’s furious voice.         Ever since the failed attempt to take over Canterlot a month ago, Queen Chrysalis had become easy to anger. She had injured many of her changeling subjects over simple mistakes, such as when one had not come back with enough food, Chrysalis had thrown the changeling across the royal chamber, causing it to crash hard into the wall and leave a crater. That changeling had been lucky, as it had only sustained a few broken and fractured limbs. The one event that has caused Queen Chrysalis’s subjects to greatly fear her though, had been when her ever growing hostility had killed one of her changelings, when she had used her magic to rip the changeling apart.         “Get one of the captains of the guards; I demand to know why a single intruder cannot be defeated by the hundreds of changelings in this hive.” Queen Chrysalis marched down the ashen main hallway to the eastern hive entrance,as sounds of pain, agony and heavy impacts on a hard surface drifted from the direction.         The currently nicknamed changeling “Worm” fidgeted as he walked beside Queen Chrysalis. “Captain Carcass is just ahead my Queen; he has been trying to keep the intruder from getting any deeper into the hive.” Worm tried to keep his posture low so that his Queen wouldn’t keep too much attention on him. “But as I had addressed to you, we are havin-         “Silence, you will only speak when I have allowed it.” Queen Chrysalis snapped at the small changeling as she gave it a look in distaste. “Now take me to Captain Carcass now.”         “Y-yes my Queen.” Worm fidgeting increased even further as he felt the aura of aggression increase about her as he walked beside her.         While Worm and his Queen continued their way to the eastern entrance of the hive, a thought was seeping about his mind. How could their loving Queen become such a hostile creature? The defeat at Canterlot had been embarrassing, but it hadn’t been the changelings fault or Queen Chrysalis’. Worm had been close to Queen Chrysalis since that day they were sent scattered throughout the sky by that couple’s spell. He had watched her sink into a pit of despair and anguish, but since Worm was only a messenger and nothing of higher status, all he could do was hope to deliver some happy news from another’s report on the inner and outside works. He knew though, that in the past week nothing other than her anger had kept her will to live strong, but he wished that he knew what was fueling her wrath. Had Queen Chrysalis blamed her own people for their failure?         “Captain Carcass is just over there my Queen.” Worm said as he pointed to a doorway that looked to have been carved out of the black stone of the hive’s structure. Its short and jagged manner was almost too small for the Queen to enter.         “Ah, my Queen is here, I was worried that you might not come,” a rather smug changeling called out to Queen Chrysalis. The adorn armor he was wearing reflected the pale green light of the glowing crystals in the room. “You’re captain Carcass, I presume?” Chrysalis gave the small armored changeling a blank stare. “Yes, my Queen.” Carcass bowed to Queen Chrysalis before he continued. “We have been able to keep the intruder from proceeding any further.” “Pray tell, why haven’t you been able to rid the hive of this intruder?”  Queen Chrysalis demanded, raising her stature to intimidate the captain. This made him back away from his Queen. “W-we don’t k-know, none our attempts seem to harm it or chase it off…and we have never seen anything like it before.” The once brave Captain of the guard was now cowering at her hooves, fearing he might be punished…or even worse. “Its shadow cloaked claws have already killed a dozen armed guards, and magic seemed to have little to no effect.” An impact on the hard rock surface of a wall in the hallway could be heard in the small side chamber. “And we haven’t been able to use any other forms of attack successfully.” Right now, even though Captain Carcass was afraid of his Queen’s wrath for not being able to perform his duties well, he was more terrified of what might happen if this invader was able to reach the living sections of the Hive. The thing seemed to have a rather large appetite for violence. he could only imagine what it would do with the civilians in the hive, as it had played about with the guards it had killed before ending their lives.         “You pathetic weaklings,” she sneered at the captain. “Even if is something that is unknown and changeling magic has been useless, you still should have been able to overpower it with numbers.” Carcass would have told her that he had already tried the tactic of power with numbers, but her hostile stare had kept him quiet.         “Now, I will judge this intruder myself, and question him why it had dared attack my kingdom.” Queen Chrysalis finished, as she marched out the chambers small opening, leaving both Captain Carcass and Worm looking pale, worrying for their Queen’s safety.         They would have stopped Queen Chrysalis from doing this action, but her stubborn hostility would have more likely backfired onto them. She had always had a bit of a self-centered personality even before the Canterlot invasion, but her non-thought-out action could just claim her life this time.         “Captain Carcass, please go with Queen Chrysalis. she hasn’t been herself for the past month, and I fear something disastrous will happen with the intruder.” Carcass eyed the messenger changeling Worm, but agreed to his request as he nodded to him, and walked out of the chamber to join his queen at her side. Worm followed too, but at a farther distance. --------         Chrysalis approached the end of the eastern hive entrance. Before her was a wall of rocks being kept up by the green magic of several changelings. They seemed to be struggling to keep the wall stable, as evident loud pounding sounds could be heard from its other side while something put pressure on it. Chips of rock flew off the wall with every impact from whatever was attacking it from the other side.         “Who dares intrude onto the domain of the changelings?” Queen Chrysalis called through the stone barrier. The pounding stopped immediately after Queen Chrysalis spoke. A sound of light scratching replaced the hammering sound. “Little pig, little pig let me come in, or I’ll huff, and I’ll puff and blow your house in,” a young female voice said, giving off a small giggle after spouting off the gibberish. “You dare call me a pig?!” Queen Chrysalis replied in a fit of rage. “You.” She pointed to a changeling that was holding up a small section of the stone wall. “Remove your spell so I can see this arrogant monster.” The small patch of rocks that were part of the wall crumbled away as the magic that feed to them stopped. The hole that was created was only big enough for a normal changeling to stick its head in. Queen Chrysalis was about to peek in to judge the creature, when she saw a face appear in it. “There you are my pretty,” it said while it grinned, displaying a mouth full of sharp black teeth, and piercing glowing red eyes. Queen Chrysalis wasn’t sure why, but her emotions were ebbing away as she stared at the creature’s face. She could feel a weakening overcome her slowly as her rage faded.         Captain Carcass, who had been behind her since she ordered the hole, could see something was happening between the two, and he didn’t like it. “Cover the hole back up, NOW!” Carcass shouted to the changeling who had been the one covering it. “No,” Chrysalis said calmly, startling all the changelings, as her anger was not present at all in her tone.         Captain Carcass was worried; he feared that the thing just beyond the wall was affecting his Queen’s mind. He’d hate to disobey an order from her because of the wrath she had shown to previous changelings that had done so, but he would rather risk it than see what might happen if she had further contact with the thing looking through the wall.         “No, close the hole, for Chrysalis’ sake!” Captain Carcass barked off to the same changeling he had told to seal the hole. The changeling hesitated at the captain's order. It looked at Queen Chrysalis to see if she protested, but her eyes didn’t leave dark being’s glowing eyes.         “Oh good sir,” Carcass heard the being say, “All I want is her anger and sorrow.”         Captain Carcass stared at the thing’s face. “All you want is her ang- you know what, I don’t care. You’re harming our queen.” He told the changeling once more to block the hole. This time the changeling did as he was told immediately.         “Oh come on!” a muffled voice of protest came through the rocks as the hole was covered once again. “I didn’t hurt her...much.”         “After what you did to my guards, and whatever you did to my queen, you're lucky I don’t collapse the tunnel on you.” Captain Carcass replied angrily, his words reverberated off the rocks. Looking at his queen before him, he saw that she was staring lazily at the wall. Her eyes seemed to glazed with the absence of emotion         “What in creation did that thing do to you?” --------         Senka was disappointed with these weird insectoid ponies. The emotional sent that lured her in, she found to of have a rather bland taste, It lacked passion. she had been hoping that her first meal, from being separate from Bo, would have been satisfying. standing in the dank tunnel entrance, she turned away from the wall of rock. Senka footsteps echoed in the enclosed tunnels, as her hard hooves crushed small pebbles on the ground as the slowly walked to dark wall to her right. she was feeling tired after all she had done in this one day, and thought she might as well rest while she waited for the insectoid ponies to remove the barrier again. She was really wondering why she didn’t just leave, even now that the one thing that drew her here had no hold on her anymore. Perhaps she just didn’t have any better place to go to. Finding a smooth place to rest her head on the rocky tunnel wall, Senka closed her illuminating eyes as she thought, ”I wonder what my goody two-shoes sister is up to?” > Chapter Seven- Disturbance investigation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bo’s eyes flung open. They felt heavy, like the whole world just didn’t want her to open them. It was a struggle just to keep them open while she looked at the blank ceiling above her. She tried lifting herself from the ground, but her body resisted any movement she attempted. In fact, it felt as if her whole body had become disconnected, like her brain had lost its control over her limbs. Bo tried to remember what happened, and wherever she was now. The last thing she could remember, other than the strange dream she’d had, was being taken to see a pony named Pinkie Pie because her new friends wanted to cheer her up. She had been really depressed about being taken from a world she had come to love, and above all, her friends and loved ones. "Pull yourself together you pudding brain,"Bo thought to herself, "No time to think negative...first try to figure out your situation."   She was having a tough time figuring out what to do; since she was unable to move at the moment, she was as helpless as stale bread. Just as she was trying to move herself again, the head of a brown pony popped into her vision. The stallion unicorn had surprised her with the way he had suddenly showed up. If she could move, she would have jumped up and possibly hit him .   “Good to see that you’re awake. You made your friend and I worry that you weren't going to wake anytime soon.” Bo just stared at the pony as he moved about her sight, her gaze followed him as he examined her. He pressed a stethoscope to her chest after looking and checked a number of beeping monitors. Bo realized that she was no longer wearing the poncho when she felt the too-cold metal end of the medical tool on her wool through a thin hospital gown. “Ah, you've got a healthy heart beat now, that’s good.”   Bo tried to move her mouth to speak, but like her body, it was if she had forgotten how to move her lips. Though she was able to struggle out three words, “Where... am...I?”   “Why dear, you're at Ponyville’s general hospital.” The brown unicorn stallion said cheerfully, displaying a comforting smile. After putting away the stethoscope, Bo could see that the unicorn was trying to determine something. His face was scrunched up as he looked at a clipboard he was floating near his face. He began flipping through the pages on the clipboard quite fast.   Pausing for a moment he looked over to Bo. “Are you having any problems with motor control Miss,” He flipped back to the first page on the board,” Ah, Ms. Bo?”   Bo responded as best as she could, barely putting out a whimper of a “yes”.   “Ah, well that is to be expected. You were under some powerful magic...nothing like I have ever seen.” The colt said as he placed the clipboard back to where it had been. “Now I’ll be right back." He gave Bo a comforting smile once more. "I need to inform your friend that you're awake. She’s been quite frantic about your wellbeing. The poor mare passed out from hyperventilation when she brought you in."   The pony, who she supposed was a doctor, walked away gingerly. Bo would have moved her head to watch him walk out of the sterile hospital room, but it was a struggle to crane her head to its side. She felt so helpless in her current condition... though she knew she had to get better soon. For her heart's sake.     Dr. Heartbeat walked satisfyingly down the calming white halls of the hospital, just having checked on his new patient. Though he was happy that she made through her condition quite well, the magic that had been weaved about her was concerning him. It was something he had never seen before, and he has seen a wide share of spells that have afflicted ponies. The spell gave off an unsettling aura. One of a more frightening nature; Chaos, but not quite like when Discord had been unleashed.   Thank Celestia that draconequus was back to being encased in stone. Though it had been unsettling when he had discovered the chaotic, taint nonetheless, it had also been a bit interesting. When he had questioned the buttercream mare pegasus about why the black lamb had the chaotic taint , she simply said that she didn’t know, and that Bo was new to Equestria.   “New to Equestria...what is that supposed to mean?" Dr. Heartbeat supposed she meant Bo was new to town. Despite wherever the black lamb originated from, the dreaded spell she was under had dissolved only a few hours after her admittance.  Further research is needed to concluded to the lamb's health and condition.   As Dr. Heartbeat entered the lobby room, he noticed the buttercream pegasus being comforted by a lavender unicorn mare with a rather unique cutie-mark. The best he could have described it to anypony was that it was a pinkish purple six point star overlapping a white six pointed star, with five small orbiting white stars. Her dark blue mane with its two streaks of purple and pinkish colors were in a disheveled order.   He was glad to see the mare in a more pleasant mood, she had been extremely upset and worried over Bo's health. He had a feeling news on the lamb being awake would further cheer the shy pegasus's spirit more.   He had been about to approach her when he heard something from the lavender unicorn. It truly wasn't something that would normally stop a pony from moving, but since his current patient was tied to it, it concerned him deeply.   Beams of the new sun peered through the windows of Ponyville's library. The branches of its tree structure, which were still alive even though the innards of the tree was hollowed, blocked some of Celestia's sun from cascading its light through some of the windows. During this time, most ponies would be waking with the greeting of the sun's light, but one determined student had been awake throughout all of Luna's starry night. The lavender mare, Twilight Sparkle, was busily scratching down notes at her desk. Twilight sleepily levitated the quill she had been using on the desk’s edge as she stretched her forelimbs.   " *yawn* Another good session of study and...*yawn* ...I think it's time to rest for a bit," Twilight said to herself sleepily, dragging her hooves across the floor as she moved to the stairs.   This was a normal affair with Twilight. She would become so focused in her studying that she would completely lose track of time until one of her friends came to the library, usually it was Rainbow Dash looking for more Daring Do. Being the Element of Magic, and more importantly Celestia's personal student, Twilight essentially wanted to keep strong on her studying of magic and friendship.   "I hope none of the gang are disappointed if I don't want to-"   "Twi, you down there?" Twilight's trusting and loving assistant called from the top of the staircase. "I just received a letter from the princess, and I think you should take a look at what it says."   Just the mention of getting a letter from her mentor filled Twilight with a burst of energy, clearing her foggy mind from her overnight study.  “I'm down here Spike!"   Spike, Twilight's assistant baby dragon, came rushing down the steps after her response. "You know this overnight studying isn't good for-" Spike paused on the stairs once he saw Twilight. "Nice mane you got there...heh," he said, continuing down the stairs.   Looking up at her mane, she noticed strands of her dark blue hair were sticking out. "Very funny Spike," Twilight glared at Spike as he chuckled at his remark. "Now could you hand me the Princess’ letter?"   Spike did as he was asked, showing the rolled-up scroll to Twilight. She grabbed the scroll with her magic, surrounding it as her horn glowed. Spreading it open while Spike went to her side, Twilight began reading.   Dear Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student,   There is a small assignment I have for you. There has been a disturbing outburst of magic yesterday that resembles that of Discord’s chaotic essence. There is no need to fear, the spirit of chaos is still imprisoned in stone, as I have checked personally. The closest of the two disturbances that I have sensed came from Ponyville’s hospital. Make sure to gather the Elements before you investigate the chaotic source, for I do not know if it may be a threat.   Twilight acted fast after she had read Princess Celestia's letter. She was still sluggish from her lack of sleep, but grabbing something from Sugar Cube Corner when she went for Pinkie Pie would allow her to wake up some. Spike was allowed to neglect his daily chores, as well as the mess from Twilight’s study binge, as Twilight wanted him to go get Fluttershy and Rarity.   "What's with the rush, Twi?" Spike asked as he was about to head off. "If it’s at the hospital, doesn't that mean that whatever could be injured?" His question made Twilight pause in thought. "That is why somepony would be at a hospital, right?"   Though what Spike asked did make a valid point, his final comment did cause Twilight to become a bit concerned about the whole situation. "Go get the girls now, Spike," Twilight said urgently.   The morning dew clung to Twilight's hooves as she cantered through the occasional patch of grass on her way to the Sugarcube Corner. The warmth of the golden rays from the morning sun was comforting, but the worry in her stomach made it difficult to take in the relaxing atmosphere, though the smell that drifted from the gingerbread styled roof of the town’s famous sweets shop lifted her spirit a bit. Pinkie would be most likely baking fresh cupcakes at this time.   "Why howdy there sugarcube!" A voice called out to Twilight when she was close to Sugarcube Corner; the southern accent gave her a clue to who it was. "Whoa Twilight, why’s yer mane in such a mess?"   "Hello Applejack," Twilight said while checking her mane, remembering Spike’s remark this morning. She was so happy that she had run into her light orange friend. Her braided gold mane kept under a western Stetson hat, carrying a basket of red apples that matched the trio of apples as her cutie-mark. "I received a letter from the Princess, and became a bit rushed."   "What’s the Princess say to get you all riled up?"   Twilight let out a sigh thinking of what Celestia had asked her to do, while she and Applejack began walking to the door of Sugarcube Corner. "Hopefully it’s nothing troublesome, but she asked me to gather you and the girls and investigate a magical disturbance at the-"   "Are you going to the hospital too!" The unmistakable cheerful voice of Pinkie Pie, as she appeared out of nowhere beside Twilight, startling her with her half-awake mind.   "Wha-why are you going to the hospital," Twilight asked, a bit shocked with what Pinkie had just said and her sudden appearance.   "To throw a 'Welcome to Ponyville and Get Well Soon' party silly," Pinkie said as she bounced up and down with joy, displaying her enthusiasm strongly.   Somepony new to Ponyville at the hospital did seem like a coincidence, but Pinkie loved to welcome any pony new to town. Even if they’re grouchy. Twilight was just about to question whom the party was for, but Pinkie Pie had disappeared without a trace. That only left her with Applejack to ask.   "Do you know who she is throwing the party for, Applejack? It just seems too weird of a coincidence that Celestia needs us to check on a magical disturbance at the hospital, and she happens to be going there."   "That does sound mighty strange," Applejack said, adjusting the bucket of apples on her back. "But all I know is that the pony is a friend of Fluttershy's, and a lamb at that. Speaking of which, Pinkie told me Fluttershy is already at the hospital."   Learning that there was a lamb at a pony hospital, and that there could be a small chance that it was what made the chaotic ripple of magic was rather...peculiar. Though now that Twilight knew that Fluttershy was already there, that only left Rarity and the all too hotheaded Rainbow Dash to gather up now. Knowing Pinkie though, even if the lavender mare didn't know where her daring friend was, the pink mass of fun and laughter would somehow drag Rainbow Dash to the hospital. Nopony ever missed her parties, especially those the pink pony considered to be friends.   Twilight groggily trotted beside her light orange friend while they traveled to ponyville's hospital. "Spike will be getting Rarity, I just hope he doesn't take too long."   "Ha, ha," Applejack laughed at what Twilight was indicating. Spike had a crush on the white unicorn, and thought he had kept the little secret only to himself. How could he not, when he would get weak in the knees in her presence, and carry out to her every request. "Let's just hope the poor guy doesn't happen upon Rarity during one of her 'Inspirations'." Applejack couldn't help but giggle innocently at her jest.   "Yes, let's hope..." She sounded more serious than her apple farming friend, her mind buzzing with thoughts during their journey.     "Tw-Twilight, why are you here, this early in the morning?" The buttercream pegasus spoke in a low voice as she saw her friend enter the hospital's waiting room. She immediately took notice to the state of her friend’s mane. It was deeply in a need of caring, her bangs jutted out in ways she would never would brushed them into. Twilight also looked to be exhausted.   Twilight trotted up to her, the expression painted upon the lavender unicorn’s face made her worried. It wasn’t anger or any other aggressive emotion plastered on the lavender unicorn’s face, it was disappointment and concern.   Applejack came up behind her, carrying a bucket of apples on her back. “Good mornin’ Fluttershy!” She pulled the tip of her stetson down in greetings. Applejack was about to head off to find Pinkie, which was in the hospital somewhere setting up her party, when she noticed the way Twilight was glaring at Fluttershy. Applejack was about to step between them to ask why she was looking at Fluttershy the way she was, until unexpectedly Twilight embraced the timid pegasus with a strong hug.   “Why didn't you tell me one of your friends was hurt?” Twilight pulled away from her embrace, and locked onto Fluttershy's sapphire eyes. "And why do I seem to be the only one, except Rarity and Rainbow Dash," she said with a small laugh, "that doesn’t know about this new...friend?"   "Well...," Fluttershy shuffled her forehooves nervously on the smooth hospital floor, trying to formulate how to tell Twilight that...in fact she was the only one who didn't know about Bo. "Well...Rarity suggested that I shouldn't worry you over Bo. That we shouldn't bother your studies over something that might be small...."   Twilight seemed rather shocked with her notion; in fact, she seemed a bit embarrassed. "Heh heh, guess she could have-" She paused, and was as still as a statue as what she just heard registered to her drowsy mind. "Wait!" Twilight yelled, which caused her to get some cold glares from nearby nurses. "Rarity knows too!?" Twilight moved away from her, and began trotting back and forth wildly, her uncared mane bobbed as she paced. Her hooves clopped across the hard floor as she did so. "I guess Rainbow Dash knows as well?!" She said, her voice increased in volume while she waved a hoof about, supposedly claiming something to be true.   Only after her outburst did the lavender unicorn notice the cold looks the hospital staff nearby was giving her. She smiled sheepishly, realizing how disruptive her yelling had become.   "Ye-Yes..." Fluttershy said in a hush low voice, making a small squeak as she eeped and hid behind her mane. "Sh-She was with me when we found Bo...."   "Hey now Twi," Applejack interjected as she came beside Fluttershy. "Don't be frustrated with being out of the loop on Fluttershy. Besides, aren't you here for something important?"   Twilight felt ashamed, she shouldn't have done what she just did...she supposed her lack of sleep was making her irritable. "I'm sorry Fluttershy, Applejack is right...I came here for a different reason." Twilight moved to a cushion that rested at the base of a nearby wall. "I received a letter from the princess that there was something possibly dangerous here.” She sat on her haunches upon the cushion before speaking more. "But she doesn't know what it is exactly, only that she felt a chaotic magic."   Fluttershy let out a breath of relief; she had feared that Twilight would have said something a bit more concerning, such as a dangerous beast that could be loose.   "Have you noticed anything stran-"   "I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation Miss, but did you say chaotic magic?" A brown unicorn stallion asked, cantering over in a rush.   Twilight looked dumbfound by his interruption, but more importantly by his question. She looked at Fluttershy, to find a look of recognition to the brown unicorn. "Yes...I did," she said slowly, raising herself off the cushion while considering why he asked.   The brown unicorn looked rather disturbed by Twilight's confirmation, "There is something I need to talk to you about." He turned to face the main hallway of the hospital. He beckoned Twilight and Fluttershy to follow him as he stopped and waited for them, seeing that Twilight was looking at Applejack.   "You two go with him. Ah got to take these apples to Pinkie," Applejack insisted before the lavender mare could ask. "I'll meet up with you after with Pinkie."   Twilight complied with Applejack, and followed the stallion down the hospital's long hallway with her shy friend. She only wondered if he was leading her to the origin of the chaotic disturbance.   "I was just considering sending a request to the princess to look further into the matter," The colt glanced over his shoulder at them while they continued trotting behind him, "But I overheard that Princess Celestia sent you for the very same reason."