"I can do this! I can do that!" Applejack mocked. "What about what WE can do, Rainbow?!" The others all voiced their agreements. "I concur!" Rarity yelled, stomping her hoof in the dirt. "Why are you even around, Rainbow Dash?!"
Rainbow has a lot of things going for her. And she should. She has friends, family, she's one of the Elements of Harmony, and she has her best friend Fluttershy. But what would happen.......if they all didn't want to be around her anymore? Even Fluttershy?
*P.S. Twilight is not a princess in this, even though it is after season seven. Just thought I'd put that in there.*
How do you guys like my new cover? I think it looks great and portrays the image of the main character very well! Tell me what you think in a comment!
Once upon a time, in a small town called Ponyville, the friendliest town of Equestria, there was a pony....who just didn't know what to do, or how to write if her life depended on it.
"AHH, Spike help me out!" Twilight yelled, tossing another ruined scroll over her shoulder and onto the baby dragon who, was busy picking up the other thirty-two. "In order for me to get this spell into practice, I have to get a signed signature from Princess Celestia! And I don't know how to word it!"
Spike sighed as he walked towards the latest addition to the floor. "Twilight.. If you don't tell her what it's about in simple words," he said in a threatening manner, picking up the scroll and glaring at her. "I am going to piece all of the words in these scrolls you threw over your shoulder together and send it myself."
Twilight gasped and turned around in her seat, glaring in horror. "Don't you dare, Spike! This has to be perfect!"
"Or you can make it simple by using simple vocabulary, simple writing, and get straight to the point instead of doing something like..." Spike cleared his throat. "'Dear, Princess Celestia. Today I have discovered the exponential functions that are used in the Pythagorean Theorem to discover that there are over 356 stars visible in the night, while there are only 242 visible in the daytime. If you rotate our star thirty degrees north towards its cooler side, our stars will show during the daytime, giving the ponies a wonderful show while they go about their busy day. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.'"
"I sound nothing like that!" Spike gave her a nonchalant look, then reached into the pile of scrolls he just picked up, unrolling a specific one.
"Twilight, you just wrote that and threw it over your shoulder, hitting my forehead." He tossed the scroll aside and walked up to his caretaker. "Just tell her simply what's on your mind. Something like this: Can you get me twenty juicy diamonds that I've been begging to taste for these last few weeks, thank you!"
"You're right."
"Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I know."
"I should probably just use a few words! It's so simple! Thanks, Spike!" She grabbed another scroll and started writing, ignoring Spike's expecting glare. "And yes, you can have a diamond out of the locked drawer. That's for giving me an idea."
"How about thirty two more for picking up thirty two scrolls?"
"No, Spike."
Spike sighed before going over and picking out the diamond. "So what is this stupid spell for anyway? You know so many, you could make your own real life pony."
"It's not stupid, Spike," Twilight replied. Then set down the quill and swiveled around. "This spell increases the power of ponies. It can be used for our Royal Guard and for the Elements of Harmony in case Discord reverts back to his old ways, we have to face off against a whole swarm of Changelings, or if King Sombra, for some reason, returns. Think of how many lives could be saved and what ponies will become!"
"Yeah, power hungry just like you, who wouldn't want that," he replied. Twilight grunted at his sarcasm. "You running around shooting people with magic, Applejack bucking trees through entire towns, Pinkie baking way too many cakes that will be way too big, Rarity taking everyone's gems, and Rainbow Dash doing three Sonic Rainbooms in one flight. I would love to be just like you guys."
Twilight just looked at him unamused before shooting him a mischievous smirk. "And~ it can make baby dragons bigger and grow wings." Spike stopped chewing and looked at her suspiciously.
"You're pulling my tail."
"I'm way over here, nowhere near your tail. Think about it, my number one assistant. You have the best wings and you can fly. No more need of a balloon."
Spike squinted his eyes at her before holding out his palm. "Send the letter. Send the letter now."
Twilight chuckled before finishing it and dropping it into his palm. He took it in his claws and blew the flames, sending it soaring towards Canterlot. Once the deed was done, Twilight whispered, "Now all we do is wait for a good response." The front door to the library suddenly flew open as Rainbow Dash sped inside and crashed right into a bookshelf. Toppling all the books onto her body in a pile she was trapped underneath. Twilight groaned loudly in frustration, and dropped her muzzle into her hooves. "Oh no."
"Hey, Twilight!" Rainbow greeted loudly out from under the pile. "Could you uhh, could ya' help me out here?" Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. Then abandoned her desk for the pile nonchalantly. It was a daily routine. She pulled Rainbow out by the tail with her magic. "Thank you." She popped back up and shook the open book from off her head onto the floor. Then walked over to Twilight with a smile. "Whatcha' doin'?"
"Well I just sent a letter out to Princess Celestia," Twilight replied happily, facing her. "I'm trying to get permission to practice a spell. It's supposed to boost our magic and other abilities."
"Ohhhh, so I can get even faster?" Rainbow asked excitedly.
"Most likely. But it's a very dangerous and careful process. It's important that no one does anything to interrupt me with the spell as it could have disastrous results that could last for a week. Hint hint."
Rainbow scoffed and waved a hoof at her. "Please, Twilight! I'm the definition of careful."
"Uh huh, say that to Applejack's barn.....the whole barn," Spike interceded for Twilight. "Gone, the whole thing."
"All I did was crash through the door," Rainbow protested. "I didn't know that ALL the walls were going to fall apart."
"It's alright, just....try not to let it happen again," Twilight warned, poking a hoof into Rainbow's chest accusingly. "Your stunts are causing a lot of damage across Ponyville. We're trying to keep it in good shape, not like the Badlands."
"I know, I know," the fast flyer said, holding up her hooves. "I get it. I'll try not to break anything, jeez."
"Good." Twilight walked towards the kitchen. "You want something to eat?"
"Sure, what you got?"
"Food, you eat it." The librarian opened the refrigerator and picked out some things, placing them on the counter next to her.
"What do you have to eat?"
"JUST EAT IT!" Rainbow stopped and looked at the mare who instantly calmed back down and offered an obviously insincere smile. "Sorry, would you like some soup?"
"Yeeeeaaahhh..........sssuurrreeee." Spike chuckled at Rainbow's uneasy attitude as he walked past.
"Don't worry about that," he consoled her. "Most of the time it's due to her being stressful. The rest is may be because she doesn't like you. Either way it won't hurt you." Rainbow Dash watched him walk inside before sighing and walking in after him. She's been noticing that about her friends a lot lately.
Whenever she was around, they would become hostile. Especially Rarity. She was practically ready to tear her apart when she accidentally spilled some gems from a drawer. She had to run away from that crazy mare after she tried to hit her with her magic, literally flying out of the boutique with Rarity still trying to chase her to her cloud home. It was just a bunch of gems you can put back in the drawer. They don't even break, it wasn't that big a deal.
Pinkie Pie was just being Pinkie Pie. No trouble in that regard. Applejack though got really upset with her too when she accidentally crashed into the barn door, got stuck, and made the walls and roof fall down with her still in the door. Applejack chased her around the grounds and started bucking wherever she stood. She even cracked a tree just trying to hit her! That was enough to send her flying away.
Fluttershy was a little aggressive too. More than when she yelled at that dragon a while back. Rainbow had came over to visit, not knowing that it was her spa day with Rarity. So she arrived at the same time they were leaving. Unfortunately, Rarity still held a grudge and chased her around the grounds where she accidentally hit Harry with her magic. Fluttershy instantly jumped to the conclusion that Rainbow did it, although knowing that she had no Unicorn magic, let alone was even a unicorn. Were these ponies becoming feral or something? She just couldn't get it!
The pegasus groaned just thinking about it before walking into the kitchen. At least Twilight didn't snap on her. Or did she just do that?
She sat down at the kitchen table as the mare in question set the bowls down in front of her before sitting down opposite of her. "So how you been?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow took a slurp out of the soup before responding. "I'm well. Been working on my flying lately and hanging out with Scootaloo, trying to teach her how to fly still."
"Is she making progress?"
Rainbow sighed and took another slurp. "Well....it's more like......she's getting there really slowly. She'll get there although it'll take her a few years." Twilight hummed before she started on her own soup, feeling the warmth going down her body. "The soup is great, Twilight."
"Thanks," she said, giving her a smile.
"What about you? How have you been?"
"Working on this spell," she sighed. "It's exhausting. I just hope nothing goes wrong, it was really hard making it. It requires a lot of concentration and effort. So it's like trying to move a single column of bricks with only your mind. It has to be perfect."
"You'll do great," Rainbow said towards her, making her perk up. "I believe you'll be fine."
"Thanks, Rainbow," she replied gratefully, giving her friend a sincere smile.
"That's what friends are for. Now hurry up and eat your soup, you don't want it to get cold." Twilight chuckled as she shook her head. Rainbow's priorities.
A few days later, Twilight was given permission to go along with the experiment. Of course along with the motherly warning from Celestia to be careful since the elements needed to be available all the time. There was no telling when the next villain was going to strike. Twilight was giddy out of her shoes, er....hooves....and agreed that she would be completely careful during the test. The next morning she grabbed the rest of the elements and took her into her library after she had set it up. Rainbow was nowhere to be found. But they figured that it was because she was setting up the rain for the day. Ponyville was supposed to get a full shower.
"Alright, Twilight," Applejack greeted as she and the rest of the group walked in. "We're here, now what was it that you wanted?"
Twilight pointed towards the empty area before she started, letting all the girls take a seat first. Once they were all comfortable she started to explain.
"Thanks for coming everypony," she said in glee. "Today, I will be attempting to test the metamorphic spell, that will give ponies enough strength, magic, and transformation that will help ponies everywhere."
"Darling, I hate to burst your bubbly attitude," Rarity interrupted, catching her attention. "But wouldn't it be just for Unicorns since they do direct magic, unlike Pegasi and Earth Ponies?"
"Uhhh....yes, it will have to be spelled by a unicorn onto another pony," Twilight corrected sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "But that's also a good thing. If this spell is approved, it can be distributed only to the most responsible of ponies so they don't do anything that can cause us trouble in the future. Like giving a certain party pony way too much energy."
Everyone turned to Pinkie Pie who was eating a cupcake next to Applejack. She looked up in mid bite, finally seeing everyone looking at her with smirks on their faces. "What? Is there a pony going on? Did I miss something? What's going on?! Where's the party?!!"
"Nothing, Pinkie, there is no party," Rarity assured before turning to the protege. "So how does this spell work?"
"Simple," she replied while walking towards the windows to close the curtains. "I simply must be focused. No noise, no vision. If I do lose focus, I may fire a beam that could ricochet in here, become unstable, and knock out all our magic. Unicorn, Earth Pony, and Pegasi. For a week."
"So it's a really careful process, then," Applejack said, watching Pinkie devour another cupcake beside her.
"Yes. I want to test it all on you. I know it will work, all I have to do is build up the power and hit you. The build up process takes a few seconds."
The group all looked at each other before turning back to Twilight and nodded, giving her permission.
"Alright. Hold still and be quiet please." They all stood to attention while she began the process.
"I don't know, Sunshower. I mean, yeah they're my friends, but lately they've been acting like I don't belong. Like I'm not apart of them. The only one who hasn't done anything is Twilight. And she lightly snapped at me yesterday after I asked about what food she has. She offered it to me!"
The yellow pegasus mare pushed another raincloud in place and jumped on it, making some raindrops fall down onto the town below before turning to the boss.
"Well why don't you speak to them about it, then?" She responded sincerely as she sat down next to her. "I'm sure if you talk to them about your problems, they can find a solution. Twilight hasn't gotten fully upset with you yet, right? That must count for something."
"I don't know," Rainbow said uncertainly, shaking her head. "I feel like.....if I lose my friends...I'll lose myself too. I can feel it. It's like a dark area in me will just show itself." She glanced to the right and whispered unheard, "Again."
"Then try to stop it by visiting your friends and talking to them about it. It's not too late."
The weather manager sighed before standing up. "Alright. I'll go do it right now before I forget or something. Thanks, Sunshower."
"Anytime, Dash," she replied, watching as Rainbow made a hole in the clouds and zoomed down.
The speedy pegasus righted her angle towards the library, knowing everyone was going to be there for something that she couldn't remember. Sunshower was right, she had to get this out.
She touched down in front of the usually lively library to find the curtains closed, the red fabric clearly visible through the window. It was also a little too quiet. Shouldn't Pinkie Pie be talking, yelling or something? Maybe there was a problem or something. She gasped in worry. What if something happened? Determined to find out, she walked briskly to the door and pushed in.
"Almost there," Twilight muttered with her eyes closed and horn pointed towards the others, feeling the familiar build up of magic ready to be released. "Almost there..aaaaaannnnndddd-"
"Hey, guys! You okay in here?" Rainbow asked loudly as she casually strode inside. Oops. Twilight yelped and jumped, firing the bolt of magic at the ceiling. The mares in front gasped as the bolt began flying and ricocheting around the room. Rainbow watched with interest, the other ponies doing the same as it hit the bookcase, the floor, the window, the staircase, and so on. Soon, it began getting brighter, really bright, making Rainbow gasp, bolt out the door and take to the air right when a loud boom sounded off inside the tree.
She looked back down in worry, eyeing the smoke waft out through the door and into the drenched air. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh!"
She flew back down and landed in front of the library, running inside to see her friends coughing and trying to get the smoke out. "Are you guys alright?!"
"Ugghh...great," Twilight groaned in annoyance, going over to open a window. "Great.....just great. Rainbow, do you realize what you did?"
"Open the door?" She suggested, shrugging her shoulders and walking back inside. "Then I see....this."
"Yeah! THIS! This utter destruction because of YOU!!" She pushed a firm hoof into her chest while the others walked forwards, staring daggers at the Pegasus.
"What? All I did was walk inside!" She said, pushing Twilight's hoof away from her.
"And broke my concentration! Now NONE of us can use our magic for a week because that blast knocked it out!"
Rainbow just looked at her before she continued. "Applejack won't be able to buck her trees, Rarity has to use her hooves to create her clothes, Fluttershy can't control her animals except Angel, Pinkie will be fine, and I will be the MOST affected out of all this because everything I do revolves around MAGIC!!!"
"WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAD TO BARGE IN ANYWAY?!" Applejack yelled, literally glaring at Rainbow.
"I-I needed to talk to you guys about....about how you've been treating me lately," she said nervously, stepping back a little.
"WHAT!!!" Uh-oh. "You ruined a month long of studying magic because of what you're feeling?!" Twilight yelled.
"Do you realize what you did?" Rarity commented, putting in her thoughts. "I have clothes that needs to be made this week! And it's already Sunday!"
"I have a whole orchard of apples ta' buck and I can't even do it now!!"
"My animals won't know when to not go into the Everfree nearby at certain times!" Fluttershy yelled, her suddenly loud voice surprising her friend.
"I'll be fine," Pinkie said calmly, eating another cupcake. Where is she getting those?
"G-Guys, look. I'm sorry okay? I didn't know!" The pegasus retorted sadly, nearly on the verge of tears. "I really didn't know! Why are you guys being so hostile?"
"Because you always think it's about you!" Applejack yelled, fed up. "I can do this! I can do that! What about what WE can do, Rainbow?!"
The others all voiced their agreements, coming to the conclusion that Rainbow was self-centered. "I concur!" Rarity yelled, stomping her hoof on the floor. "Why are you even around, Rainbow Dash?!"
"Because you guys like me?" She hoped. "A-and I'm the Element of Loyalty. And one of your friends."
"You are no friend of mine!" The pegasus gasped as she heard what Twilight just said, her heart stopping as she registered it.
"Wh.....what? Twilight, you don't mean that."
"Yes. I do. Now get out, We don't wanna see you again. Just go." Rainbow stared open mouthed at her before looking towards everyone else hopefully, small tears coming out of her eyes.
"Guys...why are you being so mean to me? What did I do?"
"Just....get out, Rainbow Crash," Applejack said, using the same name the bullies used on her while she was in flight camp. The athlete gasped before shedding even more tears, her heart completely shattered into pieces before turning around and running out the door, taking off into the air. Twilight slammed the door once she was out, leaving the group inside to groan in frustration and Rainbow soaring through the clouds with tears streaming down her face. The only person who hadn't turned against her was Twilight. Who she thought was her friend. It was all just a big lie. It was flight school all over again. But this time, she didn't even have Fluttershy to help her through it. Why was she to blame anyway, it was Twilight's stupid spell! It sounded like dark magic too. Get extra magic, but it comes with a cost if not done correctly. Did Princess Celestia really give her permission to practice that?!
Rainbow landed in front of her home in the sky before running inside. Once the door was closed, she jumped on her couch and cried out her pain. Hurt. Heartache. Sadness. She was broken. If she didn't have her friends, she didn't have anyone. The only person she really had to hold onto was Fluttershy. And she left her.
After a few more minutes of tears pouring into the cloud cushions of her couch, she lifted her head up and looked at her hooves, gasping a little but not really surprised. They were gray. Gray as the rainclouds outside on this dreary day. She looked at the rest of her body, seeing the same thing. Even her rainbow colored mane was now in different shades of gray, same with her cutie mark. It just looked like an outline now. Like someone just took a quill and drew a very good lightning bolt coming out of a cloud on her flanks. Looks like she was going to take over again. She never really gave the other side of her a name. But she had a feeling she should. Rainbow sighed, coming to the conclusion that this was a sign. A sign to start anew. To make new friends and a new journey and leave everything else behind. This happened before when she was a filly. She never thought she'd have to do it again.
The pegasus got up from the couch and made her way down the hall to do some work that she found very important. Would be important. Is important.
A few hours later, after grabbing her saddlebags and a few more things, she walked out the home she had built so long ago...when she had friends. Just thinking about it made her sad. And upset. She was the Element of Loyalty. She was supposed to be thinking good thoughts about those ponies. Not friends. Just ponies. But ever since they told her what they really thought about her, about what they felt....she could not be loyal any longer.
She walked over to the edge of the property, glaring down at the town below, the atmosphere above it since the storm stopped. They didn't deserve her. She was way too awesome for them. Far more superior and they knew it. After looking around, she turned to the right and jumped off the cloud to do one more thing. Just to make sure.
The ponies down in the quaint town went about their daily business, the rain finally stopping to give them a chance to get their work done. Or to clean up a library.
Twilight unfortunately had to do everything with her hooves since her magic was out for the week. Seven days. Seven full days without magic! "UGGGHH!" She groaned, throwing the broom to the floor and walking out the door. She had to get some air before she exploded. Just thinking about it was driving her insane.
Looking outside, she smiled, realizing that everyone was able to get whatever they wanted done. Instead of being cooped in a house all day. In the marketplace, she was able to spot Applejack, who was passing out her family's treasure for generations.
"Get your Apples!" She yelled, holding up a shiny big one. "Get your Apples from my family's own Sweet Apple Acres! You can bake 'em, cook 'em, and dip 'em in caramel! Get 'em here!"
Twilight chuckled in happiness. At least some of her friends weren't entirely dysfunctional without their magic. Actually, it was just herself, Rarity, and Fluttershy. Pinkie and Applejack had it going great.
Suddenly, her attention, as well as everyone else's, was caught as they looked to the sky. A shrill whistle was reaching their ears that was gradually getting louder in pitch. "Uggghhh, great," the librarian moaned. "Another-"
*BOOM*
Everypony covered their ears at the very, and abnormally loud boom that sounded off before turning to the sky, expecting to see a very large Rainboom. Instead, it was......a gray color. It was like the Rainboom, just....different shades of gray.
Twilight raised an eyebrow and tilted her head in confusion. "Twilight? What....is that?" She looked over towards Rarity pointing at the sky where the blast had happened, confusion written all over her face just like Applejack who was walking towards them.
"I don't know," she responded, shaking her head slowly. "I've never seen it before. But it can't be Rainbow. Hers isn't that loud or even has that color in it. Who cares anyway, it's just a shockwave." She turned around and walked back inside her library, leaving Rarity and Applejack to glance at each other before turning back to the sky to see the wave disappear......unknowingly along with the pony who created it.
Rainbow flew as fast as she could towards the city of Canterlot, nearly doing another Sonic Rainboom as she left everything else she knew behind. In her saddlebags she had brought with her, she had over six thousand bits to start everything over, just like how she had done when she left Cloudsdale to chase her dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. But that was also her dream when she met those "Friends" of hers. But....she left all of that behind. She wanted nothing to remind her of them. Nothing at all. It was time to start over.
It felt like everything they did together was nothing but a lie. Now that she thought about it, during those festive times when they were all together, they would sometimes give her nasty looks. Not Fluttershy though. She was probably still too freaking shy to do anything. But she was sure she shared the same feelings.
She closed her eyes and slowed her speed, flying over the capital of Equestria. It was still noticeably fast enough to leave a trail of color behind her, but it wasn't Cyan. It was Gray. Just like the rest of her. Gray and lifeless. She's been through a lot of stuff and the others just didn't care about that. They just wanted......whatever the heck they wanted. Why were they so eager for that anyway? You know what, that didn't even matter. They shouldn't have been so mean to her in the first place. Especially Twilight.
"Buck them, Rainbow," she muttered to herself as she soared past the castle. "Buck them, buck the elements.....buck friendship. It was all just a lie. There are no such things as friends, there are no such things as loyalty." She sighed, coming to the terms that no one is a friend. Not even your parents. The more she thought about that, the more she receded into herself, allowing her dark side to take over. After passing over the city of Canterlot, she came out the other side of the mountain, making her way towards the ground below where another city was in her sights. A city that she barely knew about and was more accustomed to know of as that glittery pony's stupid obsession. Manehattan.
After landing in the entrance, she walked the rest of the way in, just trying to get her bearings. The city was pretty big. Very big in fact. Canterlot had nothing on this place. Must've been built for the big wings. Maybe she can find something good here that'll make her life worthy. Where she can be a new pony without the judgement of others. Although that was not a reality, she still wanted it. She wanted to be looked up to. To be admired. Appreciated. What kind of job can hand that in your hooves?
After awhile, she decided to go towards the big destinations. Where all the companies were. Believe it or not, she had a very good skill at art. She was very good at it too. It was her deepest secret that Fluttershy or her parents didn't even know about. Her best secret now. "I'll do drawing," she muttered. "Painting. Artwork. I need to find a nice house, build a little studio, and more. But I need a new name." She stopped and tried to think of a few ideas as more ponies walked by her. You couldn't even tell it was Rainbow Dash, her gray coat, hair and tail, and eyes giving her a new look. The only way to fully recognize her was from her cutie mark. That was it. Hopefully there was no one here that would know her. Hopefully.
After looking around and thinking, she finally got an idea for her name. Since she looked like it, she might as well be it. "Pencil Sketch," she muttered out loud. "Pencil Sketch. Not bad. Not bad at all." For the first time since being yelled at and technically banished from the group, she turned her attention to the apartments she was walking beside and gave a soft smile. The buildings were small like her parents' house. Perfect. After getting the sale information she went down the street to the office and asked for a tour of it. She needed to get that place and she needed to get it now. Hopefully the owner of it was in, which he was. He was glad to offer her a tour and did, showing her the rooms, style, and balconies. She loved it. A lot. After she said, "I'll take it," she gave him a bag of five hundred bits, buying the whole house in one go.
The stallion was amazed, asking her how in Equestria she was able to buy a house on the spot. She shrugged and told him, "Just go with it, man." After giving her the key, the deed, and some more information on the property, she went out and looked around some more for supplies. She had way too many bits on her. That weather manager job paid very well. Too well even. Whoever hooves it was in now, they were going to get some serious bits. A few hours later, she had redid the whole place. Since it was still morning, a lot of places were willing to help her out. She got art tools, a refrigerator, tools in case of a problem, a bed, paintings for the house—those weren't a lot, a stove that some ponies carried in for her, and a bunch of other things that she would need to survive. Once she was finished, night had already fallen, letting her look at the place, grinning from ear to ear. Yep. This was going to work just fine.
Back in ponyville, a lot of things were just the way they usually were. It was night and Pinkie Pie had a party. Of course. It's always about the parties in Ponyville. Can't go a week without having at least two. It was held in the field in front of Applejack's farm with everyone in the town attending. Even ponies from Cloudsdale, although they had no idea why. DJ PON-3 was blasting that sick mix and everyone was jamming, having a great time. Everyone but Sunshower, who was busy looking for a certain pony. Or Pegasus.
Not being able to see anything from the ground she took off into the air and looked down, hoping to find some type of trail with a rainbow on it. Ever since that "Gray Boom", that everyone's calling it, happened, she had gotten a bad feeling revolving around Rainbow Dash. A very bad one. What if someone had copied Rainbow Dash's magic and they were misusing it? That could mean trouble for everyone that was partying down there tonight. She looked around some more, checking twice to make sure she didn't miss one spot. She didn't get not a scent of Rainbow Dash down there. But she did see the other Elements. Partying and having a great time. Drinking, eating, talking. No care in the world just like every other pony down there. They were all there. Except one. Odd.
She sighed, figuring she wasn't going to figure it out tonight and landed back on the grass to try and enjoy herself. She'd figure it out tomorrow when she sees her. Hopefully she'll know what happened when she went to Twilight's soon.
The alarm clock on Rainbow's drawer woke her up suddenly the next morning, making her flutter her wings a little bit and nearly fall out the bed. Man that thing was annoying sometimes. She lifted her hoof and felt around, eventually finding and pressing on the snooze button, cutting it off. Looking out the window, which had a great view of the main road of her house, which was two stories just like her old mansion, she smiled, realizing it was a new day in her new life. Well, new morning. She slid out of the bed and stretched herself, forcing a crack out of her back. She sighed in relief and took on a dopey expression. Man, that felt great. She looked at herself in the mirror right across from her, seeing her new look. Classified as Pencil Sketch. To be honest with herself, she looked really good in it. Just the gray and white. It was actually really stylish. Actually....she was literally no longer Rainbow Dash. An entirely different persona that nopony would know about. White shower curtain, white sink, everything was literally just white. Sort of matches her theme.
After getting herself ready, she ate some breakfast and built the studio, setting her paintbrushes in a specific place where she can grab it with her mouth and wings easily. She put her inks in a strategic area too, just like when she was a kid and didn't have a lot to worry about. Eh, that was in the past. This was her new life. Living inside of herself and allowing Pencil Sketch to take over.
Settling down, she chose some quills, pencils, brushes, ink, and paint for this. Of course it wasn't going to be that big a deal, but if it was, then she was set. After everything was organized and within reach, she went to work outlining the image in her vividly. The lines working out on the paper like she was just building blocks. Which is what it was like when you're making something amazing. That took her an hour to make and she didn't even know it. Of course it could be because she didn't even glance at the clock on the wall that was above her head, or the fact that she had closed all the curtains in the house. Either way, it didn't matter because she moved onto the next step.
Inking. After the pencil sketch, she moved onto making the outline bolder to stand out to the person who is looking at it. Of course a lot of paintings stand out to the viewer. Practically all artists make their marks by turning their art into a very vivid image with the outline, but there was a very deep secret to catching a pony's eye with their work. After the outline was finished she started on the color. She grabbed some white, blue, orange, red, and gold for this one and started the painting. Three hours later it was finished. Yeah, it was small, just on a regular canvas. But if this image goes well, she'll be able to buy something more effective for her eye. Right now, she had to be careful with her bits. Weather manager didn't pay that much.
She grabbed a sunlamp and positioned it so it covered the entire painting while she went outside for a bit. Being inside was so taxing on her body. Not to mention her brain. She grabbed her saddlebags and stepped out into the air, breathing in the fresh scent of the morning dew. It was still morning since she got up at around five to start on her painting, so she could probably just go for a walk or something. With no one to bother her. No one at all. Hopefully the art would dry by the time she returned.
"Where is she?" Sunshower asked herself as she and the rest of the weather ponies were waiting for their orders by the Cloudsdale weather manager. There was supposed to be an overcast today and they needed to get to work. But they couldn't do anything without them. That could spell disaster for the workers, but for the manager far more. Not to mention the ponies down below.
"I don't know," Clear Skies said as she looked around. She was a minor purple coated mare with a deep purple mane with streaks of much lighter purple going through it. "She's usually the first one here. Do you think she skipped out or something?"
"Nah, that's not like Dash. She doesn't just skip if she doesn't have a good reason. Let's check her house. Stay here everypony!" She and Clear Skies flew towards the loose mansion in the sky that was separated from Cloudsdale, hoping to find the weather manager there. It was so unlike her to skip out. They landed on the cloud, or the lawn, of the building before making their way slowly towards the entrance. But something was definitely off. Because for one....it was way too quiet. Whenever Rainbow was at her house, there was noise. If she was asleep, she would snore. If she was awake, she would be making something in her kitchen or playing some music or something else that revolved around noise. But this time.....it was quiet. Strange and serene.
"Do you think she's home?" the other mare asked, noticing the same thing as Sunshower.
"Maybe, maybe not. let's knock and find out." They stopped at the door before Sunshower hit on the door three times very hard. The house was big and Rainbow wasn't always in the front. "Rainbow! We need you out here, you crazy mare!" They waited a few seconds before trying again. "Rainbow!" Thirty seconds later, still nothing.
"Maybe she's in Ponyville?" Clear Skies suggested, pointing towards the town below.
"Maybe. Let's go." The two took off for the town and abandoned the search at the mansion, looking for a lost mare.
They landed down in the market and looked around, hoping to spot some type of clue as to where she could be. Or at least where she was. "Rainbow, where you at?!" Clear yelled out, attracting some ponies' attention. They started asking them questions of Rainbow's whereabouts, only coming up with the same answer that no one has seen her since yesterday morning. Same thing with other ponies.
"Well...that's almost everyone. We still have to ask Twilight, Rarity, Applejack-"
"How are you keeping up with all the ponies here that we've asked?" Sunshower asked her coworker and friend as they walked along.
"Well I know, like, almost everypony. The only one I haven't actually gotten to really know was Pinkie Pie. But I only see her during the parties and she's too busy throwing cupcakes into everyone's mouths. So there's that."
Sunshower chuckled before she walked up to the library's door, knocking lightly. A few seconds later the door handle started jiggling. She looked really exhausted, evident by the bags under her eyes. Sunshower didn't really care for that though, it was usually a regular sight around here. "Hey, how can I help you girls?"
"Hey, Twilight," Sunshower greeted, looking past her into the treehouse. "Have you seen Rainbow? We can't find her anywhere, nobody else has either, and she's not home."
"Sorry, but I haven't seen her," she responded shaking her head. "Maybe she's out with her family?"
"Her parents don't go out. They stay in Cloudsdale. I know because I went and visited last night after I didn't see her at the party yesterday."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. That was a little odd. "Hmmmm....ask Applejack. She tends to go on her farm and take naps."
"Thanks, will do." The two mares turned around and started running towards Sweet Apple Acres in search of the missing Pegasus. Twilight watched them go with interest. The pony was probably teaching Scootaloo or something else. Sighing she closed the door and walked past the casing with the Elements in them, not noticing the Element of Loyalty chest plate has turned from its rich red to a dull lifeless gray....along with cracks on it.
"Applejack!" The pony looked down from the roof of the barn she was finishing to see two Pegasi running towards her. "Have you seen Rainbow? In the trees or anything?" Clear Skies asked her.
Applejack looked at them before looking at the trees in the surrounding area of her farm. After a few more seconds she looked back down and shrugged. "Nope, she hasn't been and is not here. If she was, Winona would've let me know and I would be able to see her from up here thanks to that blue coat of hers. Why?"
"We have to get some overcast in today for the plants of Ponyville. Too much sun and it's drying out some of the crops like your apples." Sunshower responded, picking up a dried apple from off the ground. "We need the weather manager to give us orders so we can get it done, but we can't find her and neither has anypony else."
"Oh, well maybe Fluttershy has seen her. The last time we saw her, she ran out of the library after breaking a spell Twilight had created."
"Okay, thanks....wait.....a spell? She broke a spell and ran out of the tree?" Clear Skies asked suspiciously.
"Pretty much. But we sort of got mad at her when she did it. We can't use any of our magic because of it for a week. Twilight's been taking it really hard."
Clear Skies and Sunshower shared a look before looking back at Applejack. "Thanks...we'll...keep that in mind," Clear Skies said suspiciously before turning to Sunshower. "I'll go to Fluttershy's, you tell the other ponies to go home. I have a feeling that overcast won't be happening today."
Sunshower sighed before turning around and flying back up to the clouds where the others were waiting while Clear Skies went on towards the little cottage on the edge of town, hoping to at least get a clue as to where the weather manager could be. This is bad so far. It seems Rainbow is missing or out of town without notice. It wasn't a crime, but it was very inconvenient. She touched down in front of the small and quiet home and knocked on the door which opened a few seconds later, revealing a nervous eye.
"Yes?" Fluttershy asked timidly through the crack in the door. "Can I help you?"
"Hey, Fluttershy. We're looking For Rainbow Dash. We need her to put the clouds over the town and we can't find her anywhere. Have you seen or spotted her anywhere?"
Fluttershy glanced to the ground for a moment before opening the door a little wider. "You haven't seen her at all?" Clear Skies shook her head while Sunshower landed behind her. "She wasn't at home either?"
"We don't know but it was a little quiet there," Sunshower answered. "Most of the time she's making noise or something. Even at night."
Fluttershy was a little confused. Rainbow wasn't the type to go anywhere without letting anyone know first. "Well.....wait for maybe two more days. If she doesn't show, then we'll do a search for her."
The two pegasi sighed. A report had to be written for the reason why they didn't have an overcast for the ponies below by somepony. But the manager wasn't there to do it. And no one else was allowed to. That and she had went AWOL. Great.
Pencil Sketch walked back into her home and locked the door after an hour long trek. Along the way, she had gotten some strange looks. It might be because she was the only pony that looked like she came straight out of a comic book that a certain dragon would read.
Pushing that irrelevance out of her mind she walked towards the painting to see it fully dried. And beautiful. She gasped as she looked at it. Out of everything she has saw in the past about paintings, she has never seen anything like this. Whoever drew this deserved a medal. She looked both ways before grinning to herself. Man she needed that medal badly. One more thing, this had to be signed. She put it back on the board before grabbing a quill and putting her name in a cursive right by it. Pencil Sketch.
She looked at it for a moment before raising an eyebrow in thought. Yeah, that could work but...if someone claimed it as theirs, she's need some backup evidence to prove that she made it. Which meant she had to put her real name up there as well. Sighing she leaned her head down really close and wrote in very tiny letters underneath the cursive. "RD". That's good enough. For comparison, she grabbed a nearby sheet and put the same thing on it, making sure that it was the exact same shape and size. Once it was finished, she grabbed a frame and carefully placed the painting inside of it. The frame was very ornate, having gold on the edges and silver in the corners.
Once she put it down, she looked it over once more. "Perfect," she muttered before placing it on her back. Phase One complete. Time for Phase Two.
After walking a few miles, she turned into an art exhibit. Simple, not crazy. After she walked inside, she passed some more ponies viewing another painting and made her way towards the office. This place was a little crowded, a little too crowded. But it was okay. No one knew her there, and she definitely didn't know them since she never actually showed up to that city before now.
She shook those thoughts out of her mind when she stopped at the office desk that had a very sophisticated pony there, definitely somepony who knew what they saw when they looked at things.
"Excuse me," she said, catching his attention. "i'm trying to get this work into the exhibit. How do I get that done?" She started to pull the work off of her back.
"Ma'am, you can't just.....send...in....." He trailed off when he saw the beautiful painting in front of him, making him stand up slowly. "What....is that?"
"This is called 'Celestia Magnificent,'" Pencil responded, smiling at him. "I created it this morning at-"
"There is absolutely no way you could've made that!" He responded in disbelief, attracting some of the other ponies' attention in the building. "I know art and this is way too good to be done in one day!"
"Well....I did it," she responded casually. "Now, can I-" The stallion started rapidly pressing on the bell on his desk, trying to get some attention. She cocked her head to the side when another pony, a female unicorn came out from the door behind him.
"Yes, what is it, what's going on?" She asked, looking around frantically.
"She-she-she painted that!" The stallion stammered, pointing towards the painting with his hoof.The mare look at the mare in front of the desk and nearly jumped out of her skin.
"WHAT??!!" Other ponies were starting to gather around, trying to figure out what the big deal is. "How did you..."
"I sketched it, outlined it, then colored it in, added some slight contrast, whites, blacks, and some mixes of colors as you see here. Took me all morning and I finished. Now can I please get this in the exhibit?"
"In the exhibit?! This belongs in a freaking museum!! Step into my office." She reached forward and grabbed Pencil Sketch's wing, pulling her past the door and inside towards her new calling.
"It's been four frickin' days!" Applejack yelled, trotting into Twilight's library briskly with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy behind her, all worried.
"I know, I know!" The librarian yelled, as she continued her pacing. "The weather ponies really need a Plan B for managers. And we need to find Rainbow. On Sunday, which is tomorrow, one of us will check her cloud home while the rest of us will do a search around Ponyville. But just to make sure, Fluttershy can you fly?"
The animal caretaker opened her wings and flapped them, not making any distance between her and the floor. "Sorry, Twilight. I can't."
"It's alright. It was just a thought. Looks like we're waiting 'til......Rarity, focus!"
The designer looked up from her newspaper in surprise, her reading disturbed. "Oh! I'm sorry, Twilight. Just really engrossed about this artist—"
"We need to focus on Rainbow," Twilight groaned.
"—that has created three top-of-the-line paintings in three days and has made over three million bits."
"Wait, WHAT?!" Applejack yelled, snatching the paper out of her hooves. She turned to the article and looked at it closely while everyone else crowded around, reading aloud. "'Overnight sensation Pencil Sketch has been on a roll! After appearing out of the blue, she has created three paintings that have earned five star reviews from Equestrian, Buffalo, Zebra, and Pony critics. One of the most surprising and notable ones were princess Celestia herself, who shook hooves with the artist in appreciation of her painting titled, 'Celestia Magnificent,' which has earned a spot in the legend exhibit at the Manehattan Art Museum.
"'I just want to start a new life,' She told us. 'There are many who don't appreciate me and I want to be appreciated, not lied to. I use my art skills for that.' Pencil Sketch has also said that she will soon be doing live models after the unveiling of some new work tonight, as well as herself. This would actually be the first grand public appearance of the sudden millionaire, all going down in Manehattan.'"
"Wow....." Pinkie Pie sighed, completely stumped. "That's....amazing. Really amazing."
"I'm gonna go check it out," Rarity admitted, taking the newspaper back and rolling it up. "I want to see the craze."
"Of course," Twilight deadpanned before turning to face her as she made her way briskly towards the door. "Just make sure to keep your eye out. We need to find Rainbow Dash and bring her back home."
"Will do, darling." She opened the door and stepped out into the hot air, blazing from the dirt on the ground and the summer heat combined. Ever since the manager went missing, there hasn't been any rain, nor any clouds. Just a bunch of heat that has been forcing Ponyville's citizens back into their homes. It's a wonder there hasn't been a fire yet. It's been like Tartarus in the town due to the immense heat, with ponies only being able to come out at night when it's a little cooler. Of course it was still hot. Just much more manageable. This was only in Ponyville, every other city was fine. Twilight was going to send a message to Celestia about it if Rainbow Dash doesn't show up tonight. Hopefully a new manager would be in place and they could find Rainbow.
Rarity sighed and held a hoof over her eyes. Then ran briskly through the unbalanced atmosphere, making her way towards the station for the Friendship Express. During the trek, she looked up at the only mansion in the sky, that looked more desolate than when it actually is occupied. But this time there was no one there. It was all alone. Just floating there.
Rarity slowed to a walk before taking a seat underneath the roof of the station, letting the shade knock down some of the heat that was hitting her coat. Dash really needs to come home. She's never been gone for more than two days. It'll have been seven after today, which is why this is such a big deal. A very big one.
Pencil Sketch opened her closet door in her room, a smile on her face as well as some very stylish sunglasses. She was ready for the unveiling of "Pain to Peace", her new collection to inspire those that have been affected by people who put them down. Just like a certain group of ponies she herself could name and point out without a second thought. Her work was getting so much attention so quickly. Less than a week after leaving Ponyville, she has been known throughout Equestria as a famed artist, and the path has given her 3,535,647 bits. That's a lot. She could build herself another mansion of some sort, but she liked her humble home. It was serene. Maybe in the near future.
No stupid useless parties, no ponies calling her names when she walks out....it was great. Of course she has to fly to travel because the ponies down below just wouldn't leave her alone. Not that she minded while at the exhibits, it was just in public.
She always had to avoid somepony.
Pencil chuckled to herself and shook her head. Then grabbed a pair of golden hoof shoes below and stepped into them. They weren't only for the royal. They were also for the wealthy. You know......now that she thought about it, she was richer than Hoity Toity. Pencil put her hoof to her chin thinking about who else could be the wealthiest of them all before shaking her head and grabbing a basic black uniform for now. She had to focus, not brag and boast in her head. The outfit was just a basic jacket that had a zipper, pockets, and more for a mission of some type of spy. But she would be using it for different reasons.
She set it down on the bed before making her way towards a normal looking canvas on the wall with nothing but gray paint on it, the same exact color as her coat. She tossed some more paint on it before turning to the side and pushing her left flank against the paint, doing the same to the right. When she was in her home, she doesn't worry about her cutie mark. But out in public, she hides it in order to stay hidden. Any one of those ponies could come to Manehattan for her work. It was a very big possibility, considering almost everyone in Equestria will be attending her master showcase next month. Even the princesses, which could probably pose a problem. Once they discover that one of the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony is missing, they'll be searching high and low. The Elements of Harmony were the most important defense Equestria has, over the Princesses. They need all of them in order for them to work. If one is missing, Equestria wouldn't be so powerful. It would be far less than anything.
Pencil Sketch shrugged, figuring it's their fault for driving her away before positioning her flanks in front of two sunlamps to dry the paint. They'll just be looking for a dead pony. Rainbow Dash died and was replaced by Pencil Sketch. But Rainbow Dash's ghost still has one last task to do before she's gone forever. She stood back up to put on her black incognito outfit. Once finding nothing wrong with her look, nor did it reveal anything other than her face, she walked out towards the balcony and took off at her intense speed towards Canterlot. She had business in her old town. Important business. There were still remnants of her life there. And they definitely did not need to be there. At all. She zoomed straight over Canterlot, clearing the city in seconds before spotting her destination. Ponyville. And her target. Her mansion. The Cloudominium.
She stopped in the air above a field and reached into one of the pockets of the jacket, pulling out some goggles. This was going to get really loud and crazy. The hoof shoes weren't just for design. They were thick enhanced steel, able to withstand any impact and break anything it slammed into. Making it easy for this last task. The mansion wasn't entirely cloud. It had solid columns, walkways, and rooms. Unlike her old apartment back in Cloudsdale.
Once she was sure she was prepared, she zoomed straight towards the mansion, leaving the gray speed trail behind her.
***
"Twilight.......it's way too hot for this," Pinkie groaned as she, Applejack, Fluttershy, and the librarian dragged their way towards some more places Rainbow could relax at. Twilight thought if Rainbow wasn't anywhere in Ponyville, she could either be in Cloudsdale, Canterlot, or somewhere else. Even the woods nearby.
Twilight groaned and rolled her eyes, sweating bullets. "Guys, if we don't find her, then Equestria's in a bind where anything could happen," the librarian explained, sweat dripping down her face. "You know....besides the whole town burning to ashes."
"Dash wouldn't just let us all burn like that," Fluttershy assured timidly. "I'm worried too, but.....should we really be—"
All their attention went to the sky when a shrill whistle sounded off through the air, a very familiar one.
"It's Dash, I know that sound anywhere!" Applejack said loudly and hopefully, looking around like the others. The sound got higher and higher before it stopped. The mares stopped turning their heads and looked towards the mansion in the sky. Twilight spoke her thoughts first.
"Do you think—"
An insanely loud explosion made everyone below the mansion scream and take cover, ducking the wind that ripped through the air, along with a gray shockwave. The Gray Boom.
Twilight opened her eyes and looked up, gasping in horror at her find. She gasped and placed her hoofs in front of her mouth. "NO! NO NO NO, WHAT DID THEY DO?!!!!" Up in the air, there was a falling structure, heading towards the ground below. Rainbow's mansion was being destroyed. Part of it blew up from some chemicals that were being lit, blowing out another part of the mansion and sending items crashing to the ground.
The others still had their eyes closed before glass and more things started raining down and crashing onto the ground below, the destruction evident from various things that crashed apart. Twilight pushed them all into an alley when a stove fell and crashed right where they were a second ago.
"Oh my Celestia," Applejack muttered in disbelief when they all peeked around the corner. The mansion was gone. Completely and utterly gone.
"Who would......do something like this?" Fluttershy whispered, tears coming from her eyes.
"I'm guessing it's whoever that gray speck is!" Twilight yelled, pointing her hoof at the object hovering in the sky in the location where the cloudominium was previously in the sky. "HEY! GET DOWN HERE!" She yelled using her magically enhanced voice, gasping as she realized what just happened. "My magic! My magic is back! I'm going up there!" She ran out and teleported upwards in a series of flashes, making her way towards the floating object.
***
Pencil Sketch looked down nonchalantly at her work. Her original home destroyed. Nothing left. Photographs, belongings, and stupid gifts from those stupid ponies. It was definitely a new life now. A new and better one.
The house hit the ground loudly, the cloudy substance breaking apart along with anything else in it, making her smile. Time to start anew. Completely.
"HEY!" She glanced up, seeing two Pegasi coming towards her. One that was yellow and another that was purple. Sunshower and Clear Skies. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY!" Sunshower yelled. Pencil chuckled at the irony. She actually could if she wanted to. A noise from behind her made her look over her shoulder to see Twilight preparing to fire a spell, forcing a snarl out of her. Still acting like the tough pony she thought she was. Well she was going to get it now. Before Twilight could release it, Rainbow had darted forward and bucked her with her rear hooves, the hoof shoes making a huge impact on her stomach as she flew down towards the ground and hit the dirt, sliding and bouncing, grunting in pain.
"Twilight!" Pinkie rushed out and helped her up while she held her stomach.
"That was....a REALLY good hit," she grunted painfully. Pencil Sketch really wanted to finish her off but she had an exhibit to attend. She turned back around and disappeared in a puff of black smoke, causing Sunshower and Clear Skies to gasp. She appeared behind them and flew away once more, making her way towards Canterlot. The ponies watched them leave their sights before focusing on the damage below.
"Dash is definitely not going to like this," Fluttershy whispered, shaking her head.
The Friendship Express pulled into the station for the large city of Manehattan to drop off the anxious Citizens of Ponyville and Canterlot. Most of them were staying out of town until the air down there got cooler or a new weather manager was assigned. Rarity herself was really giddy to get to this city. Not because of what goes on here and away from the heat, but because she's barely been here before. Only once or twice but that's it. You have to have a lot of bits to stay even one day down here.
"Phew, okay," Rarity muttered to herself, jumping off the train and onto the platform with the rest of the passengers. She stopped and looked around, training her sights on Manehattan. Then muttered, "Made it. Now, let's see how good you are."
She walked forward towards the end of the landing, headed towards the city where the event/show was being held. She needed to catch up on the gossip of how a famed pony such as Pencil Sketch managed to get to fame overnight. It was so....inspiring in a way. Rarity always wanted to be known overnight. And to be honest, she was jealous of her. Arrive in a city such as this one, where there's no pony willing to give you a shot when you manage to wow them with a painting. Rarity made clothes, something you actually use in your life, but she didn't make nearly as much as this mare. Maybe two hundred to three hundred bits, maybe even four hundred bits for four of her designs. Pencil Sketch randomly appeared out of nowhere and made over three million bits for four paintings. That's faaarrr more than what Hoity Toity and Fleur De Lis make combined. That's A LOT! And over just paintings?!
Rarity looked down at the paper that she received that morning talking about the event as she walked. This was apparently supposed to be the first time anypony else has ever seen her besides those at the art museum and her exhibit. No one knows how old she is, or where she came from. Hopefully they'll find out today.
She looked around the city, observing multiple business ponies walking around doing whatever it is they do at seven in the evening. Why were they out anyway, it's seven at night. Rarity shook those thoughts from her head before she made her way towards the museum, already visible by the flashing light for the exclusive ponies arriving by chariot. Of course most of them were playwrights, musicians, and large business owners. Not to mention those who just want to see what all the buzz was revolving around a single mare. Rarity was there for that too. Trying to figure out her origin. Just like everypony else.
***
Pencil Sketch had arrived back at her home at the same time her chariot arrived to pick her up. Of course she would go with the exclusive. Being rich and famous was everything this pony had ever dreamed of. So she was going to take advantage of that. She took off her incognito suit and hung it back inside a hidden compartment in her closet. Afterwards she grabbed a black dress from some fashion designers that had a gray sword on the sides, along with some round tinted sunglasses to conceal her face. Yeah, it was going to be dark, but she needed to preserve her identity. As well as her cutie mark. Her artwork was already at the museum behind the curtains which was guarded by, get this, royal guards. A thank you present from Celestia for creating "such a beautiful painting in her honor." Pencil definitely didn't turn that down.
She sighed and pushed half of her various different hues of gray that made up her mane in front of her left eye in case someone could match her face. Then grabbed her saddlebags and made her way out of her large room and downstairs. Her mane had actually gotten longer than that shoulder length she had while in Ponyville. It was nearly to the floor when she first looked at it after arriving in Manehattan. Perfect. The dark side of her was truly inspiring.
She opened and walked out the front doors of her home, spotting her personal bodyguard standing to the right looking out for attention before he turned to her. "Hello, Ms. Sketch," Buff Battalion greeted her with a smile. He was a big pegasus, no wonder he was called battalion. He had a dark blue coat, yellow mane, and cerise eyes. He was handsome. Very handsome. But Pencil had been hurt before and she was not going down that road again. No matter how tempting it seemed.....maybe in the future if she trusts ponies again. Some ponies at least.
"Hello, Buff," she greeted back, giving him a hug. He's actually been around her since she first went out her way to get some more things done. Some ponies were some really bold art junkies that they actually came up to her asking her about her technique. Luckily, Buff was there to literally throw them back where they came from. She didn't actually condone that but....hey, it worked, so she let it drop. "How are you?"
"Ugh. I'm fine, just trying to get this over with. I'm sure you're feeling the same way?"
"I'm actually looking forward to it, beef-head," she teased, poking him in his big strong muscle. Oh my god he was so big. "I like to show off. It's all part of me. How do I look?" The bodyguard looked her over before nodding.
"You look smashing, Pencil. Honestly beautiful. You'll throw them a new bone tonight. Are you ready?"
"Yes. Let's get this done so you can go back to what you call a 'nap.'" The two laughed before he escorted her to the luxurious chariot a few feet away, opened the doors and let her hop in first before following after. Once the door was shut, the ponies pulling the long chariot all began pulling the chariot briskly towards the museum, which was two miles away. Even from here, you could see the skylights dancing on the clouds above, coming from the museum. She looked out the tinted windows at the display, hoping for the best. It was always some things that would affect her in the future. She bucked Twilight in the chest, no problem there. It was just.....she looked her right in the eyes before she did it. What if they recognized her?
"You look nervous." She turned back to see Buff staring at her worriedly. "Expecting somepony to cause trouble?"
Pencil sighed and took off her shades, but kept her hair in front of her eyes. Then turned back to the window. "I'm expecting somepony, but not to cause trouble. They're from my very very recent past that I'm trying to forget. Based on all the fame I'm getting, they'll no doubt try to put some pieces together and figure out that it's me. Let me ask you something. Have you ever.....been doubted by those who call themselves your friends for years......only to know that it was a big lie and erased your past and anything that was connected to it?"
Buff nodded instantly. "Yep. A very small amount of ponies in Manehattan has. We all have back stories. This city is nicknamed the City of the Lost, we come here and stay here. Trying to rebuild our lives and make new names for ourselves. I'm guessing that's why nopony knows your background?"
"Yes," Pencil confirmed. She looked back down at the carpet in the chariot before glancing up at the stallion. "I didn't even look like this to be honest. I was full of color. A lot of it. Then I heard about and saw what friends do to you......so I left them all. Even the one I had the longest and closest relationship with. And I'm never going back. My color changed and everything else did as well."
"Friends aren't always the best thing to have," the bodyguard commented looking at the window as the chariot passed the museum's front entrance unseen. "That.......is A LOT of ponies." Pencil Sketch looked out the window, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. That had to be at least the whole city and then some! The main road was closed off and everything!
"Whoa!" She gasped, moving the hair out of her face to get a better look. The place was practically overflowing with spectators. They were undoubtedly going to the underground floor of the museum where they hold events and such. The floor was big enough to hold all of them. They even had some type of device in there that enhances the portraits for the ponies who couldn't see them. Like a giant magnifier.
The chariot turned and went around the corner of the building, going out of view before turning into the back, to get inside in secret. The chariot stopped before the chauffeur who was directing it came over and opened the door for the VIPs. Pencil thanked him and hopped out with Buff right behind her. While they walked, she pulled out the necklace she had crafted to finish her look just for special occasions. It was completely golden and covered in diamonds, costing over five hundred thousand bits at the jeweler. She paid for it easily out of her own pocket. That felt really great. To pay for things with your own money.
It was a rainbolt. Just like her cutie mark in the past, but around her neck instead of her flanks. After she got herself ready, she walked forward and past the open rear entrance of the building. The ponies there were going to get a very special show tonight.....of her anyway.
Those who came to see what the big fuss was all about descended the carpeted stairs down into the lower level of the museum, desperate to see the new paintings of the "Mysterious Mare". Of course with her reveal for tonight, they could finally drop the nickname. Or stick with it, either way she made over three million bits just for making art. The ceiling of the level had massive chandeliers and the floor was stone. It was really big. In Rarity's opinion anyway as she walked down and touched the stone floor. There were a lot of ponies talking and making noise. As well as obvious security. Mostly by the stage way ahead.
Rarity herself was still jealous, trying to figure out what made Pencil's art any different than anything she herself made. They were both exquisite, putting diamonds and jewels into strategic areas while she did the same with colors. It couldn't be that good. Right? She got into a row with another batch of anxious speaking ponies, eagerly watching the curtain where the display of the artwork was to be held. Ponies all around were checking the time, since the unveiling was to begin at eight. It was now seven fifty eight. Two minutes on the clock and decreasing. Here we go.
***
"Hello again, Pencil Sketch," the mare Pencil first met when she tried to drop off her first painting greeted her. Her name was Color Rise, the museum's director in Manehattan. She helped her get some guards into the building as well as a meeting with Celestia. Of course she could've done it herself....if they even knew if she was still alive. She looked exactly like her name. The bottom half of Color Rise was black that increased to white on the way up. "It's fantastic to see you."
"Same here, Color Rise," she responded back, giving her a hug. "Thank you again for the security. They're extremely important for my artwork."
"So I've seen. That art out there looks simply amazing. So much color, so much life. It's like you took more colors and made them even darker than last time." The two mares laughed before they walked towards the reveal hall. "Your special talent has gotten you a lot of buzz. I believe you—"
"This was never my special talent," Pencil corrected. Color Rise looked at her oddly.
"What? Painting isn't your special talent?"
"No. My special talent was going fast and far. Flying. I still fly very fast. I'm just not going anywhere anymore." They stopped at the rear entrance to the massive auditorium, looking at the ponies all facing the stage, unaware that the artist was right behind them.
"So.....painting is like a hobby? You're way too young to be giving up on that."
Pencil chuckled and said, "It is a passion. But it's not my calling. Hopefully my calling won't ever have to be revealed because it brings trouble. And flying was part of what I was working for. But where I went......it wasn't for me." Color Rise nodded, understanding the jealousy of ponies before the announcer's voice came on the stage.
"Hello, mares and colts everywhere! Welcome.....TO THE EXHIBIT....OF PENCIL SKETCH!!" The ponies watching all cheered before the curtains started to slowly rise, displaying the eight royal guards beside each magically protected display case for backup. Nobody was getting those.
The ponies awed at the paintings. On of them was a picture of Discord's head grinning demonically at the city of canterlot, obviously hatching some sort of devious plan. The next one was of the royal guards, who were in deep combat with the the changelings. It showed emotion, feeling, tears, and pain. The next one was of King Sombra who was being defeated by Celestia and Luna, and the final, greatest one of all.....was of a pretty sunset that had a dragon going through the sky with fillies and colts watching from the ground below. They were all extremely detailed, Pencil Sketch taking out eight hours of her day to get it right and vivid to the eye.
"Pencil Sketch's 'Pain to Peace' collection," Pencil sketch whispered proudly to Color Rise, who had a gleaming smile on her face. "This is about how Equestria has fought through the wars and survived to tell the tale, giving a home to fillies and colts, stallions and mares."
"It is truly inspiring," she responded. "They will be moved to a section after everyone leaves tonight. Of course you will be overseeing the move."
"I'm aware." The spectators all studied the paintings, trying to put them all to memory before the announcer came back on to the reveal.
"This paintings were inspired by........I don't know, let's ask her shall we?" The ponies all cheered. Even Rarity who was actually finding the paintings to be inspiring to her. "Pencil Sketch....how were these paintings created? Their origins?"
Buff handed her a microphone and gave her a wink. She took it in in her hoof and revealed herself.
"It was....how about I just come out and show you?" The ponies all looked around trying to find the source of the voice before cheering and stomping their hooves. She handed the microphone to Color Rise before the guards in front of her began making their way out of the entrance and towards the aisle that led to the stage. Pencil Sketch grinned and put her head high before shifting her gray hair over to cover her sunglass-covered eyes. The ponies all turned around at the sound of marching and started stomping their hooves as Pencil smiled and waved at them, plainly visible in all her glory.
Cameramen on the floor recorded her arrival, making sure to save this for the historians. Making four paintings in a week and having them become the center of all Equestria was a really big deal. Especially since it inspired most of the ponies there. She walked right past them, her hoof continuing to wave at everypony around her. Her golden hoof shoes gave her that authoritarian look, letting people know she was the boss. Her necklace letting others know of her riches and luxury. But there was something about that necklace that gave Rarity pause. Something familiar. Why did it......
A cutie mark. It was shaped like Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. She gasped lightly when she walked past, not even recognizing her. That was not Rainbow Dash. For one, Rainbow wasn't gray, and she didn't have long hair like that. She was a boaster like this mare, but besides that there was no other comparison. But she'll have to keep any eye on this one. Suspicious. Very suspicious indeed.
After Pencil Sketch had walked up on stage, she continued to wave and smile. After around three more minutes off this, the announcer asked her how she came up with the ideas for the artwork. "Well, I first became interested in Celestia," she responded through the microphone. Her voice was calm and collected. Smooth like milk. "But then I became more interested in Equestria as a whole. So I created a timeline to show how far we've come." She walked towards the first one and explained how that came to her mind before doing the same to the second, third, and finally the fourth. Afterwards she explained what she learned. "It made me realize that no matter what anypony does to you, only by working, being organized, creating a plan, and intelligent thinking can you come out on top."
The ponies down below all stomped their hooves while Pencil stood in the middle of the platform, waving at them once again. After the event, which lasted a few more minutes, ended, a total of two hours, the upper class ponies were allowed to meet with her to discuss, talk, and more in the restaurant area upstairs. Fancy Pants and his entourage, Fleur De Lis, Hoity Toity, and some more high class ponies.
"Most ponies don't usually recognize art when they see it," Fancy Pants announced proudly when he shook her hoof from across the table. "But somehow in some unimaginable way, you've managed to capture the eye of every creature in Equestria. I believe some congratulations are in order here."
Pencil chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm just really good at getting ponies to notice me. I've been doing a lot lately."
"Can I ask what exactly have you been doing before all of this?" Fleur De Lis asked, genuinely interested. "The tabloids have said you appeared out of nowhere."
"That's because I came here after I finished some.....overdue actions," she responded while creating a circular motion with her hoof. "It was time to move onto the next step."
"Well, congratulations," one of Fancy Pants' companions said. He was a brown unicorn named Golden Gavel, sophisticated just like the pony he was following. "To Pencil Sketch!"
The others lifted up their drinks in the toast. "To Pencil Sketch!" They clinked their glasses and started drinking, the wine tasting like rich blueberries across Pencil's tongue. She set the glass down with a satisfied "Ahhhhh."
Hoity Toity chuckled at her response to the beverage, obvious that she hadn't had a drink before. "I take it you don't drink a lot of wine?"
Pencil shook her head in confirmation. "Nope. Only on special occasions. It distracts me if I try to get things done." She took another small sip, absolutely loving the taste of the fancy beverage.
"Here here," Fleur agreed before taking a sip out of her own drink. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a very familiar pony that she hasn't seen in a while that made her smile in surprise. "Rarity? Is that you?"
Everyone at the table turned around to face the new arrival except Pencil, who was busy staring at the drink and trying to figure out why it tasted so delicious. The pony in question smiled and waved at the table before approaching with a pleased grin plastered on her face.
"Fleur, darling! It's soooo good to see you again!" She came into Pencil's view and hugged the supermodel. Then started shaking hooves with everyone else there. Even Pencil who didn't even look her in the eye. Still too busy with her drink.
"You too! Have a seat, have a seat!" The two sat back down and talked for a minute before Pencil finally looked up and realized who was at the table with a start. She quickly looked back down and started taking deep breaths. Where in the world did she come from?
"Be cool.....be cool....," she muttered unheard. "She's just sitting here talking to Fleur, no one else."
"So you're the mare of the hour." Buck. Pencil looked at her with her right eye hidden behind the shades she was still wearing at Rarity, who was giving her a gleaming smile. "It's an honor to meet you, Pencil Sketch. Your work has inspired ponies by the millions all over Equestria. And it has earned you a wealthy amount of bits I've heard."
Pencil sat up and gave her some attention, not to mention a fake smile. "Yes, it has made me a ton of money that I'll use to open up another studio in Manehattan, and other places that I'll visit in the future. So if I need to paint something down quickly, I'll have a studio on hand."
"Very smart," Fancy Pants commented, taking another sip of the blueberry wine. He set down his glass and added, "I've heard of ponies who make it big but spend their bits on other things that do not bring them any profit. So it's good to hear of another pony willing to invest in their career. You never know what you're going to see in another city."
"I know, I know. It's just.....there's going to be so much more that comes after this. I'm doing another show in Canterlot next month to showcase all my work, Celestia herself offering the grand ballroom in the castle for me to hold it. Of course I took the offer, since it's a castle, right?"
The group laughed while Pencil adjusted her necklace, catching the fashionista's eye. "Darling, where in Equestria did you get that necklace? It is absolutely divine!" She stopped positioning it and looked up into Rarity's hungry eyes. Jealous much?
"I had it designed and crafted personally. It cost five hundred thousand bits and I still have over three million. Next week it will be more because I'm painting models, including Fleur here." She gestured to the supermodel who nodded her head. "She'll be modeling some new clothes that another pony I know has made."
"And I can't wait to see what Pencil will create next," Hoity Toity commented. Rarity smiled before turning back at the necklace.
"It's just that....the necklace reminds me of somepony I met years ago. That was her cutie mark and she lived up to it."
'Snake,' Pencil thought, setting down her wine glass. "Oh, that's nice. Everyone has a cutie mark."
"Indeed, it's what defines us."
"Wrong."
Rarity turned to Pencil in confusion. "I'm sorry?"
"A cutie mark does not define a pony. It's what you do that defines one. I could make all the paintings I want, but you want to know something? This is not my special talent. This is my passion, but not my talent. I wasn't born to paint. But I loved it. So I defied my predetermined choice and created my own path, creating the mare you see right now in front of you. And it feels great." All the ponies stared at her in surprise for a quiet moment.
"Wow," Swan Song said, her blue eyes wide in wonder. "I've.....never thought of it THAT way before."
"In other words....your cutie mark shows you what you're good at, NOT what you're best at," Pencil continued. "You have to find that on your own, like I had to. I bet all of you have a hobby that you've never actually pursued because you think that your cutie mark is the only thing you can do. But I bet, somewhere in those smart minds of yours, you can achieve at greater things. You know it."
"Of course! That's why my sales haven't actually gone higher than they are!" Fancy Pants exclaimed. "Because I'm limiting myself!"
"Exactly. Thanks, Ms. Rarity for giving me that chance to wake up the group." Pencil took the last few drops of her drink before standing up. "I have to get out of here. Buff is probably sleeping in some elevator or something else. See ya'."
"Goodbye, Pencil!" Fleur De Lis called out as she walked away, her golden hoofshoes making a metallic sound that faded away, along with her form. "That gray pony could do a speech if she wanted to. Don't you think, Rarity?"
The fashionista was looking at the way Pencil walked off to, a little more jealous than when she actually arrived to the event. "Yes.....she could."
***
"Alright, Buff. This is where we part ways again," Pencil reported, standing at her front door with her bodyguard beside her. "You hittin' the hay later, huh?"
"Can I come inside and just lay on your couch?" The obviously tired Pegasus pleaded, obviously too tired to get home. "PLEEEAAASSSEE?" Pencil just looked at him for a moment, trying to make up her mind.
"Some other time, maybe. Get out of here, you rough stallion." She walked inside and closed the door in his face, leaving him standing there speechless. After about a minute, he shrugged.
"It was worth a shot," he chuckled before flying in the air, headed to his own home.
After Pencil had walked inside, she walked up the grand staircase and into her room, taking off her dress and throwing it in a basket that was lying on the floor before jumping on the bed, sighing once the soft covers and bed sheets met her coat. It was a rough night. Even after SHE showed up. She had to tell her what's up, that Cutie Marks were just a symbol. They don't matter to the pony it belongs to. In fact, it's irrelevant. It's just..........a mark. Nothing special.
Rainbow's mark didn't get her anywhere but in a cage and replaced by someone better. Pencil Sketch. The mare who could get what she wanted, anytime she wanted to get it. The mare who could inspire an entire nation with just a paintbrush, ink, a canvas, and a vision. The mare on a mission that isn't held back by snakes who called themselves her friends. She wasn't open to the ideology that you needed friends to succeed in life. She had no friends. Only accomplices. And that was enough.
"How was it? What's she like? Do you know, did you see her, huh, huh, huh?"
Rarity pushed Pinkie's face back slowly, uncomfortable with the Party mare's closeness. They were all inside her boutique to talk about Pencil Sketch's artwork, Rarity's experience, and to discuss Rainbow Dash who's still missing for a full seven days the next morning after the exhibit. If she doesn't return by today, an Equestrian alert would be sent out.
"Yes, I saw her," she answered her as she sat down next to Applejack. "I even met her and shook her hoof. The artwork was inspiring, truly inspiring, darlings! She made a timeline that consisted of the rough times of Equestria all the way up to the peace and serene atmosphere we have now. After Discord, the Changelings, and more. It would truly bring a tear to your eye."
"So what was she like?" Twilight asked, drinking from her cup of tea.
Rarity clicked her tongue and circled the rim of her cup with her hoof as she tried to find a better word for the artist. "She was......hidden. She didn't reveal much of anything on her, not even her cutie mark. But she did wear a necklace of a cutie mark that I recognized almost instantly."
"And what was it?" Fluttershy asked. Rarity pulled out a newspaper, showing Pencil Sketch on the front page, and of what she looked like last night.
"A lightning bolt. A Rainbow colored lightning bolt." They all stopped and stared intensely at the image, looking closely at the necklace around her neck. "It was completely covered in diamonds of different colors, bringing it that Rainbow look. I asked her about it and she said she had it crafted for five hundred thousand bits. I told her it looked like my friend's cutie mark and she went on a speech about how it doesn't define us."
Twilight chuckled in response. "Now that's just silly. Then what is it there for?"
"That's where she went on the speech. She said a cutie mark shows what we're GOOD at. Not what we're BEST at. Her talent wasn't painting apparently. It was just her passion. She didn't say what her special talent was, but it wasn't painting. She was just so good at it that it got into a museum after one day of looking at it, then became a millionaire after a week. I don't know who taught her that, but she just backed it up."
Twilight stared in disbelief at the photo. There was absolutely no pony could define a cutie mark like that, let alone offend her! Magic was her thing, and she was good at it. No, she was the best at it! This pony was wrong and she was going to yell it in her face!
"That is not true!" She exclaimed, jumping to her hooves, outraged. "So basically, she's saying that what I'm best at isn't magic?!
"I'm positive that's not what she meant, Twilight!" Pinkie said, trying to diffuse the situation. "She was obviously giving advice on how ponies can become better, silly! What else would it mean?"
"That what I'm best at ISN'T magic and that it's something else!"
"Twilight, I think you're just stressed over Rainbow," Applejack said calmly, patting the spot Twilight was just sitting on. "Have a seat and calm down."
"No!" She trotted towards the door and opened it, letting in the hot heat of the day before walking out with a goal in mind. To prove Pencil Sketch wrong. "And where the heck is Rainbow?!"
***
That same morning, Pencil Sketch woke up with a smile on her face, glad to see a new day. Of course, it was still very early like sunrise, but she had somewhere to be right now. Undercover.
Back at the destroyed mansion, she had left some important documents about her old self. Her name, identification, and more. Those could fall into the wrong Pony's hooves and cause a disaster for her.
She quickly jumped out of bed and put on her incognito suit before zooming out her balcony doors, flying towards Canterlot. The city itself shining from the early morning sun. Hopefully, nopony woulld go over there to snoop around. They could grab whatever the heck they wanted to, just not the documents.
Looking down, she spotted the guards preparing Celestia's chariot for something, along with Celestia standing beside it. Where could she be going so early in the morning? She shook her head of those thoughts and focused on the task at hand. Searching the ruins for some documents. Hopefully they'd still be there.
Soon she arrived at the destination, the Cloudominimum's remains on the flat land of grss in front of Ponyville and Applejack's farm. She flew low starting a mile back to make herself unseen as she approached. Some ponies were already looking for a gray Pegasus with a very hard rear hoof. Up ahead were the ruins. No one was around so far as Pencil could tell. That made this much easier, of course. A pony could show up while she was searching though, which could take an hour or two, maybe a little less if she went by the speed she was so accustomed.
She put her hood over her head to hide her long hair before landing at the site. Since most of the structure was a cloud, that made the search far easier to find. Way easier. Hard part was going through it. There was actually a few things that were blown across town. She hoped she didn't have to go walking through that place again. It was already getting hot out there.
"Ponies can do better, huh? Yeah right. I'm already the best, and I'm going to tell her that." Twilight continued muttering to herself as she approached the crash site. She froze and her attention was captured as she spotted something going up into the air and falling back down behind a stone column, spiking her curiosity. Looking around first, she slowly and quietly made her way over to the scene, not making a sound. Who or whatever it was was looking for something, that much was obvious with the typical muttering of "where is it, where is it" going on over there. She was dangerously close now, the thing literally right in front of her behind the fallen column. All she had to do was peak over it. Which she did, and nearly gasped in surprise.
That pony that destroyed the Cloudominium in the first place was going through Rainbow's stuff! This was NOT going to happen. Twilight jumped over the column and tackled the pony to the ground, surprising her and nearly taking off her hood in the process. She put her horn at the ponie's face, shock written all over it, before she gave a demand. "Who are you, and what have you done with Rainbow?!"
The pony groaned and gave her a sad smile. "Rainbow's dead..." Pencil kicked Twilight in the stomach again with a shoe covered hoof, knocking the air out of her. Then knocked her over to the side by the head, stunning her. The painter stood up and towered over her. "Thanks to all of you." Twilight gasped before the pony slammed her hoof into the side of her head, knocking her out in one blow.
Pencil sighed and looked down at her before going back to what she was doing. After a few more minutes, she found what she came for. Her personal records. Including her bank information, Equestrian Identification, and more. If she didn't grab these, they could've taken all her money.
She cast one last look at the mare with a bruise on the side of her head, knocked out and laying on the ground. "Stupid ponies," she muttered. Then looked back up and flew away, headed towards Manehattan. Luckily, no on else had seen her and that mare's crazy altercation. Great.
On the way back, she passed by Princess Celestia's chariot, obviously headed for Ponyville. What for, she had no idea. But she wasn't going to like what she found. At all.
"Twilight.....Twilight, wake up...." The librarian groaned when someone placed something on her head, something very cold. "Twilight, are you okay, darling?"
Twilight grunted before she sat up, holding the ice pack against the side of her head with a hoof and looked around. All of her friends were around her, except Rainbow, and Princess Celestia. Wait...Celestia?
"Princess? What are you doing here?" She asked tiredly, rubbing her head. Looks like they were back in her library.
"I was on my way to see you after you haven't written me any letters for a full week when I found you passed out in some destroyed home with a bruise on your head," she explained. "So I teleported you here. What happened there? And where's Rainbow Dash?"
Twilight gasped and whimpered a little, remembering what that mare said.
"Twilight?" The librarian looked up with tears threatening to spill over.
"I was attacked by the same pony that destroyed Rainbow's home yesterday."
"We have a new enemy," Celestia concluded. "And where's Rainbow? Do you know?" The other ponies all shook their heads before Twilight responded.
"I do." The elements gasped before turning to her with hope in their eyes.
"Where is she, Twilight?!" Fluttershy asked desperately, grabbing the mare by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "We have to find her now, where is she?!"
"That's just it, Fluttershy. That pony said she's dead." The room was silent as they all stared at Twilight in shock. Celestia narrowed her eyes before she turned around and walked over to the case holding the elements , gasping a little at what was inside. Then sighed loudly, catching their attention and their ears. She slowly and timidly opened the glass case with her magic and pulled out five gems, placing them on a table behind her. Then she picked up the......red dust that had made up the red lightning bolt that was the Element of Loyalty. "This....was her Element. When a pony is either deceased or changed, they turn to dust. Since me and my sister were the last holders of the Elements, and are not deceased, they have held up. But since we passed them on, the status of them changed to you six being the owners. So it does not matter if we are gone or not. It matters if you are. And so far, it looks like the Elements of Harmony have lost an Element permanently...or temporarily. Either way....her form is gone."
"NO!" They all looked towards Fluttershy who had tears coming down her face. "NO, SHE CAN'T BE GONE! SHE JUST CAN'T BE GONE! YOU'RE WRONG! SHE IS NOT GONE!"
"Fluttershy," Applejack said, walking over with tears trailing down her face too. "I don't want to believe it either. But what other explanation is there?"
"WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, CELESTIA! ISN'T THERE SOME WAY FOR YOU TO SEE IF SHE'S ALIVE?!" Fluttershy asked in desperation.
"The only one who can do that is Luna," Celestia responded sadly. She turned to the door and yelled, "Guard! Summon Luna at once!" One of the Royal guards outside wrote and sent the letter at the same time to get the Princess of the Night out to Ponyville. Turning back to the others, Celestia added, "While Luna tracks for life, we will only hope for the best. If she does not find any, we will inform Ponyville, her parents, and those she was really close to."
A flash of light blinded all of them before it dissipated, revealing Princess Luna in a frenzied state. "We came as fast as we could," she said quickly, reverting back to the new Equestrian. "What is it thou needed?"
"Twilight got into a altercation with a pony who has declared Rainbow Dash deceased," she explained turning around to face Luna with hopeful eyes and meeting Luna's surprised ones. "So far..." She picked up the dust in her magic. "Her claims are solid."
"Oh no," she replied in despair. But she knew what her sister wanted. "I'll check to make sure by going into our ponies' minds." She closed her eyes and summoned the advanced spell, trying to find the supposedly lost pony.
"It will take her a few minutes to scan every pony in Equestria," Celestia informed the rest of the Elements. "Can somepony please tell me what happened before all of this?"
"We got in a fight," Twilight admitted. "We got in a fight after she messed up the spell I asked you to let me practice, and I put all my frustration on her. I yelled to her......that she wasn't my friend."
"And the rest of us agreed," Applejack finished, taking off her hat slowly in respect. "We were all just frustrated. An' we put it all on Dash."
Celestia sighed loudly before sniffling behind her caught her attention. They all looked towards Luna to see her trying to hold back tears, making little sobs every now and then. After about another minute she opened her eyes and cried, letting it all out. "I....I couldn't find her.....she's gone. I checked three times. She's.......she's gone."
***
"MEETING!!!" Applejack yelled, running through the town square and getting all the ponies' attention. "MANDATORY MEETING IN TOWN HALL!!!!" She yelled again, trying to stifle her tears. "ALL PONIES ARE TO REPORT TO TOWN HALL RIGHT NOW!!!"
Fluttershy had flown up to Cloudsdale to grab everyone up there, including Rainbow's parents which were just going to tear her up. The others were setting up the stand, as well as a memorial that Twilight was creating out of Flowers before placing a cover over it, hiding it behind Celestia who stalked up to the podium. The Elements were lined up on the right side of her, watching as all the ponies came up and stood in front of it, including everyone in Cloudsdale. After they were all situated, Celestia began to spread the news.
"Thank you for coming, everypony. In the last week, I have been getting messages from Cloudsdale about how Ponyville has been getting battered by the intense heat and has had no cover to relieve them of it." Some pegasi who worked for the weather factory came closer to the podium, hoping to get some news on that. Sunshower was in the front, completely focused on Celestia as she continued. "We have searched high and low for the weather manager, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, defender of Equestria. Unfortunately, our search has all been for naught." The ponies all began muttering loudly, trying to understand where Celestia was going for before she held a hoof up to silence them. "We have learned today, that Rainbow Dash is no longer with us. She is now.........with the Rainbows, forever flying free, the air not even her limit. She is gone. She has passed on."
The only sound being the hot air as it swept through the town, shock all over their faces. "We have tracked every living pony in Equestria, hoping to find the mind and thoughts of Rainbow Dash," Celestia continued, trying to hold back her tears. "When not even a thought is found, they are declared as deceased, since the mind always gives out pulses that we can find."
Someone screamed in the back, making everyone turn around and look up to see Windy Whistles, Rainbow's mother, crying loudly into her husbands shoulder, who was shedding tears as well. Scootaloo, who was crying out too, was being consoled by the other two Crusaders. "Rainbow Dash was everyone's idol," Celestia continued, trying to hold her own tears. "She came to help whenever she could, fighting until the fight was won, giving Equestria victory. She fought against Discord, helped free my sister of Nightmare Moon, and was the Element of Loyalty...and proved that time and time again....all the way to the very end. Fly as fast as you can, Rainbow Dash. You will be missed."
The princess turned to Twilight who pulled down the cover over the memorial. They looked on in appreciation at the figure. It looked exactly like the speedy Pegasus even down to the cocky grin . Her body was made out of blue flowers while her mane and tail were made up of different colored vines. And her cutie mark was also made out of flowers.
"This memorial will be in remembrance of our speedy comrade," Applejack said loudly. "You can pay your respects as long as you like. We love you, Rainbow."
All the ponies began crying sadly or wailing loudly as they remembered the antics of the Pegasus, as well as going over to those who have known Rainbow more personally or professionally. Like the Elements, Sunshower and Clear Skies, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof, and Scootaloo, who was being taught by her on how to fly. But they were all unaware of the lone cloud sitting high in the sky with a certain gray Pegasus they'd never find.
Pencil Sketch looked down at them from high above, feeling a little bit of pity for them. Her parents especially. But she didn't want ponies who didn't like Rainbow Dash to even know she existed. Her entire mind had changed. Gone was that snarky, smart-aleck pegasus who believed she could be a Wonderbolt. She wasn't coming back. And if she did....it would be for a reason. Now, she was replaced by the serious, all business pony who only had business on her mind. Business, art, and bits. That was it. She may come to Ponyville sometime in the near future to pay her respects....to herself. But....it'd be mostly business. She wasn't really dead. You can't find a pony you've never met before, like Pencil Sketch. The only one who has met her down there were Celestia and Rarity. And Twilight sort-of. Maybe next year, she'll open a shop down here and paint some modelling paintings for Rarity. She had already made another painting before coming down here to see the aftermath. She called it..."Wonderbolt Hopeful", which displayed a small pegasus filly wearing a Wonderbolt uniform sitting on a ledge and looking towards the real Wonderbolts soaring in front of the sunset, leaving a trail of magic behind them.
It was inspired by her past and things that Rainbow Dash would've wanted to be. But instead got downtrodden and became something even better after walking out of the fire. Rainbow Dash is gone. Pencil Sketch is born.
She sighed before flapping her wings and taking off into the air, headed back for the city of Manehattan and leaving a trail of unnoticed gray behind her. There was a certain dinner waiting for her that she need to eat. As well as some more paintings that needed to be done. So much to to do. So much time. She was free.
It's been a full week since Rainbow Dash's decease declaration, leaving the ponies in Ponyville devastated...and a little confused. How exactly did she die? What if she isn't dead, but just disappeared... For two weeks? That could've happened right?
Sadly, that was just a hopeful pony's dream, that was not going to come true at all. If Pencil Sketch was there, she'd of course knock it down instantly. Ever since she became Pencil Sketch two weeks ago, she's gotten a lot of money, a lot of credit, business, sponsors, even deals with playwrights to create the covers for plays.
She accepted two of them, but that was it. They paid really good money, which put her profit up to over three million bits. After that, she was just painting for the museum. And a task that Princess Celestia personally asked of her. Being titled as the "Greatest painter in all of Equestria" apparently got her some royal status too. But she already saw this request coming. If not her, then Luna. If not Luna, then Rarity.
They wanted her to paint a picture of Rainbow Dash, unbeknownst to them she already had. Two days after the declaration, she had completed "Rainbow's Testimony" Collection, which was just Rainbow Dash flying with the Wonderbolts, the chestplate of the Element of Harmony around her neck, and her flying towards a blue sky filled with Rainbows. Of course the last one was very symbolic. Extremely symbolic if that was even possible.
She was supposed to drop them off early this morning at the Canterlot Castle in the grand hall, where all the Elements Bearers' paintings would be hung in the future. IF she decides to paint them. Which was highly unlikely. She still has not forgiven them. And she probably never would.
Ever since becoming Pencil Sketch, she has become more stoic than a Royal Guard, having absolutely no emotion. The only pony she actually shows emotion around was Buff for her own obvious reasons. Today would be no different. She would just say something like, "I'm sorry for your loss," and move on.
Pencil brushed her hair out from in front of her face so she could stare at the ceiling for a moment. Then huffed quietly before getting out of bed and getting ready. Brushing her teeth, cleaning herself, painting her flanks, and putting on a cape along with some silver hoof shoes that didn't have a resemblance to the ones she used to attack Twilight. Those had a lot of design to them. These were just solid silver round ones. Like bowls. Basic hoofshoes. The cape was actually something like the dress she wore to her first exhibit. But instead of black, it was gray like her coat and mane.
Pencil grabbed her necklace and put it on her neck. Actually... That probably wasn't a good idea now that she thought about it. She shrugged and took it off. Then placed it back in the vault behind the clothes in her closet. Of course she had to make sure that was hidden as well. So she placed—ironically—a painting in front of it. They wouldn't suspect a thing.
Finally after grabbing her sunglasses, she walked downstairs and grabbed her saddlebags. Then opened the door and stepped out into the group of security and Buff, who was looking really handsome today. Pencil remembered that unicorns didn't need to touch you in order to defend themselves. They had magic. So she had Buff measured, shaped and more before a suit of armor was designed for him that was resistant to magic. It was big. It was heavy. And it looked FANTASTIC on him!!
"Hello, Ms. Sketch," he greeted once she walked outside. She smiled his way and shut the door behind her. "Everything has already been loaded up inside the private carriages. We're just waiting for you. The Guard has also been placed here to watch over your home while you are out."
Pencil slowly nodded in approval. "Great. Thank you, Buff. You look good in your suit."
"I look like a sexy stallion," he boasted proudly.
Pencil nodded again and chuckled. Then began striding elegantly towards the golden chariot. "That you do, Buff. Let's go."
After they took off, they were followed by the private carriage and more Royal Guards who were recently commanded by Shining Armor, Twilight's brother. That's gonna be interesting since she hasn't met him yet. Of course with him being the captain that would no longer become an issue.
After a few minutes of flying, one of the Pegasi Sergeants flew up next to her to deliver the instructions. "We'll be landing when we first enter the city, miss. We don't want your expensive million-bit paintings to fall out and crash."
"Very good," she replied with no emotion on her face. They slowed their speed and softly touched down on a concrete road along with the Private Carriage behind them. Ponies were seen walking around and moving to the side as the smaller vehicle arrived with the much longer one. She was recognized almost instantly. Of course the ponies began to scream her name and wave. Pencil smiled and calmly waved back, pleasing the crowds as they smiled at her. These ponies.
~✶~
The Element Bearers were waiting outside the castle doors anxiously, consisting of the remaining Element bearers, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, Windy Whistles, Bow Hothoof, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. Cadance had a hoof wrapped around Twilight's shoulder, giving her moral support for the loss of their friend. And who exactly is this Pencil Sketch she's heard so much about?
They waited in silence for a few more minutes before they heard ponies screaming down the road, catching their attention.
"Is there a problem?" Applejack asked, standing up.
"No, darling it's just her," Rarity answered, motioning towards the front of the castle as a golden chariot, as well as a golden private carriage, pulled up to the gates which were opened, allowing them inside.
The group backed up as the carriages slowed to a stop in front of them, revealing the pony of the hour. Pencil Sketch was too busy talking with Buff for them to see her face at the moment. The conversation obviously important.
"So you're just gonna... Drop it off?" Buff asked her oddly.
"I'm gonna talk to Celestia and tell her these are gifts, not just items," Pencil explained before putting on some reflective shades. "And I will inform them of my new project in Ponyville coming in a few months."
Buff smiled and stated, "That will cheer 'em up."
"I wouldn't care if it didn't. Let's get this show on the road." She moved her mane in front of her right sunglass-covered eye for her secrecy. Then turned around and hopped out the carriage with Buff right behind her, making their way towards the group.
Celestia watched her approach with long strides and head held high with a smile. Once close, she greeted, "Hello, Pencil Sketch. Thank you again for fulfilling my request."
"It's an honor, Princess Celestia," she replied stoically. "I have worked on these even before you asked. These are gifts, not sold items."
"Wait... How did you know about the news?"
"I have contacts all over Equestria." She looked over her shoulder to the guards carrying the heavy duty glass cases containing the paintings towards the open entrance of the building. "And three in Ponyville that I keep in close contact with. It was only a matter of time before I knew about it. I know everything about everypony."
"Oh." Princess Celestia looked taken back by this but continued anyway. "Well still. Thank you. These ponies behind me are really grateful. Let's go inside." She turned around and walked towards the entrance with the rest behind her, followed directly behind by Pencil and Buff. They all walked in through the tall grandeur doors onto smooth marble and vacant halls, decorated with fancy decor, following the ponies carrying the paintings before they stopped at the great hall which had three empty spots on one side. Right by the entrance.
"Thank you, Pencil," Rarity whispered once she caught up to her. "We really appreciate this."
Pencil sighed, then reached up and took off her shades, revealing one of her gray eyes. Rarity was a little surprised. No one else has actually seen her eyes.
"I am aware of your thanks, Rarity," she responded. The guards carefully lifted out the framed painting before five pegasi carefully flew up to the designated area.
The group watched as they were positioned before the covers fell off. Then gasped at what was underneath.
"It's.......so beautiful," Windy complimented. A small tear trailed down her face. The others walked forward and looked at the rest of them. But the one that got the most attention was the very last one named "Fly Fast, Fly Far", with Rainbow flying towards the Rainbows.
"These are so... Detailed," Fluttershy whimpered. "Beautiful."
"Rainbow'd say the same thing, Fluttershy," Applejack whispered, awestruck. While the others were viewing the paintings, Buff was helping Pencil take off her cape, revealing her blank flanks. Of course they weren't really blank but it was really REALLY convincing. It was a little hot in there. But how, it's a castle. Must've been the Sun Princess' emotions or something.
Once comfortable, she stepped closer and explained, "That painting is called... 'Fly fast, Fly far.' I think we all know what I was insinuating when I created it."
"It's a beautiful painting," Twilight complimented. Then slowly turned around to face her along with everyone else with a grateful smile. "Really beautiful. Thank you."
Pencil only nodded before Rarity walked up to her with confusion written on her face. "Darling? If I may ask... Where is your cutie mark?"
The others shifted their eyes off of Rarity towards the artists flanks. "That's a really good question," Applejack agreed. "Do you not have one?"
"I do not show my cutie mark," she responded without emotion. "It brings me nothing but trouble and it will continue doing that until I have finished my real calling. Living how I want to live. Not what a mark says how I have to live."
"So you covered it?" Luna assumed.
Pencil nodded and clarified, "My cutie mark has caused other ponies to become jealous and try to push my buttons. And in turn I would go out of my way to try and please them, bringing me problems. So I took away the cause, getting rid of the issues. And these were the same ponies who called themselves my friends. Ever since then, I shut myself off from other ponies and took up painting."
"So... You're just like... Alone?" Cadance asked.
"I have Buff here," she replied. Then pointex to the stallion grinning beside her. "But even then I'm very careful. I have never let my feelings out and never will again. Buff, our task is complete. We're leaving." Buff grabbed her cape from his back and placed it around her body, hooking it on her neck before they turned towards the entrance. "It was great meeting you all but I must depart. Enjoy the paintings. Until the Grand Galloping, Celestia." Celestia nodded as Pencil turned and walked away, leaving Twilight speechless. No friends?!
"Wait!" Pencil stopped and looked over her shoulder to see Twilight trot up behind her. Of course she'd try something. "Would you be willing to give friendship another shot?" She asked hopefully.
Pencil faced forward towards the entrance of the castle, thinking about that before turning back around to give her honest answer.
"No. I have been hurt by a group of ponies who claimed they were my friends and that won't happen again. My so-called supporters. One of them was my best friend. Way back to flight school. She turned on me too. So I am never leaving myself comfortable again and there will be no friendship again. Goodbye, Ms. Sparkle."
Pencil and Buff made their way out the entrance doors which closed with a sound that was perceived as "Deafening", making the ponies flinch. It was so quiet in those halls, you could hear a tissue hit the marble flooring.
"Well......that was discouraging," Shining Armor muttered, breaking the silence. "To be made fun of so much that you had to hide your cutie mark... That's the same as throwing your life away."
"The exact same," Celestia agreed. "Twilight. I think you should try to reform Pencil Sketch. Open her eyes back up to friendship."
Twilight sighed and shufted her sights from the door to Celestia with a shaking head. "I don't know, Princess. You can't just open a locked box. You have to pick at it." Celestia gave her a knowing smirk. "And I don't feel like picking at it. At least not her. Most ponies would say things like 'I'd try again if the right pony came along', or 'Maybe one day'. But she instead said no because she was betrayed. By her 'So-called supporters.'"
"There is so much more to Pencil Sketch than painting it seems," Fluttershy muttered.
"I concur," Rarity agreed. "But maybe you should just give her an open invitation. Say that you'd be willing to give her friendship."
"To what address?" Twilight responded. "Nopony in Ponyville knows where she lives, and I doubt we can just ask the museum director for her address."
Pinkie Pie jumped in and asked, "She did say she has contacts in every city of Equestria, right? And that she had three in Ponyville! We just have to find them!"
The others all agreed while Twilight just huffed and gave in. "Alright, fine, I'll send an invitation when we find them. But how do we find them?"
The others looked at each other with the exact same question on their minds. How do you find three ponies who were in service to a secretive rich pony?
The trip back to the house was a little quiet, the weight of what was revealed back there weighing heavily on both Pencil's and Buff's shoulders. Eventually, Buff had to break the only noise being the wind brushing past their manes as the chariot was pulled along.
"So... I'm your only friend," the stallion concluded.
"Yes," Pencil replied blandly.
"And... you don't want more because you're afraid of how they'll treat you."
Pencil sighed before slowly nodding her head. "You know... It just wasn't those ponies. Back in flight school, I was teased a lot too. I put up a front with defying limitations, creating a breach through the sound barrier. Literally and metaphorically. But inside... I was hurt. Which got worse over time.
"I never vented that frustration, so everything was building up. Like my stack of bits. Soon, the container begun to crack, holding it back by a very small amount of strength. But the second those five said that I was not their friend, that everything we did together was a lie, I blew. I blew up and I left, along with anything that I had a connection to. Including my parents, the filly who looked up to me... And my job. That town is no doubt going through rough times right now." The chariot touched down in Manehattan, slowing down to a trot before stopping completely in front of Pencil's house, still heavily guarded by the Royal Guard.
"Of course they'll get through it in the future," she continued as she walked out and headed towards the doors with Buff right behind her. "But it will be tough."
Buff stopped with Pencil in front of her doors and inquired, "What do you mean?"
"I was my town's weather manager. I oversaw the ponies pushing in clouds, taking out clouds, bringing rain, snow, wind, and anything else that had to do with weather. But... I'm not there anymore. So they'll have to choose another manager which is a timely process. Which means no weather change until they're chosen."
"What? It's blazing hot out here! So the town could be burning up right now."
"Well, they WERE. I'm sure a new manager's been picked by now." She opened the door before smiling to Buff once again. "Thank you again, Buff. You've proven once again as loyal. If you need anything, just let me know."
"Can I just prove it to you some more........by taking you out to dinner sometime?" He asked hopefully and timidly.
It's like Pencil's brain just cutoff. She slowly turned her head and faced the nervous Stallion, her own nervousness showing by the intense red on her cheeks.
"Um... Uh... We-we'll see in the future," she stammered, once more putting up that wall of lifelessness. "That's not a yes or a no, it's a 'Maybe in the future if everything goes smoothly.'"
"Oh, okay," he responded happily. "I can wait."
"You do it everytime you're here. Good day, Buff."
"Good day, Ms. Sketch." He walked towards the street while Pencil went inside and closed the door behind her. Once it was locked she turned around and pressed her back against it, eyes closed and good over her bearing heart. Buff just asked her out. The big, sexy stallion just asked her on a date. Forget dating.
"That stallion could rock my world," she stated hungrily through clenched teeth before her eyes popped open. "He just gave me an idea." She got back down onto all four hooves before taking off her cape and basic hoofshoes.
Then slowly flew upstairs and placed them in her large closet and grabbed her golden ornate hoofshoes to place them on instead. She reached up to grab a gray painter's uniform and put it on. As well as her saddlebags before making her way back downstairs towards her studio. There was a smaller closet for her paints and brushes. It held all the colors, including mixes. Reaching in, she grabbed a small foldable easel, a canvas, some paint brushes, paint and ink, and a cloak before making her way outside again. It was still daytime since she dropped those paintings off at the castle. It was around eleven. Not even noon yet. But she had to be careful, even if this was for a good cause. Because it was taking place back in Ponyville.
"So... How exactly do we find a pony that knows a pony that NO ONE gets?" Applejack asked as they walked their way back into the small town, the obvious question on everyone's mind.
"We ask silly!" Pinkie hopped ahead of the group humming some type of song as she started asking random ponies if they were Pencil Sketch's contact. Rarity just facehoofed while the others just watched with rapt attention, trying to figure out this mare.
"She is going to give me a headache," Fluttershy whispered to herself.
"Rainbow'd probably grab her and throw her in the lake or something," Twilight chuckled. She shook her head before turning towards the new building in the works right next to town hall. "What do you girls think that's going to be?" She asked, pointing her hoof in the building's direction.
"I'm not sure," Rarity answered, scratching her chin. "I asked one of the builders and they said it was 'very important to young artists.' Whatever that means. Maybe it's for musicians. Like Vinyl and Octavia."
"I don't know. Why would there be a two story studio?" Applejack asked pointing her hoof at the second floor in the works. They were currently doing the interior of the building since the exterior was already completed. Of course there was still no sign for the name yet. "That would mess up the sound."
"So it's probably for something else.....I don't know." Twilight huffed before looking around again, unaware of the gray cloaked figure walking right past them, her saddlebags filled with supplies. "How's Pinkie doing?"
"Still nothing!" She shouted at the same time she jumped out from behind the group, startling them in the process. Her body was shaking and bouncing around. "But my Pinkie sense is going off big time! There's a new pony in town!"
"Really?" Rarity asked.
"Yeah, she's over there!" She pointed a hoof towards the cloaked figure making her way towards the new building with stuffed saddlebags, a walk of authority in her step.
"Well why don't we go say hello?" Twilight suggested. They started to make their way over to them, unaware of who it actually was.
Pencil Sketch adjusted her cloak before she stopped in front of the building where a builder pony was cutting a wooden beam. "Excuse me."
He stopped and turned around to face her with a smile. "Hello, miss. How can I help you?"
"I'm the founder of these establishments that are being built all over Equestria." She moved the hood back slightly to show her face, making the builder squeak as he realized just who was standing in front of him.
"M-m-m-m-m-Miss Sketch! It's an honor to meet you in the flesh! I'll get the mare-in-charge right away!" He dropped the chainsaw with a clang and made his way inside while Pencil put the hood back over her head. Alone, she decided to look around the area a little bit. It looked the exact same... Except for the one small detail. Pencil took small steps over to the memorial in front of town hall. Her memorial. It was beautiful, she had to give it that. Everything was in detail. Just like how she paints.
There was a plaque in front of it reading, "Loving Friend & The Definition Of Loyalty. Fly Fast And Fly Far, Rainbow Dash."
Just looking at it made Pencil upset that they had made her give up her home town. They pushed her to the edge where she jumped and took the plunge, going down the river and unable to grab anything. Luckily, there was no waterfall, so she wasn't exactly dead. Just resting. She might come back in a few years. That's a very small might.
She sighed and walked back over to the building where all the workers were standing in front of, eager to greet the mare that had made their lives worthwhile. "Hello, everypony," she greeted. "I'm just stopping across this town for some inspiration when I thought about checking the progression on my first studio. How is it coming along, Strong Hoof?"
A mare with a blue hardhat on her head that had a sky blue coat, yellow eyes, and a yellow mane and tail stepped forward with a clipboard in her left hoof. "It's going splendid, ma'am!" She responded happily. "So far, no accidents have occurred, everything is in tip-top shape, and we should be finished within two weeks."
"Excellent. I'm going to take a look inside before I be on my way. It looked really promising on the blueprints but I like to have—gah!" A sudden pink face appeared in front of the cloaked figure, smiling WAY too hard that startled Pencil Sketch so much she yelped and jumped backwards in a fighting stance. Luckily, her cloak held up.
"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! You must be new! Are you new? If you are, welcome to Ponyville! I'm always excited to meet new friends! Are you excited? Huh? Huh? Are ya?"
"This is not going to end well," Strong Hoof whispered over to one of the builders who quickly nodded his head.
"Pinkie!" Rarity scolded walking over briskly. "That is not how you greet people! Running up in a lady's face like that! I'm so sorry, Miss. Pinkie can be such a problem sometimes. I'm Rarity. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She held out a hoof towards the mysterious Pony along with a smile while the other Element bearers wore the same expression. Pencil Sketch looked down towards the outstretched hoof before looking back up again, sighing in annoyance.
Looking past Rarity, Pencil called, "Strong Hoof? I will be getting that tour NOW, please."
"Yes, ma'am, right this way." The builders all parted as Pencil walked around Rarity and made her way inside, leaving the Bearers standing there shocked.
"No one... Has ever... Turned down Rarity's hoof before," Twilight whispered. Then walked over to Rarity in the same position she was in when Pencil left. "You okay?"
Rarity slowly turned her head to Twilight, hoof still outstretched before regaining her composure. "I'm fine. I'll just let Pinkie try again when she comes out."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Rares," Applejack said carefully, shaking her head. "She didn't seem all that friendly to me."
"Then we'll be friendly for her! DUHHHH!" Pinkie turned back around and hid beside the door, waiting for her to come out.
A few minutes later, the builders and the mare returned. The captain graced them with a pleasant smile on her face. "Are you satisfied with the work, ma'am?"
"Extremely," she replied. A few inches out, she turned to face them. "This is just the beginning of buildings going all over across Equestria. And at the rate of funds I am receiving, it will be a true inspiration to those who wish to put their talents to good use."
"That's fantastic. And~..." The two stared at each other before the cloaked pony clicked her tongue.
"Always the curious one, huh?" Strong Hoof shrugged. "Well the net worth has reached one billion even though I only have five million. I just checked before I came here. I knew you were going to ask."
"What can I say, I'm always curious. It was great seeing you again. I'll be in contact with you when it is completed."
"Until then." Pencil turned around and bumped her muzzle straight into Pinkie's grinning face. Again. Uh oh.
"Hi again! It's me, Pinkie!"
Pencil huffed her nose into Pinkie's face. "I'm aware. Now get out of my face."
"Aww you're so cranky! I have just the thing to cheer you up!" Stepping back, Pinkie reached into her hair and pulled out a cupcake and stuffed it in the cloaked pony's mouth. How she knew where her mouth was were a mystery. "Eat up!" Pencil spit it back out onto the ground before staring daggers at the pony. "Oh you didn't like that one? I have so much more at my shop! We have banana, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, grape, blueberry, orange—" Pencil sketch stuffed a hoof in Pinkie's mouth, silencing her.
"Pinkie... I'm going to say two words. Are you listening, they're really important." Pinkie nodded, the hoof still in her mouth. "Are you sure? Because they depend on whether you go flying straight into the badlands and stay there forever, or stay here if you do or don't listen. The choice is yours. Now ARE you listening closely?" She nodded again before the pony spoke. "Okay. Here you go. SHUT! UP!" She withdrew her hoof before turning around to the shocked faces of the builders. "Stay in contact with me now."
"Y-Yes m-ma'am," strong hoof stuttered, a little put off by that outburst. Pencil nodded before walking past Pinkie and making her way to the library.
"Well... That was... Unexpected," Rarity stated. She grabbed Pinkie and shook her awake. "I didn't expect them to act like that at all."
"Me neither...." Twilight whispered. She watched the suspicious figure go past the library and somewhere else. "We should follow her. I don't like how this is looking. Not at all."
"I'm down," Applejack spat. "I don't like how she yelled at Pinkie."
"I think I'll just stay at the library while you guys.....do that," Fluttershy whispered, running towards the library and throwing herself inside.
"Awww, she was getting better too. It's alright, let's just follow 'em." The four ponies all rushed after the strange pony who was currently making her way towards the Whitetail woods. About to do what she does best.
Pencil Sketch walked carefully towards the Whitetail Woods, thoughts plaguing her mind. How exactly.....can she avoid those ponies that have been following her for five minutes by Twilight's spell without revealing herself? They've been trailing her, thinking they were unnoticed by Sparkle's invisibility. So annoying. But it's whatever. She had to get this down before she forgets it, and/or someone else beats her to it. That'd be a disaster.
Pencil Sketch turned left down the trail that headed into the woods, letting the ponies know of her destination. Of course they'd think all this was a little suspicious, wearing a completely black cloak that covered all of her body, leaving absolutely no clue as to the mare's shape. That itself looked REALLY suspicious. And she yelled in Pinkie Pie's face. But that felt good though. VERY good. Venting years of built-up anger at the ponies who called themselves her friends and lied to her face. Friends were nothing but a lie and they knew that.
After another minute of walking she stopped and looked around the scenery. It... Was perfect. Real perfect. The path had led directly to a clearing on her left that revealed the mountainside of Canterlot, vignetted by the trees in the area that had colored leaves, giving the hint that fall was coming. Quicker than you could remember in the past. Must be because everything else is happening so fast.
She could easily give that mountain a more serene look. Clouds, blowing leaves, Pegasi flying towards it. So simple for her. She chuckled and began to unpack, giving the mares behind her a show as she took off her hood. She sighed and asked loudly, "Why were you following me for exactly seven minutes and eighteen seconds? Your spell isn't all that, Ms. Sparkle."
The mares all dropped their mouths open before Twilight sighed. "How'd you know?" She asked
"That is a secret." Pencil unfolded her easel and set it up while Twilight dropped the invisibility shield, revealing her and the three other ponies. "An artist, or magician, mage, whatever, never reveals her secrets." She took off her cloak completely revealing her long hair with different streaks of gray in it along with her wings, reminding the mares behind her of another Pegasus. If only they knew.
"So... Why are you here?" Rarity asked her.
"Is it not obvious?" She unfurled her wings and tucked some paintbrushes between her feathers for quick use. "I am here to paint. Like I have done all my life." And I lived here, you dolt, she thought to herself.
"I don't think you've been paintin' all your life," Applejack corrected.
"Oh?" Pencil grabbed a nearby pencil and positioned it in front of the easel with her mouth, preparing to start. "Then what have I been doing, since you know me so well?"
"I don't know. But you said this mornin' that your so-called supporters made fun of you for your cutie mark and what you liked doin'. That means they made fun of what you were doing most of all when you got it, which, from what I was told, weren't paintin'." Pencil continued sketching as she responded with her teeth clenched around the pencil.
"What?" Applejack asked in confusion, losing her confident smirk.
"They didn't make fun of me because of what I did with my cutie mark. Or what it even looked like. They made fun of me because I went against it. They said I didn't like my cutie mark because it gave me away. Made me look like a foal. A child with an obsession. And that I was weak for ignoring it."
Pencil finished sketching the last portion of the mountain. She chuckled through her teeth. "Well... I have made a new obsession that has earned me over five million, and growing. Soon, I will be the richest pony in all of Equestria. I will be the talk of the town and will inspire many younger foals to defy the limitation that is the 'Cutie Mark'. The limitation that you can't venture out and create your own calling in life. Your life shouldn't be determined by something you don't like. I will give you an example."
She turned around to face them, her hair still covering her right eye and the pencil still in her mouth. "If a pony is good at cleaning, do you really think he, or she, is going to enjoy cleaning for the rest of their life?"
They all stared at her in confusion before she turned around to continue sketching. "You cannot say that they will because you cannot advance and create new skills in cleaning. Only ponies who have a cutie mark in innovation can. Some ponies have cutie marks that keep them on the ground, while others have cutie marks that let them go higher and higher and higher until they breach the atmosphere." She turned back around and picked up the pencil again, continuing to draw before she continued. "The logical sense would be to create your own path. But those who wish to do so are too afraid. They think they will fail miserably and be trapped forever. But that's not entirely true.
"In reality, it's like getting a second job. Just without an application. You experiment with what you have done in the past and turn that into a job. If you are a cook but enjoy writing, you go out and cook in the day, then in the afternoon you write that book. If you like flying but painting at the same time, you fly in the morning and paint at night. And still have enough time for enjoyment."
"Or friends!" Pinkie cheered. Pencil sighed and buzzed her wings in annoyance, almost dropping her brushes in the process.
"Sure, Pink one. Let your friends go and try to distract you from what's really important. Your friends? They turn on you. They all turn on you at a point. Every. Last. One." She began on the windows of the castle, her vision making them out clearly as if they were in front of her. "My so-called friends? They all turned against me. One of them, practically the leader of the circle, pretty much told me to my face that everything we did together was a lie and that it was all for nothing. I was no one to them. So... I cried and left. And I'm never going back. The only way I would is if a natural disaster or magical disaster occurred. And even then there are limits."
"It's really important to have friends, Pencil Sketch," Twilight said, slowly approaching her.
"It is Ms Sketch, Ms. Sparkle," she scolded, working on the corners and shaping of the castle. "No one is allowed to call me by my full name unless they are the media or an announcer. That includes you and the rest of those behind me."
"Okay, I apologize. But you need friends, Ms. Sketch," Twilight replied desperately. "Or at least someone to talk to when things get tough. You can't always handle situations on your own. Because you'll crack and something bad may happen."
You should've been told me that, traitor, Pencil thought to herself. "Ms. Sparkle, I've been down that road. And survived to tell the tale. I was changed slightly, but I eventually still came out on top. Literally. I became a millionaire after I dumped my so-called friends. They were holding me back from my full potential."
"Do you at least talk to your parents?" Rarity asked her in wonder.
"No. It's best that way. But I do watch over them from afar." She began drawing the leaves of the trees around her. "They will never be able to see me though. Probably never again."
"What you need.....is a party!" Pinkie cheered, jumping up and down with a grin plastered on her face. "You need a party because you don't see the wonders in laughing, having fun, and relaxation with friends that-"
"I DO NOT PARTY, PINK ONE!" She yelled over her shoulder, startling the pony. "Parties are for ponies who proudly delay themselves up to a year per minute in discovery for the next best thing. They are a waste of time and I do not indulge in it."
"No parties?!" Applejack repeated unbelievably. "Every pony in Equestria loves to party!"
"Sorry, but partying isn't really my thing." She set down the pencil and looked over her work closely for any visible flaws. "You could say... I have a sense of magic for the flaws of society. I can see things that nopony else realizes and I use that to better others. Although there were some ponies who fight against it, I reach a bunch more with that magic. It's as simple as picking up a paintbrush."
She flicked her wing, taking out a paintbrush that started flicking through the air before it landed perfectly in her mouth to set the example. "If you don't mind, this is the sensitive part of my work and I need to be alone for this."
"But—"
"THANK YOU, Ms. Sparkle." The group sighed before she turned back around and started the painting process. They all made their exit, leaving Twilight there for a moment to do one last thing. There was something weird about this pony. What Equestrian didn't enjoy parties?
She activated her magic and started a scanning spell, just to make sure she was okay and not a changeling or something. Once getting the information, she got confused and tried again, getting the same result.
"Did you find what you were looking for, Ms. Sparkle?" Twilight popped her eyes open and looked up to see Pencil sketch still painting. "Your magic is advanced, but I can still feel it."
Twilight stopped her breathing for a minute. "How...can you..."
"Once again... Have a good day, Ms. Sparkle." Twilight tightened her lips before walking away with that sense of defeat weighing heavily on her mind. Once she was far enough away, Pencil muttered one last thing. "And the real search begins. It begins now."
The group walked out of the woods, failure written all over their faces. They followed Pencil Sketch into the woods hoping to convince her to chase friendship. But instead, she gave them reasons as to why ponies should not have friends and focus on their own lives.
"That... Was so sad," Pinkie whimpered. Her mane had lost its fluffiness which came back another second later. "She really needs a party! Like pronto! With balloons, cake, and presents!"
"I don't think that's a good idea, Pinkie," Rarity warned, discouraged like everyone else.
"Well, we ain't givin' up!" Applejack yelled, taking up a stance of confidence. "We're gonna get her a friend! Rainbow wouldn't want us to give up either! Right, Twilight?" Twilight couldn't answer, too busy trying to figure out that mare. She was obviously worried.
"Twilight?" She looked to her right to see the others, specifically Rarity, staring at her in worry. "What is it, darling?"
Twilight blinked at them before turning back to the sight of Ponyville up ahead and explaining her state. "Before we left, I took the chance to scan her since Applejack had a valid point. Everypony in Equestria loves to party. I checked to see if she was spelled, a changeling, possessed of dark magic, or for emotions. And I'm very stumped at what I found."
"Which was....." Applejack pushed.
"Nothing."
"Okay, fine. Don't tell me."
"No no. I mean....there was NOTHING to find." They all turned to her with confused looks on their faces. "A pony always has something going on in them. Whether it's emotion or magic. Even life or brainwaves. Since Pencil Sketch is a mystery, I scanned for all four. And I got absolutely no feedback. None. Zip. Zero. So I tried again and got the same result. I was about to go a third time, but somehow... She felt my prodding."
"Are you telling me Pencil Sketch has no... Life in her?" Rarity asked carefully.
"I don't know!" Twilight yelled, throwing her hooves in the air. "I'm stumped! I've never seen, nor read, about this before! Come on, we're calling in Celestia."
***
"You can't let Rainbow's death get you down, Fluttershy," Spike consoled the distraught pegasus sitting across from him at the kitchen table crying her eyes out. "Yeah, it's a big deal. But there's nothing we can do about it."
"I know," Fluttershy whimpered. She lifted a hoof and wiped the tears from her eyes. "But I can't help it. We ran her away. And we couldn't even apologize. It never even reached our minds to apologize. And now we'll never get that chance. Because she's gone. And we'll never find her."
Before Spike could respond, the front door slammed open. "Spike!! Get Princess Celestia down here right now!!"
Spike sighed and ran to a nearby cabinet. This was an everyday thing. He pulled out an empty scroll, inkwell, and quill. Then placed the items down on the counter and wrote down the "Urgent" heading before writing the message and sending it on its way.
"Done. Now what is it, Twilight?" Twilight walked briskly into the kitchen and told the dragon what she discovered. "Okaaay....yeah. Yeah, that's a little freaky," he responded.
"Twilight." They all turned their heads to face the motherly form of Celestia standing in the doorway. How'd she get here so fast? "What's wrong? You look very disturbed."
Twilight turned around, sighed, and told the princess everything that happened. From Pencil going into the building, yelling in Pinkie's face, the sad speech they received in the woods, and Twilight's discovery.
"Well, I agree that Pinkie should really stop forcing her way up to ponies trying to be a friend. It could've been worse. And are you absolutely sure you didn't sense anything in Pencil Sketch?"
"Yes!" Twilight said, obviously worried about this. "I scanned her twice and everyone in here for comparison. They didn't even know I did it but Pencil was somehow able to FEEL it."
Celestia widened her eyes. "She felt your magic? That's impossible, only the most experienced of mages can feel magic! Are you absolutely sure she felt magic?"
"Positive." Celestia turned around and walked out the library to look around. Being the main street in and out of Ponyville, Pencil would have to walk through here. The princess of the sun turned around and flew up into the leaves of the tree, waiting for her. By now, her painting should be completed. And she was right.
Down below, she saw the cloaked figure walking with the bulging saddlebags and a glass casing on her back. Obviously Pencil Sketch since what was inside was a very detailed painting.
Celestia calmly lit her horn and activated the spell, far more advanced than Twilight's just for good measure, to scan her. Once it made contact, she gasped lightly, finding what Twilight said to be true. There was nothing there. Like a box with nothing inside. But that couldn't be right, all ponies had something going on with them.
Pencil Sketch stopped for a moment before she huffed loudly and turned around, looking straight at Celestia's hiding place, shocking the princess before she pulled back her hood, revealing her face.
"It is more polite to ask than just to go against another pony's will and scan them, Celestia." Celestia sighed and stopped the spell. Then jumped out of the tree and landed in front of the library.
"Hello, Ms. Sketch," she greeted kindly. "Could you step into the library please?" Pencil looked at her nonchalantly before she sighed and fulfilled that request, walking past Celestia and into the library.
The Element bearers watched the two walk in. Pencil more calm about everything while Twilight was shaking in her hooves. The princess closed the door softly while Pencil Sketch set down the painting and walked around, looking at the books. "Nice library, Twilight."
"Thank you. I recently reorganized everything, so... Wait... I never told you I was a librarian."
Pencil glanced at her before she walked to the table in the middle of the room and set down the rest of her stuff. "I do not appreciate being scanned, ladies. I find it an invasion of my privacy. What exactly could you have been looking for?"
Celestia sat down on the other side of the table and answered, "Twilight informed me that you had no friends and have cut yourself off from the rest of Equestrian society. Is it because you have no magic, no friends, or both?"
Pencil chuckled before shaking her head. "Oh, there are many factors as to why I left my hometown, created myself as an unknown entity, and do not speak to ponies. It is because... I have things that no other pony else has that could become a danger to all of Equestria. I am... A shadow."
The ponies all looked at her strangely, clearly not understanding. "Let me give you a good example. Princess Luna had Nightmare Moon, Princess Celestia had Daybreaker, and another pony... Gets Pencil Sketch."
Celesta, in alarm whispered, "Are you saying—"
"I'm the dark side of a pony that has given up because of a betrayed friendship," Pencil deadpanned, interrupting Twilight. "And she is refusing to come back. Unlike Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker, I do not cause destruction to be admired. I give others a sense of... Tranquility with her paintings. I don't go to ponies and hurt them. I do the opposite."
"So you're... The dark side of a pony," Rarity concluded.
"Correct."
"But you're not really dark."
"Oh, do not get confused, I am pretty upset. But instead of venting it out by hurting other ponies, I put it towards something more positive. Painting and creating a better path for the ponies of the future. This side of this pony isn't as upset as the pony contained within. You can also view me as a safety mechanism. If the pony inside becomes sad, angry, or even deadly, I take over until they calm down. But unfortunately, she is not calming down. So she has willingly morphed with me, creating one whole pony. So there is no soul and no magic."
"So your host has given up?!" Twilight asked in alarm.
"Yes, and she was the best pony the town has ever seen. But inside... She was devastated. Ready to lash out. So she took up different ways to vent her anger. Flying."
A little too much info, Pencil thought to herself. She glanced at a book in the middle of the table that had to do with physics.
"But apparently that didn't work out for her," Celestia concluded. She watched Pencil put on her things.
"No, it did not. She is still around, just not in the same way as before. We have come together and made one pony. But I have the majority of control while she just....sits back and enjoys the ride, albeit with tears trailing down her face. Not from me. But from those who have betrayed her. She still gives me thoughts and such. Staying in contact, but that's all. Two beings, one body, a split brain, that is working together to create one voice. An example of that is me willing to come inside this library and tell you about her and I. I definitely did not want to."
She walked around the table and made her way to the door. But before she opened it, she sighed and gave one last message. "And girls? Try not to go digging. You will NOT like what you find. I may be the dark side.....but she is still angry."
Pencil Sketch put up her hood, carefully picked up her painting, and walked out before taking off into the air. All of that was partly true. There was another side to her, just a different name and partially different body. But Rainbow was still angry. Pencil Sketch could feel all of that anger pooling up inside her. It was a lot. A copious amount. But she didn't know how to release it.
She could fly like she did back then and complete "Gray Booms", as they were called, but that'd give her away. There was only one pony who could do that. And she did not want those ponies tracking her down like she knew they were doing at this very hour.
She needed an outlet. Yes, painting was good. But there must be something else. Well, she does have a lot of money. How about a vacation?
"I know she said not to go digging," Twilight said, finally breaking the silence that lasted a minute and a half. "But I'm going digging. From what she's told us there is a pony trapped in her body."
"Sounds like the Elements of Harmony need to come back into play," Rarity agreed. "But what exactly are we looking for?"
Twilight walked over to a closet at the bottom of the staircase and opened it before pulling out another bookcase. She grunted as it slowly slid out, the metal structure creaking with age. "We are looking" She grunted and gave it one more tug with her magic, revealing two books. "For records of a lost pony. A pony that was reported missing. These are records from detectives all over Equestria. For some reason, every library has a list of ponies that have went missing. There are only two books, one hundred pages each, and I can scan them for a pony who upped and left under bullying circumstances, and write them down on a list. I just need to know what we're looking for. I already know the food. I just need to know the ingredients to create the dish."
She picked up the two books in her magic and set them down on the table in the middle of the room. She went over and set them side-by-side before she focused on the others. "This will be quick and doesn't take up more than twenty minutes. What am I looking for?"
"A pony who likes art," Celestia answered. "She said that she was made fun of because she didn't do what her cutie mark told her and did art instead. So she was made fun of. Which means she liked art before she ran away."
Twilight grabbed an inkwell and a quill from the other side of the room in a drawer before she dipped it in the ink and wrote it on the scroll next to her. "Okay, interests? Art. What else?"
"Try looking for a rebel. Since she liked to go against things," Applejack suggested. She wrote that down next.
"Okay, what else?"
"Flying," Pinkie answered. She walked over from the window with a serious look on her face. "She loved flying. She was probably from Cloudsdale." They all agreed and gave Pinkie a pat for that amazing insight.
"Alright! So that's a big clue!" Twilight yelled writing that down before putting the quill down and opening one book. "These books were updated when Rainbow disappeared as well. So there may be a really big clue in here somewhere. I'm just hoping it's big enough." Twilight lit her horn and highlighted the book before the pages began turning.
"Let's leave her to it," Celestia said, heading towards the front door while the others followed behind her. Leaving Twilight to do what she does best. Research.
"Are you nuts?" One of the lawn ponies yelled to the other who was cutting a bush too small. The two of them were in the Royal Garden of the castle, tending to the bushes around the statues and walkways. "The princesses will have aneurisms when they see this disaster! We're lawn service, not lawn destroyers!"
"Look," he retorted. "These bushes are way too big! They need to go down! When we come back in a month, this whole walkway will be closed off because these bush's branches will have blocked the whole thing off! And that's a lot of work when the bush is already thick! The hedge trimmers may even break and we can't afford that!"
"Yes, we can!"
"No, we can't!"
"Yes, we can!"
"No, we can't!" The two ponies were so busy arguing, that they weren't paying close attention to the statue on the other side of them, of the draconequus.....that was slowly cracking apart. Starting from the bottom to the top. Slowly leaking out the power. And future unrest.
The artist landed back in front of her home, which was congested with Paparazzi, obviously trying to get information on her next show. Luckily, the Royal Guard were there to hold them back, but they weren't leaving. "Uggghhhh....great," she muttered before she pulled back her hood, revealing her face. "Excuse me, I'm trying to get through," she said to them as they continued to take pictures and ask questions.
"Where is the next show going to be held?"
"Have there been any new paintings?"
"Will you be collaborating with more artists?"
Eventually she was able to get through the crowd and the royal guard before she made her way up to the doors with her new painting balancing on her back. After unlocking the door and walking inside, she calmly closed it and set the glass casing down on the kitchen table to look it over. So far, it was great! It could've been taken with a high quality camera it looked so good.
"Rainbow Dash, you are........nope. No, that is not my name anymore." She cleared her throat and tried again. "Pencil Sketch, you are awesome!" She jumped in the air and spun around in a circle before getting back on all four hooves again. This was a big accomplishment because none of her drawings and paintings have ever been this.....detailed. Sharp. Every crease of the mountainside could be seen, along with the cracks and lines in the leaves that were flying by. Forget fastest flier. How about Fastest and Advanced Painter/Artist?
"This is definitely going to get an award," She muttered before grabbing the glass casing agaiin and walking towards the locked vault she had installed in her home. It took awhile to have installed, but those guys were actually pretty scared of Buff. So they quickly did it and got out of there. And they did it so well.
She punched in the code and allowed the airlock and bolts to come undone before she pulled it the rest of the way open. There was also an internal lock in it as well for security measures. If someone were to close the door on her, she'd be able to get back out without a problem.
She looked around for the best place to put her painting-in-waiting. The art inside of the vault were all being held for the showcase coming around the corner in a week. Which she still doesn't know the location of. There have been votes with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, The Elements for some reason, Princess Cadance, and others on where her art can be seen by the most downhearted of ponies. Even though her work has inspired millions of them, there was still a handful of them that hadn't actually seen her work or even know it exists. So they were hoping to change that by bringing her to a city or town that didn't get a lot and was mostly cut off from the rest of Equestria. She had a few clues so far about where it would actually be held. Words such as Elements, Ville, Villa, Town hall, and Memorial were pretty big clues.
After taking the canvas out of the glass casing, she set it up on the wall inside another glass case with a magical lock on it, only being able to open it by her. Although she was going by the name Pencil Sketch, she was still very much like Rainbow Dash. Just a little different in attitude. But everything else was the same. Her height, face, legs, wing length, and her hair, tail, and cutie mark, all three just had a shade instead of color. Just like the rest of her body. Including the way she thought.
But she was still Rainbow Dash in the heart. That would never change. She just abandoned everything else and chased her passion. Hopefully....no one would learn about it too soon. Someone will find out eventually. But it won't be soon.
After the painting was hung up and secured, she walked back out of the vault and locked it back. A lot of things have happened in a few weeks. So much.
"Okay, so I found a few ponies," Twilight reported when the group walked back in. "But they don't entirely match Pencil Sketch's origin."
"What ya' find?" Applejack asked as she trotted over to get a better look with others right behind her.
"Most of them are teenagers. But Pencil Sketch is obviously a grown mare."
Mmmhmm," Celestia hummed, looking at the names.
"Berry Find. She went missing three years ago and no one has heard of her. She was Twelve. Yellow coat, solid blue mane. Pencil Sketch's coat was grayed out but it wasn't light enough to have an original hue of yellow." Rarity looked at the librarian skeptically.
"How could you tell that?"
Twilight shrugged. "I actually have no idea. I just do. But Berry Find has usually been spotted on and off in Equestria, mostly in Canterlot. The Royal Guard would try to get her to come home, but she would run away from them instead. Next up, we have Dried Leaf. He matches everything. Pegasus, comes from Cloudsdale, and was made fun of for his cutie mark which was a dried up leaf, hence his name. But there was one problem as to why I crossed him off."
"He was a stallion?" Fluttershy whispered.
"Yes, he was a stallion. And finally, we have Magenta Blue. She was fifteen when she went missing. A pegasus, bullied in Cloudsdale, ran away. But her parents found her fighting a group of other pegasi that was making fun of her. She's back with her family. Those were the only ones that have a close match as to who the pony is that gave up their life. All except one. But sadly, she is not around anymore." The atmosphere got really dark in the room before Celestia tried to break the silence.
"Well, hopefully she'll give us some more clues as to who this pony may be when she arrives here for her next art show," she said enthusiastically.
"Wait, are you serious?" Applejack asked unbelievably.
"Yes. It has been determined that since Ponyville isn't exactly close to Canterlot or Manehattan where her work is most evident, and is actually in between some more places where ponies can actually get to and not spend too much time on the road, we will be holding it here."
"That's fantastic, Princess!" Twilight said. "I haven't actually seen all of her work yet, but I heard it's really good."
"Good?!" Rarity said unbelievably. "It is AMAZING! She is able to capture so many details with only a brush, a pencil, and an eye! It is just marvelous! Do you know how many paintings she's bringing?"
"Well....she's been working on paintings for an entire month," Celestia said down to her with a chuckle. "So I bet that it's going to be a lot."
"Sounds great," Twilight said.
"I must return back to Canterlot now. I am positive Luna is about to throw another Elite out of the throne room as we speak."
"Luna? Can we please get some more land for another business?"
"And what type of business is this? Does it serve to bring happiness to ALL ponies of Equestria....or just the Elite.....again?" Luna leaned forward from her throne to stare at and intimidate the pony with an eyeglass in front of his right eye, a business suit and his head being held high in the air.
"Only the Elite, of course. Why would you ask such a-"
"GET OUT OF MY THRONE ROOM, YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A STALLION!!!"
"Well, thanks for helping us out with this, Princess," Twilight said, giving her teacher a hug. "We appreciate it."
"Anytime, Twilight." When Twilight let go, Celestia teleported back to Canterlot, leaving the Elements of themselves to think and ponder.
"We should have a party!" Pinkie said, walking out of the kitchen with a cake on her back.
"Well.....we'll eat the cake, but we're definitely not dancing," Applejack said, waving her hoof at the party pony. "Especially Twilight. She is MOST definitely not dancing."
"Are you trying to say I can't dance?" She asked trying not to laugh. "And you dance better than me?"
"I'm not trying.....I am saying it." Twilight scoffed before putting the records back in the hidden bookcase and sliding it back into place. Once finished she walked over and got into Applejack's face, grinning.
"Okay. I might not be able to dance but I can sing better than you."
"Oh yeah?"
"Oh, no. We're not doing this either," Rarity interrupted, walking over and pushing the two mares back. "We.....are going.....to try on dresses!!!! For the upcoming show."
"NO!!!!!!"
"Uggghhhh," Buff groaned outside of her doorway. The two were situated in front of Pencil Sketch's house that was currently being added on to get larger and more fancy. The place was becoming a little too small for her. So she locked away all her important belongings in the secure vault, put on some clothes and was headed out for a date with Buff. He deserved it after all.
"Hey, no complaining you rough stallion. Who's the mare in charge?" She gave him a smirk making him turn his head and mumble. "What was that? I can't hear yoooouuuuu."
"You're in charge." Pencil walked close to him and put her ear right by his mouth.
"Say it loudah'. I cannot hear you."
"You're in charge." Pencil chuckled and took a step back.
"Yes, I am in charge always. But for today......" She placed her left hoof on his chest, getting his attention. "You're in charge. You wanted a date, right?"
It's like the stallion's brain just shut down as he stared at the beautiful mare in front of him giving him a smile. "Y-y-yeah. I'm in charge today."
"That's right. So where do you want to take me?" Buff looked at her wide-eyed while he thought about the multiple places he could take her. Eventually he came up with one.
"How about.....Cloudsdale? Where we can see the Wonderbolts? Is that okay?"
Pencil picked up her saddle bags by the door and placed them on her back before she nodded. "Sounds wonderful." And to be honest, it was. She had actually missed Cloudsdale. And since it was Saturday, the Wonderbolts were training. So it was actually a relief on both of them.
"Would you like to ride carriage or are we just going flying?" Buff teased, giving her a smirk. The mare chuckled before nodding.
"We're flying, Buff. Are we leaving today or not?" She flapped her wings hovering in the air before her escort took off, flying away and leaving her on the ground. "Hey!" She flew up after him, catching up to him within only a few seconds. "Don't try and leave me like that again!"
He laughed at her pout before they altered their course for Canterlot, which is where you had to go through to get to Cloudsdale. "I was teasing you, don't worry. I won't be leaving you at all." Pencil's cheeks were like tomatoes before she coughed into her hoof to get rid of that. Buff the whole time was laughing.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up tough guy."
"No, I'm not laughing at.....okay, yeah, I'm laughing at you AND your reaction! I've never seen you have a drop of color on you before. Let alone red."
"Hopefully that was the only time," Pencil muttered.
"Oh, come on! Don't be like that! I thought it was great, seeing you with color for once. It shows there's a beautiful mare underneath all that artwork." Pencil pulled in her lips and closed her eyes, trying her hardest not to blush again. Buff was watching the whole time, trying to see if she would crack under all the pressure. "You're beautiful."
That did it. Her face was as red as a tomato, making Buff grin. "You're going to stop that," Pencil chuckled, turning to face him with a grin on her face. "Or else I'm not gonna look good during the pictures!"
"No care, millionaire, you're going to smile today. Even if I have to make you blush in front of the wonderbolts."
She gasped before they entered the air over Canterlot. "You. Wouldn't. Dare."
"Try me, Ms. Sketch. You will-EEP!" He ducked just in time before a gray wing nearly hit him in the muzzle. Pencil laughed before she bopped him on the head.
"You will not embarrass me in front of the other ponies!" She laughed down to him. He looked back up and gave her a smile as they passed over the castle. "Because if you do, I....." She stopped for a second, hovering in the air as she looked around while Buff stopped and turned around.
"What is it? Is someone doing something?" Pencil shook her head before she looked down, spotting the problem.
"No. Much worse. But.....it's not our problem and doesn't affect us....yet."
"What do you mean?" She squinted her eyes at the statue, spotting a tiny crack at the base. Discord was going to come free. And soon it would seem.
"Don't worry about it," she finally answered before smiling at him. "Just don't make me be a tomato again, or I'll have your skin, got that?" She jammed a hoof into his chest to emphasize her point.
"Sure, boss lady. I'll make you an apple instead. Your face is really beautiful when it has a smile on it." Pencil's eyes popped open before she blushed heavily, and making her admirer chuckle before he flew away with her screaming after him.
"Get! Back! Here! NOW, BUFF!!"
After their little playtime was over, and Pencil successfully bucked him in his ribs for making her "Look like a wuss", they flew past Canterlot and towards the floating city of Cloudsdale, eager to see the Wonderbolts practice. Buff said afterwards, he was going to take her out to lunch. Of course she agreed to it! But she also brought her own sack of bits. He was obviously going to pay for the food, but she kept some bits on her just in case. The stallions these days.
"Here we are," Buff announced as they approached the edge of the floating Pegasus city. "Home sweet home....to Pegasi anyway." Buff landed on the cloud first before Pencil landed right next to him, a small smirk gracing her face. "So....are you ready to face the ponies that you loathe so much?"
"Uggghhhh....if I have to," she groaned walking forward with her head held high. The bodyguard chuckled before he followed after her, shaking his head. "I always look forward to the admiration of other ponies. No matter how much I don't like them."
"I'm not even gonna ask why," Buff chuckled. "You adore them looking at your artwork, and smiling and pointing at you, but don't like to talk to them."
"Correct." They walked past the houses where multiple ponies stopped what they were doing and pointed a hoof at them, obviously knowing who she was. "Don't mind me....I am just-"
"Being great, we get it," Buff interrupted, making Pencil scoff and bop his head again.
"Quiet, stallion," she scolded, trying to keep her own chuckles down. "These...are my people. And they will listen...to muah."
"You sound like a really bad dictator. Ms. Sketch, I suggest you stick to calm speeches and lovely paintings. As well as wooing this stallion down to the park." Pencil raised an eyebrow before they turned another corner into a main road that led up to the colliseum.
"Woo you to the park? Wouldn't it be better if I woo you to like a fancy restaurant or something more......grandeur?"
"Nah. I like small things. But I can tell you like the big things." He pointed a hoof towards the looming coliseum right in front of them. Pencil took on a smile while the Rainbow Dash inside was squealing like a filly. Glad to see she's still alive and kicking in there.
"I see you keep my best interests in mind, Buff," she commented, staring up at the coliseum and listening to the roars of the Pegasi in there.
"Well you're my lady today. gotta make her happy right?" *BOP* "Ow! What was that for?!" He rubbed the top of his muzzle tenderly while Pencil just stared at him with a red face.
"I warned you not to make me blush again. Now come on you rough stallion, we have a show to watch." Pencil walked into the building with a grumbling Buff right behind her. Her hoofshoes made soft metallic sounds through the halls, marking their arrival. They turned into what looked like a waiting room with a large desk at the end. There was a another Pegasus there as well, a receptionist doing some last minute work.
"Working hard?" Pencil asked her.
"Yeah," she responded without looking up from her writing. "Gotta get these letters sent out to a few more ponies that signed up for the Wonderbolts. How can I help......you?" Her mouth slowly dropped open while Pencil just stared at her. "M-m-m-Ms. Sketch! It's an honor to meet you! How can I be of service?"
"I'm trying to get some inspiration for my next painting....and he wants to treat me." She pointed a hoof at the stallion next to him who was grinning gleefully at the pegasus behind the counter, making Pencil slowly shake her head. "Stop that. May I speak to Spitfire, please?"
"Y-yes, ma'am, right away!" The pegasus dashed from behind the desk, leaving the two ponies waiting for her to return with the drill sergeant.
"You know, Buff.....you could've brought a picnic basket," she lightly scolded over her shoulder to mess with him.
"And ruin your appetite, no way." The painter clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"And remember! The wonderbolts is not for the weak minded pony. It is for the strong!" Spitfire yelled as she paced in front of the line of 20 Pegasi in uniform. "So I want you to show me HOW strong you are! Give me one hundred wing-ups right now, on the double!" She lifted her whistle to her lips and blew into it, making the wonderbolts go down and do the assigned task.
"Spi-spi-spi-spi-Sergeant Spitfire!" The receptionist yelled as she ran out onto the field. The orange maned drill sergeant sighed and turned around.
"What is it Rookie, this better be good. I have a team to prepare." The mare stopped in front of her and saluted.
"There is a VIP wanting to meet with you in the lobby, ma'am."
"And who is this VIP?" She replied blandly, watching the ponies do the wing-ups.
"Pencil Sketch, ma'am." The wonderbolts in training stopped their wing-ups while the coaches and drill sergeant turned to the receptionist in disbelief.
"You're pulling my tail."
"I kid you not, sergeant. She is waiting for you in the lobby with her bodyguard."
"This better not be a joke, rookie!" She yelled in her face. "We are in the middle of training and...." Spitfire looked around the shaking receptionist to see a familiar gray coated, long haired pony walking out of the corridor for the exit of the field, along with a big yellow maned pegasus stallion next to her.
She stopped and looked around the area, trying to find something before spotting and walking towards the group.
"Oh my god, she's coming this way," one of the coaches muttered. The other ponies that were on the ground quickly stood back up as she approached, slowing down to a stop in front of the drill sergeant.
"Hello, Spitfire," she said in her cold voice. "I have been waiting."
"I am very sorry about that Ms. Sketch," she apologized, shaking the famous mare's hoof. "I was in the middle of training. How may I help you?"
"Well, SOMEpony has offered me a day out on the town and we chose this place to start it. Is it alright if we sit and stay for awhile?"
"O-of course, take a seat somewhere and enjoy yourself!" Pencil Sketch nodded as she and Buff flapped their wings and flew towards the stands.
"You will not even know I'm here," she called out over her shoulder before taking a seat in one of the stands.
Spitfire nodded before turning her attention back to the group of trainees. "Let's get back to it, people! This is not a plaace to gawk....AND WAVE!"
The brown coated pony waving his hoof gasped before dropping it to his side and resuming the stoic position. "Do those wing-ups! Now!" She blew her whistle again, making all the trainees start over.
Pencil Sketch watched from the top as the ponies below continued their exercise, as well as chatting with Buff about various things.
"Any idea on where you're holding your next show?" the bodyguard asked her in interest.
"I have an idea......that it will be Ponyville," she answered, watching as a wonderbolt collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, making her chuckle. "She tried. Now she's about to get Spitfire'd."
Buff looked back at the scene as Spitfire approached the mare and started yelling down to her. "Is that really, necessary?" He asked tentatively.
"The Wonderbolts were built for the ponies that have stamina. If you don't have it, they put it in you. You know......I wanted to be in the Wonderbolts growing up."
"Really?" He looked at his employer in surprise. "I never took you for a fast flyer."
Pencil Sketch smirked while Rainbow Dash in her started screaming obscentities. "Then I have left out quite a bit about my life that is very important to me. Flying. I was fast. REALLY fast. Faster than Spitfire down there. I did a raincheck on that on Friday."
"Prove it." The painter looked over at her date to see him sporting a cocky grin. "Prove to me you're the fastest out here. Right now."
Pencil put her hoof to her chin, thinking about the dare. Rainbow Dash would've done it without a second thought, but Pencil Sketch is a lot more careful. She didn't want to give away her identity and she might do that by accidentally making a Sonic Grayboom. There was only one pony who could do that. You know what?
"I only fly my top speed when it is needed," she answered, losing her smile. "The only time I really fly like I did before....was way back when."
Buff could tell this was a sore topic for her. The faraway look in her eye, the sad gaze. He decided to drop it.
"Okay. I won't push you to speak about it. You can tell me whenever you're comfortable."
Pencil looked back at him before offering a small smile. "Thank you, Mr. Battalion."
"You're welcome, Ms. Sketch." The two faced forward again, watching the rest of the event in silence before the practice ended.
After it did, Pencil shook all of their hooves, saying they did a wonderful job before promising to put it on a painting someday. Afterwards, the two left, with Buff taking the lead as he guided them to a restaurant. Luckily it was located in Cloudsdale, right around the corner from them. It was a fancy place with neon lights on the outside, dim lighting on the inside.
"It looks nice enough," Pencil commented as they walked in. "I cannot see much though."
"Which makes it romantic, right?" The bodyguard teased. "This is much better than a fast-food joint."
Pencil shrugged and looked around some more before a waiter showed up to guide them to a table. "Hello! Welcome to Northern Lights! How many are......."
Buff raised an eyebrow while Pencil sighed and kicked the podium he was leaning on, shocking him out of his awestruck state and back into reality.
"Huh what?" He looked around for a moment, realizing he was at work and turned back to the group in front of him. He gasped again at the familiar face in front of him. "M-Ms. Sketch! It-it's an honor to see you here!"
"Yeah, that's great, can we get a table now?" She asked blandly, trying to move it along. The stallion nodded before he grabbed two menus and walked out.
"Just follow me, ma'am!" The two customers went ahead and trotted behind the excitable pony towards a table away from the rest of the customers in there eating and talking that haven't noticed her yet, which was great. Being a well-known influencer was great, but it did have its moments.
The pony stopped at another table, a round one and set down the menus, watching them take a seat. "What drink would you like?"
Buff looked across from him to the beautiful mare in front of him, raising an eyebrow in wonder. "Can we both get a fine non-alcoholic wine, please?"
"Okay. We don't have any brands, but we do have the flavors. Blueberry, Strawberry-"
"Blueberry, please," Pencil requested. The stallion nodded and wrote that down before telling them he'll return with their drinks and running back to the kitchen, obviously going to tell the others of her arrival.
"Wow, I wonder how you got so popular," Buff teased. "Did you break into everypony's house and leave twenty bits in their bags?"
"Something like that, yeah," Pencil said going along with it. "Sometimes, I just walk into their houses, start a conversation, eat their food, and then leave again before doing the same to the neighbors."
"You know, I did that once." Pencil glanced at him as she tried not to laugh.
"You're stupid, you know that?"
"Like Blueblood?"
"Oh no no no, not that stupid," she dismissed, waving her hooves frantically and shaking her head. "You know, I'm actually expecting him to show up to my next show with a threat to paint a portrait of him. I will of course say no. Then he will say something like, I'll make you go out of business. And in return, I will say, 'Good luck, Prince. You will have to convince over a billion ponies not to buy the artwork that inspires them to fly far and hard, and work like they've never worked before to make Equestria a better place. But I doubt you have done anything for Equestria that gives you the right to order ponies around besides having a title."
"And what'll happen next?" The bodyguard asked, actually intrigued into how that would play out.
"He would scoff, say I will be back, turn around and walk away, before turning back around to try and catch a glimpse of me again. Such a pompous Prince."
"Here you are, Ms. Sketch!" The two ponies looked up to see a mare balancing a tray on her back before sliding it on the table in front of them. She placed the two wine glasses directly in front of them, retrieved the tray and walked back.
Once she was gone, Pencil picked up the glass of clear liquid and took a sip, the same with Buff who nearly spat it out in surprise. "That's...rich."
"Yes, it is. You're not a drinking stallion?" The painter asked, smirking at him.
"I drink wine," he protested.
"Mmmhmm."
"Don't make me have to embarrass you, Ms. Sketch. It may cause a problem in the future for you."
"You mean for you," she corrected, pointing a free hoof at the suddenly overconfident bodyguard. "Don't forget, I'm the real one in charge here."
"Tomorrow of course." He grabbed her hoof and leaned down, planting a soft kiss on it and making her blush in the process. "But today, I am." Pencil chuckled before taking her hoof back and bopping him on the muzzle.
When Pencil returned home, the first thing she did was check her mail for the bills before heading for the vault. The ponies who were billing her were required to use her legal name, which meant Rainbow Dash came into play. Although Pencil Sketch was the name, she couldn't use it in legal situations. She had enough money to change it, but the Rainbow Dash in her didn't want to. She may have started over completely. But her name was still important. The speedy mare wasn't dead. She was alive and kicking.
After finding all her things safely in the vault and placing them back where they were before, she went back into the kitchen to sort out the mail. There were bills, obviously, business offers, news on her studios she would be paying for, as well as fan mail. And finally, one from Celestia.
She ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter to read it. After a second time, she sighed and set it back down softly. She was going to Ponyville. Again. The past just wouldn't leave her alone. But there was still one thing good in that cold heart of hers.
She wasn't loyal to those ponies. All of those ponies. But she was loyal to Equestria. The ponies could just sit back and watch.
Of course there was another problem. Discord. Earlier that day, she passed over the pony sisters' castle and felt the chaotic magic seeping out. But this......this was far stronger than in the past. If he gets out, five elements just weren't going to stop him. They weren't even going to work. If Discord was just going to reign havoc on the Elements, she'd be alright with it.
But Discord wanted Equestria. And that was a no-no.
Pencil could easily defeat him, already realizing the limits of chaos magic. It could only affect a real pony. But just like what she told the Elements, she was the shadow of a pony. The real one was hidden inside. A different look and attitude. But she still had pieces of Rainbow Dash. Loyalty, stamina, fighting, and the most important asset of all, speed. Not to mention all that built up anger.
Looks like she finally found an outlet.
She set the letter down on the table before turning around and trotting up the stairs, a good ol' mission in mind.
"Those ponies are going to get themselves killed," she muttered, opening her closet door and pulling out her incognito outfit. "Those Elements will not stop Discord. And he won't back down until he gets Equestria. Rainbow Dash.... you're still the definition of Loyalty. So get loyal."
She grabbed a quick access gray dress that she would wear over it. "I know you wanna hurt those ponies yourself, and will soon get that chance." She set both of the items aside along with some obelisk hoofshoes before making her way towards the door. "But for now, we make sure that the Draconequus does not interfere. Three days left."
Over the next few days, Pencil created two more paintings. One of the Wonderbolts, and another of Manehattan. One of those days, she was going to create a romantic painting for Hearts and Hooves day. But there was also another important day coming up. For the Elements, Ponyville, her parents, Scootaloo, and herself.
Her birthday.
Next Tuesday, five days from then, would be her twenty-fifth birthday. Of course there was going to be absolutely no celebration, especially down in Ponyville, but that did call for a nice swim in the pool that would be in the backyard by Saturday. Something relaxing to get everything off her mind.
She sighed before she got started on dinner, wishing she could have a specific dark blue, yellow maned bodyguard cook it for her. It would be a very sweet gesture and it would definitely get him inside the house. Finally. But...she still didn't want to get too close to ponies. It could spell trouble for her. She could get distracted, mess up her paintings, and lose the bits. But mostly...get her heart broken again which was the real crime.
Of course he'd be extremely disappointed, having only a professional relationship, but that's what it's like trying to court a business pony. Of course, with his advances, things were easier said than done.
Shaking her head, she got back to dinner. Breakfast for dinner anyway, scrambled eggs are awesome.
Twilight was in a state. A state of deep thinking and sadness. Along with her other friends as they all stood in front of the Rainbow Dash memorial, silently reminiscing on her life at nine at night. The crickets were chirping, breaking the silence of the night every now and then. Along with the awkward shuffle of a pony's hooves, trying to break the silence.
"I....I still don't think she's really gone," Fluttershy whimpered. Rarity pulled her in for a hug, already seeing where this was going.
The librarian closed her eyes while she let out a silent tear. "I know, Fluttershy. We all don't wanna believe it. But what other choice is there? We even scanned all of Equestria for her."
"We scanned Pencil Sketch too. But she evaded it. Maybe Dash could have too."
"Fluttershy, you can't just turn off your brain," Twilight sighed. "It takes advanced magic to do that. And it would be dark magic. And Pegasi can't even do magic like that."
"I'm sorry, sugarcube, but......I don't think Dash is comin' back," Applejack told her. "She's flying with the Rainbows now."
Fluttershy whimpered before she dropped her head and let the tears fall again, the sobbing escaping the normally hopeful mare making it all the worse for the others.
Eventually, they all got into a group hug, giving her the impression that she wasn't alone and that there were others there to share her pain. "We never got the chance to say we were sorry.," she whispered. "Her birthday is right around the corner and the birthday girl won't even be there. Instead, she's gone with the Rainbows."
"Rainbow always wanted to see how far she could go," Rarity whispered. "But her legacy lives on as the embodiment of loyalty. And it will stay that way." Fluttershy nodded into her coat before she pulled away.
"I have to head home. Angel Bunny will become really feisty if he doesn't get his dinner."
"Okay," Twilight agreed. "Goodnight, Fluttershy."
"Goodnight." The mare turned around and walked back towards the edge of town where her animals would be waiting to console and be there for her while she cried some more for her best friend. Twilight watched her go before focusing her sights back on the memorial in front of her.
"She's right, you know," Applejack said, not taking her eyes off the memorial. "We...never got the chance to say we were sorry and that it was our fault. We drove her away. Some friends we are."
"I know," the librarian responded. "We should at least say it now. We're sorry, Rainbow Dash. We love you very much and it's our fault that we drove you away....and that you're..." Twilight pulled in her lips and closed her eyes while a few tears rolled down her cheeks. "That...that you're gone. It's all our fault and we're very sorry. We will always love you, embodiment of loyalty." She put the flowers she was levitating behind her at the foot of the memorial, making sure that Rainbow was appreciated. Rarity did the same thing with her own bouquet before they both turned around and headed to their respective homes while Applejack stayed behind, wanting to say a few words.
"You know, sugarcube," she said before picking up her hat. "Whenever we raced, and competed, it was always for fun. The others may have had an unknown grudge......but they still loved you. Yeah, you were sometimes annoying. More than the average pony. Or Pinkie Pie. But.........we love you. You were there for us. I wish we could've been there for you. I love you Rainbow." She put the hat on her head and turned back around, headed back to her farm.
There was one more pony there that had tears streaming down her face, holding a balloon as she stared at the plaque. "Loving Friend & The Definition Of Loyalty. Fly Fast And Fly Far, Rainbow Dash".
"This balloon....is for our undeniable friendship, Rainbow," Pinkie cried as she walked forward and tied the balloon string around the plaque. "You will always be remembered. No one will ever forget you. Especially me." Pinkie sighed once again before turning around and heading back home. After awhile, a tiny head poked out from behind the corner of Town Hall, scanning the front of the memorial. Once the pony deemed the night was free of any neighboring others, they walked out into the light, revealing the form of Scootaloo with a small bouquet of flowers. She stopped and turned around in front of the memorial, gazing at the head with a determined smile on her face.
"You always told me things like, 'You're my little buddy', 'You remind me of myself', and 'You're gonna be just like me when you get older'. And you were right. I'm going to be just like you Rainbow Dash. I'm going to fly fast, and I'm going to fly far, no matter how long it takes me. And I'm going to keep flying.....keep flying until I see you again! And nothing's going to stop me! You're like a big sister to me! And you will always be my big sister! I love you, Rainbow!" She placed the bouquet of flowers at the foot of the memorial with everyone else's before she turned around and went back home, tears going down her face.
None of them, not even the bookworm, had noticed the figure laying over the top of Town Hall looking down at them, her silhouette from the moon behind her making her face and the rest of her front anonymous to those down below. The only sign being the night breeze blowing her long gray hair outwards and her shadow on the ground right in front of the memorial. How no one had noticed was a mystery.
"You sure will squirt," Pencil whispered with a smile on her face. "Fly like me, and you could go faster than me. I'll come home soon....hopefully." She stood back up and flew back towards Manehattan at her widely known speed, a gray trail in her wake.
Scootaloo continued running, tears pouring down her face when a roar sounded off above her, making her look up to see the gray highlighted trail zoom right past at a Rainbow Dash speed towards the city of Canterlot in the distance, causing her to stop and stare at it. Soon the trail diminished, leaving a smile on Scootaloo's face and her tears to dry before she continued walking back home peacefully.
Soon, the day had arrived for Pencil Sketch to present her paintings to the town of Ponyville. And there was certainly some news about that. She was bringing Twenty of them to Ponyville and placing them in the square for viewing. And there were going to be a lot of ponies there. A LOT. So far, it seemed that half of manehattan had left early to get there before the big rush of Elite chariots, crowded trains, and others would arrive. Even some from the dragon lands were coming to check out her work, as well as Zebrica, from what Color Rise told her. But that was the least of her worries.
She was more worried about Discord. So far, it seemed his statue is breaking free, and he is crawling out of that hole the Elements put him in. And he wants revenge. Pencil Sketch could feel his chaotic magic right at this moment while she was putting on her suit that resembled a Wonderbolt uniform, but was all jet black, along with a hood that would serve as a mask when she pulled it over her face. It had mesh-covered eye holes as well as slits for her nostrils. If Discord was coming, she'd be ready. But it was going to be hot in that thing. She was wearing that underneath a gray dress with golden sequins on it, making her shimmer when she arrived in the small, distraught town. As well as bring her magic along with her.
Somehow, in some way, when she changed into Pencil Sketch in the cloudominium, she was given....more dark magic than before. Which is why Celestia and Twilight couldn't find her. So every night for around two hours, she took up the Egghead's pastime. Going out and trying new things with her magic. There was no doubt going to be a situation where she would have to use it, and it would seem that the time would come. Some things that she found she could do was teleport through black smoke. Instead of teleporting with a flash of light, it'll be like a puff of black smoke that makes her disappear, like a childhood magic trick that Trixie would've made.
Another thing she had learned was she can appear from shadows. She can walk into them and appear wherever and whenever she can. It was cold in there though. Like a chilly breeze. Another thing was her Gray Booms were devastating. Unlike the pony who switched out with her, one gray boom could wipe out a whole city if she was low enough and put enough magic into it, at most by the rooftops of homes below her. Another thing that she had figured out....she could feel the elements calling to her. Asking her to come to her. Even the dust of the element of loyalty. It was chanting to her. But she denied it. It wasn't time for a permanent relation. Let alone a permanent reunion.
She shook her head in dismay while she put on her dress, making sure her outfit underneath it was well hidden. She had a plan created once Discord arrived. She knew he was coming. She could feel his form breaking out of that stone at that very moment. Man, her dark magic felt great. But it was still dangerous. That and she still held up all that built up anger.
Once she looked in the mirror and brushed her hair over her right eye, she smiled, finding herself as beautiful as when she was when she was full of color. Gorgeous. Buff is going to drop his mouth open to the floor, she could already see it.
The painter chuckled before flapping her wings and moving her body, making sure she was comfortable in the clothing. Finding that she was, she put on a new necklace, a simple golden chain and tucked it underneath her dress before turning around and walking out her room and down the grand stairs. She stopped at the door, already knowing what was out there. It was eight in the morning already and the exhibit started at ten. "Face the crowd, Pencil," she muttered.
Pencil Sketch huffed and pulled the door open to see the major amount of news ponies behind the line of Royal Guard already trying to take a picture of her, as well as her bodyguard in his armor, looking handsome like always. "Hello, Buff."
"Hello, Lady Sketch." Pencil chuckled before she shook her head.
"What happened to Ms. Sketch? Where'd the 'lady' come from?" They began walking towards the group of news ponies, ignoring the shuttering of the cameras as they walked through the aisle that led up to the golden, long chariot that contained her paintings and more artwork such as her sketches.
"Well....I had to upgrade, is that a problem?" He teased as he opened the door for her, allowing her to walk in and take a seat.
"It's no problem, just curious." Buff walked in after and took a seat next to her. Once comfortable, he closed the door behind him and prepared himself for the ride. The ponies who were in the front began pulling the long chariot. There were ten ponies in front, making it look like a sleigh as it lifted off the ground with more Royal Guard around it. "You know.....I feel like something unfortunate is going to happen today."
"Oh?" He looked at her with worry in his eyes. "Like what? Any specific details?"
"Yeah.....there's going to be a really dumb prince who will show up, points at one of my paintings, and say, 'I want mine just like that, Pencil Sketch! You will paint me or I will throw you in the dungeon!'"
"You know how ignorant that blue faced foal would sound?" Buff said, slowly shaking his head. "Don't worry, he won't be getting anywhere near you unless he's giving you a compliment and a greeting. And there's a limitation to that."
"So protective, Mr. Battalion. My oh my, what would I do without you?" Pencil teased, poking at him.
"You'll just have to run and hide behind your luxurious paintings until some pony comes and saves you, Lady Sketch," he responded, lowering his eyelids and giving her a smile. Pencil closed her eyes and hid herself behind her mane, taking on a Fluttershy posture. Of course he'd tried to flirt with her early in the morning. Stallions.
"W-well...I can defend myself just fine, thank you."
"Then why'd you ask?"
Pencil looked out from behind her mane at the smirking face of the bodyguard before pouting and stuck her head in the air.
"I wanted to see what you were going to say," she responded determinedly.
"Uh huh."
Pencil turned around and bopped him on the muzzle, making him cringe and rub it. "You underestimate me, stallion. I can protect myself just fine. You'll see one day."
"Whatever you say, Lady Sketch. But in the meantime, you have me to protect you today. Okay?" He reached over and grabbed her hoof and held onto it, making her smile and blush.
"Okay, Buff. I'll let you TRY to protect me today. Don't worry if I go missing for awhile, alright?"
"Why would you go missing?" He asked cluelessly.
"To use the young mare's room, you dolt." She bopped him on the muzzle again.
"Stop doing that!"
Soon they landed on the outside of Ponyville, where there was a line of chariots, obviously all wanting to get that life changing sights of the paintings of Equestria, ponies, and victories they have ever had over the rough times. There was a lot. And the citizens of Ponyville were helping them get into spaces to set them off across from Applejack's farm who was trying to sell Apple Cider to those waiting. Of course everyone's attention was captured when a long chariot with ten pegasi Royal Guards pulled it into view, obviously the reason the ponies were all coming to Ponyville in the first place. After passing the line of over thirty chariots, Pencil counted, they arrived at the area where more Royal Guard were stationed, scanning ponies for any type of weapon or something else on them that could cause a threat to any VIPs on the scene. Security was tight. Thank you, Shining Armor.
After they passed through the line, Pencil looked around the crowded town, who were all staring back intensely. It was only eight thirty, so they had plenty of time to relax and walk around. Buff had never been there before, so she was going to show him around. Although she had to be careful around the Elements, who were already in the square waiting with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, Dragon Lord Ember, Thorax of the Changelings, so there were probably some Changelings walking around too. And finally, uggghh...........Prince Blueblood.
The chariot stopped on the left side of the group, before one of the guards walked to the side and opened the door to the chariot. Pencil Sketch took her time getting out the chariot, her sequined dress glowing in the sunlit town before Buff Battalion followed along. Once the door closed, the two approached the group. She was all business, showing no emotion. Sketch style.
"Hello, Pencil Sketch," Celestia greeted, shaking her hoof. "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"Likewise, Princess Celestia. I sure hope the ponies here can find hope through my paintings." She moved onto the next in line, Princess Luna.
"Hello, Princess Luna," she greeted shaking her hoof. "I do not believe we have met."
"Hello, Ms. Sketch. I have only seen a few of your paintings and they were absolutely beautiful. Especially Fly Fast, Fly Far."
"Thank you. I hope the others will be inspired as well." She went through all the Elements, Thorax, Shining Armor and his wife, and shook their hooves before turning to Spike. "Hello....uhhh," she pretended, making sure her cover was not blown.
"I'm Spike. Twilight's number one assistant." He reached out with a paw and shook her hoof while she nodded. During the whole time, she did not smile. Although she should have smiled at the Princesses, she didn't. Princess Celestia already knew she wasn't the smiling type. And Pencil Sketch had her reasons for why she wasn't smiling at the Elements.
"Hello, Spike. A pleasure to meet you." She walked over to the older, but still young female dragon that was standing at attention beside him. "And you are?"
"I am Dragon Lord Ember, Ms. Sketch. There are a few dragons that wanted to see your work, having heard about it through some sources of Canterlot nobility. I am here to feed my own curiosity as well."
"No problem. I feel obligated to share my work with the world." She moved onto the last pony in line. And the last that she'd ever want to see gazing at her work. "And.....you are?"
"You do not know who I am?" Prince Blueblood stated obnoxiously. Pencil shook her head, trying to keep down a smirk that was threatening to show all over her face, along with a guffaw.
"No I do not."
"I am Prince Blueblood, Nephew of Princess Celestia of and Princess Luna, and cousin of Princess Cadance."
"And what land do you rule over?" She asked, really trying her hardest not to snort at his bold facedness. "Where do you hail from?"
"Equestria."
"Do you rule a land here?"
Prince Blueblood looked around and tried to find an answer while the others were laughing and chuckling. "I....do not rule over any land here."
"So you are only Prince through name, not actually a prince, then. Help me out here." Buff, who couldn't hold it in anymore, straight up laughed it out, making the others laugh.
Prince Blueblood looked on in horror at the group before shifting his eyes at the painter in front of him. "How dare you! I am royalty of Equestria!"
"You are not Royalty, you are nobility, which is underneath Royalty," she corrected. "Being a distant relative of Royalty does not make you a king or ruler of a land. I just wanted to put that out there for you in case you try something today. Buff?"
The bodyguard walked forward. "Yes?"
"How are my paintings?" She turned around to face everyone else and to look at her paintings being carried out and setup, no emotion on her face.
"There are display cases set up in the square, Ms. Sketch," Luna said, trying to keep her chuckling down. "And from the faces of the guards carrying and surrounding them, I'm guessing they look really good." They all turned to the guards who were carrying the paintings to see a look of awe on their faces, clearly impressed with the paintings they were carrying towards the thick glass boxes in the square, supported by a golden base.
"Good. The viewers will hopefully have similar reactions as well. I just hope the guards watch where they're going, those paintings cost over twenty thousand bits a piece." Everyone turned their heads to stare at the mare in shock. "Let's get this show on the road." She walked with the Royal Guard towards the Square, already thinking about the destruction the guards were going to go through in a few hours. She looked towards the sky and already saw the signs. There was one very specific one that she'll never forget.
A pink cloud. There was a small pink cloud right above their heads and they didn't even notice it. Pencil sighed and continued the trek, making sure to keep on her toes the whole time.
Two hours later, the crowd was allowed in. And what a crowd it was. There were so many ponies that business was booming, especially at Sugarcube Corner. Twilight's library was basically the hangout spot for the group as the ponies would usually come up, shake Pencil's hoof and ask about the paintings and her inspiration. So far, it was going really well. no one tried anything foolish, there was a heavy guard presence, and no Discord......until now.
Pencil's eyes snapped open before they narrowed, sensing the Draconequus right above her. "How did he get by without me noticing?" She muttered before shaking her head. She turned to Twilight. "May I use your restroom?"
"Yeah, it's the first door right underneath the steps," she responded, pointing towards the door behind her. Pencil nodded before asking Buff to stay outside and wait with everyone else while she went inside "to refresh". She opened the door and closed it back, shrouding the inside once again in darkness. She blended in perfectly. No one would be able to see her. Perfect.
She stood to the side in the darkness and unzipped the dress from her neckline to her hips before she shimmied out of it. She then opened a casing on the floor by a nearby table and stashed it inside, quietly closing it back before heading into the bathroom. To be honest, she really had to use it, but that could wait. Equestria could not. Once she was inside, she slipped into the shadows using her magic, going to a location no one would ever see her in.
Outside, Twilight and everyone else was listening to Prince Blueblood bicker about how Pencil had "Disgraced his name and family", as well as "she owes me" over and over. Buff calmly shoof his head while the others just groaned. eventually, Celestia had enough.
"Blueblood, in all fairness, you really aren't a prince," she clarified, waving a hoof at him. "You do not have anything in your name except servants and input into what happens in Equestria. But that is all." The others agreed with nod of their head before Twilight felt a drop of something fall on her snout. Then another, and another.
"Uh...were we scheduled for rain today?" She asked, gaining their attention. "Something keeps dropping on me." Celestia looked at her before glancing up.
"Not that I realize. But those clouds are......oh my Equestria." Luna looked up with her along with everyone else there, finally noticing the pink clouds...raining chocolate unto the ground below them.
"Discord!" They all yelled.
"That's right, Sunbutt and friends." They all looked towards the square, where the ponies were frozen and the guards positioning their weapons at the God of Chaos, who was casually walking around dressed in a suit, a top hat, and an eyeglass, seemingly admiring at the paintings. "These are really good. But where am I? I should be in some of these paintings don't you think? Oh! I know just what to do!"
The draconequus snapped his claw, putting a version of him in all the photos in the most cookiest way possible. "There we go, now THAT'S a painting! Hello, Twilight...and you. And you, you, and you. I hope you don't mind if I stop by. That stone was really hurting my back." He stretched, making his back give an audible pop, at the same time, turning all the guards, Buff, Ember, Blueblood, and Thorax into cactai.
"That is so much better." He snapped his finger again, making some of the nearby plants come to life, sprout out of the ground, and start to advance towards the citizens...which made all of the ponies freak out more than the chocolate rain that was falling down from the sky harder.
They all started screaming and running around, headed into buildings that literally floated up into the air, exposing them again. "Twilight....I think you know why I'm here." The Princesses all got into a defensive position, lighting their horns while discord plucked an apple that was floating through the air and took a bite out of it, shivering in delight at the taste. "Oh that is delicious. Well, Twilight?"
The mare in question just glared at him, the other elements doing the exact same. "You want revenge, but you're not going to get it, Discord! Girls, let's go!"
"Twilight, wait!" Celestia called before they ran in the library. Discord groaned before he snapped his claw again, freezing the Princesses who were about to cover them and fire at him.
"Ugh, you ponies. Fine, I'll just wait right here then." The draconequus made a red velvet couch appear behind him and took a seat while the ground turned into checkerboard, the sky turned pink, and other destruction that started happening. "Hey, sunbutt. I have a question. Where's the fast one?" The princess didn't respond, and couldn't respond while he shrugged. "Fine don't tell me, I'll find out eventually." He grabbed some black seeds from behind him and started chowing down while the ponies came back out of the library with the Elements of Harmony wrapped around their chests and on Twilight's head.
"You will not have Equestria, Discord!" Twilight yelled, while he counted the ponies with his fingers. "This a land for ponies and peace, not pain and destruction!" Discord pouted his lip and nodded.
"That's great, Twilight. But you should probably know that those stupid rocks you're wearing won't fully work unless you have all six," he clarified with a smirk. "And I only see....five?! My oh my, where's the blue one? The one who is so stuck up?" Twilight twitched, just now realizing how this was going to go. The Draconequus looked around, trying to locate the pegasus and spotted the memorial. "Oh......so she's gone."
He sighed and stood up, making his way over to the memorial made out of flowers. "'Loving Friend & The Definition Of Loyalty. Fly Fast And Fly Far, Rainbow Dash.' I am very sorry for your loss, girls. But this just makes things a whole lot easier for me!" He snapped his claw, ordering a pink cloud to zip directly over the group and dump a bunch of chocolate rain on them before going back up again.
Twilight sighed and moved her soaked bangs out from in front of his face, giving unamused expression. "Seriously, Discord? Still with the chocolate?"
"That was just a warning. But you can try to turn me to stone if you want, I won't do anything." He stood straight up and put up his claw. "Scout's honor."
Twilight grunted and closed her eyes, focusing the energy of the Elements into her crown. The rainbow started from the two ponies at the end of the line, Rarity and Pinkie Pie and went towards Twilight's crown. But of course it would not work.
Before it hit the crown it stopped and went back, dropping the ponies back onto the ground with a grunt and yelp. "What? Wh-what happened?" The Element of Generosity stuttered. "Why didn't it work?"
"I just told you! Ugh, you never listen, hard headed pony." He walked forward and grabbed the chest plates and crown from off their bodies, ignoring their protests. He looked at them while pushing the ponies trying to get them back away from him with one claw. "You know, if Rainbow were still around, I'd be gone within a few seconds. But, sadly, she's not so..." he took the elements and threw them behind him, hitting a few ponies that were running around. "This will only take a moment."
He twirled around and hit the ponies with his tail, sending them flying into the trunk of the Golden Oaks Library hard, making them all grunt out in pain and collapse to the ground. Twilight opened her eyes and looked up to see Discord walking forward dressed in a baseball uniform, complete with a hat and bat.
"You know how torturous it was in that stone?" He said, polishing the bat. "I had an itch that I couldn't scratch, it was so irritating! So now...." He put the girls back up against the wall by the neck with his long tail. "I am going to show you what that felt like. He pulled back his arm, preparing to swing before-
An explosion, very loud above, caught their attention. He looked up to the sky above him at a gray colored wave expanding over the air around them, the shock of it sending him flying back with a grunt and creating a groove in the ground. The elements all collapsed to the ground, trying to catch their breath while the Princesses, Prince Blueblood, Ember, Spike, Thorax, and Shining Armor were all set free, as well as everything returning to normal. Buff was still in the stone prison for the moment.
The Draconequus groaned while he got up, the princesses all watching him with fear. He got stronger. MUCH stronger. So much so that he was able to turn them to stone. But how?
"Now who in-" He was interrupted by a hoof to the face that sent him flying into a nearby store, shattering the glass window and breaking whatever else was inside with a loud crash, The ponies all stopped running and stared at the draconequus peeking out the window, who was looking at the pony who hit him, a pegasus, who was completely covered in a black suit, no sign of who they were. "That really hurt, you know. So I'll just return the favor." He grinned evilly, lifted his claw and snapped it, watching the pony with hope in his eyes.
The others yelped and shut their eyes in fear for around five seconds. Fearing the worst, they cracked one open to see something truly stunning. The pony wasn't affected by his magic. They were still standing there staring at him and shaking their head. Discord cocked his head in confusion and did it again. Same result. "What? Why and how are you not affected?!" He got out of the building and walked towards the pony, evil intentions in his eyes. He started running and swiped at the them, who disappeared in black smoke, making him and everyone else gasp.
"What...in Equestria?" Princess Celestia whispered with wonder written all over her face, the same with everyone else there. "How can they avoid chaos magic?"
Discord looked around for the pony, who was literally falling down towards him at that very moment. "Where are you?! Show yourself!" Something fell on his back and started knocking at his head, making him yelp and snarl. He reached back and grabbed the pony, throwing them off of him. But they were prepared. They teleported again in mid throw to the area behind him, the momentum Discord through them at making them land and trot forward towards his back unknowingly. While he was distracted, they slid and turned around, lifted their rear hooves, and bucked him in the back, sending him flying.
He yelled and bonked his head onto one of the painting display cases, stunning him. He was seeing stars. Those things were hard. The clad in black heroine stalked towards the God's stunned form who surprisingly popped right back up, apparently ready. He ran towards the confident pony, making them run and seemingly retreat towards a shadowy area and jump in, making Discord run right into the wall instead. He yelped, rubbing his head in pain while the unknown pony returned back from the other side of the area, making everyone else gasp in surprise before they turned and bucked him back into the wal he crashed intol, creating an imprint of his body on the bricks.
He groaned in pain and slid to the ground while they dragged him by the tail out into the middle of the square, slamming him down over their shoulder and onto the ground in front of them, creating a small tremor. Not to mention a small crater. The Draconequus groaned in pain while the pony walked up his chest and stopped, looking down at his face. "Who are you?" Discord asked weakly. "How are you immune to my magic?"
The pony stared at him for a moment before reaching up and unzipping the mouth of the suit so they could talk. "You cannot put harm on a pony that doesn't exist, Discord. Maybe next time you'll learn. And when you do return...we will meet again." Those watching could tell it was a mare, the sound of their voice a little rough but still high pitched. They zipped their mouth closed again, before extending their left hoof towards the library.
The Elements of harmony all started shaking before the gems floated out and started circling her, shocking the citizens and elements enough to gasp.
"How can she summon the Elements?!" Twilight said in alarm. "Only the embodiments can do that!"
"It won't work," Luna clarified. "Just like Discord said, she needs all of the Elements for it-" The door behind them opened up, catching the group's attention when a familiar red dust floated out. Once it was in front of them it started to bundle and swirl together, making the Princesses gasp and the Elements to watch wide-eyed. It started going in a ring before a tiny red dot was created in the middle, which expanded, going bigger and bigger before it recreated the red lightning bolt. The Element of Loyalty was pieced back together again.
"HOW DID SHE DO THAT?!" Twilight yelled, watching as it floated over and joined the other elements in circling the mysterious heroine. She floated up into the air before the elements went faster and faster, creating a rainbow colored blur around her body that was making a whistling sound, getting higher and higher in pitch.
"Goodnight, Discord," She calmly said down to him clearly through the suit before the light fired at his form, making him yell in defeat. And anger.
"NO! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED! YOU WILL NOT...." He was immediately silenced when his body quickly turned back to stone. Once the process was complete, the elements floated the mare back to the ground before slowing down and returning back to their places in the chest plates and crown. All except one.
The Element of Loyalty paused in front of her face, making her stare at it. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't escape her past. That is what it was trying to tell her.
Sighing she responded back. "I know. It will happen when they are ready. And when I am ready. Just.....a little while longer." She lifted her left hoof and hit the jewel sending it flying towards the door of the Golden Oaks library. Twilight reached out with her hoof before it unexpectedly turned back into dust and floated inside, settling back down into the jar that it was held in before it was called on. The ponies all looked towards the library before refocusing their attention back on the mysterious mare who was looking down at Discord, tapping his stone cold face.
"Dork." She removed her hoof before turning back around and calmly walking towards the dark area of an alley, preparing to leave now that her job was done.
"Wait, pony!" She slid to a stop and looked towards the library to see the elements running right towards her, disbelief written all over their faces. They slid to a stop in front of her, expectant looks on their faces. "How......how did you do that?" Twilight asked loudly. "All of that?"
Pencil just stared at her before lifting a hoof and lightly tapping her muzzle. Which gave her the answer. The touch was cold. Very cold. And there was also a stinging sensation upon contact. Dark magic. Twilight gasped before the mare turned around and walked into the shadow, leaving them all wondering what that was.
They all started murmuring while the guards approached the stone form of the god of chaos, fear ridden. "Well....that was unexpected." The group looked towards the library to see Pencil Sketch walk out, a look of relief on her face while Buff, now freed, was looking her over for any injuries. "Buff, I'm fine, stop being such a worry wart. But.....I believe I have found another subject for my next painting. Don't you agree, Celestia?"
The princess of the sun stared in disbelief at the scene laid out in front of her, trying to figure out where in the world that pony came from.Not to mention how in the world Pencil was in the bathroom that whole time. "Yes. I agree wholeheartedly."
After the Discord event, and Pencil Sketch's out of nowhere appearance, the ponies went about their day continuing to view the paintings and ask her questions. Most of them were really impressed with the one of the Wonderbolts that she painted the day after visiting them on the course in the coliseum. That was really inspiring.
Even some changelings, like she thought, came up to her and had a decent conversation. They were definitely in the arts, because they asked her more questions than the average pony. She later learned from Thorax they were sisters who would usually cause trouble at the hive when they painted on the walls, and that he has found an attractiveness to their "Fun Time". He asked their parents if it was okay if he could take them to the exhibition. So here they were chatting up a storm and burning Pencil's ears off.
After two more minutes, Thorax had to shoo them away to allow room for the other ponies to ask questions. It was around two o'clock when everyone had to leave, allowing those left to talk about what really happened. The star of the show.
"I'm still trying to figure out that mare," Twilight commented questionably. The same question was on everyone's minds. Except Pencil's who had a small smirk on her face. They were walking along the square, with the painter at the front, eyeing the guards carefully taking the paintings out of the boxes and carrying them carefully back towards the chariot. They were going to be put up for sale to the highest bidder during an auction in Canterlot next week. But for now they were going back into the vault. "How could she summon all the elements like that? Do you think she has a past experience with them?"
Celestia sighed and answered worriedly, "I don't know, Twilight. If she has, then she could be a great danger to Equestria, as well as an ally. Have any of you seen her before?"
"Nope."
"Nuh uh."
"Yes."
"No."
"No way, wait! Who said yes?" Luna asked, looking around like the others.
"I did." Twilight looked low behind her to see Scootaloo raising her hoof, getting the ponies' attention before they gathered around to hear her story. "Three days ago, I put some flowers in front of Rainbow's memorial. And on my way home, I saw a gray trail pass over and head to Canterlot." She pointed a hoof towards the mountainside. They all looked towards the area before turning back to her. "And then earlier, when that big Gray Boom happened, you guys were so busy you didn't see her land. No one did but me, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. She landed really fast, but I still saw that exact same gray trail behind her when she appeared."
You're gonna make a fantastic Wonderbolt with an eye like that, squirt, Pencil thought, smiling at the little filly. Applejack glanced up at her from the side and raised an eyebrow. Why was she smiling at her like that?
Twilight gasped and whispered, "Wait, are you saying that mare caused the Gray Boom?"
Scootaloo nodded and answered, "That's where her trail came from."
"You know... That Gray Boom is what caused the desolation of Rainbow's Cloudominium," Rarity pondered aloud while Scootaloo ran back towards the town. "Do you think....."
"She's the one pulling the strings in all this?" Twilight finished for her, nodding her head with a hoof to her chin. "It's really REALLY likely. What do you think, Ms. Sketch?"
All the ponies turned towards the emo-looking millionaire, waiting for her thoughts on the matter. She was watching the royal guards load up her paintings into the chariot, making sure they didn't break. Including Buff, who was beside her. "Well besides the fact that this is the first time I've ever seen her, I don't know what to think," she lied. "I was in the bathroom the whole time it was going on. I only walked back out when she disappeared, I believe."
"Right," Twilight muttered, looking at the ground again. "Right. But that mare is very important. I asked her how she was able to do all that and she touched me. Except it was cold. Cold and lifeless. It was dark magic. She used dark magic to defeat Discord."
"Well that's another clue on how we can find her," Spike added, hopping on Rarity's back. "She uses dark magic and there's only a handful of ponies in Equestria that use dark magic. She's a mare, and she lives in that direction." He pointed towards Canterlot. "And her voice is rough, high pitched. Not to mention she has a connection to the Elements."
"That wasn't just any dark magic though," Princess Cadance corrected, turning to her husband.
"That was advanced dark magic," Shining Armor inputted, watching the ponies load the last of the paintings into the chariot. "It was like Twilight-level magic, but on the dark side."
"She's a mare of interest," Pencil said blandly. Then began the walk towards her chariot. "I have to go now, everypony. I hope you enjoyed my work and found peace, tranquility, and inspiration in it, as were my intentions." Once they reached it, Buff opened the door for Pencil, then filed in shortly.
"Of course, Ms. Sketch. Ta-ta!" Pencil Sketch glanced at her nonchalantly before facing forward again once the chariot pulled off and lifted into the air, headed back to Manehattan. They watched her go for awhile before the Royalty turned around, sighing.
"We have to head back to Canterlot as well," Celestia said.
"And I have to get the girls back home," Thorax commented. He turned towards the two young drones behind him yelling and chasing each other. "They can't stay in one area or else they get very active. I look forward to seeing you all again." They all voiced their agreements before Thorax got the girls' attention and lifted off into the air, headed back to the badlands with the two right behind him.
"And I have to get back to the Dragon Lands," Ember said, polishing her scepter. "I don't know how long dad can hold all those dragons at bay. I'll catcha' later, girls, Princesses, Spike."
"See ya' again, Ember!" Spike yelled to her. She waved and winked, then took off into the blue skies.
Once she was out of sight, Celestia walked forward and gave Twilight a hug. "I will see you soon, my faithful student."
"Yes, Celestia." The princess let go before she and Luna teleported back to Canterlot in a flash, leaving the group there with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, who both came over and gave her a hug. Prince Blueblood had alreadt left.
"Be safe, Twily," her brother said with caution. "If you find the mysterious mare, don't go charging at her." Twilight rolled her eyes while Cadance agreed with her husband, nodding her head.
"I'll be fine, Shining," she reassured. "I'm not gonna go 'rushing into battle.' I know my limit. I'll just talk to her."
"Alright. Well...we'll see you later, Twilight." Cadance and Shining walked back to their chariot, waving at the element bearers before they took off, headed back to the Crystal Empire.
Once everyone were gone, Applejack decided to express her concerns to the mares starting to head home. "Girls," she said, capturing their attention. "Did you guys notice Pencil Sketch actin'... Strange?" She asked quietly.
"Like how?" Twilight asked, sitting down in front of her.
"You guys probably didn't notice, but when we were talking about the mystery mare, she... Smirked."
"Holy freakin' moly!" Pinkie yelled. She zoomed into Applejack's face. "Are you saying she smiled?"
"Yeah, but it won't no good smile. It was more like a 'that-was-only-the-beginning' smile. It made me a little uneasy. And you know how the Element of Honesty can sense when a pony is lyin'?"
The group nodded. "When she answered your question Twilight, I didn't sense not a speck of truth from her. She wasn't in the bathroom."
"Then where could she have been?" Rarity asked suspiciously.
"I don't know, but it won't that bathroom."
"Then she's a suspect," Rarity concluded quickly and excitedly. "We have to look into her. There's a whole lot no one knows about that mare. A bunch. I have a hunch she's connected to everything that's been happening lately. From Rainbow to now. And she's not talking."
A day later, the Elements all met up at Golden Oaks Library to discuss what Twilight found. According to Spike, 'the crazy librarian' has been up since one researching dark magic and it's origins. Of course she would, she's an academic. Or what Rainbow would call an 'Egghead' were she still here.
The door opened while she was in the midst of reading, and in walked everyone else. "Alright, Twi, what ya' find?" Applejack said, sitting down with the others. in front of the windows.
"Okay!" Twilight walked forward and threw a scroll onto the table, letting it unroll off the other side and unto the floor, stopping in front of Rarity's hooves.
The group gawked at the parchment before looking up at her appalled. "Oh my goodness, Twilight!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Now..." Twilight at a part of the scroll that had some weird characters on it. "I have researched the origins of dark magic and have discovered it to originate in the northeastern side of Equestria, past Canterlot and by Manehattan. It says here that an old mage was looking for a way to defeat the sirens of Equestria from trapping ponies with their songs, and that he created a new kind of unstable magic to create a portal. I think we all know who that mage was."
"Starswirl the bearded?" Spike asked uninterested while walking down the stairs with a blanket on his head.
"Yes! Now it also says here that the magic was to be used as a last resort, but that he used it as a primary when the Sirens tried some type of spell to grab all the magic from everypony by broadcasting their song all over the place. Somehow the Dark Magic got loose and got into different types of ponies that learned how to use it, and did it both for good and evil. I've tracked down those ponies, and guess what?"
"What?" Pinkie Pie yelled, grabbing Twilight by the shoulders. "Tell me Twilight, we can't take the pressure!!"
"Okay, okay!" Twilight pushed Pinkie back before speaking. "All of those ponies are from Manehattan."
"All of 'em?" Applejack asked unbelievably. No way all of them could be from Manehattan.
"Yes. It actually makes more sense. The place where Starswirl studied the magic was in the land by Manehattan, so of course the ponies nearby would go out and see what he was up to. So I've got a list of ponies who studied the magic. But none of them actually match the profile. But then I added a certain mare to the list because they match her description. When you use dark magic, it has some effects on a pony. High pitched voice, such as a foal's, and more. Discoloration of a pony's coat, but that depends on the severity of the magic's use. If you use it a lot, you lose all your color and causes you to look sickly."
"Are you insinuating," Rarity asked carefully. "That Pencil Sketch is the pony who defeated Discord? By herself?!"
"That's what it looks like. But I'm just making assumptions." She started rolling up the scroll again.
"Those are some pretty good assumptions, Twilight," Fluttershy muttered. "But what do we do?"
Twilight set down the scroll and stood up. "We go over and ask her about it. Inconspicuously, of course. I just want to know how and where she got the dark magic from. I'm not going after it, I just want to learn why."
Twilight walked over to the back and gazed at a few books, obviously looking for something. "And what exactly are you going to do if she does use dark magic?" Rarity asked her accusingly.
"I'm not sure. Probably just leave her alone. It depends on what she uses it for. But that would explain why she was able to detect my scanning. It pierced through her aura of dark magic, letting her feel it! THAT'S IT!" Twilight turned around and faced the group. "She felt my magic because it pierced through her layer of dark magic, causing a shift! And she felt that shift!"
"Anything else we need to know about dark magic that you think is important?" Applejack asked while she looked at a few more things.
"Not at this moment. But if I do, I'll let you know. Spike? Send a letter to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It'll take three hours to get to her place tomorrow."
"I really hope you're right about this, Sparkle," Pinkie said, pointing an accusing hoof at the librarian. "I'm giving up cupcakes for this."
In the mansion that Pencil Sketch occupied, in the west wing, the artist drew some more lines for the mare she appeared to have looked like during the Ponyville Exhibition. She was all black and had a zipper across her mouth, as well as a zipper that went down to her hips so she could climb out. It was taking her a while to sketch out the scene. So far, two hours. This was going to be an intense piece. She was also drawing discord as well as other ponies who were there to watch. That was going to take awhile as well. This was more than likely going to be a two or three day project. Because Discord was made of so many colors, she had to to mix those colors. She also had to draw those scales. But once it's finished, it will look... Awesome. That's it. Awesome.
She smiled just thinking about her success that happened within two months. From becoming a friendless loser that everyone called names and said that they didn't want to be around or be seen with her, to being the most influential mare and amazing artist in all of Equestria. And now, from what she could tell earlier, her known fame has let her be known throughout the lands beyond Equestria. "Amazing, Rainbow Dash... But you are now Pencil Sketch. Well known artist of Equestria and the lands beyond," she muttered as she finally finished the sketching of the Mystery Mare, or herself. To be honest, she looked really, kickbutt in it. Very much so.
After she finished herself, she put the pencil by the lower area of the canvas about to draw Discord when the doorbell rang.
"I have a doorbell?" She whispered confusedly before looking down at herself, checking to make sure her flanks were covered. They weren't. She shook her head and walked towards the door on the other side of the building. Her home had an east and west wing, the west now serving as her paint studio. And what a studio it was.
After her trek to the door she yelled out, "JUST A MINUTE!!" Then quickly turned around and flapped her wings, flew up the stairs and into her room at the speed she was so commonly known for before walking towards the area where an easel and canvas were setup. She threw some paint up on the canvas using a spell from her dark magic and pasted her flanks down onto it, covering her outlined lightning bolts. After checking herself over, she turned on some of her magic and buzzed her wings, throwing hot air onto the flanks and drying the paint. Once finding them dried she flew back down the stairs and cracked open the door, spotting a group of ponies she did not want to see. Ever again. Unless she had to. And had absolutely no choice. The list goes on and on.
"Can I help you?" She asked in her bland and uninterested voice. Celestia and the others all turned to the door with obviously faux smiles on their faces.
"Good morning, Ms. Sketch," Princess Celestia greeted. "We would like to have a word with you, is it alright if we come inside?"
Pencil raised an eyebrow before directing her eyes towards the Elements behind her who were wearing the same expression as Celestia. 'Great, just what I needed,' she thought to herself. 'A bunch of deceivers on my doorstep. Oh well.' She sighed and reached over to open the second door and allowed them inside. "Don't touch anything."
Celestia nodded before she led the group inside the luxurious home, the grand staircase impressing even Celestia. They observed in wonder, appreciating the pictures, the big ones on the tall walls and her smaller ones on tables.
Once they were all inside, she closed the doors, and turned around.
"This way, please." She walked past and made her way towards a hallway on the left side of the staircase. The ponies all followed her down the dimly lit passage, passing by a few more rooms. At the very end, it looked like a work out area and a pool. Rarity was so jealous. Her face was clearly displaying it with a scowl. They turned right, heading into another room that looked very much like a very fancy library.
"I recently had everything in here redone," Pencil Sketch explained. "This room was just built and is now my favorite, besides the pool in the back which I recently had installed two days ago. Ponies work fast. Have a seat."
She pointed her hoof towards three large velvet pillows on the right side of the room while she moved to the left for her desk, fitted with golden buttons in the middle, obviously for design. The company cast a casual glance at each other before making their way towards the cushions and having a seat, facing the famous painter with smiles on their faces. More than likely from the comfortable cushions.
"Ponies pay you pretty well to paint, Ms. Sketch," Twilight acknowledged, looking around the room with red walls and bookshelves lining it, stacked with books. As well as the fancy decor. "I wish I had a library like this."
"The Golden Oaks Library is just fine, Ms. Sparkle," she responded while going to the area behind her desk and pulling a book on a shelf. The bookcase pushed in and slid to the right, revealing a miniature bar. "Never give up what you are familiar with unless you absolutely have to. Would you like a glass of Blueberry Zebra? It is by far my favorite wine, ever since I first tasted it at my first exhibition here in Manehattan."
"No thank you, Ms. Sketch," Princess Luna replied, giving the mare a bored expression. Pencil shrugged before grabbing the bottle with her mouth and and pouring herself a glass. Once it rimmed the top, she set it back down and picked it up with her hoof, taking a sip.
"That is amazing. Now... How can I help you ponies? Or is it about what happened yesterday? Again?"
"It's about what happened yesterday," Twilight answered. Pencil sighed and took a seat behind her desk. Twilight decided she didn't like this conversation. "During the altercation, you were nowhere to be found."
Might as well let the truth out. No need to drag this on, Pencil thought to herself. She nodded before setting down her glass calmly. "Yes. And?"
"Where were you, if you don't mind me asking?"
"In the air, not the bathroom. I lied about that, obviously. And you knew that, didn't you Applejack, Element of Honesty?" The mare in question popped her eyes open before looking at the others. They were all staring in surprise at Pencil's smirking face in silence.
"Yes, I did," Applejack answered slowly. "What were you doing in the air?"
"Flying, what else?" She chuckled, taking another sip. She was really enjoying this. Just like back then.
"Okay, let's skip the banter!" Luna exclaimed, standing up and trotting towards the desk. "Were you the Mystery Mare yesterday, who defeated Discord and was able to wield all the Elements at once?" The company behind her looked at the Princess appalled.
"Luna! We do not interrogate a host!" Celestia scolded. "She was kind enough to—" A sudden burst of black smoke in front of the room caught them so off guard that Twilight bounced out of her seat and fell on her back. Once it cleared, the suit of the Mystery Mare was rotating in the middle of the room. From her chair, Pencil Sketch who was holding out a hoof, tinted the color black before it went back to its usual gray. She gave them a smile and got off her chair with a squeak. After getting on her hooves, she trotted around and stood beside it. The figure of the suit matched her body shape perfectly!
"Yes, that was I. I am... The Mystery Mare. I knew of Discord's return a few days ago, when Buff and I were on our way to Cloudsdale to watch the Wonderbolts practice when I felt his power leak out into the air. It was strong. And it was angry. I would have informed you, but..." She chuckled and looked at their surprised faced with amusement. "What could you really have done? You had no idea how to rebuild the Element of Loyalty like that, and you could not battle a God of Chaos without any type of weapon, that'd be just... Stupid. Right?"
The ponies all stared at her awestruck, frozen at her admittance. It was so... Unexpected. They were expecting denial! Lying! Not just, "Yeah, that was me." Even Fluttershy was taken back. Pencil waved her hoof and teleported the suit back to her room before trotting back behind her desk, once again settling into her chair.
"So... You used dark magic to defeat him?" Twilight asked. The mare nodded. "And was somehow able to wield the Elements. How'd you do that? And Dark Magic for that matter? You have no horn."
Pencil chuckled before picking up the glass. "I cannot tell you that, Ms. Sparkle. But I will tell you that only I can do it to put your minds at ease. I can tell that you're frightened to discover that a pony such as myself can summon all the Elements of Harmony at will out of your grip like that." She raised a wing towards the bottle of wine a few feet away from her, grabbing it with her dark magic and levitating it to her, backing up her story and sending out a strong wave of her magic over their coats. She poured it with her levitation before sending it back to the desk, setting it down lightly.
"How did you learn advanced level magic?" Luna asked her suspiciously. "Do you have a book from Starswirl The Bearded?"
"Not even close. I was born with it. I believe Celestia told you how I came about?" Luna looked back at her sister who wore a sheepish grin on her face, making both of the mares sigh. "I'll take that as a 'no'. Well let me explain it to you. I am Pencil Sketch, but before, I was another pony. A very smart pony who was taken for granted, got angry, gave up, and turned into Pencil Sketch. I loved flying and doing other things I will not mention. Of course for my hiding because I don't want to be found... Yet. But I have a feeling that won't stop you from trying, will it, Ms. Sparkle?"
Twilight pulled in her lips while trying to avoid everyone's gaze. "So... Pencil Sketch," Luna said. "Why did you leave...where did you come from, exactly?"
The mare smiled before she sighed. "Do you really want to know? Because you will not believe it. At all." The company all nodded before she tightened her lips and let out a heavy sigh. "Ponyville." The ponies all gasped and began trying to place her face. They couldn't actually do it because of her long hair.
"You lived in Ponyville?!" Rarity asked unbelievably. The famous pony nodded. "That's... Amazing! Did you have a house there, and is it still there?"
"I... No. I do not have a house on the ground there. It is gone. But I lived there for a long time. Before I was betrayed. So now, I live in Manehattan!" She yelled in triumph and threw up her hooves, displaying her grandeur. "Where dreams come true! Where I can paint to my heart's desire and not have to worry about rejection, pain, or frustration ever again! I will not reveal more of my origin. I've said too much already. I don't want to be found and I will not be found until I am ready to return."
Twilight just stared at her with her mouth wide open. How could you miss a pony like this walking around Ponyville? Well, she did say she looked different than this before, so she looked like a different pony. "What... What did your coat look like before?"
Pencil looked at her again before sighing. "I will not be relaying that information, Ms. Sparkle. Like I said before, I do not want to be found!" She stated sternly, punctuating her last word with a bang of her hoof on the desk that reverberated around the whole building, scaring Pinkie Pie. "Now... I have more paintings to paint, specifically the one of Discord. I must ask you not to tell others about my identity as the Mystery Mare. It could hurt my business and stop me from building the rest of my studios that are popping up all over Equestria." She stood up from behind the desk, and brushed the hair out from in front of her face for a second, giving Twilight a face that was incredibly familiar. She took a note to look her up later. "I will walk you all out."
The company got up and followed her back to the front door where she opened it, letting the group out. "Thank you, Pencil Sketch, for at least telling us the truth," Princess Luna thanked on the walkway. "I really hope to see each other again. But if you don't mind me asking, do you use dark magic with your paintings?" The group stopped and stared at the pony who smiled for the first time.
"No. My paintings are all natural. Every stroke, every sketch, is completely without magic, I give you my word." The ponies smiled back at her before they made their way out the door. "Have a good day, ponies. Be safe and don't do anything stupid." Before they could ponder that, Pencil closed her door back, locked it and went back into her studio to work on her painting. "God, I hate interruptions."
"Girls, come with me," Twilight said when they arrived back at the station in Ponyville, making her way back to the library with a task in her mind. "There's something about her face that reminds me of somepony. I just can't put my hoof on it though."
"How can you see what she looks like?" Pinkie inquired, hopping next to her. "She has that long hair that drapes over her face like a curtain, leaving only, like, one third of it showing."
"She blew it to the side when she got up to walk us out." They turned into the square and headed towards the library. "It was brief, but I remembered it. It was very clear." She opened the door into the library, revealing Spike sitting at the table reading a comic book, obviously bored out of his mind. He looked when Twilight walked in with the others right behind her, and snapped out of his emotionless state.
"So? What's the verdict?" He asked impatiently, letting the book drop on the table.
"She confessed and said it was her," Rarity said, walking over to the dragon and giving him a hug. "It was a little... Anticlimactic."
"A little?" Pinkie asked in disbelief. "Try a lot! She was like, 'Yes. I am the Mystery Mare.'" Applejack chuckled while Twilight pulled out the bookcase again containing the documents of missing ponies.
"Okay, let's see." She levitated the books over and dropped them on Spike's comic, making him gasp in horror.
"Twilight....my book—"
"It's okay, I know this is hard to find, but we can find it together, Spike," she interrupted, definitely not understanding where he was getting at.
She opened the book with her magic and started rapidly turning the pages, using her magic to scan the images. "I remember seeing the pony somewhere in these books and I want you girls here to make sure I'm looking at the right one. She looked really familiar......REALLY really familiar. But I just can't place a name or where I've seen her from."
"Okay," Rarity said, walking over and watching the pages turn while the others watched quietly. A little while later, she slowed the pages down. "You see something?"
"No, I feel something, I'm close," Twilight replied back, passing by an image. She continued turning before she stopped suddenly. "Wait... I saw it." The others walked over and watched as she slowly turned the pages back, stopping at the image. "It's... oh... My Celestia."
"You must be bucking with me, Twilight," Applejack whispered, staring wide-eyed at the image.
"Are you absolutely sure Twilight?!" Rarity yelled. "Pencil Sketch is...."
"Twilight, this better not be a joke!!!" Fluttershy yelled.
"Oh my Equestria," Pinkie said, staring at the image in awe.
"I'm not kidding," Twilight whispered, pointing a shaky hoof at the image of a cyan colored mare with a snarky smile on her face and a Rainbow colored mane. "Pencil Sketch is Rainbow Dash. She's still alive."
"Hey, Buff. Thanks for coming." Pencil opened the door wider for the bodyguard, inviting him in.
"A-are you sure, Ms. Sketch?" He asked while looking inside in uncertainty. "I might break something and I really don't want any—"
"Ugghhh." She grabbed his hoof and surprisingly threw him inside. Then closed the door back while he slid along the marble flooring. Pencil Sketch laughed while she helped him back. "You're cute when you're nervous. But I'm the lady in charge. If I wasn't sure about letting you inside I wouldn't have invited you over."
"Yeah....." he agreed. Buff rubbed his sore chin and watching her walk by, more interested in her flank than anything else.
"Hey!" He snapped to attention, making Pencil laugh. "Stop staring at my flank, I have something I need to tell you. It's... Important." Buff looked at her in worry, seeing the trouble in her eyes.
He walked forward and settled down in front of her. "Okay. You have my undivided attention." Pencil looked up and smiled.
"You are such a gentlecolt. Look, ummm... I Iike you, I really do. Our first date was great. I loved it. But.....I can't be your girlfriend." Buff sighed sadly. "Don't be sad, because it's not your fault." She sat down in front of him and placed a hoof on his cheek. "It's mine. I have a lot of issues and most of them revolve around... Rejection... And hurt. And..."
"You're afraid of getting hurt again," he answered for her, giving her a soft smile. "I can see that. Pencil, I don't know what happened to you in the past. I won't even ask unless you say you WANT to tell me. But I promise... That I will always, and I mean ALWAYS, be there for you. You deserve a pony in your life that can be there for you, make you happy and encourage you when times get hard.
"Like I said, I don't know what happened in the past, but I promise I will NEVER leave you. You could be evil, you could be sick, hay you could be an entirely different pony. But I still won't go anywhere. You're stuck with me."
Pencil smiled up at him, small tears trailing down her face before she stood up, leaned forward, and gave him a kiss. He pulled her closer, enjoying the moment before she pulled back, smiling.
"You promise?" She whispered.
"With my life." Her pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. Then they stayed like that for awhile until Buff broke the silence. "So is that a yes....or a no?"
Pencil laughed before she pulled away and bopped his muzzle very softly. "It's a—"
*DING-DONG*
*BANG BANG BANG*
Pencil lost her smile and groaned. "I'll answer it," Buff volunteered. He let her go and turned for the door while Pencil went to grab some celebratory wine from her room. She walked up the grand staircase, leaving Buff alone to tend to the ponies. He pulled on the handle and cracked it open, seeing... The Elements, clearly impatient. "Can I help you ladies?" How'd they get past the gate?
"We need to speak to Pencil Sketch immediately!" Twilight yelled. "This is very important!"
The mare in question walked back down the hallway upstairs, carrying a plate that held two wine glasses filled with Blueberry Zebra. "Who is it?" She called.
"Those ponies from Ponyville," he responded, not taking his eyes off the group. "They want to see you right away."
She sighed and finally came into view, stopping on the steps, directly in front of the doorway. She levitated the plate off her back and onto the carpet of the stairs beside her, pouring herself a drink before she gave the command. "Ponies are so inconsiderate. Let them in, please." She took a sip while Buff opened the door wider, letting the group in to stare at her intensely. "Very inconsiderate, Ms. Sparkle! I'll have you know me and Buff were having a very important moment when you decided to come knocking and banging like a crazy mare. But what for?"
She started swirling the delicious liquid, staring at it in disappointment while Twilight answered and approached slightly. "I apologize, Ms. Sketch. Or should I say... Rainbow Dash."
Pencil Sketch stopped swirling her drink and glanced up at the group. They stared at each for a few long seconds. Twilight was beginning to think she may have crossed a line before she Pencil gained a small smirk on her muzzle, the hair in front of her right eye giving her the mysterious look once more. Then...she said the words that confirmed their suspicions.
Pencil continued drinking her wine from the staircase while the others stared at her expectantly. Waiting for answers. The answers the needed. Buff was just smiling at her from the bottom.
Starting it off, Twilight took a small step forward and whispered, "Where have you been, Rainbow? We were downhearted when Celestia declared you deceased."
Pencil rolled her eyes and answered, "Here, duh." She went back to swirling her glass and smiling at Buff who was giving her googly eyes. "It was yes, the answer was yes. Would you like more wine?"
"Yes please, Ms. Sketch." She teleported the bottle down below onto the table in front of Buff in a puff of smoke. He swiftly grabbed it and poured himself some more. This wine was sweet to the tastebuds.
"And what is with this Pencil Sketch nonsense?!" Applejack yelled. She walked steadily towards the staircase. "You're not a painter, you're a Wonderbolt."
"DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER!" She yelled. The group backed up in alarm with widened eyes. She slammed her drink down on the stairs and stood on her four hooves, staring in anger. "I AM NOT A WONDERBOLT! I WAS NEVER A WONDERBOLT, AND I WILL NOT BE A WONDERBOLT!!" She crawled down the stairs, creating unease. They moved to the left, getting in front of the corridor to the next wing before she stopped beside Buff.
Fluttershy gulped and whispered, "Rainbow—"
"AND I AM NOT RAINBOW DASH! Rainbow is dead. And you all killed her. I told you that already, Ms. Sparkle."
Twilight gasped before pointing an accusing hoof at her. "You were the one who attacked me!" She announced.
"Correct." Pencil took another sip of the wine straight from the bottle.
"And before that when you destroyed the Cloudominium! You destroyed your own house!"
"Correct again. Are you done yet?"
"Far from done."
Carefully, Rarity asked, "Darling, why did you leave Ponyville?"
Pencil calmly pulled back from her drink and faced them. After a few seconds of silence, she yelled, "Seriously?! Did you really just ask that question?! Let me spell it for you. It starts with 'Y', and ends with 'U'. A big, fat, YOU!" The glass left on the staircase suddenly shattered, spilling the drink, and startling everyone. "When I was first made fun of, it was in Flight Camp. Not a happy time. I was bullied and humiliated. And I pushed it back in their faces when I did the Rainboom."
"Wait..." Buff looked over in confusion. "You did a what?"
Pencil chuckled and patted his chest. "I'll tell you about that later. But after that moment of glory, do you think the teasing stopped? NO! It got WORSE when I discovered my amazing skill in painting. I actually did that more than flying, which is what my cutie mark stood for, and was teased because of it. I put up a tough front, but inside I was breaking apart. Cracking. That's when I left and met you five. Thinking you were my friends, my family away from family. The last things I had left. I was obviously deceived. They say that you speak what you have always thought from your heart in the heat of an argument. And when you said I was no friend of yours, and the rest of you agreed, Rainbow shattered. She shattered and died."
"Rainbow, we're—"
"It is NOT RAINBOW DASH, FLUTTERSHY!!!" She yelled. Then began approaching the group slowly. "She died in that library, you ignorant ponies! And if you think an apology is going to work, then you are greatly mistaken. I have created an empire where ponies adore me and look up to me. And I will not be leaving them! The young foals will now have a voice to speak for them when they want to defy the limit that is the cutie mark and I am a prime example of the success that it brings. That is my true calling, and I won't be leaving it."
Stomping a hoof down, Applejack ordered, "Pencil Sketch, ya' need to come home. I will tie you up and drag you there myself if I have to." Pencil widened her eyes before they narrowed and she turned towards Applejack's steel face., sneering at her.
"Oh? Well go ahead, Applejack. Grab your lasso and tie me up. See if you won't get... This." She thrust her hoof out and sent a bolt of black magic that hit her in the chest. Applejack yelped and flew over her surprised friends. Then landed and slid along the marble floor.
"Applejack!" Twilight cried out before the whole group all ran towards her shivering form in worry. "What did you do to her?!"
"Not much, just knocked out her magic for a week... Hmmmm... Does that remind you of something, Ms. Sparkle? Because it rings a very important bell in my head." She started tapping her chin in thought. "Oh! I know! That was that same spell you killed Rainbow Dash over! But instead of it being the cause of an inaccurate casting, it is the reason for the whole spell!"
"Why... Are you doing this?" Applejack groaned as she got to her hooves, shivering.
"Because you lied to me for years, not even caring that my heart was already broken. This is just spending not even a penny of my frustration. My built up anger. I thought I spent most of it on the Draconequus... But I wasn't even close."
"We did care!" Pinkie yelled.
"Did you?! Did you really care when you were throwing that party across from the farm pony's home? I was there! I was sitting on the clouds watching every last one of you! Just having a JOLLY OL'......" She sighed and turned around, walking back to Buff. "Just get out of my house."
"Rainbow, we're-"
"Twilight," she stopped and shot an angry glare over her shoulder at Twilight. "Get out of my house. Get off my property. Do NOT come back. I do not want to see you again." She pointed her hoof at the door, which somehow flew open. Twilight stared at her sadly, hoping for a reinstatement before sighing and walking towards it with a head held low and everyone else following behind her. "And one more thing." They stopped and looked at her. She looked over her shoulder and gave them the most evil look that King Sombra, Nightmare Moon, or even Discord couldn't even do. They shivered to the bone while she talked. "Rainbow Dash is mad. Extremely mad. So mad in fact that I had to lock her in a cage. And she is trying to break free. One day she will break out. And she will want revenge. The look I am giving you right now can't even compare to what she will give you. Good day, Elements of Harmony. And good luck." Pencil's magic shoved them all out the door before it closed behind them.
She continued to stare irately at the door for a moment, thinking about the repercussions of them finding out until a blue wing draped over her back. "It's okay," Buff whispered. He planted a nuzzle on her cheek, growing a smile and blush. "You just told them that it hurt you to a great amount and an apology just won't do it."
"I know," she whispered, nuzzling back. "It's just....they never give up. They'll be back and they'll bring reinforcements. I have to be ready for them. Now, I...have a story to tell you."
Buff chuckled before looking around. "Let me clean up that glass first. Do you have a broom?"
She turned around and pointed at a door by another hallway beside the staircase. "It's in there. I'll be in the studio, the west wing when you're finished. Thank you, Buff." She went back to the room to continue painting while Buff went to grab the tools.
The train ride back home was quiet, the atmosphere as thick as Rainbow's voice, which continued to echo around in their minds. Like a horrible scream.
"Rainbow is dead! And you all killed her."
Twilight closed her eyes as a small tear rolled down her cheek.
"We... We really messed up," Fluttershy whimpered. "We find out she's still alive... But she doesn't want to come home. Because of us."
"We drove her away," Rarity inputted, holding Applejack who was still shivering. "We drove her away and over what? A magic knockout that technically only fully affected three of us for a week. It wasn't that big a deal. She was obviously suffering more than we were. For a long time."
"And we didn't even care," Pinkie whispered, her straight and sad mane covering her right eye. "We're horrible friends, horrible!"
"That m-magic she hit me with," Applejack stuttered, still shivering and cradling her body with the white unicorn. "It was...s-s-so cold. Lifeless. It crawled all over my body and... It was so... Dark. It's like she put her emotion into it."
"We have to tell Celestia," Rarity concluded, catching Twilight's attention. "No one else but the princesses. Maybe they can help. And what she said at the very end... It gave me an uneasy feeling."
"I don't know...but I'll give it a shot," Twilight coalesced. She directed her gaze back to the window. "I don't think we should tell her parents. At least not yet."
"We should let Celestia make that decision," Rarity suggested as the train stopped st their station. "It could possibly make things worse if they do find out."
"Maybe."
After five minutes of walking back to the library, Twilight sent out the letter with URGENT on it, making sure Celestia got there ASAP. Which she did. A flash of light appeared in the middle of the library not even five minutes later, capturing the saddened ponies' attention. "Hello, Twilight," Celestia greeted, appearing with Luna beside her. She immediately noticed their somber mood. "What has happened? You all seem down."
Twilight sighed and sat down in front of Celestia. "We have discovered...that Rainbow is alive."
"What?!" Both princesses exclaimed in surprise, the same emotion in their eyes.
"Where is she?" Celestia asked urgently.
"It's more like WHO is she and we all know her," Rarity inputted from the kitchen. "She just did an art exhibition here."
"Pencil Sketch is Rainbow Dash?!" Luna yelled. "Why are we not at her home at this very moment?"
"Because she doesn't want to come back," Rarity answered, bringing some cocoa to Applejack. "She made that clear to all of us, especially Applejack who threatened to tie her up and drag her back. She hit her with dark magic."
"She said she was no longer Rainbow and that she was dead," Twilight continued. "And that we... We killed her." Her face scrunched up before she started sobbing. Celestia walked over and pulled her in for a much needed hug. "She doesn't want to come back to Ponyville. At all. We aren't allowed back at her house either."
The princesses sighed before turning to each other. What to do?
"...and that was the sonic Rainboom," Pencil finished the story around the paintbrush in her mouth. "The first highlight of my life. Of course my paintings are the second and best. I'm selling this one to another Museum in Cloudsdale."
Behind her with the eyes on the painting, Buff stated, "That's of the Mystery Mare in Ponyville. It's almost finished?"
"It is completely finished... Now." She brushed one more area with black paint. "What do you think?"
"Beautiful like always. How were those model paintings?"
"Amazing," she answered. She looked up at Buff in awe. "Fleur De Lis is surprisingly a natural at poses. I would show you, but she has the painting, so...." Buff laughed before he looked over the painting some more.
"I am truly amazed at what you can do with a paintbrush, ink, and... 'Pencil Sketches'. It is truly inspiring."
"That was a horrible pun," she chuckled, pointing at the stallion accusingly. "And that's why I'm never leaving it. Ponies look up to me to give them hope in the worst of times. So I'm staying this way and there's absolutely nopony who can make me do otherwise. Except..."
"RAINBOW DASH!" Both of the ponies in the house looked towards the door that led to the Foyer. Princess Luna was anxiously looking around, walking around with a lit horn, obviously upset. "Come out this instant!" Looks like someone snitched.
"Seriously? In my house?" Pencil muttered. She groaned and rolled her eyes before she walked out the door, followed by Buff. "Princess Luna, what a surprise to have you popping INSIDE my house without my permission," she said getting the Princess' attention. "Let me guess. Twilight told you?"
"Rainbow Dash, you are to come back at once!" She yelled down to her. "We need all the Elements in case of another attack, and you are the only Element that went rogue!"
"Sorry Princess, but that's not happenin'," she argued, waving her hoof and shaking her head. "I have a duty to fulfill and I just told Buff here that nopony will make me abandon it. NO...pony. That goes for you as well."
Princess Luna gasped before lighting her horn at the mare who just sat there relaxing. "Listen here, Rainbow-"
"NO! YOU LISTEN PRINCESS LUNA! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR ROYAL BARGES AND DEMANDS! I AM NOT GOING TO PONYVILLE! I AM NOT AN ELEMENT! AND I AM NOT ON YOUR TEAM! I AM ON MY OWN! AND IF YOU FIRE ONE SINGLE SPELL IN HERE, I WILL TELEPORT YOU AWAY FROM EQUESTRIA!"
Luna looked at her surprised, trying to see if she was bluffing. It definitely didn't look like it. "Fine." She turned off her horn and relaxed for a second. "But you are going to explain your reason for leaving." She lit her horn again and teleported herself, Pencil Sketch, and Buff all the way back to Ponyville right in the middle of the Golden Oaks Library, surprising the group already in there.
Pencil growled and got onto her hooves, staring menacingly at the Princess of the Night. "Seriously, Luna? I am really itching to use this spell." Her body started glowing dark and seeping out black tendrils that were about to shoot towards them, making the company fairly uneasy before it diminished. "But... Seeing as no harm has been done, no physical threats from you have been made, and my work is untouched, I will not hurt any of you in here. Now. What do you want, I already told you everything." She got up and walked around the library, looking at the books.
"We want to know why you ran away," Celestia answered. Pencil sighed and rolled her eyes. "The Rainbow Dash we know—"
"—is gone," Pencil interrupted, picking a book off the bookshelf. "The Rainbow Dash you know is gone. And she is NOT coming back. Ask all you want, she isn't." She turned towards a bookcase and opened the book, reading an excerpt.
"Pencil, look," Fluttershy said, cautiously approaching her. "I know we were mean to you and we're oh so sorry. Can't you forgive us?" Pencil slammed the book shut. Fluttershy yelped and flew back.
"No." She put the book back on its shelf and swiveled back around with anger in her eyes. "I won't. Because all you did was lie to me. For years. Actually, now that I think about it, I want the truth right now from you five. What was I to you? Really? Because the last time I checked, I wasn't your friend, but for some odd reason you still let me hang around. Was I just a tool to you?"
"Rainbow, we-"
IT IS NOT RAINBOW DASH! MY NAME IS PENCIL SKETCH! RAINBOW DASH IS DEAD! NOW ANSWER ME!! She stared angrily at the elements, not leaving a bit of them out of her eyesight. Buff was laying on the ground by the door with his wings expanded, in case things got violent.
The group was silent, just staring at her as her breathing slowed down. Pencil sighed and relaxed, already knowing the answer. "So... I WAS just a tool. A fast speedy tool that you used for your victories." Pencil slowly nodded before turning around and walking towards the door. "Buff, we're leaving in a puff of smoke. Do you get nauseous?"
"Don't know what that means, but no," the big pegasus said, relaxing and standing up. "I don't get sick easily from a jumpy ride."
"Good." She opened the door and walked out, nearly bumping into three familiar fillies.
"Eep!" Sweetie Belle yelped, jumping to the side after nearly being stepped on by Buff.
"Oh sorry, kid," he apologized.
The tiny unicorn only stared at him with her mouth wide open, intimidated by his size. "Y-you're big."
"Really big," Apple Bloom agreed, nodding her head. The little pegasus on the far left was too busy staring at Pencil Sketch, who was calmly smiling down at the fillies.
"You look familiar," she said, poking Pencil's hoof and getting her attention. "Do I know you?"
"I'm Pencil Sketch, Equestria's most famous pony?" She said, trying not to say 'Scoots'. Only one pony really called her that besides the other crusaders. 'At least she's moved on....sort of,' she thought.
"Not that....you remind me of somepony. It's a mare. I can't remember her name though."
"Huh. Well, I don't know what to say to that. Have a good day, kid." She turned around and faced the inside of the library, obviously still upset. "Remember what I told you. Do NOT come to my house. Do NOT tell my parents who I am. And do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT....tell anypony else. This is a warning, Elements of Harmony. Or Equestria will be open to trouble once again. Maybe even by Chrysalis, who knows. Or possibly....the mare herself. Just don't test me." She jumped up and landed on Buff's back. He looked up in surprise.
"I thought we were teleporting."
"We have eyes here, no teleporting. We're just gonna fly. Hold on." She grabbed him tightly, getting a firm grip before she opened her wings.
"Wait-wait-whaaaaaaa!!!" Pencil flew away towards the mountainside at the speed of Rainbow Dash, a familiar gray trail behind her, which Scootaloo recognized right away. She gasped and pointed at it, a smile on her face.
"She was the mystery mare! I knew it!"
"Scootaloo?" Rarity called walking up to her quickly. "Do not tell anypony about her, okay?" The little filly stopped dancing around and stared at the older pony in confusion.
"Wh-why not?"
"It could ruin Ponyville. And all of Equestria. Just keep it a secret, okay? Pinkie Promise." The little pegasus sighed and did the signs.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
The pegasus landed right back in her front yard, a shaking bodyguard right underneath her. "P-P-Please don't do that again, Ms. Sketch."
She giggled and jumped on the ground in front of him before turning around to face him. "Hey. I'm your girlfriend, just call me Pencil, okay?"
The shaking stallion stopped quivering and looked towards her with a smile on his face. "Sure, Pencil. But......I have to ask....do you really loathe those ponies?" Pencil sighed through her nose and looked towards the sky, seeing a few butterflies flying towards the house behind her.
"No. I don't hate them. I just can't be around them right now. Maybe in the future. But for now.....I wanna get myself together. Although they were sincere. When Fluttershy said they were really really sorry.....I could feel it. I could feel their sadness. But it wasn't even close to what I felt. Rainbow on the other hoof....loathes them completely. If she sees them again.....prepare for the worst. Until that time comes....I'll be in Manehattan working on my paintings, doing my shows, going to my exhibits, and managing the studios I am creating all over Equestria." She turned around and walked back towards the house with Buff right behind her. "I will not be loyal to them......but I will be loyal to Equestria. I bluffed when I said I was going to bring Tartarus on this land. I paint for Equestria and for the foals that live in it." She opened the door to the foyer and walked inside, going back to the studio to check on her painting while Buff closed the door behind her.
She sat down and looked at it carefully before grabbing some sunlamps and turning them on at the picture. "Stupid Luna didn't even let me dry my paintings. Anyway, Buff.......what are your plans for tomorrow? I have a very special......task for you."
The body guard took a seat where he was before they were rudely interrupted earlier. Right behind Pencil and incredibly close to her flanks. "Well......nothing except being here with you. I AM your body guard."
"Is that why you're trying to 'guard' my flanks?" She teased, smirking at him over her shoulder. "I will buck you into the wall, rough stallion."
"No you won't." She raised an eyebrow and lifted her left rear hoof. He yelped and flew back to avoid that golden hoofshoe covered leg. "How rude! You wanted to buck your boyfriend?"
"Because he was staring incredibly hard at my flank. Instead of focusing on what's up here—" She pointed her hoof at her face. "—he was drooling at the area down there. Try not to get spit on yourself." Buff chuckled before he got up and walked over to her.
"You're a mess. You're just gonna stare at the paint all day or are you doing something else?" Pencil smirked and turned around, looking back at the paint.
"I think when the paint is drying, it is the most inspiring—HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" Buff had picked up the obviously lying artist and threw her over his shoulder before making his way out of the room.
She was bucking around trying to get him to put her down, but found it a futile effort as he found a strong grip on her waist. Sighing she just lay limp and let him pull her along. "Hey......where are we going?"
"Where's your kitchen?" He asked, looking around the foyer and the grand staircase.
"Straight ahead, dolt." He mumbled something about her being a dolt and walked forward while she just laughed and tapped his back. "What do you need in the kitchen?"
"MMMM......you'll see." He walked in and set her down in a seat. She giggled in interest as he walked away "I........am going..........to cook my best dish."
"You cook? My bodyguard can cook?" She teased.
"Hey, I'm still a pony who lives by himself, I have to cook sometime." He walked over to the fridge and pulled out some eggs before turning on the stove, spraying the pan, and setting it on an eye. "Now watch how your stallion makes a meal. You will not be disappointed."
"I am very disappointed," Pencil said, shaking her head at the food that she was chewing on while Buff just stared at her in disbelief. She glanced up and laughed when she saw his facial expression.. "I'm kidding, Buffy, just try not to make such a mess in here next time. The omelet was really good, I greatly enjoyed that."
He breathed in relief and buried his face in his hooves while Pencil continued laughing and eating her omelet. After a a while, she sighed and set down her utensil, then walked over to his side of the table. She grabbed his face and pulled it over to look in his eyes. "I loved it. Thank you." She leaned into him and gave her a kiss where he pulled her close and deepened it.
'Yeah... I definitely like this guy,' Pencil said in her mind.
The next day, Buff arrived at the mansion that belonged to the widely-known painter, carrying a very small package wrapped in gray paper in his saddlebag with a smile on his face. Pencil is definitely going to love this, he could already see it. "'Thank you, Buff,'" he whispered to himself, mimicking her voice as he walked past the ponies putting up the fence. "'You're the best stallion ever!' Oh, yeah I'm golden." He chuckled before stopping in front of her door and ringing the bell. It would take her awhile to get to the door so he just simply waited. Thirty seconds later, it opened up, revealing the unamused birthday girl wearing one of her dresses.
"Well, well, well," she taunted blandly, letting him in. "If it isn't mister 'I'm always late.'" Buff raised an eyebrow and looked at the large clock above the grand staircase.
"It's eight in the morning," he stated, trying to hide that smile. "I think it's the exact opposite."
Pencil squinted her eyes at him, getting really close to his face before smiling and giggling. "You know I'm messing with you, sweetheart."
"I know. Happy birthday, Pencil." He pulled her in for a hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek while she nuzzled him.
"Thank you. So what'd ya' get me? Gimme, gimme, gimme!" She yelled, flying up to his face.
"Okay, okay!" He said, trying to push her back down. He reached into the side of the saddlebag and pulled out the package, which she snatched out of his hoof. "Oh my god, I'm dating a crazy mare."
"Oh hush," She said, ripping the paper open to reveal...... "A.....key?"
"Yep. But not just any key. This is the key to my place. If you're ever feeling alone and need someone to talk to, or get away from the hustle and bustle of being a celebrity, you can always come to my place. I know doing what you do drives you out of your mind. And if it doesn't, it will. So when that happens, you can come straight to my house."
Pencil looked down at the key before glancing up at her large coltfriend, giving him a small smile. "Thanks, Buff.....this is really sweet."
"You're welcome. Now what is it that you wanted me to do today?"
"I want to throw you in the pool."
"What?"
"Okay, I'm not too sure about this!" Buff yelled loudly. He was situated on the top of Pencil's three story mansion with his eyes blindfolded, standing on the edge with his arms outstretched. "I would understand if you didn't have my eyes blindfolded, but you do. So.....why?"
"Because it's fun, now hold still." Pencil backed up a few feet and spread her wings, preparing to push him off the ledge. "Try not to flap your wings, it hurts the experience!"
"Pencil, I really don't like this, there's no way I'm doing this." He got quiet until Pencil ran into him, taking them both off the ledge. "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
"YEAAAAHHHHH!" Pencil yelled before they splashed into the pool. A few seconds later they popped back up, breaching the surface and gasping for air.
"THAT WAS CRAZY!!" Buff yelled, yanking the blindfold off his eyes.
"I know, wasn't it great?"
He turned and gave her a terrified stare. "No, I was terrified!"
"I know it's the rush that gets you really excited!" Pencil squealed before jumping on the shocked stallion, pulling them both under the water.
"Please don't do that again," Buff asked as they walked back inside with towels on them. He was shivering in horror while she chuckled.
"Oh, don't be a spoil sport. You enjoyed that."
"I did not," he said, laughing between the words. He turned around and faced her grinning face. "Just don't go pushing ponies into things when their eyes are closed. It's like suicide. In water!"
Pencil sighed and rolled her eyes before nodding her head. "Fine. Just try not to repeat the action when you're alone." She walked past him and flicked his face with her tail. He took that moment to gaze at her flank...and her cutie mark.
"Your cutie mark's a lightning bolt?" She froze and sighed deeply.
"Yeah......yeah, it's from my past that I wanna forget," she responded quietly, lowering her head.
"Oh, I'm sorry." He quickly approached her side. "I didn't mean to intrude."
"You didn't, it's just......that's another reason I keep it covered. This cutie mark belongs to Rainbow Dash. But she's not around. So I make sure her cutie mark isn't either to keep her hidden like she wanted. Someday she'll wake up again. But that time won't be coming any time soon."
"Oh....well, how about we go out? Get some lunch!!" Pencil laughed and shook her head.
"Buff, it's.......only eleven-twenty."
"So? It's your birthday! Defy the limit, right?" He grabbed their towels and walked towards the rack, placing them there before guiding her towards the front of the luxurious household. "You're.....twenty five now, so we'll have to celebrate! Now come on!"
"Well let me get my shoes, dress, and jewelry first!" She teleported up to her room and grabbed her things, including the huge necklace of her past cutie mark, making her smile. She put it around her neck before putting on her dress and stepping into her golden hoofshoes, teleporting back down to Buff.
"Ready?" He asked her. She nodded eagerly. "Then let's go."
During the trek into city filled with skyscrapers, she was constantly asked to sign things from other ponies, mostly shirts and clothing. Eventually, after an hour, they made it to a simple ice cream stand that Pencil asked to stop at, and grabbed some ice cream cones. She picked blueberry while Buff picked vanilla, obviously his favorite based off the rapid amount of attention his tongue was giving it.
"So....where to?" He asked in between licks.
"Let's just go to a park or something," she suggested as she waved to another pony. "I just wanna relax for awhile. Take a load off."
"As my lady suggests." He gestured to the right, walking down another sidewalk and going towards a location she would definitely appreciate. After a few more minutes, they arrived at a large park that even had a pond where some swans were relaxing. There were flowers, green luscious grass, and even a sidewalk surround by trees. Pencil gasped in wonder and awe as she tried to look at everything at once.
"Whoa," she muttered, staring wide eyed at the scenery. "This is....beautiful."
"I know. That's why I brought us here." He guided her towards a spot by the pond and sat down, letting her get comfortable before draping a wing over her.
"You know....I could sleep like this," she commented, making him chuckle.
"Yeah, well you're birthday's just getting started. Don't fall asleep yet."
"Awww...you pushover." He grinned and nuzzled the top of her head, shifting her head around. "You know....yesterday, I wanted to end the flirting and all.....but now I just want more."
"That's what happens when you bond with the rough stallion, as you so put it." The two laughed before looking back out at the pond. Thinking.
"Windy......." Bow whispered, walking into his daughter's old room in Cloudsdale. "We have to drop these off....at least once today."
He stopped and sighed sadly at seeing his orange haired wife crying into her daughter's pillow before walking into the room and getting on the bed with her, holding her. He felt sad too, knowing they'll never see their daughter again, although Princess Celestia did tell them after the declaration that she could still possibly be alive, even if Princess Luna couldn't find her.
"I....I feel so empty without Dashy here," Windy whimpered into the pillow. "I feel like I've lost everything."
"I do too, sweetheart," Bow whispered into her ear. "I do too. I feel like everything in this household has disappeared. And there's nothing we could do. But we can at least give her some flowers okay?"
Windy nodded, reluctantly getting out of the bed and followed her husband towards the stairwell. They walked down and towards the front door before Bow grabbed the large bouquets on the table next to it, and walked out with Windy behind him. They looked at each other before taking off into the air, headed for the town below. They flew in silence, memories going through their minds as they dipped down, flying through the clouds outside of Cloudsdale and towards Ponyville where a flower made memorial was waiting for them. After a few more seconds, they landed on the outside of town and walked towards Town Hall, being sure not to attract to much attention. Although that wasn't easy in Bow's case. He had Rainbow Dash's signature mane and tail. A spectrum of colors. Kind of makes ponies look at you.
After a few more minutes, they arrived at the memorial to find that there were three more ponies there. Or rather fillies.
Scootaloo, along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, were busy planting their own flowers in the ground. Apple Bloom, being the farmer that she was, was digging the hole in front of the plaque while Sweetie Belle was checking over the flowers, making sure there were no bad ones in the bouquet. The parents stood to the side, watching Apple Bloom finish up and step to the side before Sweetie Belle passed the flowers to Scootaloo.
She sighed and trotted forward, preparing some words. "Rainbow Dash. You were my hero......and you still are. I know you're still alive. I can feel you....like when a mother knows when her child is sad. So I'm not giving up on you. I'm going to find you and I'm going to bring you home. I love you Rainbow...big sister. Happy Birthday." Windy pulled in her lips and tried not to cry as Scootaloo planted the flowers into the ground and Apple Bloom covered them back up. Once they were done, the pegasus brushed off the plaque, unaware of the two parents approaching from behind.
Windy placed a hoof on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug before she turned around herself and reciprocated the act, crying lightly into her coat. "That was beautiful, Scootaloo. Thank you so much, girls."
Scootaloo nodded before she pulled away, walking around the mare and towards a different road, the other crusaders following behind her. After they left, Bow gave one of the bouquets to Windy, noticing the other five flowers there. The remaining elements must've been there earlier. Yeah, it was definitely them. There was a cupcake beside the pink bouquet.
Windy sighed deeply before standing up straight in front of the memorial. "Rainbow.........I love you. As a mother to a daughter, you were the best thing that has ever happened in my life. In both our lives. Just like Scootaloo said.....you were a hero, and still are. And if you are out there......please.......please come home soon. Your mother and father, best friends, the crusaders, all of Cloudsdale, and even more misses you and are waiting to see you again. I love you." She leaned down and placed the flowers softly by the plaque with her name on it. Before Bow did the same.
"We love you, Rainbow Dash," he said before wrapping a wing over his wife. "We love you very much." He led her away from the memorial and took back off into the air, heading home.
***
"Are you sure she's out there, Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked as they walked up to their treehouse. "I mean it'd be great if she was, but how do you know?"
"I can feel her," she responded with determination. They walked into the small building while Scootaloo went behind the podium and grabbed some sheets. "I've been having these feelings ever since she disappeared two months. I have been tracking weird things that go on in Ponyville, such as the Mystery Mare. Well, considering that we had something like that here before where Rainbow Dash was actually the mystery mare, I've been thinking.....'What if she's doing it again? What if she's out there saving people and we think she's dead?'" She walked back over to the fillies before Sweetie Belle asked the question.
"You think Rainbow Dash might be the Mystery Mare?"
"It's not only that, but she's three different people." The two fillies shared a look of skepticism while Scootaloo shut the blinds and the door, leaving the area dark. She turned on a flashlight and pointed it upwards, the glow bouncing off the ceiling before she took the papers she grabbed earlier and spread them out in front of her friends.
"I'm sure you know about Pencil Sketch right?" She asked them.
"Yeah," the unicorn filly responded, taking a seat in front of the orange Pegasus. "That millionaire painter that showed up out of nowhere and painted all those amazing paintings."
"Yeah, well........I've done some research on her." The two smirked at her. "Hey, I can search for stuff, don't act so surprised. Anyway, I overheard Rarity speaking to the others that Pencil Sketch had a necklace that was shaped like the cutie mark of Rainbow Dash. So I got some pictures of her from the newspaper. And you'll never believe what I discovered."
She reached to the area beside her and grabbed the clippings, tossing them in the middle of the group. They looked at the photographs, gasping lightly at the jewelry. "They were exactly the same, down to the cloud. But the strange part is.....nopony else in Equestria has that cutie mark, let alone knows it even exists. Rainbow told me that years ago."
"So....how does she know about the cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked, gesturing to the photo.
"Because.......she created it. I believe, after everything I've searched and seen so far, that Pencil Sketch.......is Rainbow Dash. Look at the photographs of her." She reached behind her and grabbed the photographs of Rainbow Dash that they would have hanging around during the fan club they started years ago, and placed them beside the pictures of Pencil Sketch. "Now look at Pencil Sketch. This is a picture of Pencil Sketch boasting at one of her shows, as well as Rainbow Dash."
The two fillies looked at the pictures carefully, noticing that Rainbow's smirk matches the same degree of Pencil Sketch's. "You seeing what I'm seeing?"
"Her smirk," Apple Bloom said in amazement. "It's in the exact same curve."
"And her eyes are narrowed just like Rainbow Dash's!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, pointing towards the images. "They don't even change!"
"Exactly! There are wayyy too many coincidences here. So I think Rainbow Dash left and became a painter. Why? I don't know, but I'm going to find out. And I'm going to find out soon. Rainbow Dash has left us thinking she's dead, and I want to know why. I know that's her and she owes me an explanation."
Twilight and the other Elements were all situated in Applejack's barn, thinking hard and deep. Rainbow Dash was Pencil Sketch. Pencil Sketch was Rainbow Dash. Over and over again.
"I'm trying to figure out when Rainbow even learned how ta' paint," Applejack whispered, breaking the silence. "I've never seen her pickup a brush in mah' life. Not even for her mane."
"I've never seen her pickup a pencil," Twilight added, settling down on a bunch of hay. "Do you think......she'll ever come back?"
"It's what Pencil Sketch thinks," Rarity answered. "Remember what she said. Rainbow's in there but doesn't want to come out. And if she does, she could be dangerous."
"So we have to give her a reason to come back," Fluttershy whispered. "So we can fix her."
"How?" Twilight asked. "We can't just grab her by the tail and drag her back here. We need a well thought-out plan. What does Rainbow need to get her back here?"
Pinkie poked her head out of a haystack and suggested, "Therapy. She needs lots and lots of therapy."
"She needs to be shown the power of friendship," Twilight corrected. "Rainbow is feeling alone. She's alone, scared, and very very angry, all at the same time. We need to find a way to tell her that she's not alone and that she doesn't need to be scared."
"Yeah, but how?" Spike said, popping up from underneath a bundle of hay.
Twilight looked at him oddly, cocking her head to the side in confusion. "Why were you in there?"
"Pinkie keeps thinking I'm a mole and is trying to whack me-EEP!" Spike dived back inside the hay right when a wooden sledgehammer landed where he was not even seconds before. "Twilight, stop her!"
The purple unicorn just stared before going back to the situation at hand. "We can always wait and let her pull herself together. It hasn't even been three months yet, I'm sure she'll wake up by then."
"And if she doesn't?" Rarity pulled Spike out of the hay and hid him behind her while Pinkie waited for the "mole".
"Then we start worrying more than we already are. Rainbow's a strong-headed pony. If she's broken to the point where she changes her identity, then we have a huge situation."
"In a way, it's like Rainbow Dash died and we're stuck with this millionaire painter as a replacement," Applejack chuckled, shaking her head.
"Who's opening up art studios all over Equestria," Rarity added. The room got quiet again, trying to process that information.
***
"Well Pencil....you did it again," the painter muttered, chuckling and looking at her latest piece of a family of Phoenixes. The legendary birds were hugging each other in a tree that was going through its fall transformation, the leaves changing colors along with the branches becoming brittle. "Isn't it great...Rainbow Dash?"
The painter felt the angry mare hidden deep inside of her stir, making her dark and peaceful side sigh. "Rainbow.....we are both lonely. It's time we came out of our shell, don't you think?"
"No.....I'll just be made fun of again. And we both know what'll happen."
Pencil set down her paintbrush and laid down on the carpet, preparing to go to sleep and visit Rainbow Dash. After she had hit the snooze button, she opened her eyes and saw nothing but darkness in front of her. But behind her was the brightly lit cage...where the Rainbow maned Pegasus was currently crying in. Her coat was a darker blue than it was before. Something was up. Pencil sighed before trotting over to her, her hooves creating a loud clopping sound amongst all the quiet darkness.
She sat down in front of the cage and sighed, looking at herself intently before Rainbow opened her eyes. "Do you know what is going on, Rainbow Dash?"
"Yeah, I'm alone! No one likes me, no one wants to be my friend!" She yelled, her voice reverberating around the seemingly endless cavern. "All because of......what? I didn't like my cutie mark? Because I'm annoying, because I make others jealous, what is it?! Care to tell me that?!!" Looks like she's lashing out, Pencil thought. Time to calm her down.
"Rainbow......only you can find out those answers on your own. Yes, I'll always be around, especially when we need to paint and make good artwork for those who want to defy the limit, just like we have. But we need to understand why we're doing it. Do you know why?"
"To be adored?" She replied, finally looking into her alter ego's gray eyes with her cerise ones.
"To be adored, yes. Why don't you show them what you can do sometime? You paint better than I do. Yes, I'm amazing, but YOU are legendary. Why not take baby steps? You've literally been in here for two months."
Rainbow Dash glanced up with her chin to the floor before raising her head. "I'll.....think about it, okay? I promise, Pencil."
"Will you give the others another chance?"
"No." Pencil sighed and backed away from the cage. Baby steps had to be taken before they could tackle the big problems. Rainbow lowered her head back to the floor and said, "I'll be watching, Pencil."
"I know." The painter closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again to see herself back in her west wing studio, the painting still on the easel drying. She sat up and sighed, realizing it will still be a long road to recovery. And that she had a lot of work to do. Checking on the progress of her studios, that newspaper interview, and that painting she has to send to Zebrica.
She got up and looked at her painting one more time before smiling and walking away, heading towards the kitchen. The complexity of all of this was really deep. The two sides would constantly switch places, with Rainbow Dash coming out for a little while before going back into her cage that she felt she belonged in, while Pencil would be the most dominant. They both knew dark magic and were aware of everything that was going on outside. It was just that Pencil was handling it better than Rainbow Dash.
She opened the refrigerator and looked inside, pondering on what she wanted before shrugging and levitated a large tub of Blueberry Ice Cream out, placed it on the table behind her and closed the door back.
Then opened a drawer and pulled out a spoon before taking a seat at the table and popping the lid on the container. She took a big dive in, eating a big chunk of it, the cool sensation making her hum in satisfaction. After a few more minutes she set the spoon down and sighed, looking around the kitchen. "Well.......this is.....boring," she muttered.
If you were to be walking by a house on the west end of Manehattan, you would never expect to see a celebrity casually walking past you and up to the two story home. If you did, what would you do? Nothing, just wave and mind your business. But of course, since they weren't the average pony, you'd do something differently. Such as—
"OH MY CELESTIA, It's Pencil Sketch!" A filly yelled quickly, watching as she walked by, wearing a gray dress. She stopped and glanced their way, expressionless. She looked to be around Scootaloo's age, a yellow pegasus with an orange mane.
"Hello," she greeted blandly before moving along.
"WOW! SHE SAID HI TO ME! EEEEEE!" Pencil just continued her trek towards the front door, albeit a little faster. She was all for foals, but that one was as excitable as Scootaloo whenever she saw her do a trick. Probably more so! She quickly pulled out the key with her magic and unlocked the door before stepping inside and promptly closing it behind her. Sighing and closing her eyes in relief, she didn't notice the adult mare staring at her from the kitchen table with two more stallions, watching her in surprise.
"Okay......depending on her reaction, she is probably going to tell the other foals about her seeing me......and will try to follow me," she muttered. "It's happened before, it will happen again." She huffed before finally opening her eyes, her face graced with a smile, only to lose it when she spotted the three ponies staring at her.
A moment of silence followed before Buff chuckled nervously. "Hey.....Pencil. Mom? Dad? This is—"
"Pencil Sketch, I know," the other male said, stoically. "Question is.....how did she get in here?" The two older adults turned to their son, who was still smiling.
"Well.........I gave her a key. It was her birthday, so I gave her a key to the house. She lives in a mansion all by herself, and I figured she could come over here."
"Oh okay."
"And we're dating."
"Alright—wait, WHAT?!" The mother, Pencil obviously assumed, yelled before turning to the painter, disbelief written all over her face. "You're dating my son?!"
"Uhh.........yeaaaaahhhhhh," she droned.
"EEEEEE!" Pencil gasped before she was grabbed by the mare and pulled into a hug. How she got to her so fast from fifteen feet away was a mystery to her before the father did the same. "MY SON'S DATING A CELEBRITY! THAT MAKES HIM A CELEBRITY!"
'At least you got one of those right,' Pencil thought, her face turning blue from the squeezing.
"You two are choking the life out of her, stop!" Buff yelled, running over and peeling off his way too giddy parents. "Jeez!"
"Sorry, muffin!" His mother cooed. "We're just so proud of you!"
Pencil smirked at him, which he noticed and gave her a deadpan glare. "Don't....even.....think about it."
"Aww, come on, muffin!" She teased, rubbing his chin. "You need to have some chocolaty fun!"
"What did I just say?"
"You should know I have a tendency to rebel by now."
"Awwww, you two are so right for each other," the stallion cooed before getting a serious expression. "But.....as a father, I need to know what your intentions are with my son." Pencil looked at him nonchalantly, putting the others on edge before she cleared her throat.
"Well, of course to keep myself happy as well as him. Love is not present yet. I didn't expect to meet you so soon."
Buff chuckled before turning to her with sympathy. "Got lonely in the castle, I take it," he said calmly. Pencil nodded before he draped a wing over her, making her blush. "This is why I gave you the key. So you could come here, knowing that there would be someone on your side."
"Thanks." He leaned down slightly and gave her a nuzzle.
"So, Pencil.....if you don't mind me asking.....where'd you learn how to paint?" The mother, that she came to learn is named Fire Speed, asked her. Explains the whole grabbing her without a single sound being made thing from earlier. The four of them were seated on the couches across from the kitchen. The house was really nice so far. Small and simple. Something she could finally experience. Everything she ever had was big.
"I always knew how to paint, I just never used the skill publicly before," she responded, drinking a cup of tea using her hooves.
"Really? Is that your special talent?" Navy Sword, his father asked enthusiastically.
"Nope." The two parents looked at each other confusedly before raising an eyebrow at her.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Fire Speed asked, shifting her orange mane.
"Pencil's views on cutie marks is controversial," Buff clarified before she could say something. "She believes cutie marks are a limit of what we could really do. Her motto is 'Defy The Limit.'"
"The rule only applies to those with cutie marks that do not let you explore," Pencil clarified some more. "For instance. If you had a position in doing something like cleaning, where could you really make a big impact? But if you had a cutie mark that represented science, you could take that to new levels, learning new things and putting them to practice."
"So you're saying a cutie mark is irrelevant to what we could actually do, I assume," Navy Sword interpreted. Pencil nodded her head, taking another sip of her tea.
"Yep. It pretty much gives you a floor to take off and land on while the real goal is the branches above you. The branches are your interests, the floor is your.....'purpose in life.' Your cutie mark. Of course, there are ponies who actually enjoy their purpose. In which case it doesn't apply to them."
"Wow, that's..." Fire Speed glanced at her husband before looking back at the millionaire. "Moving. Are you going to go public with that, it sounds influential."
"Maybe......but it's high risk."
"High risk?" All three of them of them asked, surprising her.
"What do you mean?" Buff inquired.
"Well....let me ask you something. How happy were you when Buff got his cutie mark?"
"We were overjowed!" Navy Sword cheered. "Mostly because he was so happy with it!"
"We were very excited," the mother agreed, holding her husband's hoof.
"Mmmhmm," Pencil hummed, nodding and sipping a bit of her tea. She set it down onto the table before huffing and directing her attention back to them. "Alright. Now imagine this scenario. Your child get's his cutie mark. You scream, 'Look, Buff! Your Cutie Mark!' He gasps and grins as he turns his eyes towards his flank, only to see his gold and blue shield. Once he sees it, he gets a sad then upset look on his face. He turns to you and says, 'I don't want to be a pony with a shield! I want to be an investigator!' You say, 'Sweetheart, it's part of our family line.' He replies with, 'I don't wanna follow the family line! Pencil Sketch said that a cutie mark doesn't tell us who we are and who we must be! So I'm gonna go out there and do something else! All of this waiting was for nothing!' After his rant, he walks out the door and probably gets himself hurt. Who do you blame?"
She picked up her cup and took another sip while they all stared at her. "Ohhhhh," Buff muttered.
"There could be some negative results after that," she continued. "You would get upset with me, try and sue me, and if that doesn't work, you'll do something like......spread the news about it across the country, which will get ponies upset. Including historians, schools, governments, nonprofits, art clubs, and the occasional fan club. All of which will impact my work, my bank account, and my vault, and probably make my dream and hard work all go down the drain. So sadly, it is a personal belief. And since I am the number one influential pony in all of Equestria, whatever I say would more than likely make a big impact among everypony everywhere. They would take it to heart and either become very offended or very inspired, either one. But considering that ponies like to host parties for friends and family over a foal getting their cutie mark, they would be hurt as well once their foal says, 'I don't wanna be that, I wanna be this!' I'm leaning more towards the fact that they'll become offended and miffed.
"I'll give you another example. In Ponyville, South of Canterlot, I have a few contacts that informed me of a possible pony that was greatly offended by my beliefs. There was another pony there that had attended my first show here in Manehattan that had gotten the chance to meet me and Hoity Toity. She was a seamstress, always sewing up dresses. And he was a friend of hers. Someone had brought up Cutie Marks and the mare had said it defines us. I told her that she was wrong. That it doesn't. It's what a pony does that defines them. A cutie mark is just a predetermined choice for you. A mark to symbolize what you're good at. Keyword? GOOD. Not GREAT. There are other things that a pony could do. For me, that was painting.
"Well, she went home and told a certain librarian that and she became furious. This furious pony you may know of as Celestia's protege and student."
"Twilight Sparkle?!" Fire Speed asked unbelievably.
"Yep. She became upset, saying that I was wrong. She took it to heart since her special talent was magic. She apparently thought that I was saying her skill in magic wasn't impressive. She thinks deeply anyway, but she must've been pondering on that subject for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up to my house right now to start an argument over my beliefs........or try to use it against me to come back......or worse," she muttered unnoticeably.
"You know......I just realized something," Twilight said, narrowing her eyes. The elements were all once again back in the library, trying to come up with ideas to bring Rainbow back. And so far........things were becoming desperate. Especially since they all took dark magic as a threat to civilization.
"And what is that?" Applejack asked, munching on an apple.
"It was....Rainbow Dash who said that my magic wasn't good enough!"
"Ugghh, not this again!" Spike yelled in frustration, burying his face in his claws. "When will you let that go, it's not offensive, it technically doesn't even AFFECT you!"
"But it affects everypony else, which I do. Not. Like! I'm going over to have a little word with her." She stood up and made her way towards the door, walking past everyone trying to tell her to calm down before Spike stood in front of the door.
"Twilight, I'm not letting you look like a foal and make US look bad!" He said defiantly.
"Spike....get out of the way."
"No." She groaned before she disappeared in a flash. The group looked around in confusion before Spike gasped, finally realizing what she did. He turned around and yanked the door open, watching in disbelief at Twilight running towards the train station, yards away from the library. "We have to stop her!" They ran out the door and tried to catch her before she could do something foalish. Surprisingly, she teleported to the train station, leaving them in the dust. Luckily for her, the train was already waiting for passengers and was about to leave in a minute.
She paid for her ticket quickly and boarded right when the train started leaving the station. Applejack had caught up, watching as the train left, disappearing in the distance. "This.....will not end well," she muttered.
***
Pencil unlocked the automatic gates to her home, walking past and onto the grounds before closing and locking it back, making sure no one unauthorized was allowed inside. Afterwards, she walked into her home, locked the door behind her and headed to her library to get some reads in. She really needed to get some Daring Do novels or else she'll be bored out of her mind. Reading mail and textbooks on finance and business gets stale after the first day. Well......for her.
After walking inside the room, she stopped, feeling a sense of a threat coming to her. And arriving soon. Her dark magic had gotten a lot stronger than it was before. She couldn't tell if it was from her negativity or from Rainbow Dash who was still angry in her cell. Either way, something was coming. If it was what she thought it was, she should probably just wait at the door.
Groaning and rolling her eyes, she turned around and made her way back to the front. "This.....is going to get interesting."
A lot of ponies would say waiting at the door for a pony with bad intentions would be suicide. Others would call it bravery. More would just say, "You're stupid."
Luckily, Pencil was in HER mansion, HER turf. Waiting at the door for the mare, drinking non-alcoholic Blueberry wine. Nopony could see her, hear her, or find her presence through any type of magic. If you scanned the building, you'd find nothing. Except Buff maybe, if he was here. Sadly, he was at home with his parents, enjoying his day off or whatever. He deserved it.
"Rainbow Dash," Pencil muttered, capturing the inner mare's attention. "Do not take what is about to happen to heart." Rainbow probably didn't know what she was talking about. But she was going to find out.
A series of loud knocks made her sip the rest of her wine, place the glass down and walk towards the door, dark magic lining her hooves. "Who is it?" She asked calmly.
"Twilight! Open up, Rainbow!" The painter groaned before unlocking the door and swinging it wide open, revealing the irked unicorn with the narrowed eyebrows. Definitely mad.
"Ms. Sparkle, you have five seconds to get off my property," she said casually.
"Don't 'Ms. Sparkle' me, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight yelled. "Who are you to tell me that my magic is not my best!"
"I have never said that and I've never said anything of the sort to you."
"Isn't that your beliefs, 'Pencil Sketch?'"
"Twilight get off my property."
"No!" Pencil groaned and closed the door in her face. "Open up, this isn't over!"
"I know that, idiot," she muttered, heading back towards her library. She started banging on the door before a flash behind Pencil caught her attention and made her groan, stopping and turning around. "Why are you in my house? You know this is trespassing on a totally different level."
"Because you need to take back those lies, Rainbow!" Twilight started scraping her hoof across the floor, like she was going to charge.
"Twilight if you attack me in my house, I will literally teleport you all the way to the frozen north and leave you there with a bag over your head and tied up."
"My magic is my calling and you're trying to make the foals in Equestria do dumb things to go against their calling! They were born to do that and if they go around looking for something else, somepony's going to get hurt—"
"Yeah, you."
"Quiet! Somepony's going to get hurt and it's going to be your fault!" She drifted her foot one more time.
"Twilight....you're going to leave my property. Right now."
"No I'm not."
"Yeah, you are. Because if you don't, I'll have you squirming on the ground worse than Applejack." She lifted a hoof towards her, dark magic coming off of it like smoke.
"Well you should know that dark magic doesn't affect light magic."
"And you should know that my target isn't light magic. It's you. And you are no mage." Twilight screamed in anger before running towards Pencil Sketch, lighting her horn and firing a beam at her. The magic hit her but instead of sending her flying across the room, it just....went inside of her. Like she absorbed it. She stopped and gasped before Pencil fired a bolt of magic at her. She ducked right in time before it could hit her soaring straight over and spreading over the nearby wall.
"Twilight, you really don't want to do this," Pencil persisted, standing there calmly.
"I am a mage! And you can't tell me I'm not!"
"Then why are you taking it so hard if I can't tell you you're not?" Twilight ran over and bucked, completely missing before Pencil teleported the both of them outside in the backyard, where she landed on the grass and Twilight landed in the pool. "Maybe you need to cool off." Twilight teleported next to her again and hit her in the face, forcing her head to the side.
"You cannot tell ponies who they can or cannot be, Rainbow! That is so offensive!" She yelled, ignoring Pencil's protests.
"And you do not rule over other ponies' lives, Twilight!" She fired a beam of magic hitting her and pushing her into the pool again, making her even colder than the magic. "You stupid mare! What part of leave my property don't you get!"
Twilight teleported out of the pool again, shivering from the magic. "Y-Y-You have n-no say so in-in other ponies' lives."
"And neither do you, so just go home or whatever!" She pointed towards the brick wall behind her, trying to push her point across.
"Rainbow—"
"LEAVE, TWILIGHT!" She fired another bolt of magic, hitting the crazy unicorn and making her scream out. She slid back across the lawn on her back, shivering. "YOU ARE NO MAGE! YOUR MAGIC IS NOTHING COMPARED TO ME! IF I HAVE TO HURT YOU WHERE PAIN DOESN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT ANYMORE, I WILL!" She placed a hoof on Twilight's shivering body before they both disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, going somewhere else.
***
"Twilight is dust!" Rarity exaggerated, pacing back and forth in the library area. The rest of the group was centered around her, trying to figure out what caused Twilight to go all nuts. "Why would she do something so reckless?! This is so not like her!"
"Not ta' mention stupid!" Applejack yelled, stomping her right hoof. "We're trying ta' bring Rainbow back and if she attacks her, we'll only drive her away."
"She's a party pooper!" Pinkie agreed. A black cloud of smoke appeared in the room, startling all of them before it dissipated revealing an intensely shaking Twilight and Pencil Sketch, who was clearly angry, having completely black eyes and a darker coat. Not to mention the black tendrils.
"And if you ever come to my house again, you will never see your friends again!" She yelled down to her. "I mean what I said, when I was going to teleport you to the frozen north and leave you stranded! My offer is still there! DO NOT TEST ME!" She looked around the room, her eyes as dark as the color black. "That goes for all of you! Do not return to my house!" After that, she disappeared again in the cloud, leaving Twilight shivering on the floor. They all stared in shock at her before Spike sighed.
"Well.....this is just perfect!" He yelled, throwing down his duster and walking over to Twilight. "Do you see what you just did?! We wanted to get her back, now she doesn't want to see any of us! AT ALL! All because you, with your stubborn mind to not leave ponies alone, decided to go over and confront her on her views! You're a freakin' extremist, Twilight! Your brother is so gonna tan your hide. Realllly bad."
A patch of black smoke invades the interior that is the mansion of Pencil Sketch, which cleared a second later to reveal the painter herself. She was fuming! Twilight had crossed the line! Metaphorically and literally, she wasn't supposed to be on the grass.
"Upset, huh?" Pencil stopped and sighed, hearing Rainbow Dash actually speaking without being asked to was a little improvement. At least she wasn't about to burst out of her cage to use her alter ego's magic. She could probably beat up Nightmare Moon with what she knows. Although they both know the dark arts, Rainbow only studied it a little. It was Pencil Sketch who sort of went off the handle and got more of it.
"Yes," she replied. "Yes, I am. Hopefully she never comes back. It will cause problems."
"I know."
"Are you feeling better?"
"After seeing you knocking around Twilight like that.....a little. But I want blood."
Pencil Sketch was purposely created by Rainbow Dash after all the bullying she went through over her cutie mark. She remembered going through Rainbow's memories after she gave her permission on how she was created. The story was....sad, at most.
The school day at Flight Camp was over, allowing Rainbow to briskly trot back down the residence hall to her room, tears rolling down her cheeks. She couldn't take it anymore! After telling the teachers, telling the top pony, and trying to deal with it herself, the problem still wasn't solved. She had to take drastic measures. She had to make these ponies realize who's boss. She had to get them off her back and tell them....she was the one in charge! That what she believes in and that what she does does not give them the right to bully her.
"I'm tired," she muttered, tears beginning to go down her face before she ran into her room. "I'm tired of those ponies picking on me. I'm going to show them.....I'm going to show them that I....that I can be anything and that their beliefs are nothing but barriers." She walked into her room and slammed the door behind her, ignoring the voices that were telling her to be quiet down the hall.
After that, she rummaged through her bags, trying to find an old book that the princesses would probably arrest her for that she had discovered years ago. Her parents don't even know she has it. Let alone know and practiced everything that was in it. Months ago, after she went flying through the air a few days after getting her cutie mark, she crashed into a cave that looked abandoned. It had tables, rooms, chairs...a lab of some sort. Used in the past, but abandoned nonetheless. On the table there was a book just randomly sitting there on how to use magic for Pegasi. But instead of the light magic...it was dark. At first she wanted to leave it, but then she was tempted by the thickness of the book. Whatever was in there could possibly help her in the future. And it contained a lot of information. So she grabbed it, flew right over her parents and into her room, and hid it in her bag before they came in there to ask why she was flying in the house. Luckily, they didn't see the book. And they never would.
Now, she was glad she had took it. She was going to put it to good use now after reading about a spell she had bookmarked. Called "Shadow Persona". Hopefully, nopony would find out about this book.
She flipped it open and turned to the bookmark, nervously checking behind her for anyone before turning back to the pages. "'Focus the magic of the Pegasi into the mind of the subject Pegasus, and thrust yourself into the magic. Mold that magic in your image.' What does that mean? Well....let me try first..." She understood what the rest meant, she just didn't understand the mold the magic in your image bit. So she the set the book down in front of her before standing on her hooves, and slowly opening her wings, trying to feel the magic. After a few seconds, she did.
She gathered it up into a little ball, unaware of the magic coming from her hooves and actually forming a ball in front of her face. "Okay.....and.....push." She used her mind to push the magic. She could feel it. There was like another side of her in the ball. And it was...alive, she could tell. Next step was to mold it.
Using her mind, thanks to those training exercises, she gathered the magic and started to shape it. Shape it like a pony. It was like she could feel it with her hooves. Feeling the magic starting to change into a shape she wanted it to be in.
After a few more minutes, she had created.....her. It was like she was using her amazing painting skills to create a life! It was incredible. Now....all she had to do was let go. And she did. The second it happened, her room was enveloped in a shadow, leaving nothing but darkness before she opened her eyes. It looked like she was in another world that was inhabited by.....nothing. It was jet black. Nothing there.
Except for the gray themed version of her laying down and looking at her with a nonchalant look on her face. "Ummm.....hi," Rainbow said, getting back up.
"Hello," the other said. "Who are you?"
"I'm Rainbow Dash," the cyan filly said, walking over carefully while her tail was swaying back and forth. "I created you."
"I see. That's why you're asleep in the real world. You clonked out after the magic rushed back into you. I know this spell."
"How?"
"Because I am you. You might want to wake up though. Somepony could barge in and see what you did." Rainbow's eyes popped open, discovering that she was laying down on the floor, facing her bed. Gasping, she quickly sat up and grabbed the book, then stuffed it back in her bag in case anyone wanted to walk in and check on her.
"Okay...now what?" She muttered.
"Now we talk." Rainbow yelped a little before looking around the room. "I am the pony you created. The spell you used created an alternate side of you."
"And my alternate would be you huh?"
"Yes, that would be me." Rainbow sighed and sat down on her bed. "You needed help with something."
"I'm being bullied and I can't seem to stop them. I need your help." She could feel her alternate side thinking. "I need to switch out with you and let you deal with them. Because I can't seem to figure it out."
"I suppose that would be a good reason," the pony sighed. "Do you know how to switch out?"
"Not really."
"Just do it. You go back into your mind. It's more simple than it sounds." Rainbow sighed and did just that. At first, nothing happened before she gasped and felt herself be pulled from her consciousness and into her subconsciousness. On the surface of things, her coat had turned completely gray themed, her cutie mark becoming a an outline of a rainbow-colored lightning bolt.
She was still in the same position. Her hooves behind her head and staring at the ceiling. "What do these ponies look like?"
Rainbow opened her eyes to see that she was looking at everything like she was there. But she couldn't feel her body. It was strange. After telling her the description, she got up and made her way over to the door.
"Where do they usually hang at?" She asked, walking out into the hall, keeping as quiet as possible.
"On the track field," Rainbow said in her mind. "What are you going to do?"
"Have they ever laid a hoof on you?"
"Plenty of times."
"First I will talk to them. And if they try something....they will have nightmares of me." She turned left, walking past other ponies, and making her way towards the track field.
***
The gray filly stopped at the doorway leading out onto the field. There were two mares there keeping watch, making her sigh. "Are those the ponies?" She whispered, motioning towards the four playing ball and talking. They looked like tiny hoofball players making her laugh.
"Yep."
"Alright. This is only a precaution."
"What?" The gray filly reached up and roughed up her hair before walking towards the two teachers keeping watch. They were too busy watching the colts who were chasing each other. Standing behind one, she touched them with her right hoof, sending in her magic and knocking them out.
The other mare looked over, startled. "Hey, what just—" She fell over on her side, sawing logs while the filly walked towards the colts.
"Why'd you do that?!" Rainbow yelled in her head.
"If this turns violent, I cannot have anypony try and break it up. Don't worry, they'll just be sleeping." She trotted towards them and put on a nice expression. "Hi!"
The four stopped what they were doing and glanced her way, scoffing. "Get out of here, you stupid filly! Only the Cool Colts play here!" The gray filly looked at them for a moment before guffawing, falling on the ground and rolling around in laughter, confusing them.
"Why is she laughing?" One of them asked before she got up, still snickering. Deep down, even Rainbow was laughing.
"I'm laughing because...(snicker)...because you call yourselves cool...yet you gave yourselves a group name! That has the same letters at the front! That's like calling my mom Motherly Mare! AAAAAHAHAHA! She fell on the ground laughing again, ignoring their grunts of disapproval.
"Hey, stop laughing! It's not funny!" The colt kicked her, making her stop and grab his leg, pulling him to the ground with her. "Hey, let—" The gray filly turned into black smoke and hid behind the four making them gasp.
"What......wh-what just happened?" The slightly taller one asked, looking around.
"I-I don't know," the colt beside him said. The one on the ground quickly got up and looked around with them, making the filly shake her head. Wannabe.
"That was a warning." They gasped and turned around, seeing the gray themed filly walking towards them.
They slowly backed away as she approached. One of them yelled, "G-Get away! Help! She's being mean!"
"Sorry to disappoint, but they're sleeping." She pointed a hoof behind them at the two ponies lying on the ground, sawing logs.
"What do you want?" The leader, she guessed, asked. "Leave us alone!"
"Not until you leave a special friend of mine alone." She lifted a glowing black hoof, binding the four ponies in a conjured black rope, making them whine before getting in their faces. Malice in her eyes. "Perhaps you know the name.....Rainbow Dash?"
Their eyes widened. "Based on your reaction, I take it you do. Here's the deal. If you ever tease, make fun of, insult, spread a rumor or lay a hoof on her again, even a hair or a feather, you'll have to deal with me." She tightened the rope really hard, making them cry. "Awww, the Cool Colts shedding some Cool Colt tears. Sorry to break it to ya', but those tears aren't getting you anywhere."
She looked deep into the leader's eyes, turning hers completely black and putting up a scowl. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes! Yes, yes crystal!"
"And the rest of you?" She turned to the three on her left, seeing the tear streaks on their faces.
"You got it!"
"Uh huh!"
"Not a word to her!" The filly chuckled before walking away and undoing the shadow on them, allowing them to fall on their faces in the grass gasping.
"I'll be watching you. And don't speak a word of this.....Cool Colts, ha ha ha! That is so funny!" The leader watched her tap the two adults before turning into a shadow and racing back inside. Leaving them to clean themselves up.
Those colts never bothered Rainbow again. They even got rid of that group name, thank Celestia. But maybe a year later, Rainbow left and moved to Ponyville after some new ones showed up.
After that moment, on their own, Pencil Sketch became Rainbow Dash's confident. Her friend in her head. She tells her things even Fluttershy didn't know about. If she had her own body, they'd be more like sisters.
But there was another sister coming their way. Looking for her idol that is believed to be dead. A flightless filly. She sighed. The day she arrived was going to be an emotional one. An emotional one indeed.
A lot of ponies, stallions and mares alike, would say that a young filly stealing a train ride on the Friendship Express was the most ironic thing they had ever seen. Funny thing is, they DIDN'T see it. Once the Friendship Express stopped at the station in Manehattan, Scootaloo poked her head out of one of the train cars. Making sure no one would see her dart around and make a quick sprint away from the car. She darted through multiple ponies' legs and jumped out of the station, making her way towards the city.
She decided to make this trip alone today. Since it was Sunday, they would have a Cutie Mark Crusaders' meeting. But Scootaloo decided to skip it for today. She needed to know if her theory is correct. It had to be true. Rainbow couldn't be entirely dead. She couldn't be.
The flightless pegasus was running along the crowded sidewalks overlooked by the tall skyscrapers and ducking around other ponies, heading for the giant mansion that had to be her idol's. It would make a lot of since. If Rainbow Dash was hiding, she'd at least live lavishly. That's basic "Rainbow" for ya'. She likes to live large.
After a few more minutes of running, she spotted a large white three story mansion centered on a very large piece of land that had to have cost millions of bits. That much was obvious. Bits that she wished she could have. There was a large gate at the entrance that was connected by a stone wall that surrounded the whole property. Obviously to keep out snoopers trying to walk onto her land. It seemed to also serve as a tourist attraction, based on all the ponies outside of it who were taking pictures, pointing at the gate, and the design on it that had a "PS" on the front of both of them.
"This is going to be harder than I thought," Scootaloo muttered as she slowed down to a trot, looking at all the ponies saying things about the property, unaware that she was being watched by the painter from her balcony window.
Pencil Sketch was looking at the orange filly from the second floor balcony, unseen and unheard. She was working on a painting when she decided to go and see if she was out there by going to the second floor and blending into her castle walls by her light gray coat. She was there, alright. And it looks like she was trying to figure out how to get inside. Pencil smirked and chuckled. Classic Scootaloo. Always getting into trouble to get what she wants. Might as well give her a chance.
The filly pushed her way past the tourists taking photos, videos, and whatnots by crawling under their legs and popping out at the front of the gate. She stared in awe at the decoration of the front yard. It was cleanly cut, had two decorative water fountains, and large doors at the front of the building with the letters "PS" on them in very fancy typography. There were also scores of flowers lining the windows, which were wide open.
"This is amazing," she muttered. The tourists were getting thicker, all trying to get that good shot with the celebrity who had made her rise to fame by just painting an image of Princess Celestia and admitting it to a Museum. "How in the—"
A creak on the other side of the fence caught all the ponies' attention as a gray mare with a very long mane walked out, heading towards the fence. A very familiar one.
"It's Pencil Sketch!"
"Oh my Celestia, it's really her!"
"She just randomly walked out of the house!"
They all started speaking at once and taking photos as she walked closer to the fence, stopping a few feet away from it and staring at the little orange pegasus who was just gawking at her. The painter chuckled and waved to all the other ponies there, who returned the gesture.
"So," she said, settling down on the other side of the fence, staring at Scootaloo. She met her gaze, still maintaining that look of disbelief. "You decided to catch a train to see me?"
"Uh.....Uh....y-yes," she said, trying to figure out how she knew that. The two had caught the attention of the other ponies as they had a little conversation.
"That's sweet, kid." She looked around, putting her hoof to her chin and pretending to think. Once she made up her mind, she stood up and walked to the middle of the gate, unlocked it and pulled it open slightly. "Come in."
The little filly gasped and slowly walked towards the crack in security. The ponies who were watching and taking pictures stepped to the side to allow her room to get in, walk through the barrier and into wonderland. Once she was in, Pencil closed the gate back and faced the ponies outside. "Do not let the discrimination from other ponies define who you are. You are smart, and you are beautiful."
She turned around and walked towards the mansion with Scootaloo right behind her. The filly was trying her hardest to look at everything at once. Which only became worse when she got inside. "Whooooooa!" She cried with a jump, looking at all the decorations. There was even a huge photo over the grand staircase in front of her. "This is so AWESOME!"
"Glad you like it," Pencil commented walking past and to the kitchen. "Are you hungry? Stealing that train for three hours, I bet you are. Come." Scootaloo followed Pencil Sketch into the kitchen on the right, a little ways from them in the east wing past the open windows.
She gawked again at all the expensive items in there. All of this had to be over one billion bits! "Any allergies?" Pencil asked, turning to her. Scootaloo shook her head before Pencil rummaged through the fridge, pulling out some leftover omelettes she instantly reheated with her magic unseen.
"How did you know I was coming?" Scootaloo asked, struggling to get into one of the chairs until an unknown force helped her up. She looked behind her to see what had helped her, but became confused when she saw nothing but the marble floor.
"I can sense when things are coming my way," she replied, setting the fancy egg creation in front of her. She immediately dug in while Pencil smirked at her. "As well as the intentions." Scootaloo stopped the eggs a millimeter away from her mouth and glanced up at her. "You wanted to ask questions," Pencil continued before taking a bite out of the omelettes, humming in satisfaction at the taste dancing along her tongues. "That. Is. Good. Now...ask away."
Scootaloo speared the food into her mouth and moaned in pleasure of the taste washing over her taste buds. Pencil smiled casually. Buff could really cook. "Well....I remember seeing you in Ponyville after you did the exhibition as the Mystery Mare. And you also did a Gray Boom."
"Yes, I did."
"Well....I was looking through a magazine and saw an article for your first exhibition here. In Manehattan. There was a close up of you...wearing a necklace that looked just like a Cutie Mark of somepony I knew that went missing."
"Uh huh." The painter grabbed another fork of eggs, eating while she talked.
"And then I looked at her face because you also had the grin as her when she's boasting." Pencil stopped eating, sighed, and closed her eyes. Scootaloo didn't see her, too busy looking down at her shuffling hooves, obviously nervous. She had to admit. This kid was brave. "And the same boasting eyes. So I was wondering...."
"If I'm her," Pencil assumed. She looked back up at Scootaloo who was nodding her head, trying to avoid her gaze.
"Yes. I mean.....I don't know, it just seems likely. They say that the pony is...gone, but I don't think so. So...."
Pencil sighed, and closed her eyes again to see Rainbow Dash, who was laying down and looking at the scene. She wasn't angry but....she looked proud. "You know the squirt is pretty good," Pencil told her, looking through her eyes at the nervous, and sweating, filly. "Should I...."
Rainbow didn't move. Just watching for a few seconds before she sighed and nodded. "I actually...forgot about her. While I was so upset....I forgot about Scootaloo....and two more. Tell her....and them. You know who I'm talking about."
Pencil Sketch opened her eyes in the waking world, watching Scootaloo who was still shyly shuffling her hooves. "You got a keen eye, squirt." The filly stopped her shuffling, gasped, and looked up. There was only one pony who called her squirt! "Keep that up and you might actually become a Wonderbolt." Pencil jumped out of her seat and made her way over to the other pony, pulling her into a hug. "I missed you too, Scoots."
"Rai....Rainbow?" She asked timidly into her chest. Pencil pulled her out of the seat and set her on the floor in front of her. Scootaloo looked up at her with tears in her eyes. "Is it...is it really you?"
"Yes...and no." Scootaloo took on the most intense face of confusion before she explained. "The magic and essence that is Rainbow Dash is currently resting. And I took her place to carry out her orders as Pencil Sketch."
"So....Rainbow is dead." Scootaloo started to tear up before Pencil sighed.
"No, Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash isn't dead. She is just sleeping. Resting, regenerating, taking it easy until she's ready to come back."
"So she'll be back?! She's not gone?!" She asked excitedly.
"Yes, she'll be back." Scootaloo jumped up and latched herself onto the Painter's chest, hugging tightly and surprising Pencil. She responded by patting the filly's head until she let go and stepped back.
"But...what happened in the first place?" She asked. Pencil used her magic and tossed Scootaloo on her back before making her way back to the front door. "Why did she...you...whoever leave?! I was so sad when Celestia said you were gone! SHE was gone! I DON'T GET THIS"
Pencil chuckled and opened the door, nearly bumping into her bodyguard who was just about to knock. "Uhh....hey, Pencil," he greeted, looking oddly at the filly on her back."Who's your friend?"
Pencil chuckled and closed the door behind her before responding. "Hey, Buff. You're just in time. We're going flying. This is Scootaloo, from my hometown. She was my pupil."
"Oh...alright. I'm already wearing my armor so..." He banged on his helmet twice. "I had a feeling you wanted to go out."
"Well, let's go then." Buff flapped his wings and hovered before she took off away with Scootaloo squealing from her back. Buff caught up to them a few seconds later as they left Manehattan. Once they were far out enough, she started to explain what happened.
"The reason I left, Scootaloo," Pencil said once she slowed down. "Is because I was lied to. And made fun of by the ponies who called themselves my friends."
"What?" Scootaloo asked in disbelief. "Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all lied to and made fun of you? And you left because of that? That's not awesome."
"Not only just that." They flew over Canterlot, letting her get a good view from the air. "When Rainbow was your age, just a filly and she got her Cutie Mark, she was excited. Beyond excited. Thrilled! Being the fastest pony in Equestria had it's perks you know. But with it...came jealousy from other ponies. Or in this case, foals." The three passed in front of Canterlot castle, missing Celestia who was watching them from the balcony. She squinted and hummed to herself before going back into the castle. "They were quiet at the time in comparison," Pencil continued. "Making snide jokes. Name calling. And then Rainbow discovered her amazing skill in painting, which made the bullies even more jealous. So things became a little more...physical. Shoved, punched, teased, bathroom pranks, and more. You name it, Rainbow's been through it. What Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon put you and the others through is cake compared to this."
"What? She didn't do a thing to these ponies!" Scootaloo cried from her back, clearly upset.
"You are right, she did not. Anyway, this went on the whole time in flight camp. And Rainbow was breaking. She was putting up a strong front...but that can only last but so long. So she made an effort to redeem herself. She created me."
"Rainbow created a pony?!"
"No, a legit alter ego with her own personality, but a mirror of her original self. She created and tasked me with getting rid of the bullies. After that, those same bullies nearly wet themselves every time they saw her." Scootaloo let out an amused laugh before she continued. "But sadly, the damage had been done. You throw a rock at a mirror, the glass will crack. In this case, Rainbow was the glass, and the rocks were all the bullying. You can get rid of the rocks, but not the cracks.
"Well, months after that, Rainbow hit a new grade, met Fluttershy, and things were starting to go up. The glass was slowly rebuilding itself. Until three more bullies arrived. This time, Rainbow left Flight camp immediately after the first altercation with Fluttershy. All because her paintings were becoming even better. Fluttershy didn't know anything about the painting. The glass was breaking vibrating. But she didn't want to shatter."
The group lowered their elevation, landing outside of the wreckage of the Cloudominium. She gestured to the town that they were on the outside of. "She arrived here in Ponyville, trying to fulfill her dream of becoming a Wonderbolt while secretly painting on the side. And eventually, meeting the rest of the elements. She thought they were friends. The ponies she could turn to when things got tough. Sadly, that was not the case. The cracks in the glass were not fixed. And THEY shattered it."
"How?!" Scootaloo asked, settling down in front of her. Buff behind her was interested in this as well. So he decided to sit down with Scootaloo and listen to the painter tell the story.
"One day, Twilight was working on some experiment to give everypony unicorn magic. Intense unicorn magic. But it had to be done correctly or it would wipe out a pony's magic for a week. Rainbow didn't know about this, so she obviously didn't participate. And there was a reason she didn't know. They didn't want her there. Around this time, the other elements were becoming rude to her. Doing things they wouldn't normally do. Lashing out at her, pushing her away, attacking her. But she stayed strong.
"Then came the day of the experiment. Rainbow became upset and wanted to ask why they were treating her like that. So she went to the Golden Oaks Library to ask. It was during a rain storm that she set up for Ponyville. The lights in the library were off, the blinds were closed, and it was far too quiet. So Rainbow thought they were in trouble and rushed in, intent to assist only to discover Twilight was in the midst of the spell. And it broke her concentration.
"The spell backfired and they all, except Rainbow who immediately took cover, lost their magic that week. They were upset. Furious. And they lashed out at her. Applejack herself got really upset, wanting Rainbow to explain why she walked through the door and interrupted the spell. Rainbow said she wanted to know why they've been treating her the way they have for the last few weeks. Twilight didn't even care. And neither did the others. They lashed out at her, angry, and asked why was she even around. She said she was the Element of Loyalty and one of their friends. And Twilight said.....she was no friend of hers."
"No," Scootaloo whispered, standing up and looking at her in disbelief. "No, they would never say that. They wouldn't do that to you."
Pencil sighed and sat down in front of her, giving her a sad look. "Ask them yourself. And the others agreed. Twilight told her to get out and that they never wanted to see her again. She pleaded with them, trying to figure out what she did that had them so upset. Instead.....Applejack said, and I quote, 'Just get out....Rainbow Crash.'"
Scootaloo gasped and looked back at Ponyville in horror. They would never do that to her. Twilight was the Element of Magic. Which was the Magic of Friendship! They symbolized friendship! They would never do that!....right?
"After that," she continued standing up and walking forward towards Ponyville with Buff behind her and Scootaloo beside her. "She shattered. The glass was completely broken and would not be put back together. There would just have to put in a a new slab. She and I switched out, leaving me to take over and control things until she could get better and can once more trust ponies again enough to have them be her friends. The only one so far that she has...is Buff here." She motioned to the big stallion following behind her who was listening to her story with saddened eyes. He had never heard her reason before. And this was a very good one. "Once we switched out, we left and moved to Manehattan without any notice."
"You went missing...." Scootaloo whispered as they stopped.
"Right. We were already pretty wealthy. That mansion wasn't a mansion before. It was only a regular house that I had remodeled and expanded into a large house with wings. Then I created my first masterpiece that Rainbow was working on painting for years, but always being pushed down because of her skill. So I did it for her. And it sold for ten million bits." Scootaloo stopped and stared at her in disbelief, her jaw on the ground. Buff was no better. Pencil stopped and turned around, chuckling at their expressions. "That painting was a very exquisite and detailed artwork. And it has gotten me to where I am today. After that, I created more, and more, and more. Eventually going to my first exhibit that caught me my international fame. And made me even more bits. I then started a discreet self-image campaign. Where I tell ponies who fit the mark that a cutie mark is only a predetermined fate that we are all locked in. But could expand away from. Like I did. My Cutie Mark was for flying fast and creating a Sonic Rainboom. But my real calling was doing my passion. Painting. Flying was a pastime. Painting was my life.
"After that, I decided to erase everything I could about myself. Or Rainbow Dash per her request. I came in and destroyed the Cloudominium, where Twilight discovered me and chose to fight me. She lost. I then returned and retrieved some documents where she tried to fight me again...and lost. She asked what did I do with Rainbow. And I told her that Rainbow was dead....thanks to her and the other Elements. Thus began the rumor and false reality that Rainbow Dash had died."
"Which meant that everyone was leaving you alone successfully," Scootaloo finished, looking back towards the supposedly friendly town, angry. "And...it was all because of those ponies who called themselves your friends and ran you away!"
"Yes. They eventually found out I was alive and tried to force me back to Ponyville. But I refused and literally kicked them out of my mansion after they arrived unannounced. With devious intentions might I add."
"Well...as much as I am upset with them, which I will express later..." Scootaloo turned back around with sadness in her eyes. "There are still a lot of ponies who miss you, Rainbow Dash. The weather team, my friends, Vinyl Scratch, Octavia Melody, heck even Spitfire who I saw was actually crying when she paid her respects to your memorial. Not to mention......your parents and myself."
Pencil sighed and looked up at Cloudsdale in the distance, nostalgia plaguing her mind. She could see them right now. Holding one of the toys in her room and Wonderbolt posters that were left in them close to their hearts as they let out the waterworks.
"Rainbow." She directed her attention back down to the sad filled face of the filly in front of her. "At least let your parents know you're alright and tell them why you ran away. They are all really sad. They came to your memorial on your birthday and your mother just wouldn't stop crying." The Rainbow Dash in Pencil Sketch stirred and sat up, her eyes red with tears and emotion from her shattered heart. Scootaloo was being sincere. This was no joke, she could feel the truth in her words. "At least let them know you're alright and that you're alive. So they can stop crying and have hope again. They are really sad, Rainbow Dash. Pencil Sketch."
Rainbow Dash sighed while Pencil waited for a response, directing her attention back to the cloud city. Coming up with her decision, she weakly stood up, still angry. "She's right," she said in Pencil's mind. "I...I can't leave my parents suffering. There are still some ponies, like Scoots said, that actually do care about me. I can at least tell them I'm okay. The others I don't care about. They don't deserve me. But Scootaloo has to come with me."
"Alright, Scootaloo," Pencil sighed, nodding to her. "Rainbow said that she'll go and tell them she's okay. And will reappear for an hour or two."
"Pinkie Promise?"
"No Pinkie promises, that pony's not my friend," Pencil said, ruffling the filly's magenta mane. "But I will make a regular promise that you can trust. And you're coming with me." Before Scootaloo could protest, she picked her up in her magic and placed her on her back, turned towards the cloud city, and shot out, with Buff following right behind her.
They flew in silence towards the cloud city, with Rainbow in Pencil's mind trying to figure out what to say. She was going to look like a hot mess when she reappeared. Her eyes were red, her mane disheveled, and had bags under her eyes from restless sleep. Just because she moved her spirit and essence into a different state doesn't mean everything else in her was paused. She was apparently very weak too. Having barely moved her legs during the whole time she was in her own prison. Three months. Shielded away from the rest of society and the mean ponies who continued to come to her and try to bring her back. Thankfully, Pencil Sketch has managed to keep them back. She could be really persuasive in her own special way. Which usually meant yelling, threatening, and a bunch of other stuff.
Before they knew it, they landed on the outside of the cloud city of Cloudsdale. It seemed like a busy Saturday, because Pegasi were flying in and out of buildings and doing whatever the heck they had to. Scootaloo jumped off her back and walked forward, motioning for Pencil sketch to follow along after her. Buff and her shared and expression before doing just that. "Are you sure about this?" He asked her. "I understand why, but....I want you to be comfortable while doing it. Not forced."
"Rainbow is afraid, but she also understands that there are those who do care for her," Pencil whispered back. "So she decided to ease their pain and frustration. The glass mirror is slowly piecing itself back together again. It will only be a matter of time." After that, the conversation died, walking right into town and the heart of it all. The pegasi flying around, stopped and waved, said hello, and even, for some odd reason, bowed to her. "Uhh....hi," she said, quickly continuing the trek towards the house a little ways beside the Cloudiseum. That was so weird. Eventually, her childhood home was in sight, where there were two Wonderbolts keeping guard? Why were they there?
"Any idea, Scoots?" She asked, looking down at the filly in front of her. She merely shrugged as they continued, coming to a stop once reaching the door.
"M-Madam Sketch!" One of them said, smiling gleefully. Pencil took a long look at her, recognizing that voice. Fleetfoot. "It's an honor to see you again!" The other Wonderbolt had the same exact expression on his face.
"And it is inspiring to see two Wonderbolts stationed outside an Equestrian resident's home, providing protection," she greeted, giving them a warm smile. "It gives me an idea for a new painting."
"Wait, just like that?" The other asked, who Pencil immediately recognized as Soarin.
"Inspiration comes from anywhere," she replied, looking down at the filly who just knocked on the door. "Even in the most smallest packages."
Hoofsteps caught her attention from the inspiring moment when the door opened revealing a less than average Windy Whistles. Now Rainbow could see what Scootaloo meant when she said they were hopeless. It looked like she just gave up on life. She didn't want to know what her father looked like. But she had made a promise. Windy's mane was a mess. And it looked like she didn't take a bath in days. Maybe weeks.
"Oh....Hey, Scootaloo," she replied blandly. She didn't even ask how she got up there. "How did you get up here?" Oh...there it is.
"Pencil Sketch flew me up here," she replied happily, motioning towards the pony behind her. Windy looked up and gasped lightly.
"Oh....H-Hello again, Ms. Sketch," she greeted, opening the door wider. "Do come in. Sorry for the mess."
"Thank you." She, Scootaloo, and Buff all walked inside, seeing the state of the house. It was a mess. There were plates piled up at the sink, the floor was dirty, she could see that maintenance had to be done in there too. Thing is...it was a cloud home. How is this possible? Looks like what she thought was true. Her father, her mother, and it seemed even Spitfire, was a mess. She had a tangled mane and even her sergeant uniform were disheveled. Scootaloo looked back at Pencil and gave her a look that said, "See what I mean?"
Pencil sighed and continued walking towards the front. "Good day, everyone," she greeted.
"Hello, Ms. Sketch," the wonderbolt captain greeted, getting up and shaking her hoof once she was close enough.
"Hi, Ms. Sketch," Bow Hothoof said blandly. He had grown a full beard out. Didn't even bother to shave. "How can we help you?"
She sighed and looked down at Scootaloo who gestured for her to start. "I came...to apologize." They stared at her oddly before she sat down in front of all of them, Scootaloo by her side and Buff on the side in case things got rough. She looked his way and he nodded, giving her a smile and encouragement.
"Are you ready, Rainbow?" She thought in her head. Rainbow was standing on shaky hooves, barely having any strength left while looking through Pencil's eyes at the clueless faces of her parents and idol.
"Yeah," she groaned. "Do it."
"A long time ago.....I had friends. Actually, no. Not friends.....acquaintances who used me in the past. So much that I left a lovely town where the majority of its inhabitants cared for me a great deal. And apparently...even more who I didn't think even cared, but did after all. And all it took was a little filly to tell me that." She looked down and ruffled Scootaloo's mane, giving her a smile. "The ones who drove me away...they have yet to feel how I felt. And they will soon."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Sketch, but you have to make a little more sense," Windy said, a little agitated. "Where exactly are you going with this?"
"She's not dead." They all looked at her in confusion. "Rainbow Dash is not dead. She is in fact alive."
"Wh....what are you talking about?" Bow said, sitting up and getting to his hooves. "How do you know our daughter isn't dead?"
"Have you seen her?!" Windy said, getting closer to her. Even Spitfire got up and close to her. "Do you know where my little filly is?!"
"Yes, I know where she is and I have indeed seen her," she replied, looking back up and giving her a nonchalant look. "She is alive. Not well...but alive nonetheless."
"Where is she?!" Bow yelled in worry. "Where is my daughter?!" Pencil tightened her lips, sighed and answered.
"You're looking at her."
They stared at her frozen before she breathed out. "Rainbow...your time to shine." The effect was instant. She fell down to her haunches and grimaced, feeling the body of Rainbow dash start to push through. She started shaking when a blue light appeared at the top of her head, slowly going down her body like a ring and changing the colors of her coat from light gray to a very familiar Cyan. A rainbow mane appeared next before it went down to her flank, removing the paint and revealing the rainbolt cutie mark she had before it went down her legs and ended at her feet, the light slowly dying out.
Rainbow Dash stood in all of their sights, breathing heavily from the exhaustion it took to do that spell. Shaking on her knees from having barely any strength to stand. Apparently, that spell had it's repercussions after long amounts of time. Natural repercussions. She fell down on one knee and grunted. It was so...painful.
"R.......Rainbow?" Windy whispered, silent tears streaming down her face. "Is that you, sweetheart?"
The weak pegasus slowly looked up at them with her cerise eyes, exhaustion clearly on her face, evident by the bags under her eyes which were red from crying. "Hi, mom," she said weakly, trying to offer a smile. "I'm home."
Rainbow Dash fell down on her side with a thud, successfully breaking the ponies out of their frozen state. "Rainbow!!" Windy said rushing forward. "What's wrong?! What's happening?!"
The father quickly rushed into the kitchen and grabbed some water while Spitfire ordered the Wonderbolts outside to fetch a medic.
"The....the spell," the pegasus said weakly. "Has....natural disadvantages." Buff grabbed a water bottle that he had, for some reason, stashed underneath his armor and popped the lid, pouring it into her mouth. While they were waiting, everyone was looking over the supposedly deceased daughter. She did not look good at all. She was frail and skinny, her mane was messy, her eyes were red and wet, and there were bags under them.
"What happened to you?" Scootaloo whispered, coming closer.
"Natural....repercussions....of....spell used," she said breathlessly. "Two ponies.....one body....one pony.....uses energy.......other.....doesn't." Before they could question what she meant, two ponies in uniform rushed into the house to take her to a nearby hospital.
Rainbow was hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor while resting at the large central hospital in Cloudsdale, regaining her strength after being extremely malnourished, according to the doctor. Her parents, Spitfire, Buff, and Scootaloo were all in the room, watching her as she slept.
"Where....where has she been all this time?" Her father whispered in confusion.
"She was painting," Scootaloo answered. "Rainbow Dash is Pencil Sketch."
"So she somehow merged with a pony?" Spitfire assumed.
"Not quite." They looked towards the big bodyguard still clad in his armor and keeping his eye on her. "Pencil Sketch was created by Rainbow Dash. I'm not sure on how, but she did. Whenever Rainbow couldn't do something, they'd switch out and Pencil would take over."
"So Rainbow Dash used magic," Bow assumed without taking his eyes off his daughter. "How can a Pegasus use magic?"
"I don't know, but she did."
"I don't care what she did as long as my filly's alive," the mother cried, nuzzling her sleeping daughter. The color maned pegasus shifted at the contact without waking.
"I knew she was alive," Scootaloo called, attracting their attention. "I went to her mansion in Manehattan and—"
"Oh my gosh, that reminds me...." Windy turned back to her daughter. "Rainbow's a millionaire and the most famous, and influential, pony in Equestria."
"Yeah, and her mansion when you walk in is really awesome," the filly told them.
"But why did she leave?" Spitfire asked, walking closer.
"The elements." They looked back towards Scootaloo, who was clearly angry. "The Elements of Harmony. They drove her away. She was already really really REALLY affected from the bullying in Flight Camp. Like REALLY bad. And they finished her off when they lashed out at her. So she left and started a new life. She was telling us on the way here."
"But now that the sadness and shock has passed," Buff explained. "Rainbow Dash is angry. So angry in fact that Nightmare Moon doesn't even describe what will happen if she sees those ponies again."
Scootaloo looked at him confused. "What?" She asked in confusion.
"When the Elements came to the mansion, they tried to convince her to come home. Pencil Sketch is Rainbow Dash's peaceful dark side. So she was peaceful. But whenever they said Rainbow Dash, I noticed she would lash out. The one named Applejack had actually been blasted with dark magic by her after she threatened to bring her back here."
"You're forgetting something," a weak voice said from the bed catching their attention. Rainbow was looking at them emotionless. Her muzzle containing a stoic expression. "Twilight had actually attacked me a few days ago. She came to my mansion and struck out because of my beliefs. She attacked me and I threw her around like a rag doll. She's no doubt limping for a few days. But I want her completely unmoving."
"Rainbow, how are you feeling?" Bow asked, pushing that little comment aside and quickly going over to her.
The pegasus sighed and sat up, looking around the room. "I'd feel much better if you three got rid of the waterworks. And you got rid of that beard, dad."
"Yeah, it doesn't look good at all," Scootaloo commented. The adults chuckled before Rainbow grabbed her number one admirer in her magic and set her down next to her on the bed. She got comfortable while Rainbow laid a wing over her.
"I'm so sorry I forgot about you, Squirt," she apologized, stroking her mane. "I really am. I just needed a change in views. Not to mention live my dream. The real one."
"But you'll come home now, right?" She asked, making Rainbow sigh. "I mean—"
"Squirt, if those ponies down there are still there, I will not be coming back." Scootaloo looked at her disappointed. "They taught me that friendship doesn't exist. That this is a 'Me, Myself, and I' world. And that everypony uses you. They barely apologized. And when they did, it was from Fluttershy. They used the shy Pegasus to try and make themselves look really sad. A bunch of Snakes in that grass." She pointed a hoof at the town in the distance in the window. "Therefore I'm not walking in it. But if it makes you feel better, you can come to my mansion—"
"I want you home, Rainbow!" The filly cried. She stood up and looked at her in desperation. "You don't belong in Manehattan, you belong in Ponyville!"
"Ponyville has made me look like a foal on more than one occasion," Rainbow explained calmly. "And I barely know anypony down there." She took her hair and draped it in front of her right eye, resuming the Pencil Sketch look. "Except you and....those deceivers. I will more than likely erase them from my memory in the future. But for now, I have work to do. Buff?" The stallion trotted towards her. She created a golden key from black smoke in front of her which she levitated to him. He grabbed it and put it in his suit. "Go in my office and grab my paperwork, please. Bring it here."
He nodded and left to fulfill the task. Rainbow was looking a lot better by this point. Instead of the frail pony that was dying, she was nearly back up to size. Her face just needed some fluffing. Besides the obvious color change, Windy could actually see Pencil Sketch while looking at her daughter. They sat the same, talked the same, looked at things the same, which was nonchalantly, and probably react the same. How did she not notice this before?
A doctor suddenly walked into the room, drawing her attention away from her daughter. He was holding a clipboard in front of his face while he made his way to the bed.
"Okay, Ms. Dash," he said. "Your vitals are stabilized and everything checks out. But we want to keep you overnight." He lowered the clipboard and offered a smile. "Any questions?"
"Yes, I need to setup an easel for my next painting. Can we move this couch?" She pointed to the furniture by her bed.
"Yes. Trying to impress Pencil Sketch?" He joked. He used his magic to move the couch before a bunch of black smoke filled the room, surprising its occupants. When it cleared, there was a full Art Studio setup where the couch was before. Complete with paint, brushes, a desk, and pencils. On top of the desk sat a very familiar diamond flooded necklace that she hooked around her neck.
The doctor was just staring at everything in shock before he turned to her in confusion. "I do not need to impress myself, doctor," she explained. "I have impressed billions already."
Buff returned half an hour later with her saddlebags, which contained mail, letters, and papers. Not to mention some books and office supplies. She was in the middle of a sketch, more than likely giving her parents, Scootaloo, and Spitfire a show. Drawing carefully and slowly, giving slow strokes. He carefully walked to the dresser by her bed and emptied out the contents. The visitors were quiet, watching with rapt attention, just like he was about to do. It was dark by this time, which meant the only source of light was the lamp on the desk, positioned over Rainbow Dash's drawing. It looked like an overhead image of Equestria. How she knew what it looked like was obvious. She flew up to those heights.
The next few hours consisted of more artwork which was....strange. instead of moving onto painting, she continued drawing. Drawing OVER Equestria. Windy glanced at her husband, who had the same confused look on his face. But after the drawing they finally figured it out. It was a face. More specifically, hers. She set down the pencil and checked it over for any blemishes before picking up a paintbrush. Looks like she was going to begin the process she was widely known for. Painting.
The birds outside the windowsill woke up the occupant of the large cloud home. It was a two story that was located close to the weather factory, obviously for them to get to work. She groaned and flapped her wings. Man, she hated the sun. Yeah it provided light and it was part of her name. But it was the most rude of awakenings. Her bed was positioned directly in front of the window. Which was facing the sun. So when it rose, the light would land directly on her eyes. That's why the yellow pegasus just threw a pillow at the window, hoping to block it. Sadly, it fell off.
She groaned and groggily opened her eyes. She had to get up. The clouds needed to be moved and as the new weather manager, Sunshower had to do it. So she kicked off the covers, muttered something about sunny annoyances, and went to get ready. After an hour of "Prepping to be Pretty", which included brushing her blue mane and tail, the blue eyed Pegasus stalked out the door and flew up to the area above Ponyville, where the rest of the team were waiting for her. Dressed and ready to move in the clouds behind them. It was fall, and while the ponies were doing the preparations for winter on the ground, they were pushing in clouds for the rain that's scheduled afterwards.
Her partner, Clear Skies, was looking at a document, more than likely the makeup of what the air was supposed to look like afterwards while the workers were talking and waiting for orders. "Morning, Clear!" Sunshower greeted. She stopped next to her and gave her a hug before taking a look at the map. "What are we dealing with?"
"Obviously we need clouds over Whitetail for todays Running of the Leaves," the assistant informed, pointing in the area over where all the townsponies were situated. "Then over Applejack's apple farm. And that's pretty much it. We have a light day today. Probably more intense tomorrow."
"Good. Okay, everypony!" The weather team gave Sunshower Raindrops their attention. "We need clouds over—" A sudden rush of wind over their heads cut her off, along with a high pitched scream and a very loud roar. The group of workers covered their eyes and flapped their wings to stay in position.
"Hey! Watch where you're flyin!" Clear Skies yelled, not registering the Rainbow trail behind them. She turned around, about to say something before she turned back. "OH MY CELESTIA!"
"What? Did the clouds break up?" Sunshower asked. The team were wondering the same, which was apparent on their faces.
"No! Whoever that was left a Rainbow Trail!" Sunshower looked over and gasped. There was a Rainbow trail in the distance, along with a lot of yelling. The tip of it arched up slowly. Yeah that was a Rainbow colored trail.
"WHAT?!" Sunshower yelled. The others were just as confused. "Is that....."
"You ready for the finale, Scoots?!" Rainbow asked. The filly was being held to her front by Rainbow's hooves as they completed the arch, heading back to Cloudsdale.
"Yeah! Yeah, do it!" Rainbow grinned her first genuine smile and activated the spell. Puffs of smoke on both sides caught Scootaloo's attention. There were five Rainbow Dashes on both sides that sped up faster, going ahead of them and forming an artistic spiraled tube with their trails. The two of them flew through it, of course with Scootaloo screaming in enjoyment, along with flailing her arms out, as if she herself was flying. Rainbow could feel Pencil Sketch inside of her smiling, obviously in joy. She was doing the same. Hopefully someday she'll actually be able to fly. Hopefully. And she'll be there for the squirt. If she could, or if she couldn't.
"Alright, Scoots!" She called, getting her attention. "We have to come back in for a landing. I have some more work to do, and you have to go with your friends."
"Awwww," she whined. The clones came back into the original, just because it looked good. In reality, she could've just made them blow up. But this looked better. "But I don't wanna!"
"What about for your friends?" The filly shrugged nonchalantly, making Rainbow click her tongue. "You're a mess. Alright we're coming in." Rainbow tilted towards the ground, totally missing the weather team watching the Rainbow trail disappear, along with the cyan dot at the front.
"Come on, we're checking this out!" Sunshower yelled. She and the rest of the team quickly followed after them, checking to see who that was. And if it actually was who they thought it was. Rainbow quickly shifted back into Pencil Sketch once they landed on the ground, right in the middle of her destroyed Cloudominium. The filly squirmed out of her grip and turned around to give her a hug. "I'll miss you, Rainbow."
"Squirt, Rainbow isn't gone. She's just hiding." Pencil let her go and looked in the distance at a bunch of ponies who were looking in the air. Probably spotted her trail and were trying to find out where it came from. Her hearing picked up some more noise behind her, causing her ears to twitch. "But I promise to return someday. At least to you. You're important to me. Pretty much my daughter. Okay?"
Scootaloo nodded before Pencil levitated the five hundred thousand bit necklace off her neck and place it over Scootaloo's. Somehow, it shrunk in size and fit her small form perfectly. "I'll be coming back for that."
"And I'll be waiting," she replied. Pencil ruffled her mane once more before she disappeared in a swirl of smoke, reappearing back at her parents' house, who were finally cleaning up. Scootaloo looked around and quickly ran away, hiding herself in the destruction. Rainbow Dash probably doesn't want to be discovered by everyone too early. Maybe by like a few ponies, but not those from Ponyville. She hid underneath a broken bookcase, and waited. Staying as quietly as she could as the fluttering of wings got louder.
Sunshower landed on the ground they were just at with the others, looking around anxiously. "That was her!" She said, looking at the hoofsteps Pencil left behind. "There is no other pony that has a Rainbow trail like that!"
"Are you sure?" One of the weather ponies asked.
"Absolutely," Clear Skies answered determinedly. "I know Rainbow and there is absolutely no other pony that can do that. But I'm confused about what all that design was. Those tricks. I've never seen anything like that before, not even by her. That's why I'm a little skeptical about that being Rainbow Dash."
"Then what other explanation could it be? I just..."Scootaloo was distracted from their conversation whee the board above her head broke from her movement and banged against her forehead. Her eyes popped open in pain before she jumped grimaced loudly.
"Ow!" She yelped, attracting attention. She rubbed her hoof against her forehead before the entire piece of furniture was lifted up by one of the pegasi.
"Scootaloo? What are you doing underneath a bookcase?" Clear Skies pondered.
"Uhh....I was....bye!" She turned around and quickly left. The necklace she was wearing flashed in their eyes, catching their attention.
"Hey! Wait, what's that?" Sunshower asked. Scootaloo didn't responded, too busy running away. "Scootaloo, stop! We just want to check out your necklace." Clear Skies quickly ran after and jumped in front of her. Scootaloo quickly slid to a stop and bumped into her hooves. Clear held out her hoof and grabbed her hooves, holding her still and taking a good long look at her necklace. It was a diamond flooded necklace...shaped exactly like Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. It was gleaming with the sun's rays, bouncing off the diamonds. "Where did you get this?! This is way too expensive for you! Your parents could not have bought this!"
"I'm not talkin' and you can't make me!" Scootaloo quickly rushed around her, making her way towards the town. More specifically Applejack's farm to hide. Clear Skies just let her run away while Sunshower came up behind her.
"What was that?" She asked, stopping beside her.
"It was...a necklace. That was shaped exactly like Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. I'll go see Twilight, she might know something. You go ahead and get this weather in motion." She handed her the map before taking off towards Town Hall, where Twilight would indubitably be at. She was organizing the Fall stuff. The Running of the Leaves, the Cloud covering, and the hibernation of the animals, which were directed by Fluttershy. Maybe she would have an idea on what was going on. Because that rainbow colored trail looked too much like Rainbow Dash's.
She flew over the buildings and spotted Twilight on the steps of Town Hall, busy looking over a checklist and checking with the rest of the ponies who were managing other things that Clear couldn't remember. "Twilight!" She called, catching her attention. She gave orders to the rest of the ponies before they shuffled off and she turned to the Pegasus with a gleaming smile.
"Good morning, Clear Skies!" She greeted. The Pegasus landed and walked up to her. "I hope everything is underway."
"Well it was about to be before we got interrupted."
"What? By how much time?!" She lifted up her pen and another notepad, preparing to do the calculations.
"Five minutes. But I'm not reporting to you because we were interrupted. I'm here to tell you by what." Twilight waved her hoof, motioning her to continue while she did the math. "It was by a massive air current...and a Pegasus with a Rainbow Trail." The lead on Twilight's pencil broke before she glanced up at Clear Skies. "They did a few tricks before landing here somewhere. We think...it might've been Rainbow Dash."
"What are you—"
"Scootaloo was nearby the landing scene wearing what looked like a diamond flooded Rainbow colored necklace. It had to cost thousands of bits. I asked her where'd she got it from because I thought she stole it. So I questioned her and she ran away. So I thought I'd tell you and let you know. We think Rainbow's still alive."
'And she is', Twilight thought, glancing at the memorial set up in front of the building. "Alright. I'll find Scootaloo and bring her to the library, we'll question her about it on our off time. In the meanwhile...why don't you ask...Windy if they noticed anything else strange going on? Maybe they could've seen it too."
Rainbow trotted into her home, sweating a little. A teleportation like that had drained her by a large amount. But she could still walk, so that's good enough. She closed the door behind her and looked around. The house was looking good. It was once again looking like her childhood home. Windy was currently at the sink washing dishes while her father was more than likely cleaning upstairs. And hopefully shaving. That beard could scare a bear.
"Hey, mom," she greeted, going over and giving her a hug with a wing.
"Hey, dear," she replied, nuzzling her daughter and giving her a peck on the cheek. "How was your flight?"
"Eventful. I might've given away that I'm still alive to the ponies below. Hopefully, nopony will come up and set me off. I'm still deeply upset with the Elements. And if I see them..." Windy sighed, feeling her daughter's dark magic spilling over into the kitchen. She placed the dishes back in the sink before turning to her daughter solemnly.
"Dashie, I don't want you feeling this way," she told her. "It's not good. And it's dangerous. You need to find a different outlet besides trying to tear those ponies apart."
"They'd deserve it," she spat out. "Seeing Twilight powerless, and begging for me not to hurt her? That is what I am looking for. But even then I won't make it that easy for them. The Princesses won't stop me and no one else. As long as they stay away, we'll have no issue."
"Sweetheart—"
"Where's dad? PLEASE tell me he shaved!" She said, quickly changing the subject. Windy sighed. She probably didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"He's upstairs and probably doing just that. Let's go see the aftermath." They started to trot towards the stairs before a series of knocks caught their attention. "Now who could that be?" Windy walked towards the door quizzically while Rainbow darted up the stairs. Windy opened the door and recognized the pony instantly with a start. "Good morning, Clear Skies! How are you?"
"I'm fine, Windy! Can I come in?" Windy opened the door a little wider, allowing the smiling purple pony inside. Once she was in, Windy peeked out the door and looked around before darting back in, closing it behind her. "I see you're cleaning up," she commented. "I seriously thought all hope was lost."
"Yeah, we uhh....decided to get tidy. I did my hair and Bow is shaving. Can I ask why you're here?" Windy made her way into the living room, intent on covering up Pencil's revealing painting. It was sitting right in plain view, still in the protective glass casing, but still out in the open. You could see it without even realizing.
"Well, this morning we saw a Rainbow trail," she explained, not questioning why she was walking behind her. "It was a moving object that was doing a lot of tricks that...well, your missing daughter would do. So, I just wanted to ask if you saw anything."
"Well, we just woke up," Windy lied. She and her husband had actually been up since five cleaning. And Rainbow was up since four, still painting. She had actually finished at six. When she finished, she put the painting inside the case and set it underneath the sun lamp to dry. Which it did in two hours. "We've been cleaning up."
"So I see."
"You really need to get everything off," a bland feminine voice said from up the stairs.
"But I need the mustache." Obviously Bow.
"Yeah.....you need to get rid of it." Bow grumbled while Clear glanced back at Windy, who was trying to avoid her gaze.
"Are you hungry, dear?" She asked, trying to distract her. "We haven't actually gotten anything to eat yet, so we can make you something too if you'd like."
Rainbow looked at the bottom of the stairwell while her father walked back down the stairs to say hello to Clear. "Sure, I'd appreciate it," she responded said. "The weather team had to get up a little early to prepare everything for today. You know, the beginning of fall and whatnot."
"Yes, I heard about that. Would you like some eggs?" Windy asked while preparing the stove
"Yes, please." While she was breaking open the eggs, Bow came down and gave her a greeting.
"Good morning," he said, giving Clear a much appreciated hug.
"Good morning, Mr. Hothoof," she replied, reciprocating the act happily. "I see you shaved. You got a clean face underneath all that strange hair. To be honest, you did NOT look good."
"I told you," a mare said upstairs. Why did they sound so familiar? "It is better for a stallion to shave than for them to look like a bear trying to impress a pony."
"Can you blame me?" He laughed. "I've been...crying. You know..." Chuckling came from up the stairs, which made Windy laugh too. A set of footsteps came down the stairs.
"Yes, but now you know. You have closure." The gray, long haired pony walked down the steps, completely taking Clear Skies off guard.
"P-P-Pencil Sketch?!" She asked. What was she doing here?! The painter smiled casually, making sure her hair was in front of her right eye before she greeted her.
"Hello, pony. What is your name?" Clear Skies quickly got up and shook her hoof.
"Clear Skies!"
"Nice to meet you, Clear Skies. I bet you're wondering why I'm here." She nodded her head Pencil walked around her, heading into the kitchen.
"A little bit, yeah. If you don't mind me asking." Pencil Sketch walked over to the stove and looked at the eggs sizzling while she glanced over at her mother, asking an unheard question.
Windy knew exactly what she wanted to ask. To tell, or not to tell? She must've been tired of hiding. "Well....I think you should. She's a friend of Sunshower. Who is a friend of yours. She must be trustworthy." Clear cocked her head to the side, a little confused. Sunshower?
"Wait, Sunshower knows you? Like personally?" She asked. "I thought you were like the hidden pony that holds like the most deepest of secrets."
"And I am," Pencil responded, turning around with her trademarked nonchalant look. "But I hold an even deeper secret than most ponies. And only a select few know it. Like Windy and Bow here. I am considering to show you the secret, but...can I trust you?"
"Of course! I promise not to speak a word!"
"No matter how critical it is?" She asked, approaching her carefully.
"Absolutely! You have my word, Ms. Sketch! It would be an honor to keep your secret!" Pencil chuckled at her friend's eager face, practically shaking in anticipation. She raised a hoof towards the living room and summoned her dark magic to remove the blanket that was covering the painting from last night.
"There is my secret. Try not to catch flies." She went back to the kitchen while Clear stared at her confused. It was in the living room? She turned towards the area to see a glass box holding what looked like a painting. Oh my god, it must not have been released yet! She quickly got up and trotted into the room, intent to look at it. Upon reaching it, she stared at it for awhile. Okay, it looked like it was a painting of an overhead shot of Equestria, with one head in the middle created by two faces. Half on the left, half on the right. One of them was obviously Pencil Sketch. Mainly dictated by the gray coat and eye, while the left was a painting of a pony with a Rainbow mane, cerise eyes, and a.....cyan...coat.....oh my Celestia.
Her mouth slowly lowered open, her eyes widening in realization. What....in...Equestria. She slowly turned around towards the painter who was staring back at her with her signature smirk. "You....you're....." She stuttered. The blue light shined brightly at Pencil's head before it descended down her body, revealing the Rainbow colored mane, cerise eyes, and cyan coat.
"Yes, I am," Rainbow replied. She turned around walked back in the kitchen, levitating the plates of scrambled eggs over to her spot and Clear's. "Now are you going to stand there, or are you going to come and have some eggs? Mom put cheese on these things!"
The only sound in the kitchen was the swallowing and munching of eggs from the family of three, just now having breakfast. Rainbow was digging in, trying to avoid the gaze of disbelief from the purple pony across from her. Clear Skies was literally looking at a ghost. Or what she thought was one. "Are you real?" She whispered stupidly. Rainbow stopped eating and looked up at her nonchalantly.
"Yes, this is all real," she replied before digging back into her eggs. "You can poke me if you want." Clear immediately reached over and poked Rainbow's muzzle. She grimaced and shot Clear a glare. "Except in my mouth."
"Where have you been, Rainbow?" The Pegasus changed back into Pencil Sketch for a moment and made a painting motion with her hoof before reverting back, giving her an answer without moving her gaze away from the eggs. "So...you've been painting this whole time?" A nod. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Didn't feel like talking, leaving notes, sending letters, etcetera," she responded.
"So you just left?" Another nod. Those eggs must've been really good, they were almost gone. "Do you know how worried we've been? The city was burning up because the weather manager wasn't here, and your friends—"
"THEY!" She yelled, pointing a hoof out the window towards Ponyville, startling them everyone at the table. "...are NOT...my friends. Do not call them that. There is a reason I left. Celestia knows, Luna knows, and they definitely know. Friendship is a lie. There are only timely acquaintances. Partnerships. Then we all go our separate ways."
"What happened?"
"Deceit, lies, and masks. They lied to me and shattered my heart. Then they wanted me to return to them? I think not. Then Twilight attacked me. I had her spasming on the floor before I dropped her back off in front of the others."
"What?!" Clear yelled. "Why would you hurt her?!"
"Because they ALL hurt me far worse. For years. Enough to drive me out of town, change my name, my look, and leave everything else and everyone that actually loved me behind. What I have done is nothing compared to what they did. All five of them. They betrayed, lied, and manipulated. They used me, and didn't even have the guts to own up to it when I asked them. The only reason I am here right now is because Scootaloo innocently guilt tripped Pencil Sketch into letting my parents know I am still alive. If she hadn't shown up on my doorstep, I would not be here right now. I'd still be presumed dead and living my life the way I want to live it. Without any deceiving friends to stop me, hold me back, and manipulate me. Flight school was bad enough. You know how bad bullying was in there? Terrible! Everyday, there is an unknown physical assault. To ME. Toilet pranks, bedroom pranks, assault, you name it. And I didn't want to go through that again. So I came to Ponyville, looking for solace only for it to become worse. All the things we did for the last few years was a lie. The events, the parties, the...victories. What I did to Twilight is nothing compared to what I can really do if I see them again. So their best course of action is to let me go. As should you with this conversation."
"Rainbow, things change," Clear said sadly. "Ponies change."
"No, they do not. They just put on a mask. And when the time calls for it, they pull it off, showing their truest colors. I would show you an example...but we're at my parents house. Eating breakfast. Mom, your eggs are still bangin'! You need to teach me how to cook, seriously! Buff is killing me with omelettes!"
Windy giggled and shrugged. "Thanks, sweetheart. When are you going to show us this mansion?"
"Did you guys know about her being alive?!" Clear asked loudly, surprising the adults.
"Actually we found out yesterday, like Rainbow said," Bow answered for her.
"After breakfast I'll show you around Manehattan," Rainbow informed them. "I have to get the Reveal painting inside the vault. It's too risky being out here this long." She used her magic to wipe her mouth, shocking Clear before she stood up. She could do magic?!
"You know," Clear wondered out loud. "I knew something was up when I saw Scootaloo wearing a necklace that was like your cutie mark." Rainbow looked down to her in alarm.
"Let me make some hypothetical guesses. You told somepony about that," she asked.
"Yes, I uhh...told Twilight. I also told her about the Rainbow trail you left in the sky...oh man."
"Yeah. Oh man," Rainbow mocked. "Pencil, take over, please. We gotta rescue Scootaloo from the crazy bucking mares." Rainbow transformed immediately into the emo-looking pony before disappearing into a black mist, obviously heading back to the ground. After a few seconds of silence, the visitor had to ask.
"Was Rainbow using magic?!" Clear asked Bow, using dramatics to emphasize her question. "How is she able to use magic?!"
"We aren't sure," he replied, poking at his eggs. "But she's really good at it. Insanely good even. Got some Twilight-level magic going on in there."
"What am I doing in here?" Scootaloo asked blandly. Twilight had teleported herself and Scootaloo into the library where the rest of the elements were waiting for her. She was sitting in front of the five of them by the window. "I don't want to be around you ponies." Rarity sighed and walked forward.
"Dear, we just want to know where you got that necklace from," she said, pointing to the diamond-covered lightning bolt on her neck. "It is very expensive."
Scootaloo groaned and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Where do you think I got it from? Let's stop beating around the bush. You KNOW what I did. You KNOW I talked to her. And YOU know what YOU did. And you STILL have yet to apologize."
"Scootaloo, it's more complicated than that," Applejack asked. "We can't just apologize. This is Rainbow Dash we're talking about, she hates words, she likes action. I bet that's why she paints. Uses images instead so she doesn't have to talk." She was about to chuckle before a book caught her in the mouth.
"Shut up, Applejack!" Scootaloo yelled at her while she was rubbing her muzzle. "THAT is why she doesn't want to be around you! You're lucky she isn't around or she'll buck you into a wall."
"Scoots, nobody has ever been able to buck Applejack into a wall," Spike commented. Before Scootaloo could respond, a loud crash from behind made them all jerk their head to the side. Applejack was currently pinned to the wall by the neck by...Pencil Sketch?!
"I actually am around," she said calmly. "And have successfully bucked Applejack into a wall. Painfully." Twilight shivered, feeling the large amount of magic pouring off of her. Rarity was feeling the same thing. They both backed up in uncertainty. "And I really don't appreciate you questioning my pupil as if she is some type of convict or suspect." She let Applejack fall to the floor, gasping for air, and walked towards Scootaloo, ignoring their stares. Then picked her up in her magic and placed her on her back before turning back to the elements, looking at them with an icy glare.
"Rainbow....we need to know," Rarity said cautiously, walking slowly towards her. She was negotiating with uncharted territory here. "Are you an enemy...or are you an ally?"
"I am neither....at the moment. But if you mess with anything that I treasure again...I will be your worst enemy. I would have said enemy immediately. But there is youth in the room. And I cherish the youth." She changed to Rainbow Dash, finally giving them the truth that she was still alive.
"But if Pencil wasn't here!" she yelled, stalking towards them slowly, her hooves aglow with dark magic. Her eyes changed from Cerise to pools of black, veins coming from the corners. "I would have tossed you all around like a rag doll until you can't move anymore! Forever!"
The elements quickly backed up, getting as far away from her as possible. She changed back into Pencil Sketch and stopped her threatening movement. Then turned around and walked back towards the door. "Consider yourselves lucky, Elements. Because believe it or not...I have let you live to see another day. Stay out of my life. And I won't ruin yours." She took her leave with Scootaloo riding on her back, leaving them to realize what she just said.
Once she was gone, Twilight closed the door quickly with her magic, letting everyone relax. Fluttershy looked over Applejack for any injuries. She had a large bruise on her head from the bucking into the wall. And she was holding her throat. "She's...gotten a lot stronger," she coughed. "I didn't even see her comin'. Or hear her."
"What do we do, Twilight?" Pinkie asked. "Rainbow's become a real bully."
"And she's somehow gotten dark magic," the mage answered. "There's only one thing we can do. We have to get rid of that magic. After that I'm sure she'll go back to normal."
"But if we get rid of her magic, she won't be able to fly," Fluttershy commented.
"It's better than having a psychotic painter threatening us."
"No, what's better is if you just stay out of her life," Spike corrected snidely. "We're not having another 'Twilight-fights-Pencil-Sketch' episode again. You already tried that once and was convulsing for thirty hours when she threw you back here. And you made us look bad. You're the Elements of Harmony not the Royal Guard."
"Spike, the Elements of Harmony needs Loyalty in order to really be the Elements of Harmony. And right now, the Element of Loyalty's the enemy. She just said that if Scootaloo wasn't in the room, she'd...possibly kill us."
"That's right, because you got rid of that Loyalty. And you can't get her back. She's stronger, smarter, and is at the same level of magic you're at. Face it, Twilight. You're out of your league here."
"No I'm not. She just needs a push in the right direction," the mage retorted determinedly, turning around to face Spike.
"Twilight, I hate to admit it," Applejack hoarsely called out, catching her attention. "But Spike has a point. We're out of our league here. For one, we need all the Elements of Harmony to get Rainbow to see reason and get rid of Pencil Sketch. But then you have the both of them who are the equal holders of the Element of Loyalty. Don't know how, but they are. We can't use the Elements at all unless she participates, which I seriously doubt she will, or if the Element of Loyalty is reassigned to another bearer. Then you have to consider that she can call onto all the Elements at will. Remember at the exhibition when Discord arrived? She wasn't the holder of five of 'em and they all came to her. We had absolutely no control. They floated straight out of the chest plates, and your crown, and into Dash's hooves. And she didn't even have to say a word. And to be honest.....I....I think we're the enemies here."
"That would actually make a lot of sense," Fluttershy whispered. "We...we all have been so mean to Rainbow. We yelled at her, celebrated when she was gone, called her names, didn't even bother to genuinely apologize. We even tried to force her to come home. Not to mention when Twilight attacked her at HER home. And all she did...was accidentally mess up an experiment. Why...why are we even mad at her?"
Twilight looked at them all, trying to come up with an explanation. "Well, I...uhh...." Spike looked up at her and shook his head. Eventually, she sighed and looked out the window.
"We drove her to the point where she destroyed her own home here in Ponyville," Fluttershy continued. "Then run away to Manehattan where she became a millionaire and is living in a mansion."
"Not to mention opening art studios all over Equestria," Rarity reminded her. She walked to one of the windows and motioned to the two story building that had been finished two days ago. It had a sign on the top that read "Sketch It All! Studios."
"She's become more successful without us in her life," Pinkie stated sadly. "She's become richer, stronger, and everything that we're not."
"And there's nothing we can do," Twilight finished solemnly. "I get it now. So we just....leave her alone?"
"I reckon we should," Applejack wheezed. "Just let her go. Let her leave. Maybe one day she'll come back and accept our hoof in friendship, but for now? She wants to be alone." Twilight sighed and looked back at the studio in the distance with sadness. She's been defeated. The pony they barked at has created an empire where she is loved more than Princess Celestia herself. Not to mention...probably more powerful than her. It was probably best if they just considered her....with the Rainbows.
"You're right. This time though....she is really with the Rainbows. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
After Rainbow dropped off Scootaloo with her friends, surprising them in the process, she flew back up to her parents' house, meeting up with Clear Skies halfway. She was heading back to her job and Rainbow was heading back to her parents'. The two stopped and stared at each other with clear looks before Clear sighed.
"I promise I'll keep your secret, Rainbow," she agreed. "But it'll be hard. You realize it won't last forever."
"I know," Pencil blandly replied. "Just hold out as long as you can. And when the time comes, I will do the rest." Clear nodded before preparing to take off when Pencil placed a hoof on her shoulder. "I appreciate what you have done for my parents in my absence. If you ever need anything...let me know. I'm always happy to lend a helping hoof. Just don't tell anypony who helped you. I am still hidden. And I do not always enjoy shelling out my bits."
Clear smiled softly at her, appreciating the gesture. "Thank you....Pencil Sketch."
"You know where I live, Clear. Everypony does." The two went their separate ways again to handle their business. The clouds didn't move themselves...in Equestria that is.
Pencil landed on the doorstep of her parents' home and casually walked inside, where they were obviously waiting for her. She used to live here too, but had moved down to Ponyville in the past. Well, the skies above it. They were occupied with a discussion, but ready nonetheless. "Are you ready?" She said, catching their attention. They quickly jumped up and trotted out the door leaving her standing shocked within a few seconds. They were out in less than three! That explains her fast genes. "I......guess you are." After retrieving her glass-protected painting that she covered with a towel and strapped on her back, they left and flew off.
A little while later, maybe an hour because Pencil was flying at a regular Pegasi speed, they finally landed in Manehattan. She checked her flanks to check on her gray cutie mark which was clearly out in the open, and groaned. She must've forgot to put paint on it. She had to hide that. Using her dark magic, she teleported a white trench coat from her closet at home to her and slid it on. She adjusted it to make her seem inconspicuous and fashionable at the same time.
"My identity would be jeopardized if somepony saw my cutie mark," she explained to her parents, who were looking at her confusedly. Brushing it off, they followed after their daughter into the city to get that tour. Rainbow was waving at the ponies nearby who recognized her, no doubt from the gray colored mane and coat. Buff was off today, but she had a feeling he would be at the house when she got back. Probably cooking or something. Or doing his guard thing. Standing at the entrance.
The two older adults were looking around the city, impressed at its giant skyscrapers, memorials, and parks. Not to mention the clothing stores, restaurants, and jewelers. It was a very expensive city it looked like. And they were right. An apartment here costs six hundred bits a month.
"I have to go come here next week to collect some gifts," she explained, walking towards the Jeweler. "They are actually for the ponies who have supported me while I have been public with my paintings." The three walked in the store to take a look around, ringing the alarm above. A mare with a yellow mane that was covering both of her eyes poked her head out from a doorway in the back, smiling upon recognition.
"Well well well," the silver coated unicorn greeted. "If it isn't the great P.S." Pencil Sketch grinned at her.
"Hello, Golden Diamond," she greeted, giving her a hug. "How are things?"
"They are well. I have your toys ready now, if you're ready to see them." Pencil nodded before the two walked in the back, leaving her parents out front.
There was a table in the middle of the room, along with a lot of boxes, that held the word "Sketch" on the sides. There were around twenty of them, sitting on the floor on the side of the area. "The necklaces are complete. It took me awhile to create this many, a thousand, but I know you'll like them." Pencil looked into one of the padded boxes that held a bunch of small jewelry boxes, and picked a random one out with her magic.
"I really don't understand how you can use magic," Golden commented, shaking her head.
"I am a special type of pony," Pencil replied. She opened the box and looked at the pendant. It was a basic golden necklace that was shaped like the sun. The jewelry was optimized for a foal and an adult. It was a golden necklace that could be stretched out and settle like a choker, or a small item. And all of the pendants were different. All four hundred of them.
"Excellent work, Golden. Once again you have shown me that everypony has their own form of art. You will be paid in full. Twenty five thousand seventeen bits, correct?"
"Yes."
"It will be transferred into your bank account by tomorrow evening." She closed the padded jewelry box and set it back with the others.
"Thank you, Ms. Sketch. How is Sketch It All coming along?"
"Funny you asked. The one in the town I come from has been finished, along with two more in Canterlot. There are three more in the Crystal Empire, and two in Las Pegasus. In the future I will have more built. But until then, this is it."
Golden patted her shoulder softly. "I wish you good luck in your endeavors. Are you sending someone to pick up these boxes?"
"Yes I am. Probably a small carriage. I don't actually have my own, I've been using the ones from the Royal Guard. I have to get one soon. But first, I have to set out another painting."
"Good luck, Ms. Sketch." The painter nodded to her before walking back out into the lobby. Her mother was looking at something in one of the glass cases, talking to her husband.
"You are buying me this," she told him. "And you will place it on my neck. Properly"
"Man, you're bossy," he commented, shaking his head. Pencil trotted over and stood beside them, curious as to what they were talking about. There was a little necklace in there that had a ruby carved into a heart. Not Rainbow's style, but she was sure it would be her mother's. She might as well get it. And take part in her father's misfortune.
After buying the necklace with her bank money, and seeing her mother's happy smile, the three walked back out of the jeweler shop and down the road, heading towards the mansion. The glass box on her back was starting to wear her out and she couldn't really walk around all day with it on anyway. That would be very painful. Not to mention look really strange. She would be getting more looks because of that and not just because of who she was. It's a big hollow arrow-proof locked box made of glass. That hurts!
"So what does this house look like?" Bow asked while Pencil waved to another pony.
"It's the second biggest mansion here," she explained as they turned the corner. "The first biggest is Hoity Toity's, that he likes to call Toity Hall. My mansion is big, but not too big. I like to be humble."
"Well we are really proud of you," Windy told her. "Even if you are....two ponies. We are proud of both of you."
"Thank you, mother. We are nearly there." She pointed towards the wall that had her mansion hidden from view. It was almost the afternoon now, so everyone was getting off work and stopping by to see the big mansion. Which means there was a crowd of ponies at the gate. "Excuse me, we are trying to get through."
The ponies taking photographs looked over and quickly got out of the way, making room for her and the two anonymous ponies to pass. Pencil reached into the pocket of her trench coat and pulled out the golden house key with her magic, stuck it in the key hole, and twisted, unlocking the gate and pushing it open. She held out a hoof to allow her parents to step inside before she herself did.
The ponies outside were all taking pictures of the three, trying to see what was up with that before she closed the gate back and locked it. She turned around and stuffed the key into the pocket of her trench coat again. "Welcome to my humble abode, mom and dad," she whispered.
They were so busy staring at the front yard they didn't realize Pencil had opened the door into the mansion. "Are you coming, or are you just going to stare at the water fountains all day?"
They finally looked at her and the door before briskly trotting towards and into the building. Pencil followed after them and loudly closed the door to announce her presence. "Buff, I know you're here!" She called out. "I'll give you guys a tour in a minute. I want you to meet my bodyguard...and boyfriend."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," a voice said from down the hall. A moment later, the big pegasus walked into the foyer with some type of maid thing going on. "No 'hey I'm home', or 'Buffy, I'm home'? I'm offended."
"Uhh....what are you wearing?" The painter chuckled. The stallion looked down at his belt of cleaning supplies and shrugged.
"I had to clean your office, it was a little dusty. I sneezed, so I immediately started cleaning." Pencil was trying her hardest not to laugh. Rainbow Dash inside was already laughing her bits off.
"O-Okay, Buff. Mom? Dad? This is Buff Battalion, my bodyguard and boyfriend." The stallion shook hands with the two parents, both a little impressed at his size. He didn't tower over Rainbow since they were both technically the same size, but he was certainly bigger than Applejack's brother. That was for sure. "I need to go put up my painting. Can you show them around?"
"What?" he responded, looking at her like she was nuts. "I barely know my way around this place myself. So you're going to have to show me the ins and outs too."
"Ugh, fine. Follow me." She led the way towards the vault in the back of the building, where she kept the three ton pound of metal. Along the way she pointed out the guest rooms, meeting rooms, and business offices. Although she didn't technically use all of them, in the future she may have to. If her franchise kicks off, those rooms will be used. Eventually, they made it to the vault. It stuck out like a sore thumb. It was a whole wall of metal. How they put it in was a complete mystery.
She unlocked it and walked inside, revealing the fifty something paintings hanging on the walls and in drawers. The vault was big and long. It had to be at least half of the house, having been made entirely out of metal with only a few plastic pieces here and there. There was a table in the middle of the room that probably served some very important purpose. There was a single small box on one corner of it. They couldn't see what was in it, but everything in there served some type of purpose.
"This is where you keep it all?" Bow asked as she walked in.
"This is where I keep the unreleased ones," she responded. She stopped and slid the blanket off her back, revealing the tied down glass box with the "The Reveal" painting. She untied and lifted up the box then set it on the metal table to look it over. She opened the latches and took off the lid, placing it beside it carefully. She was definitely using that again. Then abandoned the painting and went into what looked like another vault inside the main vault. Her father was wondering why were there two? She opened the door to reveal another room that had what looked like frames. Making her decision, she picked one up in her magic and walked back into the vault.
She placed it beside the painting and carefully opened the frame, setting it face down. After that she put on some gloves over her hooves from the little gray box on the table and lifted up the painting with her hooves. Carefully, the painting was put face down inside the frame, perfectly before she grabbed four black things underneath the table.
"These are what I call 'Harmless Staples'," she explained. "I use them to keep the painting still inside the frame. If the painting is moved, the painting inside won't shift. It will be completely still." She shifted back into Rainbow Dash for this part. The staples were lowered into the frame and sat on the four corners on the back of the painting. Once they were deemed perfect to Rainbow, she closed the frame and locked it in place, leaving it on the table face down.
"So, that's going to be unreleased too?" Windy asked her, walking into the vault to look around.
"Yes. When the time calls, and rumors fly around about me hiding something that affects my sales, I will reveal this painting. This will not be released for anything other than that purpose. and it will more than likely be historical. It will be the first time somepony had seen my cutie mark ever since I took up this role. It will happen." She turned around and faced them, brushing her long hair back in front of her right eye. "I will be ready. But will they?"
After Rainbow put away her painting, she showed her parents and Buff the layout of the home and explained it's actual reason for all the offices. The mansion will be the headquarters for Sketch It All! studios. It was going to be a little busy in there in the future. Right now, the buildings were just being set up around Equestria, but she has yet to talk to anypony about managers, corporates, and executives. The painting studios were going to be a whole franchise. Complete with lessons, a shop for items, as well as studios, like the name implies. Fortunately, Equestria's values on certain things were so cheap. An easel would cost like maybe ten bits. And a paintbrush, no matter the size, would cost between one to three bits. The buildings themselves cost maybe five thousand bits. Gold here costs a lot more than the building itself. Which made her net worth go sky high. Not even that, more like "past the sun" high.
When she was done giving the tour, she offered her family to stay the night. There were four guest rooms in the building, but they declined. Saying they needed to head back to Cloudsdale so they can relish in the fact that she was alive. She offered to escort them back, but they declined that as well, saying they'll be fine on their own. Her mother thanked her for the necklace once more with a kiss to the cheek and they walked out the gate.
Rainbow sighed when she walked back inside the mansion and shut the door behind her. She had a lot to do. Like send some pony over to pick up the boxes, check her bank account to send her money over to Golden Diamond, not to mention check how much money she actually has in her account. Hopefully she's reached five hundred million. Then she'll sure enough come out on top.
"What are you thinking?" She jumped in the air, causing Buff, who was standing directly beside her, to laugh. "Did you forget I was here?!"
"Don't do that, you rough stallion!" Rainbow scolded, her cerulean cheeks tinged red with embarrassement.
He chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry. Dinner?" She looked at him for a moment with no expression before she chuckled.
"You're buying?"
"I'm cooking. Would you like to come to my place? You need an alarm for this house." He looked around the giant mansion in confusion. "Why DON'T you have an alarm?"
"Because I place runes instead. Much more useful than alarms. If a pony breaks in, or touches my stuff while I'm gone, I'll know immediately, teleport back here, and buck them into the brick wall outside until they are splattered all over it." Buff looked at her in surprise. "I told you I can protect myself. Now, what's on this menu?"
"Spaghetti and Blueberry wine. I went out and bought some for you if you ever wanted to come over and have lunch."
Rainbow stared at him with her mouth partly open. This stallion was everything. "Let's go. Let's go right now." She threw open the door and walked out, leaving Buff to stare in surprise before chuckling and following after her, making sure to close and lock the door behind him. Nosey ponies everywhere nowadays.
The Next Day
"So you have decided to give her her space?" Celestia asked, making sure she was hearing things correctly. The elements were at the castle, speaking with Celestia and Luna in private about Rainbow's decision. The two were on their thrones, listening closely.
"Yes," Twilight confirmed. "Right after she bucked Applejack into a wall and threatened all of us."
"I asked if she was an enemy or an ally," Rarity inputted. "And she said neither for now. But if we were to bother her again, she'll become our worst enemy."
"And I don't doubt that," Luna agreed. "Rainbow has become really irritable lately. We should give her her space."
Celestia looked at her appalled, but Luna held up a hoof, stopping before she even started. "You don't continue to push your luck with a Twilight-version of King Sombra. You are asking for a death wish. If she wishes to be alone, then who are we to tell her no? Believe it or not, Rainbow Dash is still alive, therefore is still a citizen of Equestria and under the same rights as every other pony here. The right to privacy. If we continue to press the issue, she will become violent and we will lose her forever. The best we can do right now, is leave her alone. Hopefully in the future she will come back to us."
Celestia sighed. Once again, her sister was right. "Very well," she sighed. "But how will we know when Rainbow Dash is ready?"
"There will be very subtle signs. Such as invitations, which would indicate that she is partly attempting to mend the relationship between her friends. And attendance to events, which means the same. She won't be around Ponyville for long. Maybe even attend the Summer Sun Celebration. Even Rarity's wedding."
The pony in question looked at Luna in confusion. "Huh?!!"
Luna chuckled at her reaction and dumbstruck face. "I am only pestering you, Rarity. Either way, there will be small signs. But I hope you all have learned your lesson. Like never bad mouthing your friends and actually listening to a pony when they need you the most. As well as apologizing genuinely. And for future reference, never piss of Rainbow again. Seriously, Equestria is literally defenseless right now because of this."
"We understand, Princess," Applejack told her. Her voice was still a little hoarse from yesterday's altercation. "But what about her dark magic?"
"We will not interfere with that unless she uses it for ill intentions," Celestia answered. "So far, she has only used it to threaten and move around. So we have no reason to reprimand her for it. But if there is an issue where she threatens Equestria, we will take affirmative action against her. Until that happens, she is free to use it in whatever way she feels like. Are you attending her Sketch It All studios grand opening when it arrives?"
"I didn't even know she had that much money to even build," Fluttershy commented.
"Oh she has a lot of bits. She is currently at over five hundred million bits. She's practically made history as the fastest grossed pony in Equestria. Building a home in Equestria costs maybe two thousand bits. Building a store maybe five thousand. She has over seven hundred million bits. That is enough to start a franchise. And that is exactly what she is doing. Not to mention the fact that different museums all over Equestria are helping fund the project." The Elements were looking at Celestia in shock.
"She has over seven million bits?!!" Twilight yelled. "Has she-"
"Yes, she has donated some of her money to the Equestrian hospitals, youth programs, as well as to research organizations for medicine, I've checked," Luna interrupted. "Pencil Sketch is upset, but she's not so upset that Equestria's well-being is off her mind. Which was demonstrated plainly at her exhibit in Ponyville a few days ago."
"That's good that she's being generous," Rarity commented.
"Indeed. Is there anymore news?"
"Not at the moment," Twilight responded. "What about with you two?" The two princesses shared a glance before focusing back on Twilight.
"There are rumors of strange creatures running around Equestria at night," Luna told them. "They are about the size of a bull and are mostly seen in Appleloosa and Dodge Junction. We have sent the royal guard out there to investigate and have yet to hear word from them. Hopefully, it's a good word. And not a bad one."
While the Princesses were talking with the Elements, Pencil Sketch was busy levitating all the boxes of special necklaces into the mansion where they would be kept in the vault until Sketch It All! studios was complete and opened to the public. So far, she has gained a lot more bits. So much in fact that she could buy a second house. That five hundred million has gotten her really far. But she needed to do some marketing for Sketch It All. So far, the one in Ponyville is complete. They were going to send her a bunch of keys in the future for workers and more.
Hmm.....that reminds her.
She raised a hoof to her chin, deep in thought. Rainbow Dash was busy resting right now, but this was important. She quickly walked inside and shut the door behind her, locking it before she closed her eyes and concentrated. When she reopened them, she was in the black void once more. She spotted Rainbow laying on a cloud, doing exactly what she thought. Sleeping. Pencil rolled her eyes and walked towards her. "Rainbow Dash." The Pegasi's ears twitched, but she didn't moved. "Rainbow. Dash." She mumbled something incoherent before she turned over and laid on her back, getting more comfortable than she already was.
Pencil groaned and bopped her chin, finally getting her to at least yelp and fly up. She gasped and looked around. "What, what, who....Pencil!"
"I hate to ask, but...we will eventually need teachers and staff for the studios. So how do we decide on how to choose them?"
Rainbow landed in front of her and looked up in thought. "You raise a good point," she commented, pointing at her. "How about this. Write down all the ideas you think would help, and I'll write my own. Meet me back here tonight for our chess game and—"
"Rainbow, I beat you in chess every time," Pencil commented with a roll of her eyes.
"Don't ruin this for me. I'll write down my ideas and we'll see which ones will be more beneficial. And then we'll choose two. One for a primary, and one for a secondary, a backup. Got it?"
Pencil stared at her unamused before she chuckled and shook her head. "And you say you're not an egghead."
"I'm NOT!" Pencil laughed and turned around.
"Very well, I'll have my list ready by tonight. I hope you will as...." She looked back to see Rainbow had somehow already written hers down and was back on her cloud sleeping upside down. Pencil rolled her eyes before closing them. Then reopened them a second later to see her staring down at the marble flooring of her mansion. She lifted her head, along with the boxes of necklaces. She had to carry these things to the vault and prepare that list. Not to mention read that mail. There was so much.
***
Twilight and company landed back in front of the library by chariot, totally missing a certain purple themed pegasus glaring at them from the side. Clear Skies was onto these ponies. She was gonna be watching their every move and........nah, that's too much. That was Rainbow's, or Pencil's, beef, not hers. But she was going to glance at them every now and then.
She shrugged and looked behind her at the new studio that was just finished in town. It was big and long. It had to be Pencil's or......Rainbow's? That whole concept was so confusing. So was Pencil Sketch Rainbow Dash, or was Rainbow Dash Pencil Sketch?
Clear Skies sat down and looked at her hooves, trying to figure it out. "Something wrong with your hooves?" She looked back up into the light blue eyes of her friend and superior, Sunshower. Who had a smirk on her face.
"Uh, no...." She quickly put her hooves down. "I was just thinking of something." She rose up and began to walk away with Sunshower hot on her tail.
"And that something is...." She pushed.
"Don't worry about it," Clear Skies appeased her. "It's just a personal thing."
"Oh okay. Well you wanna hit Sugarcube Corner? Pinkie's supposedly creating a new recipe and I wanna see what all the fuss is about." Clear Skies shrugged and allowed herself to be dragged along towards wherever she wanted to go. They've been best friends for so long. Ever since flight school actually, having met each other while working on a project together.
She led her into the shop, allowing their nostrils to be assaulted by the smells of icing, cake, and so so SO much chocolate. Pinkie needs to stop hanging around sugar all the time. It could cause a problem.
Clear glanced down in front of her, spotting the Cutie Mark Crusaders talking about something, all dressed up with their little capes and whatnot. She caught Scootaloo's eye and made a mouth-zipped-closed motion with a wink, letting her know......that she knows. Scootaloo gawked at her for a second before abandoning her friends, grabbing her hoof, and roughly dragging her outside. The other three just looked at each other and shrugged before going back to what they were doing.
Scootaloo tugged Clear Skies around the corner of the shop before she turned around and faced her, wait for an explanation. "I know about Rainbow Dash," Clear whispered, making her gasp.
"What? How?"
"I sort of...bumped into her at her parents house recently. I was a little surprised.....okay, actually I was very surprised."
"Okay, well don't say her name around here if you talk about her. Just call her Skittles or something." Scootaloo looked around nervously while Clear just chuckled.
"I'm not sure if PS, or RD, would like to be called 'Skittles'."
"Well it's more inconspicuous than....you know what," Scootaloo pointed out while keeping a close eye out.
Clear rolled her eyes then nodded. "Okay, fine. So what's the deal on these Sketch It All studios? I know you know, Scootaloo. Don't hold out."
"It's obviously Pencil's way of giving back to the community," she groaned, like it was plainly obvious. "But that's all I know, Skittles knows the rest."
"She is gonna be so irked when she knows what we're calling her." Scootaloo shrugged.
"Eh. She'll be fine. Now is there anything else?"
"Nope. Just wanted to let you know I know." Scootaloo saluted at her before trotting back into the bakery before she followed along. When they walked in, Clear was immediately pushed back out by Sunshower.
"Did she tell you anything?" She whispered quickly.
"Uhhhh nope. I had to tell HER something."
"Oh? Which was what?" Sunshower asked suspiciously.
"Don't worry about it. Just had to tell her something." Sunshower squinted her eyes at the suspicious Pegasus, making Clear a little nervous. Great. Now she knew she was hiding something.
"Alright," Sunshower said slowly before going back into the shop. Clear watched her walk in, only sighing relief once the door was fully shut. She was definitely onto her. Had to be more careful in the future. Had to cover Rainbow, er..... Skittles' secret.
Clear shook her head at the name, finally walking in after.
Pencil sat down with a relaxed sigh at her desk, finally able to read through all the fan mail. And more. She placed the giant stack on the desk and used her magic to put them into categories. Museums over here, large gigantic fans over there, bills on the right, and requests from schools over.....wait....
She picked up the letter and looked at the address. "Manehattan Upper Academy?" she muttered before ripping it open and pulling out the letter. She flipped it open and read it out loud. "'Dear, Ms. Sketch. On behalf of Manehattan Upper Academy's esteemed faculty, workers, administration, and it's hard working students, we are asking if you'd be willing to answer questions from our students and do a speech. We have a class of seven hundred thirty seven who have requested to meet you.' Wow I am so popular. Buff, you can get out of that hall now, I know you're there."
A voice mumbled something outside the doorway before the stallion walked in with a disappointed look on his face "I was hoping to scare you."
"And that would've ended badly....for you. Have a seat." She went back to reading her letter out loud. "'We are hoping you accept. Yours truly, Dean Mighty Scroll.' What do you think Buff? Should I take this opportunity?"
The stallion squinted his eyes and rubbed his chin in thought. "Yeah, sure."
"You are so helpful, rough stallion,"she commented, shaking her head with a chuckle.
"I try. But seriously? I think you should." He got up and walked over to her, turning her chair around to face him. Pencil laughed when Rainbow decided to replace her, making her body full of color. Including the blush that appeared on her cheeks. "You could teach those foals and colts all types of things. You've had some experiences in your life, you know. Share them."
Rainbow smiled before she reached up and stroked his cheek with a hoof. After awhile she sighed. "You sure do have a way with words."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You're supposed to."
"My mother thinks otherwise." Rainbow chuckled before leaning in and giving him a kiss.
"Hey.......is it illegal to date your boss?" He asked playfully.
"I'm an entrepreneur. Anything goes in my business....until I get some more workers and painters in. Not to mention teachers. Then there's going to be rules and regulations."
Buff cocked his head to the side. "Are you opening up a school? I'm pretty sure you need a license for that."
"I'm not teaching anypony anything about how to paint like I do. It's my secret." She winked at him, making him blush and for her to laugh. "You are too easy."
"Is that a challenge?" He asked, smirking down at her.
Rainbow chuckled. "Yes it is. I dare you..........to not stare at my flank for three days."
"What?! No fair! You have the best flank in....." Rainbow gave him a deadpan glare.
"Seriously?"
"You can't blame me. You're the sexiest mare in here." Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"I'm the ONLY mare in here, you rough stallion." She bopped him on his muzzle.
"Even if there was another one in here you would stick out in my mind."
"My my, Buff. Are you hitting on me?" She asked, wrapping her hooves around his neck.
"I think I already did that, Ms. Sketch."
"You might wanna stop....or something may happen."
He chuckled and leaned in close, giving her a sultry look. "Oh? Like what?"
"Like this." She pulled him into a kiss, pushing her body close to his. He chuckled before they parted two minutes later.
"I might have to do it more often then." Pencil and Rainbow both rolled their eyes.
Back in Canterlot, the Princess of the Sun and Moon were currently in the throne room listening intently to what the Royal Guards had to say about their scout mission in Appleloosa and Dodge Junction. "What have you learned, Sergeant?" Celestia asked a white coated pegasus stallion in armor. He stepped forward and saluted.
"Your highness. We have discovered that the creatures have increased to the size of a minotaur, have fangs that could rip a being to shreds....and have done so already." The two princesses glanced at each other while he continued. "We discovered a handful of deceased creatures in the woods around each city. Deer, dog, bear, all were eaten by these creatures."
"Have they attacked anypony?" Celestia asked gravely.
"No. Just animals that we've seen so far."
"That is still not good," Luna said while she folded her hooves together. "We need to see some of these creatures for ourselves, sister. So we know what we are dealing with."
"I agree," Celestia responded. "Sergeant, have you or your men noticed any patterns surrounding these......things?"
"Nothing important yet, your highness. But we are watching them day and night. We did notice though that in the day they stay in the woods and keep quiet. But at night, they feed on animals. They also grow in size after they eat."
"At least, that's something."
"Carnivorous animals," Luna muttered. "Dark magic?"
"No, it cannot be dark magic. But they are dangerous. Do they have a shape? Fur? Anything?"
"They are too black to tell. So black in fact that they absorb light," the sergeant informed them.
"Blacker than the night?" Luna asked in wonder.
"So it seems."
"Alright." Luna turned to Celestia who dismissed the guards. They bowed and filed out of the room, leaving the two princesses inside with their own personal guards by the foot of the thrones. "I believe these creatures could be the work of a new foe."
"Maybe. But there's no way to actually tell. The only thing we can do now is put guards around Appleloosa and Dodge Junction, as well as watch the creatures' movements. There is no telling whether they will go for a pony walking around at night. But I also suspect.....these creatures are not just eating just to be eating. I think they are trying to grow. The sergeant told us that they grew up in size after eating."
"They could be a threat in the future."
"They are already a threat," Celestia clarified. "We need to be careful with the cities. Not shut them down per se, but be very secure with them. We can't have those creatures nearing any town or city. They are already very vicious apparently."
"So we mobilize the guard?"
"Yes. As well as the EUP. We need to contain these things. Now."
***
The wind blew across the campus of a nearby school, mostly known for its excelled academics. Not to mention pricing. It was a prestige academy that had a large property and grounds size. It would be the size of a state fair if you could compare it to that. It had three buildings that Pencil and her bodyguard could see, all big enough to be a warehouse. There could be more. They were made out of brick and had a Roamanian type front, with columns and more. The Roamans were excellent ponies of architecture. They inspired the Canterlot castle design that the Princesses reside and rule from. Pencil stared at the grounds with her bodyguard right beside her, who was just gawking at the place. They were across the street, having gone to a nearby store for a moment before traveling this way. "I wonder if they have a gym in there," Buff muttered.
"If they did you would have to be a student to use it...or a very buff gym teacher," Pencil commented with a chuckle. "Now why are we here again?"
"You have a meeting with the administration of the school as well as art teachers interested in your work," he answered. "Not to mention probably pass out invitations to the grand opening of your first art studio and 'school' in five months. You're here to discuss how everything will happen."
"It is not a 'school', Buff," Pencil corrected him with a playful look on her face. "It is a place of interest and a resource for ponies who want to expand in their creativity."
"Ergo....a school." Pencil grunted in annoyance, turned and bucked him into the tree beside them. He yelped at the impact while Pencil just chuckled and helped him back up. As well as brush off the leaves from his muzzle.
"You." He pointed a hoof at her. "Owe ME. A drink later. Because I had to go through the torture that is your hooves."
"Whatever, rough stallion. Come on, we have teachers to meet and greet." She adjusted the golden and colorful rainbolt diamond covered necklace around her neck before she approached the grounds, having bought a second one because she hoofed the other one over to her favorite little filly. Buff chuckled before he walked after her, sticking to her side.
"Why don't you hire a second bodyguard?" He asked her as they walked across the street. Pencil could tell these kids were an eccentric studious group. There was not a soul outside. Completely entranced in their work in the classrooms.
"Because I think I like MY Buff enough to let him, and only him, try and protect me so it can boost his self-esteem." Buff scoffed. "Besides, I am stronger than you. I can defend myself if it comes down to it."
"Oh no, we're doing this again," he groaned before Pencil rolled her eyes.
"I proved it to you time and time again," she told him as they walked onto the sidewalk of the school's property, heading straight for the main building. "One time in Ponyville, a second time at my home when the Elements arrived, and at......where else?"
"Yeah, only those two times. To convince the Rough Stallion, you have to do it three times."
"Okay. Wing wrestle later. With Rainbow, who is practically screaming in my head saying she can take you on." Buff chuckled and held out a hoof.
"Deal." The two, or three, shook on it before Buff walked forward and opened the door for her, allowing her inside. There were some more students in the foyer that looked towards the door when it opened and just froze. All noises ceased, except the ever so casual shuffle. Pencil sighed. The shocked faces thing has gotten so old.
"Excuse me," she said to one of the younger fillies in a uniform. "Can you point me towards the office? I would greatly appreciate it."
Everyone stared at the child for a second before she nodded. "Y-Yes, follow me." She turned around and led the two down a hallway, filled with more students that were casually talking. Must've been the high school side of things. Nopony seemed to notice her yet, which was—
"Oh my Celestia!"
Spoke too soon. She continued walking trying her hardest to ignore all the stares and murmurs amongst all the clopping they were doing with their hooves. "Th-the office is right here," the little filly in front of them stated, pointing towards a double doored room.
"Thank you," she said down to her as Buff opened the door. She walked inside and up to the receptionists desk, where there was a violet colored unicorn with a silver mane, working on a document. "Excuse me." She looked up and widened her eyes at the visitor.
"Oh, M-Ms. Sketch!" She greeted as she stood up and walked around the desk to her. She reached out her hoof and shook hers. "Thanks so much for coming. I was informed that you would be coming but I wasn't expecting you so soon."
"I like to be organized and show up early to events to prepare. As well as get to know the place I am attending."
"Oh, well the Dean did say to give you a tour of our facilities. If you would like to that is. The meeting is not for an hour and I would be delighted to show you around."
"If it is of no trouble, I would greatly enjoy it."
"Great." She turned around and wrote a note with her magic on her desk to let the staff know where she is before she grabbed a walkie talkie nearby, somehow clipping it to her flank. "Just follow me and I'll show you around."
They walked out the office and followed the receptionist down the hall while she spoke. "Manehattan Upper Academy is one of Manehattan's prestigious schools. It's considered to be the twin brother and sister of the School of Magic in Canterlot, just for basic learning."
"So it is expensive," Buff guessed.
"It is a little pricey for the middle class," the receptionist answered. "You can look into some of the classrooms if you'd like." Pencil glanced up at Buff before the two looked through a window on the side. It looked like a college in there! Complete with high rise benches.
"And what class is this?" Pencil asked
"It looks like trigonometry," Buff answered, shocking Pencil.
"How in Equestria do you know that?" She asked in disbelief with a smirk. "Are you some type of math genius or something?"
"Actually I know a lot of geometry, basic math, and advanced mathematics. I'll show you later."
"Buff here has been keeping secrets. I'm lowering your salary," she teased giving him a wink. He was confused for a second before he figured it out.
"Aw."
Pencil turned back to the hall and they continued on with the tour. "Over here is our science hall," the receptionist told her. "Oh! I never told you my name, I apologize. My name is Serene Winds."
"Hello, Serene. This is Buff." She gestured to the giant stallion behind her, looking around at all the rooms. She knew exactly what the musclehead was looking for. "Does this campus have a weight room?"
"Yes, it is in the gym building. In the back," Serene answered.
"Alright. See, Buff? Now you can stop dying inside." He sighed in relief making the two mares chuckle. "You are such a musclehead." They continued with the tour, checking out the different halls and such. Eventually they came to one on the second floor they thought she might like.
"This here is our arts hall," Serene said proudly. "We have a lot of students that come here ever since you yourself came on the art scene. From music to painting."
"Oh really?" Pencil asked. Rainbow was also a little curious. She woke up from her cloud and trotted to her eyes, peering out at the rooms. "I am intrigued. Are they in class?"
"Yes." She nodded and looked through the windows, seeing the students watching the teacher at the front go over vocabulary and history. There were also drafting tables in the back that has piqued her interest. It was a lot bigger than hers!
"What kind of drafting tables are those?" She asked, motioning through the window. The receptionist walked forward and looked through the window. Buff was standing to the side, wondering how in the world did nopony notice them looking through the window.
"I am not sure. I've never seen those before. They must be new additions. Would you like to ask?"
"Yeah, sure. Buff? Go in and ask."
The only stallion in the hall looked at her flabbergasted. "Pfffttt, WHAT?! I don't think...." He stopped when he saw Pencil pouting at him. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Aww...fine." The receptionist chuckled and knocked on the door, stealing the students' attention from the teacher. The stallion walked forward and waited for the teacher to open it. It opened up a second later by a mare with a friendly smile.
"Can I help you?" She asked him.
"Yes, I'm Buff Battalion. What type of drafting tables are those in the back? I'm only asking because SHE is too chicken enough to go in and check herself." He pulled in his lips in amusement as he motioned to the appalled face of Pencil Sketch behind him.
"Why I never!" She protested. "I will just go in and check myself!" She strode past the disbelieving face of the teacher and into the room before freezing. She sighed and looked back towards Buff nonchalantly. "You. Tricked. Me."
"And you fell for it," he laughed, pointing at her. "You're not good at this, Madam Sketch."
"When I get home, you are going to reorganize my book catalog to a system that even a librarian can't do." The stallion gulped loudly before she turned around. "Hello, students. Sorry for interrupting your class. Does anypony know what type of drafting table that is?" She motioned to the back at the three sided studio.
"I-It's a Futura 200 Drafting Table," one student said excitedly. "Are you here to talk about things?"
"I am actually only taking a tour," she responded, looking at the glass table. It had trays as well as removable palettes. "Interesting. I will have to research this Future later on. Thank you for informing me of this." She began to walk away towards the entrance before a mare walked out in front of her.
"Are you coming to speak to the school next week?" She asked excitedly.
"Er.....I'll leave that decision to your administrative board," she responded. "But I will, more than likely. Have a good day now." She patted the teenage filly on the head before she briskly walked out.
"Thanks for stopping by, Ms. Sketch," the teacher said. She waved behind her head while Buff wrote down a note on a notepad he kept in his wing.
***
After a few more minutes of touring, and of Buff gazing at the work out rooms in the gym, they walked back to the office to come to the meeting. There were a few more staff waiting for them in there who instantly smiled at their arrival. "Hello, Ms. Sketch," one of them said. She was a pegasus with a snow white coat, and a silver mane and tail. Her eyes were a light blue that just burned into your soul. "I'm the Dean, Mighty Scroll. Thank you so much for coming."
"Your welcome. Your invitation sounded very exciting, so I decided to appease your sweats and worries that I would not except. I just never heard of this school before." The two shook hooves before the other faculty strode forward and greeted her.
"Yes, we are like Manehattan's version of the School of Magic in Canterlot. Manehattan revolves mostly around technology and entrepreneurship."
"So I've noticed."
"Well if you'll follow us, we'll take you to the meeting room and tell you the basics of the event." Pencil followed the group with Buff by her side as they walked through the office, looking at everything that was happening. "It's not everyday we have a celebrity willing to speak to a school. And that's all over Equestria."
Pencil nodded and commented, "Yes, most are either too busy with their own work or are either too up there in the clouds to care about those below them."
They all took their seats at the table with Pencil at one end and the Dean at the other. "Yes. So we've heard."
"Let me guess. Hoity Toity?" Pencil chuckled.
"And more," she agreed with an eyeroll. "Now we are hoping you can tell us what you can bring to the table when you speak next week."
"Well besides inspiration, I can bring you ideas, experiences, as well as resources. I know a handful of companies all over Equestria looking to branch out towards the younger communities. And the first place to start at would be the schools. Not to mention...this would actually be the first time of me having a public speaking that was not at a museum. At all."
"Really?!" One of the teachers asked. "You've never spoken at a place besides the Manehattan Art Museum?" Pencil shook her head.
"Most of the ponies ask me to come to a few shows and tell them about myself. But I'm not a fan of all that publicity. And I do not going back to memories of where I came from. So a school, simple or not, that is full of youth that I can branch out and tell my story to that will not make it such a big deal is a relief in itself. So, of course. I am willing to speak and answer questions here."
"Thank you so much, Ms. Sketch. Now is there anything you want in return?" Dean Mighty Scroll asked.
"Yes, I would like to have the contact information of...." She looked towards Buff standing beside her. He pulled out the notepad and looked at it. "Futura."
"Ah, yes. They donate most of their art tools to us. We are an official partner with them. Here's how it works. Our school has a store on campus. Before in the past, a few companies discovered our school and, discovering that we were a school that has a great and excellent rating, asked if we would be an official retailer for them. We of course said yes, and they have allowed us to use some of their products in our classrooms. Futura is just one out of ten we have partnered with." Pencil raised an eyebrow and nodded in realization. An interesting idea. A very interesting idea indeed.
***
An hour later, the deal was made that Pencil would tell her story and past to the students here, as well as give them advice that she herself would think would be beneficial to them. And they would give her the contact information to the companies they have partnered with.
"Let me guess," Buff said once they were off campus. "You're going to contact the companies and ask if they would be willing to donate some—"
"Nope." Buff looked at her confused. "I will simply buy their items if I need to. I am close to becoming a millionaire that is no issue to me. I was going to ask if I can have a moment to see what they sell. And then ask if I can borrow their marketing team to market and promote my studios. Sketch It All! studios would become a small time branch with their companies that would benefit the both of us. Not to mention promote their products at the studios themselves if they ever need it."
Buff blinked at her. Then glanced another way and muttered, "I....was not expecting that."
"Like how you're not expecting what I am about to do to you right now." Before he could ask, Pencil turned into Rainbow and bopped him on the muzzle. Good thing nopony was out. "Hope you know your math. Time to reorganize my library."
After about a week of waiting, studying her cards, and Rainbow saying, "You're an egghead" over and over in her head, the day had finally arrived for Pencil to give her speech to the school. She had a few cards that she had prepared for the topics she was going to talk about that were requested by the students themselves apparently. The staff was just passing on the word. So she was going to do it.
After reorganizing, Pencil put them in her own custom saddlebags, fitted with her initials. PS. It was just a basic font. Nothing too flashy like her outfit. Which was a gray basic dress that had gold parts to it. Like the neckline had gold bits. It accentuated the outfit so she looked, in Rainbow Dash's eyes, like an egghead.
"I look so young," Rainbow commented, adjusting the dress enough so it looked flawless. She turned around in the mirror, looking at herself from the side. Then flexed her wings to get a feel of flight in case Pencil had to take off. "Alright, sister! You're up! Don't make me look bad!"
She changed back to Pencil, who sighed in return. "Rainbow, they don't know you're alive, let alone know you actually exist," she pointed out while she grabbed her saddlebags in her magic. "If it makes any difference, they won't even see you."
Pencil turned around and eagerly walked out the room, making her way downstairs. The morning was quiet. Like always. Pencil wondered if Rainbow ever became lonely without Buff or herself around. Was she always so.....alone? Was she always this scared? Because if so....there was going to be a lot of yelling and crying at the last battle between her and the Elements of Harmony. She. Is going. To vent. A LOT. She really wouldn't want to see that. Those creatures her magic picked up indicate that they were moving in one one location. Ponyville. Always the historic town of magic, friendship, and.....parties. Courtesy of the Pink one.
Pencil sighed, tired of those thoughts already as she made her way to the front door where her guard was waiting for her, smirking at her as she walked down the grand staircase. "Dressing a bear up there?" Buff asked.
Pencil scoffed before she smirked at him. "But you're down here. How could I possible dress you up there?" Buff blanched while she laughed. Then sighed as she walked past and out the door, making her way to the chariot while he closed the it behind him, following along. Pencil sat in the front row and waited for Buff to climb in after. Once they were situated, the two ponies pulling the chariot rolled up the street, going past other ponies.
"I really need my own chariot," she muttered. Buff looked over at her in curiosity. "But I don't want to hire extra hooves for that and I don't know how much a chariot actually costs."
Buff rolled his eyes then deadpanned in a slow manner, "You are above a multi-millionaire, I really doubt that's the issue. You could buy a skyscraper and still have at least four hundred ninety nine million bits left. A chariot is nothing."
"Hmmm, yes."
"Oh no, don't tell me you're becoming haughty, your highness. I've seen where that leads. Your speech is changing." Pencil rolled her eyes, then reached over and bopped him on the nose. "OW, stop that!"
"I don't get haughty, Buff," she whispered with a wink. "Also, congratulations. You passed the test for not staring at my flank."
"So I guess my reward is I get to touch it?" He asked hopefully.
Pencil snorted before she cast a sideways glance smirking. "We'll see. Just don't get too hopeful. And stop looking at my flank now or you may have an accident in the chariot. And in your suit. Could get a little sticky in there." He took in a deep breath and averted his eyes while Pencil just chuckled and shook her head while giving him a nuzzle to soften his mood. Stallions were so predictable. Well...him anyway.
The chariot rounded a corner, revealing the sight of the school where there were more chariots on the side. Looks like there were going to be more speakers. "How long was this supposed to last again?" Pencil asked.
"Five hours," Buff replied. "Would be over half a school day...if it wasn't Saturday." The chariot turned down a block where there was an open spot with her initials on it. Not far from the door, but not close either. The chariot pulled to a stop and set down, allowing Pencil and her bodyguard to step out. The painter looked around on the grounds. Once again it was very beautiful. Not enough depth for a painting though.
"Pencil!" She looked to her right where....Golden Carat was approaching her. "It is great to see you," she commented as she stopped in front of her. Pencil chuckled and offered a small smile.
"Hello, Golden," she greeted before they shared a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I happen to be attending the event here. I didn't actually know you were coming."
"Yes, I am one of the speakers." The three of them began walking towards the entrance while Pencil introduced her bodyguard. "Golden, meet Buff, my...bodyguard."
"Hey, Buff. You're buff," she greeted. He shrugged in return.
"Runs in the family genes," he replied. Pencil scoffed and looked at him stoically.
"It does not," she denied. "Your father is.....a little under you."
"Eh, he lost it over time. But before, he was about as big as me. Probably even bigger. I can't remember, but I have pictures of it. You'll have to see them sometime."
"Yeah, sure. Over some Blueberry Zebra. Golden, you should come to the mansion sometime. It gets really boring when I just paint all day, and Buff only likes to come during his free time. He neglects me."
"I do not!"
"He likes to treat me like the lady I am....by failing to show up on a date."
"That is a lie," he pointed out to her friend. "Don't listen to her, I show up to all of our dates. On time. I'm very punctual."
"So you two are dating," Golden whispered. They were nearing the doors now. Had to keep this low.
"Yes," Pencil whispered back. "Don't tell a soul."
"You have my word. Now...time to show these ponies how Pencil became....Pencil." Buff stepped forward and pushed the school doors open, allowing them to walk inside and into the foyer where faculty was standing, running about, passing out flyers, schedules, and more to the ponies who happened to be attending the event. And there were a lot. The three stopped and looked around, trying to find the dean. But she found her first.
"Ms. Sketch," someone said from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see the pristine white pegasus smiling at her. "I am pleased to see you made it. Sorry about this, we just a had a spike in attendees, as you can see. And it's about to get bigger." Pencil raised an eyebrow and looked over the Dean's shoulder. More ponies were arriving to see what was going on and probably get a seat to themselves.
"Well.....that's unexpected," Golden Carat muttered.
"I thought there was only going to be around three to four hundred," Pencil asked.
"Yes, under normal circumstances. Follow me and I'll explain." She made her way past the three of them, while Pencil just stared at the crowd. After a moment she followed after them.
"Equestria is in a current....renaissance, so to speak," Dean Scroll informed her. They turned down a seemingly empty hallway that led to a hoofball field with the others behind them while she spoke. Their hoofsteps were the only things in the hall that could be heard at that moment, besides the dean's voice. Pencil had her head down while listening, with Rainbow Dash listening as well. "Ever since you showed up on the scene, celebrities all over Equestria have been making their own moves to try and make a change. Your paintings? They changed ponies' views and thoughts on subjects entirely. They inspired other painters, engineers, artists, musicians, soldiers, scientists and many more to innovate. Even Royalty have managed to try and create change in their kingdoms. Zebrica more specifically. Ponies are attempting to create things that have never been created. That have been thought of as impossible, as legends, as foalhood tales. They have bypassed a limit that defines Equestria and are trying to make it happen. And those celebrities, big names, big ponies, mages, and many more.....they have inspired the small time ponies. Citizens that try to get past each day by doing what their cutie mark says. Ponies from towns and small villages that aren't as popular as Canterlot. Manehattan. Las Pegasus. And when they heard you were coming.....they wanted to hear it from the pony's mouth who has started it all. And it's all thanks to you."
"That sounds....a little familiar," Buff said in Sketch's ear. "Remember? Your views?" Pencil thought about that before she gasped unnoticeably. Her views and beliefs on Cutie Marks. They were coming true. Everypony was going to try and defy that limit. Which could either end in disaster....or could end in success.
"I...don't know what to say about all this," she responded. The group stopped at the door and faced her. "On one hoof it could be beneficial to all of Ponykind. But on the other, it could be disastrous."
Dean Scroll nodded in agreement and said, "I know. I suggest you put that into your speech since you have more influence on anypony anywhere THAN anypony anywhere. Our race tends to go overboard when we get ideas. It could result in disaster and disharmony."
"I have experienced that firsthand," she sighed while gazing out at the packed field. "Which caused me to leave where I came from...and it tore apart a friendship....that was never real. I will use my story as an example. As a warning. Are we ready?"
"Yes. You can converse with the other ponies out there. Meet and greet. And, Ms. Sketch?" She looked at the Dean who was sporting a smile. "Try to have fun. Enjoy yourself for once."
"I do," she deadpanned.
"At least take a break from being the serious painter....to being the playful pony that can smile. That's what this event is actually for. Having fun, relaxation, and more. Notice how we have games, plays, food, beverages, and of course, vendors. Enjoy yourself." The dean opened the doors and walked out, leaving Pencil there to ponder what she said. In the end, she sighed and followed along with her bodyguard slash boyfriend and friend. There were a lot of ponies out there so far. It was a pretty big hoofball field. It seems they moved the benches to another area to allow more space. And to also see the speakers. To see her. Time to get this show on the road. Sketch style. She took a deep breath and levitated her bag to her bodyguard before she trotted out with her head held high, a fake smile on her face.
"So...where to first?" Golden asked as they walked past ponies who were drinking and eating food.
"Well first, I suggest we try to avoid being spotted. Do you realize how hard it is just walking around when you're me?" The jeweler chuckled before she shook her head. "It's like I'm behind enemy lines, trying not to get captured and interrogated. That is the most accurate description I could ever give you. So—"
"Ms. Sketch!" A teacher greeted, sliding out in front of the two. They slid to a stop and Pencil nearly bumped noses with the stallion. "It's fantastic to see you here! Please have a drink with us." He motioned to the side where there were ten other faculty teachers waiting.
"The enemy has spotted me and has called in reinforcement," Pencil whispered to her friend.
"Do we slice our way out?" Golden whispered in her ear. Pencil chuckled and shook her head.
"Sure, I'll join you at your table of teachers," she responded.
"That sounded so....strange coming from you." Pencil nudged Golden. This was going to be intense.
In Ponyville, Twilight was relaxing in the library, doing whatever she could to pass the time. Which was pretty much reading. Lately she's been getting a lot more ponies coming and going for books on things like building, writing, music, and other things that were recreational. Why? She had no idea. Must've been a new trend that she didn't know about. She'll ask Rarity about it later.
She looked up when somepony walked into the library, ringing the bell and catching her attention. "Hello, Twilight," Sunshower greeted as she made her way to the desk while looking around the library.
"Hey, Sunshower!" She greeted happily. "How can I help you? Looking for another book?"
"No thanks, I already have the ten I need. I'm asking if you've seen Clear Skies anywhere. She's been acting really strange lately." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "I've noticed that each time we walk past the memorial, she gets all fidgety. The same thing with Scootaloo, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy definitely, and Pinkie Pie."
"Well, it is a memorial. You're supposed to stare at it," Twilight responded nervously. "But don't worry, I doubt it's something to even BE worried about."
"Yeah, maybe. But...I can't help but feel like there's something else big going on here that I'm missing. Eh. So. Have you figured out why everypony's getting instructional and history novels instead of adventure like Daring Do that everypony here was crazy about last week?"
"No, I'm stuck!" Twilight cried out in frustration. "I don't understand why everypony is going nuts over books that tell them instructions! Is somepony building something? Like last week, Filthy Rich, FILTHY RICH, walked in here and asked, 'Do you have any books on mechanics of a sewing machine?'"
"You're bucking with me," Sunshower muttered.
"I kid you not. I have a section in here on them and he got three of those. I was confused, but I didn't say anything about it. Since when does Filthy Rich do anything except count bits?"
Sunshower shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. Think it has something to do with the Royal Guard being stationed all over Equestria?"
"No, that's a whole 'nother deal. There are strange creatures lurking around that have been seen eating other animals. And they're getting bigger. Celestia and Luna have the Guard on high alert in case something gets out of hand. If they do, we'll be useless. The Elements of Harmony aren't available."
"Right...right. It hasn't chosen another bearer?" Sunshower asked in worry.
"It can't." She pointed her hoof at the display case by the window of the library where the Elements of Harmony were sitting. All of them were intact...except the red one which was only dust sitting in a tiny glass jar. "The only way it can choose a bearer is if it's intact. And the Elements of Harmony can't operate without all of them working. So....unless we get a miracle, the Elements of Harmony are absolutely useless and are just a piece of history."
"Dang. So...you're all just...veterans then, huh?" Sunshower joked.
Twilight shrugged and sighed. "Eh. We can still fight, we just can't end it with the Elements. We'll just have to find another way."
"Well, I hope you can find something. Good luck with trying to figure out what's going on with the ponies." Sunshower turned around and made her way out of the library, nearly bumping into Rarity.
"Twilight!" She yelled before she ran into the desk and fell out of view. A second later, her head popped back up with a face riddled with concern. "I figured out what's going on!"
"Did you now?" Twilight asked unamused. "How's your head, you ran face first into this desk."
"I'm fine. And yes, darling! It's..." She looked behind her for a moment before she gestured for Twilight to get closer. "Rainbow Dash."
"What about her?" Twilight whispered back.
"Well, I was talking to a pony earlier today. And they said they wanted to make a change in Equestria. I was like, 'Huh? How are you going to do that?' And she was all, 'Easy! I create devices that can give anypony the ability to fly!' I was all, 'How in Equestria are you going to do that?' And she was all, 'Pencil Sketch told us that we can go beyond our limits via one of her paintings. I think it was the one with the little filly flying through the air. So everypony everywhere is going around and doing things that could benefit Equestria.'"
"Wait, wait, whoa!" Twilight exclaimed, waving her hooves to stop Rarity for a moment. "Are you telling me Rain....Pencil Sketch inspired ponies everywhere to....innovate?!"
"Yes! That is the word I was looking for. They're improving everything that could make Equestria better. Almost all of Ponyville has done something in the 'Sketch Movement'. That's what they call it."
"So...Pencil Sketch, the millionaire, has started a movement in Equestria? Named after her? That could end in total ruin...or total success?"
"Total ruin?" Rarity asked in confusion. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Think about it, Rarity. There's a lot of problems that could follow along with this. Ponies could be too engrossed in their creations or innovations that they'll completely abandon what they're supposed to be doing."
Rarity sighed and facehoofed. She let the hoof drag down her face and give Twilight a look of unamusement. "Let me take a wild guess here and say that you're still on the side that ponies should be doing what their cutie marks tell them to and not what they want."
"Exactly!" Twilight confirmed before she pulled her hoof back from its pointing position. "Wait, what?"
"Twilight, you sound like a dictator!" Rarity yelled. "Do you not realize that ponies can finally do something they enjoy and believe in rather than doing something they were told to do?"
"I mean...I realize that, yes. But it has its repercussions that I think ponies just shouldn't risk. Such as what they're supposed to do. Each pony has a special talent that places them in a specific place in a cycle that helps Equestria. I'll give you an example. If there is a new law that was passed, and the governor is too busy 'innovating' to even notice the report's on her desk, then Ponyville ends up not following that law, and we all get in trouble. Another example would be Cloudsdale. If everypony working in the weather factory is too bust 'innovating', then the weather patterns will be unfocused and mismatched. It'll be absolute chaos."
"It sounds like you have no faith in ponykind, darling," Rarity commented. "I've also put a hoof in the movement. I've been researching how gems are created so I can find more gems for my design. As well as different ways to create clothing that actually helps the pony wearing them instead of just providing fashion. I am balancing my works. What makes you think we all can't do it?" Before Twilight could respond, Pinkie Pie burst through the library door, wearing...clothes?
Rarity turned around and gasped in horror. "Pinkie? Wh-What in Equestria are you wearing?!" She asked in absolute terror. Pinkie was wearing light blue pants that had shapes on them and a shirt that had a heart on the front. She was also sporting a baseball cap that was rotated around so the snap was in the front.
"It's my new design! You like it? I've been taking up fashion lately!" Rarity was just staring in horror at the ensemble.
"Rarity?" Twilight said behind her. Rarity twisted around with the same look. Twilight pointed to Pinkie Pie who was trying to strike a pose. "THAT...is why I think we all can't do it. THAT is a prime example. This could all end in disaster. Pinkie Pie, who's running the shop?"
"Oh, it's closed today."
"On a saturday?!" The other two asked in disbelief.
"Yep! Mr. And Mrs. Cake are out of town on a business trip and took Carrot and Pound Cake with them. So I closed the shop to work on my sewing." Rarity's right eye twitched before she swayed from side to side, then fell to the floor unconscious. "Rarity? Are you upset that I didn't make you anything? Don't worry I made all my friends something to wear! Here's a beanie!"
"So, Ms. Sketch," one of the teachers called, catching her attention from the other side of the table. Pencil looked down the line and spotted the pegasus mare waving at her. "We are so excited to have you attend today."
"Yes, well I did promise to attend," she responded while looking around. "Although I didn't expect this much of a turn out."
"Yes, they are all excited about the Sketch Movement." Pencil and Golden looked towards her way for an explanation.
"The...Sketch Movement?" Pencil repeated.
"Yes. The Renaissance movement that is sweeping all over Equestria and it's surrounding countries. Everypony is attempting to innovate. And it's making a big impact. Both big and small."
"I'm guessing there's rallies as well," Pencil asked while taking a bite out of some food she grabbed earlier. A hayburger.
"Every now and then. We have not been getting a lot of ponies asking about them, but they do draw a big turn out. And we have you to thank for it." The teachers at the table all voiced their agreements.
Pencil could hear Rainbow groaning in her mind. "Well...I do not believe I am the one who deserves all the thanks for innovation. My paintings were for inspiration."
"Yes, inspiration to innovate." Pencil shrugged before she went back to her hayburger. "Most of the ponies here are looking for, obviously answers for their questions, and how to make themselves become successful in the world if not just Equestria."
"Sadly, I cannot answer that question entirely." The teachers stopped what they were doing and turned to her in confusion. Pencil set down her hayburger and cleared her throat. "There is no predetermined path to greatness. You have to create that on your own. I know only the ins and outs of paintings and business. But what if somepony wants answers as to how to make a new chariot profitable and desirable to other ponies? I have no answers for that because that is not my profession. My main profession is painting, and knowing the ins and outs of business. Not engineering. You would have to ask another engineer about that. That is why I am not entirely sure of this movement. Do not get me wrong, I am all for it. And I see great things happening in it. But I also see bad things. There is an equal share of it. Somepony could profit greatly off their innovations, while others would fail miserably. So I am going to tell the ponies here that as long as they can balance their work life and their dreams at the same time, they will be fine. They shouldn't abandon what they are already doing until they succeed. For if they do not succeed...they will have a hard time getting what they abandoned back. And I have proof of that."
"So....ponies should be aware of their time spending?" Another teacher asked. Pencil nodded. "Sounds reasonable. Don't go too far in your works."
"Correct. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to venture through some of these stands and see what all the big fuss is about over there." She and Golden stood up and made their way towards the games and such. There was a lot of commotion at the dance one where there was a DJ playing and the Ponies were cheering "Go! Go! Go!" over and over again.
"Someone's destroying the dancefloor, I guess," Golden interpreted from Pencil's side.
"Apparently. Let's find out who it is. If it is the Dean, I am going to laugh." They made their way towards the crowd and pushed through the ponies and cheering to see what they were even cheering for. They arrived at the edge, looked down, and gasped.
"BUFF?!" Pencil asked in astonishment. The big bodyguard was doing some type of shuffling with his hooves that had the crowd cheering for him.
"Go Buff! Go Buff! Go Buff!" And go he did. Pencil and Golden were just staring at him in shock before Pencil chuckled.
"I am so teasing him for this later," she muttered. Eventually the song ended and the bodyguard gave the DJ a highhoof before he started making his way out of the circle. Pencil nudged Golden away, so they started to make their way out with him. Once they were clear, Pencil cleared her throat.
"Wow, Buff!" She said, making the Stallion sneaking away freeze midstep. "Busting some moves back there or what?" Pencil could just hear Rainbow laughing in a torrent of tears, along with banging her hoof on the ground.
"Somepony, make it stop!" She screamed.
"Uh..." Buff turned around and looked at them with wide and bright cerise eyes. "Oh hey, Pencil. How was the lunch?"
"It was fine. And then I saw my bodyguard get his boogy on. What was all that about? And where are my saddlebags?" He motioned with his head towards the ground by a table nearby where her Saddlebags were sitting.
"Just thought I'd get the stiffness out of my bones. So I gave everypony a dance lesson," he responded. Pencil would've been convinced if she didn't see him try to avert his gaze. She smirked and walked up to him, then leaned close to his ear.
"You know I am definitely teasing you this from here on out, right?" She whispered. "By the way....I'm impressed. Try for another brownie point, rough stallion." She pulled back, grabbed her saddlebags, and started to make her way to another stand. Particularly, the cotton candy one.
"Wait, what?!" Buff asked a second later. Golden chuckled and walked with them. She had nothing else better to do.
After a few more minutes, a loud feedback came over a pair of speakers on a stage setup on the field, grabbing everyone's attention. "Hello, everypony! And welcome to the twenty second Annual Upper Conference!" A teacher onstage announced. Everyone cheered, except Pencil who was too busy going over her cards and notes.
"Do you even know when you're speaking?" Buff asked. He went through her bag and pulled out a notebook that he just stared at. "Did you bring a notebook full of topics?"
Pencil shook her head and held up a folded paper. "Not exactly and I have a program right here. I'm the very last one, but I want to be able to get all of my stuff together first before it even begins."
"Sounds fine."
"Golden, you with me for this one?" Pencil asked. She put her cards in a deck with her magic and placed a rubber band around them.
"You know it," she responded. She grabbed the notebook from Buff with her magic and put it on her back. She could feel it in case it slipped. Finding herself prepared, Pencil placed the cards underneath her wing and made her way towards the stage where the other speakers were waiting and listening to the host.
"We're so honored that we have such a big turnout this year!" She yelled into the microphone. "We have some amazing speakers as well as a local celebrity." Pencil looked around and spotted a few cameras and news press nearby. Of course they'd be around. They never miss an opportunity to see her. The host was reading off the names of the ponies who would be speaking. "We have a few inspirational speakers also. So if you want to ask them questions, or gather information, please do. Do not be afraid to ask. And finally, for the last bit, we have Pencil Sketch!" The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves while the painter merely grinned and waved at them. After a few more seconds, they quieted down.
"Our first speaker is...."
The wind blew the mane of Princess Celestia astray as she looked out from the balcony of the Canterlot Castle. It was currently lunchtime, but she had more work to do. Like think. And plan. One of the scouts on the mission in Appleloosa informed her and Luna earlier that those creatures were moving in on certain towns. And that they were becoming more aggressive. Celestia didn't want to make any drastic measures such as evacuate the town immediately. But her and Luna did put a plan in place, as well as two hundred guards per threatened city in case it did happen. If those creatures did come to Appleloosa, Dodge Junction, and of course Ponyville. She would have to inform Twilight to have the Elements of Harmony in a place where they could be easy to grab and run. Placed in a bag or something.
"You are thinking again." Celestia glanced over her shoulder at her sister, who was approaching calmly behind her. "What are you thinking of now?"
"What will happen if we do not contain these creatures," she responded then turned back to look out over Equestria. Princess Luna sighed and sat down beside her, following her gaze with an expression of seriousness. "So far they are becoming more aggressive. Hungry. Which is not a good sign for anything or anypony."
"Yes. We have bumped up the security in each town and have evacuation procedures in place. But do we know how to fight them?"
Celestia sighed and responded sadly, "No, we do not. We can only hope magic will make them realize ponies are off the menu."
"And if that doesn't work?" Celestia stayed silent, making Luna sigh again. "Celestia, we cannot go hoof to claw with these things. We have magic on our side but that is it at this moment."
"We....we really need Rainbow Dash right now," Celestia responded. "Is there any word on her? At all?"
Luna shook her head. "I am afraid not. But that doesn't mean she is not thinking. I cannot say for certain that she is thinking about us since she has somehow blocked me off from her mind and dreams. But I can only hope that she is thinking about the others." The two princesses looked up to the sky when five chariots passed by overhead, filled with Royal Guards that were heading to their assigned cities. "And I only hope that she can come back and help soon."
After another hour of just waiting out of three, the second to last speaker waved their goodbye and thanks before the ponies cheered and she got off the stage. The host made her way to the podium before she cheered a little too. "Thank you, Miss Dirty Metals. Give it up for the engineer, huh?" The ponies cheered and stomped again before they quieted down. "Now. We have one more speaker that we all know and love. The painter and artist that has made a name for herself past the borders of Equestria and made an impact in Zebrica, Griffonstone, and the Dragonlands, not to mention Equestria itself, Give it up for PENCIL SKETCH!"
THe crowd went wild, cheering and stomping their hooves as she, Buff, and Golden Carat made their way towards the stage. Along the way, Pencil stopped and shook hooves with the rest of the speakers, giving them her appreciation for their words and knowledge. Eventually she made it to the steps and walked up it with Buff right behind her. Golden Carat grabbed the notebook from her back and levitated it on the podium. Pencil gave her a hug before she waved to the still cheering crowd and Golden stood beside Buff on the stage. She grabbed the notecards from underneath her wing and set them out on the podium. Once the ponies quieted down, she cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Amazing, isn't it?" She started. Her voice bounced off from the speakers setup around the field. "To have a whole nation united to make our land and home a better place through innovation that, somehow in some way, I started. The movement that I have been informed of, the Sketch Movement, has apparently a lot of supporters. Am I right"
The spectators cheered once more for a few seconds before quieting down again. "I am in full support of this movement. But I want to remind you...that the Sketch Movement is not meant to just quit and abandon what you are doing already to fulfill something greater. But to do both at the same time until you are sure that your innovation can and will stabilize you. When I took up painting, I was doing a second job at the same time. Because I knew that what I was creating would not get me to where I am today in one night. It took years for me to get to this point. On a stage talking to fellow ponies and future influencers, artists, mathematicians, engineers, designers, architects, and so much more than I have not named. Be safe with your innovations. Because sometimes you may get something you do not want.
"When I first arrived in Manehattan, I flew away from my hometown because ponies that I thought were my friends...were not my friends at all. They told me that themselves. And before I arrived in that town I was bullied in another because I wanted to do something different than what my cutie mark wanted me to do. I was bullied because I defied the limit that we all want to defy today." The crowd booed at that making her chuckle into the microphone. "Yes. They were not nice ponies. Things became physical and emotional to the point where I wanted to hurt them where agony and pain wouldn't even do it justice. But instead, I left and moved to the hometown, where it happened once more. Those paintings you see in the museums? Most of them were planned during the time I was being bullied. Let me tell you how far I've come. In the past, I used to have to plan my paintings and spend two weeks just creating the concept. Then a week and a half to paint it. Now? It takes me between one and five days, the longest being my best works. You see...when you have patience, you will end up creating something truly inspiring that you'll even amaze with yourself when you're finished with it. What I'm trying to say is, do not rush what you want to innovate or create. And make sure you have a backup plan in place. Sometimes, things don't work out, and you have to create something different.
"Now, I have to say this as well. I cannot help all of you with your innovations because what you do is not what I do." The ponies in the stand started muttering before she raised a hoof, silencing them. "I am a painter, not an architect. I cannot tell you where to get your buildings and designs published and built. I am a painter, not an engineer. I barely know how the washing machine works, I do not believe I can be of any help with how to build a train." The ponies in the stands and behind her laughed for a moment. "I am a painter, not a lawmaker. I cannot tell you the ins and outs of Equestrian government. I am a painter not a strategist. I cannot help you make plans on the future. The only way for you to get information and help is when you consult somepony in your own niche. If you want to be an engineer? Ask an engineer for help. If you want to be an inventor, you consult your friendly neighborhood inventor for assistance and advice. And if you want to be a painter...consult your friendly neighborhood Pencil Sketch about it. Or you can ask one of her future employees at Sketch It All! studios."
The ponies cheered again before she chuckled and waved. "Also, I am hiring artists, teachers, and faculty for the studios in the future. You will know when I am sending out the applications. There will only be a limited window for the applications. More than likely two weeks. Because I am only one pony. In the future there may be more time. But for now that will have to do. Now. I do believe I was supposed to answer questions?" The Dean behind her grabbed a notebook and trotted up to the podium.
"Here you go, Ms. Sketch," she whispered, placing it in front of her. She took it and set it down on the podium before she opened it. Then used her magic to count it. Forty pages, and each page, front and back, had three questions on it. This was going to take a while. "I see some ponies definitely wanted some questions answered," she commented. She cleared her throat before she read the question out loud. "'Dear, Ms. Sketch. Me and my friend were wondering how do you get your inspirations.' Well my inspiration comes from everything. There is inspiration right where everypony is standing or sitting. Those stands the audience is sitting on? Somepony that built that had a vision and made it happen. and now you have some place to sit in the middle of a large crowd and still get to hear and see me speak. So if I were to look at that bench, I would paint a picture of a group of stallions sweating bolts in the summer heat building it. Building something for the students of this school somewhere to sit so they can all watch and enjoy the best hoofball match of the season." The ponies fawned before she moved onto the next one.
"'Dear, Ms. Sketch. How do you get so many bits and what do you plan on doing with them?' Well I get all my bits after the museums, drawing companies, and more pay me to have my paintings displayed in their registry. Basically, I sell my paintings. I have a record of a painting that actually sold for five million bits. And what I plan to do with my bits is continue investing in Sketch It All! studios." The spectators cheered again before she quieted them down. She looked at the bottom of the page before her face blanched. She was not Expecting this question.
"'Dear...Ms. Sketch,'" she read slowly. "' Will you ever show your cutie mark?'" She looked up at the stands before glancing over at Buff. He shrugged before she turned back. "To be honest...I have no idea. Maybe one day. Or maybe when the world needs to see it again. My Cutie Mark was covered so ponies can't find or recognize me. So I am not so sure about it. Next question...."
After the questioning, as well as the long clapping, Pencil made her way off the platform back towards her assistants. She smiled slightly and gave Golden Carat a hug, thanking her for being there. There were nearly one hundred thirty questions. And some she couldn't really answer. But she answered to the best of her ability. Some of the questions were plain art questions. Like what was her favorite type of brush. She answered a rigger. Mainly for detail, which is what the deep professionals use. In Equestria. After that it were questions surrounding her career. How did she become so famous so fast, why her paintings cost so much, etcetera. She answered those with because she herself was expensive. And because she's worked up to that point.
But what really surprised her, out of all of the questions, was that three-fifths of them were about her cutie mark. What was it? Why did she hide it? She would usually respond with, "That's a secret." Because it was. The day she reveals it would be the day that the world realizes that Rainbow Dash was alive and kicking. And more secrets will be revealed at the same time. Like the fact that she was dating her bodyguard. Who was currently giving her googly eyes by the steps.
She walked over to him and whispered in his ear, "Stop that. You're acting funny." She pulled back and gave him a wink. Then shuffled past to the end of the speakers with Golden Carat. Playfully flicking him with her tail along the way.
Buff scoffed, rolled his eyes, and followed behind her. Once he reached her, he whispered, "You could return the looks you know." The host walked back up to the podium and spoke while Pencil responded.
"I'd rather not make such a big scene around other ponies. And I'd rather not receive all that attention." Buff rolled his eyes once more before they paid close attention to the host.
"Thank you all so much for coming to the event today!" She announced. "We hope you are having a great time. We have two more hours to enjoy ourselves, so please continue what you were doing three hours ago!" She walked away from the podium while the spectators and attendees all made their way off the stands. The teachers of the school happily made their way over to their speakers to give them their thanks, as well as some of the students. They all shook the professionals' hooves before moving on to do their own thing. That took a while.
"Ms. Sketch," Dean Mighty Scroll said from behind her. Pencil's ear twitched before she turned around to face her. "Thank you so much for giving us your wise words. So, per our agreement, I will be giving you the contact information for our sponsors. Come with me please." The Dean turned around with the three ponies right on her tail, Golden Carat trailing behind just to see what Pencil had in mind with sponsors. While they were walking, Pencil's magic picked up on something. Something that she recognized and that made her tail flick.
"Rainbow," she thought. Succesfully awaking the pegasus sleeping inside her mind on a cloud. "Do you—"
"I feel it," Rainbow interrupted. She slowly walked off her cloud and stretched with a yawn. "Whoo, that was a good sleep."
"We need to leave quickly," Pencil thought back as she walked in the office. "The citizens need to get out of those towns now."
"Here you go, Ms. Sketch," Dean Scroll announced. She pulled out a folder from inside her desk and passed it over to Pencil, who happily took it in her hooves. She opened it up, reading all the contact information. It looked legit. This would do perfect.
"Thank you very much," Pencil said while closing the folder. "I appreciate this."
"And thank you for attending. Will you be staying for the end?"
"I would, to be honest. Unfortunately, something important has just come up. I am afraid Buff and I must take our leave. I think Golden will be staying though."
"Yeah, the food's great," Golden agreed before making her way towards the door. "See ya', Pencil. Stop by the shop sometime, I'm always up for a talk."
"Will do, Golden. Have a good day, Ms. Scroll." Pencil turned around and made her leave while the dean waved in response.
"You too, Ms. Sketch."
After leaving, Pencil quickly made her way outside of the school and towards the chariot, where her chauffeur was waiting for her. Ignoring the calls around her requesting attention. Her eyes and mind were somewhere else.
"So where's the fire?" Buff asked as they climbed inside and got settled in. The chariot flew up a second later, turning back around to head back to the mansion.
"I have to go all black again," she told him. Buff didn't get it for a second before he snickered.
"Putting on your beach outfit?"
Pencil bopped him on the muzzle before she laughed. "No! You know what I'm talking about. THAT outfit!"
"I know, I'm just messing with you. So what is it this time?" The chariot landed in front of the mansion, allowing Buff and Pencil out and up to the gate. She quickly unlocked it while answering his question.
"In a few cities there are creatures, called Therohs. They're created out of Dark Magic, just like myself. And they're hungry. They're going to attack nearby cities for food. And something else." They walked into the gate and started running to the door while it closed back. Once they were close enough, Pencil teleported them inside. "They will eat those ponies and anyone who tries to stop them from doing so. As well as cause as much damage to any and everything in the process to achieve their goal. And there are hundreds of them."
They ran up the grand stairwell while Buff asked another question in surprise. "What? Where are they coming from?"
"I don't know the source. But if they get into those towns, it will become a blood bath." She walked briskly into her room with Buff right behind her, who was looking around at everything inside. He's never been in there before. "I need you to send a letter to Princess Celestia. Tell her to get everypony out. I have to get ready."
"You sound like the Egghead!" Rainbow Dash laughed in her head before getting serious again. "I'll be taking it from here, Pencil. You and I both know how to defeat 'em. Let me take this one." Pencil sighed and switched to Rainbow Dash who cleared her throat and spoke some more instructions to Buff. "Make sure that that letter sounds like it was written by a professional. Not by... Me." She levitated the black suit out from the back of her closet and over to her before Buff asked a question.
"And how exactly do I get it to her?"
"Put it through the slot on my desk titled Celestia. I never thought I'd have to use it. But apparently I do." She quickly slipped on the suit, as well as a pair of silver hoof shoes for added damage before she turned around to face him. "And hurry. We only have a few minutes." She put the hood over her face, zipped it up, then quickly flew out the balcony door, leaving a slight rainbow trail behind her unseen. She would stuff all of that as soon as she reached the town of Ponyville. Just because the Elements knew who she was, didn't mean the entirety of Equestria could too.
***
A loud roar permeated through the air of Ponyville, attracting its citizens' attention. They all stopped shopping, walking, and talking and looked to the sky in worry, trying to pinpoint that noise. It happened again, along with a whole lot more. The ponies started becoming uneasy, stepping back a little and muttering. The Elements of Harmony all looked around from the front of Sugarcube Corner, a little put off as well.
"Twilight?" Rarity asked nervously without taking her gaze off of the sky. "What was that?"
"I-I don't know," Twilight answered.
"It sounded big," Spike added before clinging to Twilight's back. "And I have a very big feeling we should all run."
"I second that!" Pinkie yelled before turning around and running towards the train station. They watched her go before looking back towards the air. The roar happened again, except this time it also had a ring of roars right behind it. And there were a lot. And they did not sound nice.
"Everypony!" Twilight yelled, getting everyone to look towards her. She took a deep breath, a little freaked out before saying, "I need you all to calmly evacuate the city to—" Spike suddenly burped, releasing a red scroll with a yellow ribbon that suddenly fell on Twilight's nose. She grabbed it in her magic while another chorus of roars pierced through the air, these sounding a lot rougher than the others. She unrolled it and quickly read it before she looked up with her eyes wide.
"EVERYPONY! RUUNNNN! Run away from Ponyville! Grab your foals, grab everything you need, and then run out!" Everyone started screaming and ran around to grab their children. That's all they pretty much needed. Except Rarity who apparently needed more.
"My designs! They cost bits!!" She ran her way back into the town to quickly grab her sister, as well as her designs, ignoring Twilight's protests. She went to the side and dodged the large crowd of ponies making their way out of the city, trying her hardest not to get trampled on. Once they were out of the way, she quickly ran towards the Carousel Boutique and slammed open the door. "SWEETIE BELLE! Get down here now!"
"I'm right here!" Rarity looked over and spotted her sister running towards her with her saddlebags on her back. "LET'S GO!!"
"Where are your friends?" Rarity asked as she place Sweetie on her back and high tailed it out of the door.
"They're out doing something in Whitetail, I'm not sure what!" A loud roar, along with another, and then a howl pierced their ears before they heard crashing behind them as well as stomping and huffing. Sweetie Belle looked over her shoulder and screamed. There were a horde of animal things making and breaking their way into the city coming out of the Everfree Forest. They had red eyes and a completely dark black body. So black that she couldn't really see the claws of them. It just looked like they were floating around. And the creatures were just pouring out of the Everfree Forest. Like an army.
"FASTER, FASTER!!!" Sweetie Belle screamed down to her sister. The two made their way over the bridge and ran past the finished Sketch It All! studios before they heard more damage behind them. Rarity looked behind her to see the creatures destroying the town piece by piece.
"What in the glorified buck are they doing?" Rarity asked.
"They're looking for ponies!" Twilight said from beside her. The two looked over at the other Elements running with them. "We got Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. We just need to get out of the town." The group continued making their way towards the edge of town where all the ponies were currently making their way past the train station and out into the field, where Celestia had an army of Royal guards waiting. "We're almost there! Keep going!"
They heard another roar behind them, this one extremely close before something nipped at Applejack's tail. She yelped and looked behind her. There were probably twenty of those blood thirsty things directly behind them. All trying to get a taste of the ponies of Ponyville. "Back away vermin!" Applejack yelled.
"Everypony hold on!" Twilight commanded before lighting her horn. She teleported her group up to Celestia right when the creature lunged at the place Applejack was at a second ago.
Rainbow Dash flew over the clouds and looked down. There were multiple guard chariots below the cloud layer making their way towards the towns that were currently being attacked. Appleloosa, Ponyville, and Dodge Junction. They were all under attack at this very moment. Well Rainbow has just the spells for them. Once the guards below were out of sight she dipped down quickly and unseen, landing on the grassy plain below. Then unzipped her suit and took off her hood, letting down her long rainbow colored mane and sighed. She could hear the Therohs' roars from nearly a mile away.
"Let's do this thing," she muttered before lighting her body up using her Dark Magic. Her body glowed a deep black before it shot out to both sides creating two copies of her. Then it did it again. And again. And again. This is going to be a big battle, Rainbow thought.
"We have a horde of creatures of unknown origins!" Celestia yelled to her line of guards, pointing towards the town of Ponyville being overrun by over three hundred of those things . They were smashing buildings, breaking things, and committing overall destruction, trying to look for food. For some odd reason they couldn't get to Sketch It All! studios, which was still standing, despite the scratching they were doing to the marble. "We do not know what they want. But it is obvious. They. Want. War." The monsters let out a giant roar, ringing the ears of the guards through their helmets. "So Equestria will give them war! Are you with me soldiers?!" The guards cheered, raising their hooves, swords, crossbows, and much more into the air with a battle cry. "On my mark!"
She turned back around and watched the monsters making their way slowly towards the edge of town where everypony was standing behind. Citizens and soldiers. "One!" Celestia yelled, lifting up her right wing. They approached closer before she raised her left one. "Two!" The monsters picked up speed before charging and roaring towards the line of soldiers. They snarled and bit at the air before roaring at them. "THREE!" She flapped her wings and rushed forward with the guards, intent on smashing those monsters' heads in, screaming a war cry with Luna right behind her. They were about to clash, really sharp teeth to swords, spears, and crossbows before a clear blue shield appeared right in between them, making them all crash into it. They all fell to the ground, including the Therohs, who whimpered and all ran into each other. Everything became silent before Celestia and Luna moaned in pain, sitting up with the rest of the moaning and hurting guards.
Everyone behind began muttering, trying to figure out where this giant shield over the town came from. With her eyes on the Shield, Applejack whispered, "Twilight? Any idea?"
"None," she whispered back while watching her teacher observe the shield. Celestia fired a beam at it. But it did nothing. Luna tried it with her own magic but received the same result. The two glanced at each other before they all got silent, trying to figure it out. And then someone yelled, "Hey! My sword!"
They looked towards a unicorn guard who was struggling to hold his moving sword, trying to get away. He floated into the air with it before it was roughly pulled out of his grip and flew straight up, disappearing above the clouds. Then another one came out of another guards grip and disappeared with it. Celestia and Luna looked at each other before Luna took flight, hoping to see the pony who was meddling with their barge. But when she breached the layer, she saw nothing. Just blue skies that were gradually becoming darker due to the sun setting in the distance.
While Luna was busy searching. Celestia received two letters that appeared in front of her in orange flames. She grabbed them in her magic and unrolled them both. It was a report from her generals about the battles being halted due to a strange and tall shield that has cut them off from the creatures. "This is in Appleloosa, as well as Dodge Junction?" She muttered to herself, looking at the letters in confusion. "What is this?"
"I could not find the culprit of the missing weapons," Luna announced as she landed beside her sister. She huffed and turned back around, yelling to the guards, "Stand your ground! Do not falter!" The soldiers righted themselves, keeping themselves on their hooves in case the shield lowered while Luna looked at the letters in front of Celestia. "This is happening at all the attack sites?"
"Apparently," Celestia answered. "But how?"
Another scroll appeared in front of them, one that made the Princesses gasped. But not from its suddenness. But because of its appearance. It was black with white writing. The Princesses glanced at each other before Luna grabbed and opened it, reading it out loud. "'Back very far away from my shield. This about to get ugly.'"
"So it is somepony who has created this," Celestia figured. Luna nodded before turning around.
"EVERYPONY! BACK VERY FAR AWAY FROM THE SHIELD!!" She ordered.
They all moved while Celestia sent her orders to the different battalions at Dodge Junction and Appleloosa. Giving them the same orders. Once the message was sent, the princesses flew back with everyone else, making the creatures snarl and roar in disappointment for missing their meal. Once they landed a guard asked, "Why are we not fighting? What's going on?" The princesses shrugged and shook their heads.
"We don't know," Luna answered. They looked back at the shield and waited in silence for something to happen. The large creatures trapped in the town scratched and huffed at the shield before a loud whistle pierced through the air. The ponies looked around in concern. Especially Fluttershy who practically hid under Pinkie Pie, shaking in fear. Before anyone could question it, the ground around them began to tremble and shake, gaining attention. Looking down at their hooves, they noticed the rocks and dirt beneath moving around.
"Luna?" Celestia asked before the shaking became worse.
"No idea!" Luna responded before something jumped over and landed in front of them, sliding to a stop a few feet away from Celestia. It was a pony wearing a black, fur-tight suit covering their entire body, and a zipper covering their mouth. As well as silver round hoofshoes and the two missing swords on her sides, completely concealing their identity. But Celestia knew that body anywhere. So did Luna, the Elements, and Scootaloo.
"Pencil Sketch," they all mouthed silently, unbeknownst it was her twin. Rainbow looked over her shoulder, raised a hoof, and waved it around before the cavalry arrived. A rush of footsteps from the sides made all the Ponyville citizens look around, gasping in surprise. There had to be over a thousand mystery mares running towards the front.
"What in Equestria?" Celestia muttered in disbelief, trying to get an understanding. The insanely large army of Rainbow Dashes stopped and saluted towards the leader. The original took the swords off her waist with her magic and held them high. A moment ago they were silver. Now they were completely black.
She reached up and unzipped her mouth before yelling, "Team on my right! Appleloosa! Team on my left! Be ready to charge through and advance to Dodge Junction! My team! Defend Ponyville! Let's move!" She zipped her mouth back up before she threw the swords to two of the team leaders.
The one on the right grabbed it and pointed East before five hundred of the Mystery Mares ran in that direction. Rainbow turned around and started to trot towards the shield with the two groups right behind. They slowly sped up into a gallop before it turned into a full on run.
"What is she doing?" Celestia muttered before the shield lifted. One of the monsters started to roar before Rainbow sliced it with her sword. The creature turned into dust upon impact. Her copies began hitting them with their hooves, having the same effect. The creatures became confused, not realizing what was going on. The ponies gasped as the monsters began to dwindle in numbers...before they fought back. One sliced at a Mystery Mare, and turned them to dust. As well as a few more. But Rainbow paid little mind.
"We have to help her!" Celestia yelled. "Guards! We will—" The shield suddenly appeared again directly in front of the spectators once more, keeping them back. Celestia gasped and fired a large spell at it. Only to receive the same effect from before. Nothing at all.
"No!" She continued trying, hoping to at least dent it. Unfortunately, she had no such luck. Luna and a few more guards attempted, as well as Twilight, all trying to help the pony fighting for Equestria. Rainbow dodged another strike and delivered one of her own, turning it into dust before another scratched her side, creating a gash. She yelled out before she bucked it and cut another with a sword at the same time.
Her copies were dwindling, and so were the Therohs. But they were strong. Really strong. She dodged a swipe to her face and hit its arm, turning that one into dust before surveying her situation. She only had five copies and there were fifteen more.
"This battle sucks," Rainbow muttered before one of them pounced on her, pinning her to the ground.
The Equestrians all protested in horror before Rainbow teleported above and landed on its back, turning it to black dust. By that point the battle was three against one. Rainbow versus three of them. The creatures growled at her before she pulled back her hoof sliced through all three of them with the black sword. Ending the battle.
"Too slow," she muttered while lowering her sword. "And I'm really fast."
The ponies yards away all sighed in relief while Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches and unzipped her mouth, taking deep breaths. That battle was intense.
"Good job, Rainbow," Pencil teased while Rainbow let go of her swords. They hit the ground and reverted back to normal while she chuckled. "I'm impressed."
"Somepony had to fight for your lousy flank," Rainbow whispered jokingly. She rose again and looked around what now made up Ponyville. "Now...where's that receiver?" She looked around the battlefield and started shifting through the dust. The Therohs were always controlled by a controller from a remote location. And they had to receive orders through something. She needs to find it before it's cut off and track it.
"What is she looking for?" Twilight whispered. Everyone else was just as confused at the mare's prodding. She sifted through, looking here and there before she ran over to a spot, finding something. She grabbed a plank of destroyed wood and threw it to the side, smiling at her discovery. Using her Dark Magic, she picked up a black crystal.
"Buck, the signal's lost," she muttered. Then grimaced and grunted in pain. That gash in her side would be the death of her. That Theroh cut deep. Like REALLY deep. Hopefully it wasn't too bad. She dropped the crystal on the ground and stepped on it hard using her hoof shoes. It shattered upon impact.
Once that was done, she looked around at the damage. Most of the buildings destroyed were in the rear of the town. Everything in front of that was fine. Hopefully nopony got caught.
After receiving word that Appleloosa and Dodge Junction were clear by two more of her copies she sighed and lifted a glowing hoof behind her, lowering the durable shield. The ponies and guards backed away as it came down before making their way into the city. Celestia, Luna, Twilight and her friends quickly ran over to Rainbow, intent on catching her before she could leave. Twilight, Celestia, and Luna wanted questions answered while the others wanted to see if she was okay.
"Pencil," Twilight whispered once they caught up to her. They still didn't realize who it really was. She was leaning against one of the buildings standing on her back legs with her hooves crossed, rolling her eyes. "Wh...wh-what just happened?"
"Do you need help?" Applejack asked. "We could help with that scratch." They waited for her response, continuing to stare before the citizens could make their way into town. She reached behind one of her hooves and threw a card out before turning around and darting through the shadow. Once again leaving the scene. The group sighed in disappointment while Twilight picked up the card, reading it.
"What does it say?" Celestia asked before coming over to investigate. Twilight hovered it in front of the group, reading:
Buff sighed while he applied another roll of gauze around Rainbow's barrel. She was sitting in the middle of her library back in Manehattan after her army of copies defeated all the Therohs in Equestria. Most of them were apparently in Ponyville, which gives her a good idea on what their creator is after.
"You really need to think about wearing armor sometimes, Ms. Sketch," Buff groaned. "If you're going around playing vigilante."
"I'll probably be wearing something next time you and I get in a tussle," Rainbow Dash responded with a knowing grin. "How's it looking, Doc?"
"Well it was indeed a deep gash," he replied while severing the gauze. He set it aside and looked at her. "And will become a complete giveaway that you got into a little accident. More news for the news."
"I'll just paint it gray, let's go Sketch," Rainbow said before reverting back to Pencil Sketch. "Ugh. I do not have time to put up with this pony's madness. Whoever they are." She stood up and nuzzled Buff, along with a kiss to the cheek. "Thank you, Buffy, for the medical care."
"You're welcome. And 'Buffy'?" Pencil shrugged before grabbing her Dark Magic tome sitting behind her and placed it in her Saddlebags. "First Rough Stallion. Now Buffy? I should start giving you a nickname."
"Good luck trying to find one," she responded while making her way out of the room.
"I already have, Colors." Pencil, and Rainbow, who immediately woke back up, blanched and froze.
"You are not using that," she replied to him, while continuing her way out.
"Yes I am!" Buff yelled back while gathering his tools.
"No you're not!"
"Yeah huh!"
"Nuh uh!" Pencil teleported into her studio to apply paint to her body. "No 'Colors'. Now I have to go freak out the others. If you want you can stay the night. Just don't go kicking your hooves up on the dining room table. Or, if you'd like, you can accompany me to this meeting."
"Finally!" He groaned before following out of the library and into the foyer. "Thought I'd never get to see you on your missions. What time is it?" He looked out the window at the dark skies, the night making ponies go to sleep in the apartments nearby. Their mansion was the only residence that was practically lit up.
"It is nine o'clock," Pencil said from beside him. "I believe Rainbow has eased up on her anger at her friends just a little bit. So I will allow her out of her cage for this one. You hear that Rainbow? Are you going to behave?"
"Buck you, Pencil," Rainbow Dash responded, looking through her eyes. Pencil Sketch sighed before turning off the lights in the building and making her way outside. Once Buff was out the door, she pulled him in with her wing and melted into the darkness with him right next to her, making their way to Canterlot Castle.
Twilight and the elements were sitting around Celestia's room, going over the plan for tonight. Celestia wanted them to be calm and collected, not badger her with questions because she may just leave and never come back to help them. Which would definitely happen. And since this was an Equestria thing, she brought in the Captain of the Royal Guard, as well as Princess Cadance. Even if she did say come alone. Right now, they were not on a contract.
"So...who is this Mystery Mare?" Cadance asked, sipping her tea while looking at the clock on the wall. It was nine thirty three and they were heading down to the gardens at nine fifty since it was less than a teleport away. "Any identity?"
"She is a pony of interest," Luna answered, in slight honesty. "She was able to wield all the elements of Harmony, as well as the Element of Loyalty, when we attended Pencil Sketch's show in Ponyville. But what has me worried is how she was able to stop over three thousand of those things barely hurt. She took them all on by herself and her magic by creating two thousand copies of herself. That were actually able to listen and focus. Unlike our own copies."
"So a possible mage?" Shining Armor asked. "Do you think she has any idea on what's going on with these things suddenly appearing in Equestria?"
"I believe she has a hoof in it myself," Luna responded spitefully. "She could have inadvertently caused it. How else do you suddenly appear out of nowhere the second those things started to attack? Luckily, no one was hurt."
"She could have," Twilight thought out loud before she stood up and stretched. "And she could not have. We'll just have to ask her. We just need to be ready for any tricks. I hope your guards are ready for her Shining. She's strong. And she's definitely powerful. And we have no idea how she became so powerful. Or was able to wield so much magic like that. It was like a black sea of ponies when she arrived in Ponyville."
"Think she could help us rebuild?" Applejack asked.
"I don't know," Celestia asked before she set down her tea and stood up with everyone else. "Let's go and find out. Hold on." She lit her horn and teleported them all to the Royal Gardens behind the castle, right at the entrance. "I just realized she said meet her in the Canterlot Royal Gardens. But she never said WHERE in the Canterlot Royal Gardens. There are multiple areas."
"Well...if I was a pony that could use Dark Magic, I would stay in the dark," Shining Armor suggested. "So the darkest place in here would be in the southeast end of the Gardens." He pointed a hoof towards the far right of them, where there was a dark area of the gardens. They all looked at each other before they made their way briskly towards the area. Unaware that they were being watched by a certain burly Pegasus in the trees.
Buff let them walk away a few feet before he jumped into the next tree, nearly silently before following them towards the location. They were smart enough to figure it out. Well the only stallion there was smart enough to figure it out.
The group continued walking towards the area, listening to their surroundings for any movement. Twilight's ear twitched when she thought she heard some ruffling behind her, but paid it no attention when it didn't happen again. Soon, they arrived at the possible meeting place. It was indeed dark in there. You could still see yourself, but you couldn't see anything more than the trees on the dead end right in front of them.
They sat and waited for a moment while Shining Armor looked around to see his camouflaged guards in the bushes and trees. Waiting for her.
After a few more minutes, Cadance sighed and turned to Celestia. "Are you sure—"
"I thought I said come alone," a voice said through the air, echoing around the area. They all nearly jumped, making the Mystery Mare chuckle in amusement. "A little jumpy, aren't we?"
"Show yourself at once, pony!" Shining Armor commanded, stomping his hoof.
"Ugh. Or what?"
"We will have you apprehended!"
"With what guards? The ones that you brought are sleeping and probably won't do you any good." The group gasped and looked back behind them at the pile of guards sleeping peacefully on top of each other in a pile before focusing on the area around them, trying to pinpoint her voice. "Rule number one? When you meet with me, don't tick me off by disobeying orders. Or 'SHE' will get very angry. The Elements know what I am talking about." Celestia and Luna looked down towards the Ponyville inhabitants in front of the group, who were all staring around in trepidation. "And when she does, there will be no mercy. And that's not me speaking. It's her. Right now she is calm, but that can change at the flip of a switch."
"We want to know what those things were," Celestia asked, looking around. "We know you know what they are." They were all looking towards the trees, trying to pinpoint that voice. Not realizing that Pencil Sketch reformed herself, after spreading herself around them like a shadow, directly in front of them. Laying on the ground, reading her tome.
"Therohs." They all looked towards the front at Pencil reading with a lamp, connected to somewhere, shining on the book. Cadance and Shining Armor gasped immediately upon recognition while she continued. "They are creatures created entirely out of Dark Magic. You cannot fight it if you don't know any type of combat Dark Magic. If you try, you will die a terrible death by being eaten alive. Those teeth will rip you apart the second they touch you. And those claws will take a big ol' bite out of you. Luckily, I know some healing magic that will take a day or two to put it back in place as if nothing happened. Hello, Royalty of the Crystal Empire. How is Flurry Heart?"
"Pencil Sketch?!" Cadance asked in alarm. "YOU'RE the Mystery Mare?!"
She chuckled before turning a page. "One and the same...two and the same, actually."
Celestia sighed and sat down in front of her along with everyone else before asking, "How did you defeat them? Is there any specific spell that can stop them permanently?"
Pencil laughed and banged her hoof on the ground, confusing them for a second. She wiped a stray tear from her eyes, smile, and said, "I never fought them. SHE did. I was actually resting today after attending a school event that requested my presence. She said, and I quote, 'Let me take this one.' I spotted my bodyguard dancing at the event, oh my Faust, THAT was hilarious! Yes, I am telling them Buff, it is too funny to pass up." A pinecone shot out of the bush heading towards her head before it burst into flames and disintegrated before it even reached her. She didn't even look up from her tome. "I suggest you ponies do not get too close. Or you will end up like that Pinecone. And tell your other guards behind this hedge to stop listening in. I find it very rude. SHE does as well."
Cadance and Shining Armor were a little confused as to who Pencil meant by "She".
"And how is she?" Applejack asked. Pencil stopped her page turning and glanced up at them nonchalantly. Then sighed.
"She is getting there. Buff has been helping. Both me and her. He's so sweet. I owe him a massage later for fixing me up like a newborn foal."
"Buck yeah, you do." Pencil looked over at the right, lifted her hoof, and fired a bolt of magic at him. "Ouch!"
"Quiet, Buffy. Just keep doing what you do best."
"Yeah, wooing you—"
"Anyway," Pencil continued, ignoring him. "Therohs are a rare spell that only a very small amount of ponies learn how to do. Myself included."
"So you know how to stop it," Twilight assumed. "How are you learning all of this?"
"Years and years of study, Sparkles. I learned the basics of Dark Magic by teaching myself almost three months after I experimented with painting when I was a filly in Cloudsdale. That is how I stopped my bullying the first time around. The second time, me and her came down to Ponyville."
"Then you ran away." Pencil suddenly morphed into Rainbow Dash and lunged at Applejack, pinning her to the ground, body crackling with dark energy like electricity, and shocking the ponies at the meeting.
"Watch it, farmer!" Rainbow yelled into her face, her hair covering her right eye like a blanket. "Or I'll do worse to you than what I did last time! My offer still stands about sending you deep into the Frozen North do NOT!...Test me." She let her go and stopped her magic, then pulled back from the shocked group. She blew her very long Rainbow mane out of the way, then settled back down and continued to read while speaking. "And I did not run away. I took a break permanently. That looks interesting. Now, yes I know how to defeat a Theroh. It's as easy as one, two, three, and four." She raised her hoof and focused her magic for a moment to try out this spell. It glowed a bright white like a lightbulb before it fired out a flame. She chuckled and looked up at them with a smile, glancing over at the impressed faces of the Princesses and the elements, besides Cadance and Shining Armor who were just staring at her in shock. Rainbow Dash was dead! Yet, here she was, spewing fire out of her hoof.
"Now in order to take down a Theroh, you must know dark magic," she explained before cancelling out the spell. "No exception. You must know strong Dark Magic. A Theroh is not for a noob. You must know advanced and interloped magic. My magic is practically in the midst of Discord's. I can turn this area of the ground upside down and you won't even know it until you stood up and fell on your head. And...I could control the sun. I never had a reason to use that spell, but I have archived it. Now that you know you must know advanced Dark Magic to defeat a Theroh, now you must learn about a Theroh. Before they attack, they eat. At least the new ones do. The older ones are already big and strong enough. If you see a Theroh, destroy it immediately. Summon your dark magic and hit it with all you've got. When I was fighting in Ponyville, I didn't just touch them and poof! They're gone. No, I was overloading them with Dark Magic. The bigger they get, the tougher they are to destroy. The biggest one is like trying to break a Diamond with metal. So knowing that there were three hundred in Ponyville alone and around a hundred and fifty in Appleloosa and Dodge Junction, that's six hundred Therohs by the way, I had to put a copy of all of my magic into my clones. Can you even fathom how much magic that is?"
"From what I've gathered so far," Twilight answered in fear. "That's enough to wipe out the whole continent of Equestria without even moving."
"Almost. That's enough to wipe out Equestria and any neighboring lands." They all dropped their mouths at her. "Yes. I have more than that amount of magic. How? That is a secret that you will never know. My magic passes that of Celestia, Luna, and Cadance combined. Now back on topic. First, you hit them with your magic and defeat the whole horde. If you do not defeat the whole horde, you risk more coming. That one loose Theroh will howl for more backup and you have around three minutes to hightail it out of there because that was just the smaller unit you were fighting. There is an army more of 'em. Hope you're writing this down, Egghead.
"Second, you grab the crystal from the lead Theroh's remains and keep it alive before it loses signal. That is the only way to know who created it. The lead Theroh will be noticeably different from the rest, you can't miss it. If that crystal loses signal, you have to wait for another horde to strike. That could be a short or long time, and the one who created that horde could have been making three hordes while we are waiting. Third, track that signal back to the commander. Which could be a pony."
"So a pony attacked Equestria," Cadance assumed, still a little put off that there was a ghost in front of her and Shining Armor.
"I wouldn't say immediately a pony. A pony knowing Dark Magic on a level like my own is extremely rare, and ultimately unlikely. There would only be one in the whole world that knows Dark Magic on par with mines. I'm not even bragging, that's a fact. And that would be me at this moment. The one you're looking for, they would have to fight me. And it WILL be disastrous. Not a lot of ponies have as much luck with Dark Magic as I did. They would mostly cave in, let it consume them, and let it slowly destroy their soul and body...not to mention self-esteem. I am sure you have all seen that. A pony who has tried Dark Magic and ended up sick. Well I have never ended up sick from practicing magic. Now anyway, let's move this along. I have a meeting with Buff's back in twenty, and I have another meeting with a few sponsors in thirteen hours.
"Third you track down their creator using a spell that will take you straight to their magical source. Once again? Dark Magic only. And fourth? The boss level. More than likely, those who created the Therohs will be powerful. It will take all of you to take it, or them, out."
"'It' or 'them'?"
Rainbow nodded her head. "Yes. Those who create the Therohs' are usually creatures from a different area of Equestria or farther out. I figured that out the second I felt them. Their origin was not Equestria."
"So overseas then," Shining guessed.
"Or underseas, underground, above ground, in an underground world underneath Equestria. You never know. Dark Magic can do a lot of things. There is absolutely no limit. With a magical reservoir like mines, I could create a whole continent with living ponies floating in the sky, complete with a sun, moon, weather, and nature. That's what it's like with Dark Magic and that's why it's sooo great."
"But I thought you said nopony has as much magic to do that," Rarity recalled.
"Exactly. No pony. It could be a two headed monkey, a tree with a mind. If they can grab a boatload of Dark Magic, they can create a Theroh. Just beware of the big ones. The Meta Theroh. Big Boss Theroh."
"A 'meta' Theroh?" Celestia asked cautiously. "Can you give us a description?"
"You do not need one," Rainbow replied while closing her tome. The second she closed it, a bunch of runes appeared on it, covering up the whole thing, making it glow like a flashlight before it dimmed. "You WILL know it when you see it. I assure you. Now, this has been horrible and all, but it is time I left and went home. I have business in the morning."
"Wait," Rarity said. Rainbow glanced over at her while placing the tome in her saddlebags. "How is everything, Darling? It must be stressful managing a company." Rainbow raised an eyebrow before she looked at her in suspicion, leaning in close in her face nad snarling.
"What are you getting at Rarity? Are you trying to woo me in and tear me to the ground again? Because if that's the case, you'll be underneath it!"
"No! We honestly want to know dear." Rainbow looked at her suspiciously before she glanced at the rest of them. They were all sharing the same curious looks, more than likely trying to figure it out. Especially Cadance and Shining Armor, who still were in a shocked state-of-mind.
Pencil sighed and responded, "Well, managing a company isn't all bad. But it does become taxing. The hard part hasn't even begun because the studios are not up and running yet. I have two more that need to be finished and then I have to hire artists, teachers, and other staff to maintain them. Yes, I am coming close to being a billionaire, but I still have to have sponsors, as well as permission to open my studios around Equestria. If all goes well, in the future they will not just be for art. They will be for music, inventions, and so much more that I can expand. They will be as large as warehouses, possibly even castles. And right now is a golden opportunity to make that happen. During the Sketch Movement."
"I've heard about that," Rarity said. "Did you start that?"
"Inadvertently. Somepony saw one of my paintings in a museum, said some things, got the crowd started, and it spread like wildfire. So now everypony is being creative, artistic, and imaginative. I did send a message that there was indeed some downsides to it though. Such as being too engrossed to realize that you are losing track of your must-dos in life."
"I told you," Twilight pointed out. "I told you that somepony—"
"But as long as they are able to balance it out by continuing to go to work, pay bills, and other things, then do what they want last, they will be fine. Now I must take my leave. Goodnight. Buff, touch me."
Buff trotted out of his hiding spot and touched her on her hind leg, making her sigh. "I know, I know, we're not there yet," Buff chuckled. "I just wanted to see you become embarrassed. It didn't work, did it?"
"Nope, nice try. Let's go. And Rarity?" She nodded towards Rainbow who gave her a slight smile. "Thank you for asking." The two of them literally melted into the darkness, disappearing from their sight. They stared at the spot before turning to Rarity.
"What was that?" Fluttershy asked, finally making herself known.
Rarity sighed in response. "It was the right thing to ask. Rainbow may have become slightly unstable, but even I know there is still kindness in there somewhere."
"Yeah, speaking of which," Cadance said, grabbing their attention. "SHE'S ALIVE?! WHY DOES NOPONY KNOW ABOUT THIS?!!"
"I'm also EXTREMELY interested in all of your excuses for not telling anypony this," Shining Armor agreed.
"Rainbow Dash has told us," Luna explained, turning away. "That if we were to tell anypony she will do something to Equestria. And after all that we have seen, I have a feeling it would be absolutely no problem to her. Stressless to whatever she plans."
The others followed after her while Cadance asked another question. "So she is an enemy of Equestria then."
"Mmm I'm not sure about that either," Twilight responded. "Rainbow Dash at this moment is like trying to balance a stick on your hoof. She's tricky. She can go to the left of instability and anger. Or to the right of relaxation and peace. She doesn't want to stay up, she wants to go down. But I do have a theory on her Dark Magic though."
"Tell us," Celestia ordered.
"Pencil Sketch was created around the time Rainbow was being bullied at Flight Camp. She was young during this time, desperate to find something to take down those bullies. And since that bullying went on for a long time, she could have been waiting for an excuse to use Dark Magic that she could have either found...or was given to her."
"Are you saying," Celestia questioned. "That Rainbow was desperate enough to go to somepony and ask them to teach her Dark Magic?"
"Either that, or she found something that taught, and gave her, Dark Magic. I know for a fact it's one of those two." They walked back into the guarded palace while Cadance responded.
"I believe she found something. Like she said earlier, there is no other pony, thing, or creature, that could have that much magic."
"Yeah but what?"
"I have a good idea," Applejack answered, coming out of her shocked state of mind. "That book she was lookin' at while talkin'."
"Oh yeah!" Twilight responded. "She was looking at that the whole time we were talking before she jumped you. She was also looking at it when she did that spell. So a possible tome."
"A very thick and secure tome," Luna corrected. "When she closed it the tome was glowing and completely covered in runes. Possibly some tracking spells too."
They stopped at the doors to the palace and faced each other. "That tome is a vital key," Celestia said to them. "I suggest you all discreetly investigate the origins of Dark Magic tomes. Try to find out what tome Rainbow, and Pencil, had in their possession tonight."
"Sooo," Cadance muttered in confusion. "Are Rainbow and Pencil the same pony, orrr..."
"Pencil Sketch is to Rainbow Dash like Nightmare Moon was to Princess Luna," Twilight explained. "But she's more on the peaceful side. She comes out whenever Rainbow gets upset, angry, or just overall destructive."
"So she keeps Rainbow in check," Shining guessed.
Twilight nodded in agreement. "They share the same body but can take on different personalities. They also share the same mind at times I've noticed. But other than that they switch out and can still have contact with each other."
"Well I don't know about you," Rarity said suddenly. "But I know we all have a long road ahead of us. I suggest we should get on the two's good side by being gentle. That was the first smile I've ever seen Rainbow put on her muzzle."
"Yeah, how did you do that exactly?" Twilight inquired.
"I asked about her and showed that I actually care. If we want to reach Rainbow, we have to show we care about Rainbow. That's the key to getting her back. Not demanding she come home. I suggest we all do it. Because if not?...We'll lose Rainbow Dash forever."
The next day in ponyville was like any other. Wake up and got to work, the foals go to school, the builders build. Everything is normal. Except the fact that many ponies were helping to rebuild the town, school was closed because it was destroyed, and everypony was chipping in to do their worth. Except two cloaked ponies standing in front of the expensive, non affected art studio, completely protected by a spell Pencil Sketch had created herself to stop ponies from breaking it down. It had worked amazingly against the Therohs yesterday. Buff was standing by her side, gazing at it with her but more in wonder than anything else.
"You," he whispered without taking his eyes off the building. "Are one rich pony." Pencil chuckled and rolled her eyes before reverting to Rainbow Dash. Anypony outside wouldn't be able to see her tail because the cloak was just that long.
"Duh," she whispered back, listening to the hammers and machines rebuilding the homes around them. "Look inside, this place was built with only the most determined in mind." She pulled out a key from a pocket inside of her cloak and put it through the lock on the door, turning off the magical alarm and unlocking it. The door was opened and they walked in to look at everything. The floor in the lobby was marble and the doors were ornate wood, having special designs on them that Rainbow and Pencil themselves have decided to collaborate on, along with different much smaller artwork from other ponies. Mainly foals who wanted their beginning pieces to be recognized. Of course she said yes. Foals were the future of Equestria. There was also a small but grand staircase on both sides of the desk for the receptionist, fitted with black carpet that had a text on it reading, "Sketch It All! Studios".
Rainbow took off the hood of her cloak after she closed the front door, letting her long rainbow mane flow beautifully and motioned towards the lobby with the many seats and tables. "As you can tell, this is the lobby," she instructed. "There's going to be a receptionist in the coming months, but first I have to assign a board of directors. Of course I am founder and CEO, but there will be the ponies directly below me." She made her way farther into the building, leading Buff on while they took off their cloaks and placed it on the hangers nearby. She trotted briskly up the stairs and made it to the top floor, motioning towards the three wide hallways in front of her. She pointed first to the one on the left. "This hall is for the education. Yes, Buff, there will be qualified teachers here for skills and more."
"Told you. You're opening a school. I'm proud of you sweetheart." He leaned over and gave her a nuzzle, forcing a pair of rose colored cheeks on her face.
"Buffy," she cooed. "What if somepony sees?" Buff raised an eyebrow and looked around him, up and down the empty halls. Then back at Rainbow with a humorous look.
"Like...the walls?"
"Like the cameras." She pointed a hoof at the magically generated cameras on the ceiling, recording everything going on in those halls. "These cameras are actively recording everything anypony does in here after the building was finished. And store it. I do not need anypony knowing about us...yet."
"Going around telling ponies about our relationship are we?" Rainbow swatted his face with her tail.
"Not until I am forced to. Like if somepony sees that camera footage. Let's continued the tour."
Sunshower was standing on the concrete walkway, gazing at the new, as well as the first, Sketch it All! Studios building in awe and wonder. The first Sketch It All! Studios building was amazing to say the least. It was...a building, yeah. But it had a lot of glass on it. She couldn't see inside of it because the glass was tinted at the moment. But she was told by a construction worker that a pony was going to take the dim off at the grand opening in a few weeks. Stupid rich ponies. Always getting what they wanted while the lower class was doing everything they can to stay alive. The building was made out of white blocks. Large blocks, like marble. And had a lot of shimmer. A lot. She gasped when one of the front doors to the building suddenly opened, letting out two ponies wearing cloaks. One of them was large and another was short. The smaller one turned around and did something to the door before she turned back and looked back up to the bigger pony.
"Did you like the grandeur of the building?" They asked, making their way up the sidewalk and unknowingly towards Sunshower.
"Like I said before...you are one rich pony," the other greeted before they stopped in front of the pony watching them suspiciously.
"Umm, are you allowed in there?" Sunshower asked carefully. "I don't believe any ponies are allowed inside yet." Pencil chuckled and nodded to her.
"Yes. I am the building's owner," she replied. "It's almost complete. I only need some head ponies to administer it. Do not tell everypony about that, please. I don't want everypony signing up for it." Sunshower nodded eagerly, still not recognizing this pony. But the voice was familiar though. "Thank you. I have more business to tend to." The pony quickly scampered off, making her way towards the dirt path for the outside of town, followed closely by the much bigger pony. Sunshower watched them go, but paid careful attention to the shape of them. The smaller one's looked so familiar, but she just couldn't place it. So she decided to follow them. She flapped her wings and flew up into the sky, landing on a cloud overhead to watch them closely.
"Hey, pony." Pencil stopped and chuckled under her breath as Clear Skies landed in front of her, smirking. "You wear like the worst disguise ever, you know that?" Pencil rolled her eyes and shrugged, then reverted into Rainbow Dash.
"It's the best I could do, don't blame me until you're a multi millionaire that has a horde of ponies following you around everywhere you go."
"Even the—"
"Even the little fillies room. They stop outside of it though. I am going to do an interview with a radio show about my success soon next week. And I do not want the press swarming me like flies. It is so annoying."
"No, she loves the press," Buff butted in playfully, giving her a bump by the hip. "She loves the attention." Rainbow looked around for a moment, then took off her hood, displaying her angry face towards Buff, unaware of Sunshower above her. She gasped in disbelief, recognizing that Rainbow mane immediately. But it couldn't be. Rainbow Dash was dead! She watched Rainbow push and point towards Buff. He started running for a moment before Rainbow somehow lit her hoof and fired a bolt of magic at him, knocking him off his hooves and sending him sliding through the grass. She grabbed her hood and pulled it back over her head and said a few things to Clear Skies. Then trotted towards Buff, who instantly saw her coming and took to the air. Five seconds later, the pony immediately took after him, leaving a stray gray trail behind her.
"No....bucking....way," Sunshower muttered before castling a glance down to Clear Skies, who was currently making her way back to Ponyville. "Did she....she knew!" Sunshower immediately went down to the ground and tackled Clear to the ground, surprising her.
"Hey! What the hay are you doing Sunshower?!"
"You knew she was alive all this time? And you didn't say anything?!" Sunshower yelled to her face. Clear Skies eyes widened in realization and looked around, gesturing with her hoof to lower her voice.
"Shut up, you're too loud!" She quietly chided. "You're not supposed to know, nor anypony else!"
"What?" Sunshower backed up and let Clear up to dust herself off. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, Rainbow Dash doesn't want to be seen around Ponyville anymore. That's all I can say." Clear began to run towards town before Sunshower grabbed her wing and pulled her back in front of her.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you talking about?"
Clear groaned and looked around. "Rainbow wants nothing to do with Ponyville. The only reason she really comes here is because of the foals who look up to her, and her new studio for them. That's what she tells me. And some more for the Sketch Movement."
"So...she's doing this for children?" Sunshower asked before shaking her head wildly. "That doesn't matter. So...she's really alive?" She whispered.
"Ummm....Y-yeah. I'm not supposed to tell you that either."
"Why did she...where did she...?"
"She ran away and became a famous painter. I thought it was obvious."
"Yeah, but why?" Clear Skies blinked and looked towards the Library, nodding her head once towards it. Sunshower looked towards it in confusion.
"...the Elements. They practically duped her." Sunshower obviously didn't get it based off of her facial expression. "They had an argument and told Rainbow she was not a friend of theirs. There's a lot more behind it, but that's all I can recall for now."
"The Elements of Harmony...are disharmonized?" She asked in disbelief. "What happened?"
"I don't know. You have to ask Rainbow. But...it'll be kind of hard to get to her, you know."
"I don't need to get to her," she responded snardly. "I need to get to them."
Another book was placed on the shelf inside of Twilight's library after a reader had returned it. It had something to do about innovation, and they checked out another. Applejack was around, sitting in a chair reading a book about her other work. She was also doing some innovation thing. Something with harvesting. Twilight couldn't remember. Either way, Twilight wasn't doing anything, she practically did all the innovation she could in the past. And the spell she tried to demonstrate for practice, the one that Rainbow interrupted, was definitely a no-go. No way.
She sighed and sat back down behind her desk. She was happy that ponies were reading a lot more around ponyville. But jeez, this was a lot. And it all started around Rainbow Dash apparently. They had kicked her out. Lead her away. And she became even bigger an inspiration than Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Princess Cadance. Anypony out there that had inspired her. It was...it was surreal. She was bigger than her in every way that she could see. It was...it was getting to her.
The door was suddenly thrust open, hitting the wall of the library, startling both Twilight and Applejack enough that they jumped and hit the ceiling. Sunshower walked in with Clear Skies right behind her, who closed the door and locked it behind, putting on the "Be Back In 30 Mins" sign. "What. Did. You. Do," Sunshower said calmly through gritted teeth as she strode up to the desk, looking down at Twilight, who was returning it with a confused look.
"Er....what do you—"
"I thought you were smarter than this, Twilight!" She yelled down to her. "What the buck does Celestia have to say about all of this?" Twilight got up on her hooves and shot her a look of confusion.
"Sunshower, I need you to clarify what you're talking about."
"Dash." Twilight immediately lost her confused look and groaned.
"What about—"
"Why did you drive her away?! Catch up, Sparkle! Why did you, and everypony else drive Rainbow Dash away?! What the buck did you do?!!" She stalked closer to Twilight, eyes riddled in anger.
"We did nothing of the sort!" Applejack retorted before she put down her book and made her way to the desk, stepping in front of Twilight and glaring at Sunshower. "I don't know what you're—"
"And now the Element of Honesty is lying through her teeth!" Sunshower interrupted. "You ponies really did lose your wits, didn't you?"
"What are you goin' on about? I ain't lyin', we ain't drive Rainbow away!"
"Then what did?" Applejack and Twilight shared a look before turning back to Sunshower. "Why is it that on the same night I tell Rainbow Dash to speak with you about her feelings on the way that you ponies have been treating her, she suddenly disappears? Not to mention, it's the same week you lost your magic. I know something happened here in this stupid library, and it involves Rainbow leaving! I know you did something, so start spilling, and stoplying!"
Applejack groaned and looked back to Twilight, who strode forward, huffing. "Fine! Rainbow interrupted my spell and caused me to lose focus, taking out our magic for a week! We yelled at her, we said she wasn't our friend, and we said we never wanted to see her again! Are you happy?! You think we don't feel bad about it?! We went to see her after we found out, and she attacked us! She put a spell on Applejack somehow! Dark Magic! She beat me at my own game in magic, and defeated me in a fight! Like I was a bag of defenseless flour! Next thing we know, she's putting up studios all over Equestria, and doing what I wish I could! Inspiring ponies to make a difference! Not exactly the same way I would do it, but still! She's doing something I can't!!" Twilight turned around and walked away with tears in her eyes, sniffling back her feelings.
"You think we don't feel bad," she whispered with her back turned. "Look around you. Ponyville isn't the same without Rainbow Dash. Nothing is the same without Rainbow Dash. We realized this after we put up the memorial, and on her birthday. Nothing. Is. The same. Rainbow is gone."
"Then do something about it, Twilight," Clear Skies whispered to her. "You're practically a genius when it comes to friendships. Yeah, in this instance you messed up really big. Like humongous. But—" She took careful steps towards her and draped a wing over her back, offering her a smile. "I believe somepony as smart as you can fix that. But it won't take a day to do it. So just be patient with her. Don't get me wrong, I am really upset with you. Like really really upset with you. As well as the rest of the Elements. Including Fluttershy."
Sunshower nodded and added, "Definitely Fluttershy."
"But I know you can fix it. You just have to be determined." She withdrew her wing and turned around, making her way towards the door with Sunshower behind her. Before they exited, Sunshower looked over her shoulder.
"Don't think you're out of the blue though!" She yelled. "I'll be watching you!" She walked out and slammed the door shut behind her, leaving Applejack and Twilight alone with her feelings.
"You know," Twilight whispered, catching Applejack's attention. "What's....what's the point? Rainbow Dash is good at everything I do. She's beat me at magic and creates her own spells without a horn, is able to create thousands of copies of herself that obey everything she tells them, can make bits like it's nothing, and can...she...she beat me." Twilight sat down and sighed to the floor, shaking her head. Applejack looked to her in pity, knowing exactly how she feels.
Slowly she made her way over and sat down next to her. "Twilight? She beat everypony. She beat Rarity at her designs that catch eyes, Pinkie at her eager attraction, Fluttershy at her kindness...sort of, me at my skills of strength, and you at your magic. Not to mention possibly Celestia and Luna. She's just...too strong in all of that. The only thing missing is loyalty. But there is one thing she doesn't have."
Twilight wiped her tears away and sniffed, then shot Applejack a teary-eyed curious glance. "And what's that?"
"Friendship." Twilight blinked and turned her whole head to look at her. "Rainbow Dash doesn't have any friends. That I've seen anyway. She only has her bodyguard. I'm sure something is going on between them by the way, do you not notice how they're always peekin' at each other? Anyway, after all the times we have seen her...in her mansion, at the show here a few months ago, in the newspapers...she has never had any other pony around her. She has no friends Twi...except her bodyguard, who—once again—may have a little thing for her."
Twilight blinked at her then turned around towards the Elements of Harmony, sitting in a glass casing by the window. The red bolt was still just bunch of dust. "She needs friends," Twilight whispered to herself. She thought about it for a moment then sighed, turning back to Applejack. "But we can't just spring friends on her, Applejack. This is Rainbow Dash we're talking about. She barely wants to speak with us, let alone look at us."
"Except one." Applejack pointed towards one of the Elements, specifically a purple diamond shaped gem on the right side. "Rarity had the most positive impact with Rainbow Dash amongst all of us."
"Yeah, but...I mean that was a one time thing. And Rainbow didn't trust her at first until she noticed that we all wanted to get to know how she was doing."
"Then we'll just set it up then."
Twilight looked at her skeptically and asked in a bland tone, "How?"
Applejack chuckled and answered with, "We send Rarity shopping...in Manehattan."
After Rainbow Dash finished chasing buff through the skies, the two landed in her mansion's backyard next to the pool. Rainbow was really tempted to push him in the water, but she had other plans. Like check her mail.
"So that was one of your studios in Equestria," Buff repeated as they walked into the mansion by the back door.
"Pencil and I. Our studios," Rainbow corrected while making her way towards her library. She flopped down behind her desk and started on the mail. "We have nine in total all over Equestria. One in Ponyville, three in the Crystal Empire, three in Las Pegasus, and two in Canterlot. I am going to review those in the Crystal Empire tomorrow. Apparently it is finished." She handed one of the opened envelopes to Buff to let him read it with her magic. Then went back to the rest of the mountain of mail. "Some of these are from exhibits, others are from schools. It seems that my show-up at the academy has gotten some impressive reviews. There is also some more mail here from foals more than likely just learning how to write." She placed the mountain of letters on the floor to clear her desk, then sorted the letters into stacks on top of it. As they piled up, she started to count. "There are....fifty three...seventy four.....eighty nine envelopes here in total. This all came in a box, mind you."
Buff grinned and nuzzled the top of her spectrum colored head. "Well I'm proud of you. Gonna make some new art soon?"
Rainbow chuckled and nodded. "Oh you have no idea. I am actually going to be working on a new project....3D." Buff froze and stared up at the ceiling. A moment later, he looked back down at her with uncertainty.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Absolutely! Imagine seeing that—" She pointed to an unreleased painting of a manticore behind her sitting next to her wine glasses. "—sticking out at you. THAT would be amazing. My paintings are already good. I just need to learn all about dynamics and opposite colors." She sighed and shook her head. "It's much harder than it looks."
"And so are your paintings, I'm sure. Yet you somehow managed to capture the whole heart of everypony in Equestria and beyond. Possibly some unknown world we have yet to see. Either way—" He poked a hoof into her chest. "—I believe in you. You could do it."
Pencil took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. I can do it. Thank you, Buff." He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, making her giggle. She pulled back with a smack and grinned at him. "You're supposed to say you're welcome."
"Oh. Right." He leaned in again and captured her lips once more. Then mumbled "You're welcome" in the middle of it. Rainbow rolled her eyes but continued to kiss him. She was relishing this moment. after a few more seconds, they pulled away. "When do you think...they should know?" He asked.
Rainbow sighed and tapped her hooves together. "Well...the best would be during an interview. Then sort of ease them into it. we can't just drop the bomb on them. Unless somepony were to do it for us."
"Would that be such a bad thing?"
"I...I'm not sure. I mean, yeah, the ponies of equestria are going to know either way about our relationship. But how exactly they react to it depends on how it's put out there. If someone were to just blurt out that I'm dating somepony, then my audience will believe that I was keeping secrets. And they'll keep pestering me about it. But if we were to tell them, we have to be sweet about it. Happy."
Buff shrugged and nodded. Then asked, "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
"Easy." Rainbow stood up and turned into Pencil Sketch. "I walk outside that front door, 'check my mail', then wait for one of the newsponies outside to come over and ask me a question. They—for some odd reason—never leave my property. They'll ask me about my next painting, my new studios popping up over Equestria, and I'll respond with, 'I cannot answer your questions right now. I am too busy going on a date.' Boom. I just lit a bomb, and it blew the minds of all the ponies in equestria. And with these 'televisions' coming out soon now I will not be surprised to see my face on some of the screens."
"Televisions?" Buff asked confusedly as they walked out the door of the library and made their way to the foyer. "What the hay is a television?"
"It's a device that will be used to have everyone connected. It will display many things. It hasn't launched yet, but I get a lot of insight into what it does. It is very complicated and runs on magic. Do not ask." Buff nodded before she made her way to the door,confusing him for a moment.
"Wait, you're going out there right now?!" He asked worriedly. He started doing a little dance with his hooves, obviously nervous. "I-I'm not ready! Y-You can't put me on the spot like that!"
"Buff, I am not putting you on the spot," Pencil reassured blandly. "I am going into a nearby shadow to put on my dress. We are going on a date tonight. Here. My treat. I am cooking. You are going to see what I can do."
Buff stopped jumping and took a deep breath. "Phew, good."
"But before that, I am going outside to meet with the news and tell them that there are more paintings and that I cannot answer anymore questions because I am going on a date tonight. Bye!" Pencil ducked into a shadow before Buff started dancing and muttering again. Once she was dressed, Pencil teleported down and opened her door to walk towards the gates, where her mailbox was standing. Below it though was a cardboard box that had more than likely one hundred letters in it. And Just like she suspected there were, there were paparazzi and newsponies there doing reports and recordings of her home. Wishing to see the inside of it. Unfortunately it wouldn't be open for business until Sketch It All! Studios was complete and had a board. As well as approved by the Education Board as a funded school. Which depending on the mail she has been getting will be. The second somepony spotted her, the crowd went crazy once again, shouting her name to get her attention and taking plenty of picture. She had a small smirk on her face the whole time as she went out there in her elegant black dress with a gold hem and neckline. The gate was unlocked before she stepped out into the mess of reporters.
"How long will it take for a new painting?"
"When will Sketch It All! Studios be opened?"
"What's your next step for revolutionizing Equestria?"
"Do you have any direct role in the Sketch Movement?"
Pencil sighed and used her wing to scoop the box onto her back. Then straightened up to give the press her face, adorned with a happy smile that they immediately blinded her with flashes for. "I am sorry but I cannot answer any of your questions now. I...have a date to go on." They all gasped and asked even more questions, practically drenching her cameras before she trotted back behind the gate and towards her front door. Then walked inside, leaving the ponies there with a story to share across the nation.
"Annnnd...the bomb is dropped!" Pencil exclaimed as she lowered the box down onto her marble floor. "I give it two hours until the ponies of Equestria get word of it all." Buff groaned from the kitchen, catching her worried attention. "Buffy? What's wrong?" She teleported inside and saw him lying over two of her stools on his back. "What's wrong? Where are you hurting? Can I—EEP!" Buff reached up and grabbed her in his hooves, holding her close so that she was laying down on his chest. "You. Tricked. Me."
Buff chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head. "That I did. I've never seen you so worried. Or full of energy like this before. What's got you so excited?"
Pencil sighed and rolled her eyes. "You take this one, Rainbow." She changed back into Rainbow Dash who started giggling and rubbing his chest like a school filly. Buff looked at her with a knowing smirk before she froze in realization at what she was doing then moved her hooves. "Oh, uh...sorry. It's just...my dream's...come true. When we landed in the backyard earlier I looked around the property. My property. It's huge. I have a mansion with a pool that could hold so many ponies, it's ridiculous. An eight bedroom and sixty five room mansion. That has marble floors, an insanely large master bedroom with a large closet, dresser....basically everything a Princess of Equestria would want when starting off. And I'm glad I got through everything I went through to get here."
Buff smiled and hugged her tighter. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. "I guess that is something to be happy about. And I never would have met you. I would still be alone in my house. Hey. Wanna come over this weekend? I have something small you could sleep in, Ms. Big Life."
Rainbow laughed and looked around. "Well I have to check my schedule first before I go and make that decision. I know tomorrow I have to go to the Crystal Empire. Then I have to speak with Celestia about an important matter that she was really vague on. So I'm going over to the Canterlot Castle to see what's up. Then after that, I'm...free. Unless something else comes up. We could always take a night stroll."
Buff nodded slowly. "I'd love that, Rainbow dash." Then the two shared another loving kiss, completely forgetting about everything that was going on with the papers outside. By this point a few cities of Equestria know about Pencil Sketch's relationship rumor. Which has yet to be confirmed.
When Pencil said the news about her love life would hit hard, she was not joking. Immediately after she walked back into her mansion, the reporters immediately flew, ran, or took a ride back to their news stations, tabloids, and more to tell them what she said. Taking everyone in the building off guard. Within a few hours, newspapers were flung out onto the front steps of every citizen in Equestria, including the Princesses who were surprised to say the least.
The next morning Princess Luna was finishing a cup of coffee with a newspaper hovering in front of her, blocking most of her top half off from view and reading the article of the gossip surrounding the celebrity with Celestia right next to her in the same position. The two sighed in relief and lowered down their mugs of coffee. After a while, Celestia closed the paper, turned to Luna, and commented, "Well...that is surprising."
"Some stallion has swooned Rainbow's heart," Luna agreed. She folded up her paper and turned to face her sister. "I am not one for gossip, but I cannot say that I am not interested in finding out who her suitor is."
"Neither can I," Celestia admitted. She lifted up her coffee and took another sip before adding with a relieved sigh, "I am meeting with her later today to talk about these Therohs and the persistent use of Dark Magic to take down whoever this being is. If they are as powerful as she believes they are, we may have to enlist her help in this even more than just standard advice and intelligence. Her magic is powerful and could be used to help combat this enemy."
"All you have to do is get her to put on the Element of Loyalty," Luna replied blandly. "Which is highly unlikely."
"Yes. Hopefully, the others have an idea. Twilight is a good example. She is smart, she can figure it out."
Twilight threw up the newspaper into the air, sending the paper flying and floating back down to litter the library floor. Spike sighed and tossed his comic to the side to start picking them up reluctantly. Twilight was staring out the window with a look of shock on her face. "Rainbow has a boyfriend?!" She shouted before placing her hooves over her mouth and using her magic to close the curtain before anypony could see her. Then took a deep breath and made her way into the kitchen before the front door opened to let in Rarity and Applejack.
"I told ya'!" Applejack yelled as she walked inside with Rarity. "I told you Pencil was giving that stallion some strange looks." Rarity shut the door back before Applejack lowered her voice. "I never thought Rainbow Dash would be love stricken."
"Now now, dear," Rarity interrupted. The two sat down in the library while Twilight made two more cups of coffee in the kitchen. "Love may be a little far fetched. She probably just likes him. The excerpt said, 'She was going on a date.' That doesn't mean she precisely loves this stallion, or mare, whoever it may be."
Twilight walked back into the library and handed them their cups of coffee. Then said, "I don't think Rainbow likes mares, Rarity. I think it's a stallion. Have you told her, Applejack?"
Applejack took a sip of the coffee. Then set down the cup to say, "Yep! Rarity is down for the plan. But I don't know when she can go over. All of this Pencil Sketch is dating business is interferin'. There's no tellin' when she could catch her."
"Well why not catch her at the opening of the studios?" Twilight suggested while she sat down with them. Rarity pulled out a newspaper that had Pencil's face on the front with a headline 'Date For Painter?!' "That's technically the best time to catch her in the coming months."
"Yep, but you're forgetting' this Theroh business too. We need Rainbow to help us defeat them, because I know for a fact that you're not to keen on using Dark Magic. Nor any other Unicorn in Ponyville. Let alone the Princesses. Isn't she supposed to be meeting up in the Crystal Empire today to check on her studios?"
"Along with a secret meeting with Celestia," Twilight added. "Yeah. You could try to catch her there if you want to. But since that's a secret meeting, I don't think it'd be wise." She put the cup to her lips before she instantly lowered it with a grin. "Hey...I just had a thought." The two looked up at her from the newspaper. "Scootaloo."
"What about her?" Rarity asked.
"We could always use Scootaloo to help us grab Pencil—"
"No, no, no," Applejack shot down. "Scootaloo has enough problems, I'm sure. Even if she is a foal. Besides, this is our thing. It'd be pretty lousy of us to use a cute foal to get to Rainbow."
Twilight sighed and nodded. "Yeah, you're right." Twilight took another sip before asking, "Do any of you girls know where Scootaloo actually lives?"
Applejack nodded and said, "Yeah. She lives...in....she lives at the uhhh....hmmm....well I reckon I don't. Rarity?"
The fashionista shook her head. "No. I have never seen her walk into another home and stay overnight daily besides at my place whenever Sweetie Belle holds a sleepover. That's about as much as I've seen her besides running around and causing trouble. Why do you ask?"
Twilight shook her head and said, "No reason really. I just find it really odd that I've seen and know where everypony in Ponyville lives, except for Scootaloo. It worries me a little."
"Hmmm," the other two murmured.
***
Pencil Sketch opened the door to her bathroom and stepped out with a towel wrapped around her head after taking a most magnificent bath. She sighed and enjoyed the cold feeling of the air hitting her fur, ruffling her feathers. "Hey, Rainbow!!" Her eyes popped open and she jumped from the little filly that was smiling up at her. Flapping her wings, Pencil looked around, then noticed Scootaloo grinning up at her from the marble floor. She was wearing her necklace that Rainbow had given her, pretty much reaching down to her hooves.
"Uhhh...Rainbow, you take this one." Pencil morphed back into Rainbow Dash, who was sporting a confused look. "Uhhh...hey, Scoots. What are you doing here and how did you get in?"
Buff walked into view wearing his suit of armor and answered, "She was laying down at the gates. And since it was a hot day, I decided to let her in. I think she was waiting."
"Oh." Rainbow blinked at Buff then looked back down at the foal. "Well...now you know where my bathroom is. We're about to head out in a little while though to the Crystal Empire. Did you steal another train ride here again?" Scootaloo glanced another way. "I'll take that as a yes. So...why were you waiting at the gates for me?" Rainbow walked out the bathroom doorway and made her way to the foyer to get to her room with Scootaloo on her trail, leaving Buff to do whatever.
"Well, I uhh...I-I just wanted to see if you were okay," Scootaloo lied.
"Try again, Scoots. What do you really want? I was in the shower, so I couldn't really sense your presence or reason." Rainbow trotted up the stairs while Scootaloo hopped up them, trying to keep up.
"Well, I uhhh....I just wanted to spend some time with you really. I'm not really doing anything in Ponyville." Rainbow stopped at a step then looked down at Scootaloo in surprise. And worry. Scootaloo's never left Ponyville on her own before all of this and now she's practically following her all over Equestria. Rainbow didn't believe Scootaloo just came up to Manehattan to spend time with her either. That's a long ride. There's something else going on here. But she decided to play along.
"Well...alright. As long as your parents say it's okay." Rainbow continued her way back up the stairs.
"Oh, yeah. They're cool with it," Scootaloo lied again.
"Okay. Well do you want to head to the Crystal Empire with me?" Rainbow asked as they walked down another hallway, then into her large bedroom. "I have to check on the progress of my studios there. Then you can tell me the real reason you've decided to show up on my doorstep at eight in the morning. Okay?"
"Yeah, sure!" Scootaloo responded eagerly as she looked around the grand bedroom and the large pictures lining the walls "Whoa! This is all yours?!" She asked in disbelief.
"Yep," Rainbow responded before she changed back to Pencil Sketch. "Everything in here is what determination and goals can give you. As well as knowledge." Pencil Sketch walked over to her canvas to paste her cutie marks, then walked over to her closet to get ready. Grabbing a white dress and her golden hoof shoes, she tossed them on the bed along with a necklace that Golden Carat had made for her that cost five thousand bits. She placed the golden and diamond flooded pendant around her neck that was shaped like a paintbrush. The bristles were covered in red, green and yellow diamonds while the rest of it was gold and silver. "Golden Carat is going to end up as rich as I in a few months if she keeps up the good work," Pencil muttered to herself as she put on the dress and hoof shoes. "I need to go in my vault and get some more bits for you to ride the train with muah."
"Okay!" Scootaloo cheered as they walked out the room and back downstairs. Buff was standing at the door waiting for them with a pair of saddlebags on his back after Pencil returned with three small bags of bits on her left wing.
"What you got there Buff?" Pencil asked as they made their way towards the door. Buff reached into the bag and pulled a small gray ball as she placed the bits into one pocket of his bag.
"Smoke bombs. In case somepony gets on your nerves and gets out of control. There are plenty in here. You're going to completely uncharted territory with crystal ponies. Not to mention the Royalty there already know who you really are." Pencil flared open one of her wings and scooped Scootaloo on her back so she could relax.
"Eh, I suppose that's okay. Just don't go tossing them out of the chariot waiting for us at the station in the Crystal Empire like fireworks." Scootaloo laughed before Buff opened the door.
"Yes, Ms. Sketch," he responded with a wink. Pencil rolled her eyes playfully before the group stepped outside into the sunny air and cool breeze. Once again, there was a horde of press at the gates, although the Manehattan Police were standing by to keep them back so she could safely make her way to the long chariot in the street. "I was also informed that there were going to be guards with you in the Empire," Buff added.
Pencil looked towards him in confusion once they stopped at the gates, ignoring the flashes of cameras hitting her, him, and Scootaloo, who was trying to avoid being seen. Because now they were looking at her too. Maybe today might've not been a good idea to talk to Rainbow about what was going on. Buff leaned in and whispered into Sketch's ear, "The origins of the Sketch Movement came from a pony there in the Crystal Empire who saw your works. So the Sketch Movement is deep there."
"Ohhh, okay," Pencil responded. She nodded her head while Buff opened the gates. The press immediately bombarded her with questions.
"Are the rumors true about you having a love life?!"
"Are we ever going to learn about your cutie mark?"
"Is there another painting on the way?!"
"When will the studios open?"
"Who is the pony you're dating?!"
"Is there any indication of..." The list went on and on. The three ponies calmly made their way to the chariot. Along the way, Pencil answered a few of the questions while the police escorted them. One of them opened the door to it and put some steps down so they could easily climb inside. Pencil lowered herself to allow Scootaloo to get off. Once on the ground, Scootaloo walked forward and climbed up the steps ahead of Buff and Pencil to get in first. Afterwards, Pencil, then Buff. Once situated the police shut the door. The inside of the chariot was lavish. It wasn't open roof, it was like a long luxurious chariot that had wine, carpeted floors, and lights on the ceiling. As well as couches that Scootaloo was currently laying back on, sighing in pleasure. Pencil chuckled and said while taking a seat, "Glad you like it, Scootaloo. Now, can you tell me the real reason why you decided to leave Ponyville today to come and see me? It must have been very important." Scootaloo's eyes popped open, then she sat up and started fiddling with her hooves, avoiding the worried eyes of Pencil. And unknowingly Rainbow.
"Well umm.....I-It's pretty hard to explain," she muttered while looking at the floor. "It's important but...umm..." Pencil and Buff shared a look.
"Have you told your parents about whatever's on your mind?" Pencil asked.
"Ummm....w-well that's what it's about," Scootaloo clarified. "You see...I don't actually....umm...I don't really have any...."
Pencil and Buff shared a surprised look before Pencil asked, "You don't have any parents?"
"Yeah, I...came to you to tell you...that a bunch of foals in Ponyville don't have any parents."
"What?!"
The limo-Chariot turned onto another street and continued it's ride towards the left side of the city. Rainbow Dash decided to come back out and give Scootaloo an incredulous stare? "W-What do you mean you don't have any parents? Aren't your parents out of town? You showed me photographs of your parents before, remember?"
"Those weren't my parents, those were sample photos I got from a store that was selling picture frames," Scootaloo quickly admitted. Rainbow Dash blinked but then took a huge sigh and rubbed her face with a cyan hoof. "I'm sorry Rainbow," Scootaloo cried. "I didn't mean to make you upset." Rainbow Dash quickly got up and made her way over to take a seat beside Scootaloo and pull her into a hug.
"It's okay," she cooed, drying her eyes with a hoof. "Do you know where your parents are?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "It doesn't matter now. The last time I saw them were years ago, maybe five. I was three at the time. I remember us walking through the woods, Whitetail. And we somehow got separated. I remember mom telling me that if I got lost to stay in one place and wait for help. So I did. Well help never came. And neither did my parents. So I left and went back home, hoping that they'd return. I waited a few hours after that but no ever came to the house. I started getting really scared and decided to search the woods. I know it was really dangerous, but I didn't know what else to do. So while I was searching I ran into a few more foals who were in the woods doing the same thing I was. Searching for my parents."
"Wait, there were more?" Rainbow asked.
Scootaloo nodded and said, "Uh huh. Some of them actually go to school with me. So the six of us decided to search together. Well we never found anypony. Except...." She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "We found...them."
Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "Found what, Scootaloo?" she whispered.
Scootaloo looked up into her eyes and said, "Those black creatures that attacked Ponyville. There was a crowd of them sleeping in Whitetail years ago. They weren't doing anything, just sleeping. But one of the fillies who were looking for their parents had noticed one of them in the back eating something. It was crunching and munching. Well it turned around and we all screamed and ran away crying. Those things had somehow grabbed our parents, and....and they were—"
"You don't have to say anymore, Scoots," Rainbow interrupted as she pulled the crying filly into a hug. She bawled into her chest while Rainbow and Buff shared a look. Those things had been around years ago and nopony had noticed. After a few minutes of silence, the chariot pulled up to the station to let the group off. Scootaloo pulled back from her chest and Rainbow grabbed a napkin from the wine bar to wipe her eyes. She wasn't going to ask why she didn't tell anypony yet, but she had a feeling she would in a few minutes. "I'm going to ask you a few more things when we get on the train okay?"
Scootaloo nodded before Buff opened the door. He stepped out first to prepare the steps for them, as well as keeping a firm eye out at the line of cameras in front of the door waiting for them, in case of any trouble. Scootaloo trotted out first with a fake smile. The newsponies started snapping away at her since they've never seen her around before Pencil stepped out next. The line of ponies started cheering for her as she waved and smiled at them. Buff was putting the steps back into the chariot, then closed the door before he escorted them with the Manehattan police towards the station deck of the Friendship Express that had attached a first class car on the back in front of the caboose.
As they moved, the security radius moved with them, meaning the press followed along. As they walked underneath the shed, most of the ponies who were waiting for their own ride moved to the side to allow them through. Pencil flared a wing out and scooped Scootaloo up again onto her back. "Okay, Scootaloo," she whispered so she could hear her. "Why are you now just telling me this? What else happened in those woods?"
"Can I tell you when we're on the train?" Scootaloo asked pitifully.
"Of course you can," Pencil replied. They approached the station window and Pencil gave them some more bits for an unexpected rider. It was a high seven hundred fifty bits that Pencil paid right out of her pocket on the spot. The conductor waved to her as the three ponies stepped onto the luxurious first class cabin with her in it. Then politely shut the door with them in the cabin. Pencil sat down on one of the long couches while Scootaloo sat next to her. Buff decided to sit on the other side of her, giving the filly a feeling of security.
"Okay," Pencil said once the train whistle blew. "What else happened?"
"Well...," Scootaloo stuttered. "Of course w-we all went back to Ponyville and started yelling that there was something in the woods. But...that was where the weird stuff started happening. We walked into the town and started screaming for help. But...it was like nopony noticed us. We even poked a pony's leg, but they didn't even react. It was like we were never there. Like we didn't exist. We all decided to head back home, but that's when things got really strange. Our homes...they were all gone."
"...what do you mean?" Buff asked, not even sure if he wanted to find out. He and Pencil shared a worried glance as the train began to move along.
"What I mean is...our homes were no longer there. It was like they never existed. Like somepony came in, moved our houses, planted grass and flowers on the land our homes were previously set on, and nopony noticed. All. Of our homes. Were gone. And everything else with it."
"Hmmmm..." Rainbow hummed.
"And apparently we didn't exist," she continued. "We all went to school and sat in class, trying to participate but the teacher never noticed us. Nor did any of the students. We only saw each other. So we stuck together. No homes anywhere, and no bits to do anything. We all just started stealing food and items. Then just lived together in the forgotten areas of the Whitetail Woods. It wasn't until four months later that ponies began to notice us. That we existed. So we decide to tell them what happened. Well that's when things got worse. We told some of the ponies what happened in Whitetail months ago. Well, they said those ponies weren't in their records. That they never existed and that they couldn't remember them around Ponyville. They even said that we weren't even in their records. That we never existed. Well, all of us quickly ran out and took shelter back in the woods. Over the years, a few more fillies and colts experienced the same thing. So now there are over twenty of us staying in Whitetail Woods without parents, records, or anything else. The only reason I'm telling you this now is because you fought all those things in ponyville. So you actually know what they are."
"Wait, you were living with them?" Buff asked.
Scootaloo shook her head and answered, "No, we lived on a much farther side of Whitetail. The one where we do the running of the leaves. The monsters were much closer to Ponyville. Near Everfree."
"Okay. Well how many Therohs are there now?" Pencil asked.
"Well they all left now," Scootaloo explained. "Ever since you fought them, they just decided to leave."
"Are the foals still there?" Scootaloo nodded. "How many, do you know?"
"Yeah. There's twenty six. Some of them live in Ponyville and do nothing except hang out with friends and go to school. We decided to form a sort of community in the woods in an area where no one else goes and live there. We can't really go anywhere else, so we decided to just live on our own. We needed a leader for the community, so everyone decided it be me because I was the one who came up with the ideas to help us survive the winter and heat by sticking together. In the day, we're in ponyville to help the community. Then at night we return to the woods to give each other what we found. Dad taught me a few things before he and mom disappeared. We stole food, clothing, and other things to keep us living. I just happened to come across a scooter and used it to get back and forth for longer distances. Then a wagon. Later on, I met Sweetie Belle and we became friends. I didn't tell anypony about what was going on because we didn't know what would happen to us. We all got close and depended on each other, and we didn't want to be split up and sent to different places in Equestria."
Rainbow sighed and stood up to pace the cabin with a lot on her mind. Scootaloo and Buff eyed her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. After awhile she sighed and turned back to Scootaloo. "Scoots, we have to tell somepony about this. Mainly because now I know, and that this is obviously all tied in with what happened in Ponyville. There could be more ponies in trouble all over from whoever this thing is making Therohs run rampant all over Equestria. From what you've told me there could be a lot more of them all over Equestria. Which means this is much bigger than Ponyville, Appleloosa, and Dodge Junction. I have to inform the Princesses about this, no matter how much I don't want to. They'll tell Twilight, then they'll start asking you things. Are you still the leader of the community in the woods?" Scootaloo nodded. "Okay, well we'll have to put the foals somewhere. I think Princess Cadance will be at the tour today. Her and Shining Armor, both of which I am absolutely sure are dying to ask me some questions. Just hang on Scootaloo. In the meantime, you'll be living with somepony else I can find. Or even me."
After that, Scootaloo decided to go to sleep while Pencil looked out the window of the car at the snowy landscape. After an hour and some minutes, the train whistle blew, waking Scootaloo from her nap underneath Pencil Sketch's wing. Pencil herself was looking out the window as the train pulled out of the surrounding snow storm and into the sunny and bright land of the Crystal Empire, its Crystal buildings igniting the land and giving it a glow she'd never get enough of each time she saw it. "We're here," Buff announced in the most boring voice he could manage. Pencil smirked at him while he continued giving the worst tour he's ever done. Raising a hoof he said slowly, "If you look to the left, you'll see...grass." Scootaloo shared a confused look with Pencil, who was smirking and trying not to laugh. "If you look to the right, you'll see... Crystals. And if you look straight ahead, you'll see—" Buff stepped to the side. "—the black wall on the inside of this car."
Scootaloo shook her head and commented, "I don't think I like this tour."
"If you look to your right again," Buff continued. He walked over and pointed at one of the buildings. "You can see a crystal structure. Now if you look really closely, you'll see something amazing."
Scootaloo peered out and squinted her eyes. "Like what?"
"...a bug." Scootaloo sighed. "A bug that has landed on one of the crystal ponies and made them look really funny because...they just can't get it off. Tour's finished, now pay me."
Pencil Snorted and said, "That was the worst tour I have ever taken whenever I come here."
"Mr. Tour Guide sir?" Scootaloo called, getting his attention. "I want my money back."
"Take it up with Corporate, I'm on break." Buff held his head up high and flopped down on his back on top of one of the couches. Scootaloo and Pencil laughed before the train whistle blew again. Then slowed down to a complete stop. Scootaloo looked over the top of one of the couches through the window at the mass of ponies taking photographs of the train, particularly the long black car in the back. The Royal Guard was standing there on the platform with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, along with another crystal pony. Scootaloo gasped when she saw them.
"WHOA!" She yelled when the train stopped. "They're so shiny!"
Pencil Sketch walked over and peered out with her. "Yes. This happens to the ponies that inhabit the Crystal Empire. I believe she is the one I am meeting with and has been overseeing the construction of my studios. Light Diamonds." Buff walked over to the door and looked to Pencil for confirmation. She nodded her head and he pulled the door wide open. Then stepped out amongst all the screaming and cheering outside. He stood beside the door while Pencil gestured for Scootaloo to get on her back so she could keep an eye on her. Doing as asked, she settled down and Pencil took a deep breath. Then made her way towards the steps.
She calmly stepped onto a step and then into view. Everyone covered their sensitive ears from the screaming the Crystal Ponies were doing when they saw her. Pencil grinned and waved to them while the Royal Guard directed her, Buff, and Scootaloo towards the Royalty of the Empire. Cadance and Shining Armor looked up confusedly at Scootaloo who was hiding underneath the end of Pencil's mane, but didn't question it. Pencil stopped and reached out with a hoof to shake theirs. "Hello, Cadance," she greeted. "Just the pony I need to talk to. And the Captain of the Royal Guard makes it all the better."
Shining Armor cleared his throat and said, "Hello...Pencil Sketch." Scootaloo squinted her eyes at them. Did they know too? "We're all excited to have you tour the Crystal Empire today. Most of the ponies here believe that you came here to help the Sketch Movement and possibly get a view of the empire so you could possibly paint it."
"I more than likely will," she responded before turning to the crystal pony. "Light Diamonds?"
"Yes, ma'am," she responded. Light Diamonds was a crystal pony pegasus mare with a light blue coat and light green mane, along with a pair of light blue eyes. "It's great to meet you and your entourage." The two shook hooves while Pencil introduced her group.
"Yes. This is Buff Battalion, and Scootaloo who I am watching over at this time. I hope it's alright that she joins."
"That is absolutely fine, Madam Sketch. You're running this show. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes." After that the Royal Guard escorted the group of Royalty, painter, and tagalongs towards the entrance of the Train Station, where they were going to take a long chariot into the city. While they were walking Pencil raised a wing towards Buff, getting his attention. "Scootaloo, hop on Buff for a moment."
"But he's like the worse tour guide," Scootaloo added while she did. Buff grunted while she got comfortable, and Pencil chuckled, catching the royals off guard. Pencil had a sense of humor? After a while, they made it to the long golden chariot hooked up to a few royal guards. There was also a bunch more spectators watching them on the sidewalk.
"Princess Cadance," Pencil whispered inconspicuously as she waved. Princess Cadance was about to move her head, but found that she couldn't. Something was stopping her. At that moment, she was about to panic. "Calm down, Princess. I just need you to be inconspicuous during this conversation. It's very important and involves the Therohs." Pencil lifted the spell as the group got into the back of the chariot behind Buff and Scootaloo, who were behind the construction worker at the very front. Pencil sat in between Cadance and Shining Armor, the former a little irked that her face was somehow grabbed.
"What are you talking about?" Cadance asked, getting Shining Armor's attention. He looked over, then down at Pencil Sketch, who was waving her hoof at the crowd before they began to move.
"Both of you, smile and wave," she instructed. "No one must know about this just yet." Cadance and Shining Armor glanced at each other, but did as asked. Soon the chariot started moving with them still smiling and waving to the ponies. A few minutes later, they got into the city. And Pencil began to tell what she knows. "This is very important information that I tell you with a heavy heart."
"What do you mean, Rainbow?" Cadance asked while winking at another pony on the street.
"It revolves around a certain event that happened in Ponyville, Dodge Junction, and Appleloosa. Ring any bells?" The two Royals gasped a little and turned to her. "Look away and keep waving." They did as asked before they stopped at a street to let the guard on the path direct a few ponies out of the way.
"Are you talking about the Therohs?" Cadance whispered.
Pencil nodded slowly and pointed at a pony to make it seem like she was really paying attention to them. "Yes, I am," she responded. "We're too late."
"What do you mean 'we're too late'?" Shining asked while saluting to another pair of guards in the street.
"The Therohs have not vanished. And I bet you two hundred thousand bits that there are a few here in the Crystal Empire." Cadance's heart nearly stopped. "This morning, Scootaloo arrived at my mansion in Manehattan to tell me something I believe has been bothering her for quite some time. She is an orphan."
"Oh no," Cadance responded sadly while continuing to respond and wave. "What happened?"
"Therohs happened." Cadance stopped mid wave before a flick of Pencil's wing got her moving again. "Apparently years ago, a squad of Therohs appeared in the midst of the Whitetail Woods, snatched Scootaloo's parents without her realizing it, then ate them." Cadance was trying her hardest not to flip out. Shining Armor no better. "I later learned that she was not the only one that had this happen to them. As of this morning, Scootaloo informed me that there are twenty six foals living on their own in the Whitetail Woods—just listen, Cadance!" Cadance dropped her look of horror then turned back to the crowd with a smile and continued to wave. Soon the chariot stopped in front of the crystalized studio that was similar to the one in Ponyville. It was just made out of crystals. The Royal Guard escorting them opened the doors to the chariot to allow them to step out and wave some more to the citizens screaming Pencil's name. Bending low, Pencil allowed Scootaloo to get on her back and get comfortable before standing and raising again. "Tell them what you know, Scootaloo. Secretly. Get on Cadance's back." Pencil lifted a wing to allow her to get on the Princess' back while Pencil walked down the sidewalk to speak to a few ponies involved in the Sketch Movement.
"What the hay is going on, Scootaloo?" Cadance whispered while watching Pencil with a smile.
Scootaloo cleared her throat while Shining Armor leaned over to listen. "I've been living in Whitetail with twenty five more foals. All of our parents were....they're gone," Scootaloo whispered on the verge of tears. "We've just been living in the woods because somepony somehow made all the ponies in Ponyville not even see us. We would go to them and try to get their attention, but it would never work. Until four months later where I actually waved to a pony to test it and they waved back. I did it to another and they did the same. Even asked me a question. 'How are you?' I went into the forest and got the other five foals with me at the time and we went to the guard office there to tell what happened. Well they looked up our parents and they couldn't find anything. They couldn't even find...us." Cadance gasped slightly before turning to her husband.
"Go and see if you can find Scootaloo in the records of Equestria," she instructed. "I'll try and get more information before we send a letter to Celestia. What else do you know Scootaloo?"
After the tour in the Crystal Empire ended and Pencil, Scootaloo, and Buff left, Celestia was busy talking to another diplomat about something important when a purple scroll flowed in through the window and landed on the carpet in front of her. She held up her hoof for a moment to pause the diplomat and pick up the scroll. "Hmm. Cadance," she muttered to herself. Unrolling it she read it to herself, eyes widening at what she read. "GUARD!!" She yelled, getting the attention of the ponies outside. One guard ran in quickly and bowed to her.
"Yes, Princess?"
"Get a whole team of guards into Ponyville right now!! Along with blankets, food, water, the works!! Get all of it and tell them to search the end of the Whitetail Woods! Go!" The guard saluted and quickly ran out of the throne room. Celestia looked down towards the Diplomat and gave him a sad look. "I am sorry, an Equestrian emergency just came up." Before he could respond, Celestia teleported away.
The breeze blew the feathers of a pegasi guard captain as he landed ahead of the Canterlot Guard approaching Ponyville inside the square. He ran towards the Ponyville depot where all the guard was situated and yelled, "SALUTE!!" The guard immediately rose up and saluted when they recognized the ranking on his uniform, catching the attention of a few ponies walking nearby. "I need fifty of you scowering Whitetail immediately!! Another fifty here setting up relief efforts! Water, food, anything you can find!! You are looking for a minimum of twenty five foals!! Go, go, go!!" They all saluted and quickly left the base. Some took to the air, another few stayed on the ground. Rarity happened to be walking by and immediately zoomed to Twilight's, who was in a deep conversation with Clear Skies and Sunshower. They were sitting in the kitchen, Twilight once again drinking coffee because of all the sleepless nights she's been enduring because of Rainbow's disappearance.
"So...our best bet is to use Rarity to reach her," she finished with a yawn. "She's the only one out of all of us that has been fortunate enough to actually get Rainbow to smile when she sees us."
"That's because she showed that she cared," Clear clarified like it was so obvious. "Twilight, the best thing for you to do is actually empathize with her. Because you obviously don't know what it's like to be bullied and degraded, pushed to the point of no return, and then lied to directly behind it."
Sunshower nodded in agreement. "Rainbow is really upset with you guys, and I don't think she'd be willing to just let all of this go in a second, just like that. Maybe in a year and some, or if the situation calls for a forceful bonding. But now, no."
"Well we don't have time for a year," Twilight responded desperately. "Whatever attacked Ponyville can come back and we need Rainbow Dash with us to be able to take it out." The front door of the library thrust open before she could respond.
"Twilight!" Rarity yelled desperately as she ran into the kitchen. "Do you know what's happening?!"
"Uhhh....no," Twilight responded before looking out the kitchen window. A bunch of Royal Guards were running around carrying things on their backs, in carts, and more. Then running off towards the woods. "What's going on? Why is the Royal Guard here?"
"Because Therohs have attacked." They all turned around when Rainbow walked into the kitchen after teleporting there with Scootaloo and Buff when the tour was over. Rainbow was wearing the expensive necklace around her neck, which glistened from the rays of the evening sun. Sunshower stared at her in surprise when she stopped right beside her chair and looked out the window with Scootaloo on her back. She looked over and looked Sunshower in the eyes. "Hello, Sunshower. How are you?"
"Uhh...f-fine," she stuttered. "I-It's good to see you. Alive."
Rainbow nodded to her before staring out the window again. She raised a hoof and pointed it towards the Whitetail Woods in the distance. "Ms. Sparkle," She said quietly while keeping her eyes on the woods, getting her attention. "Do you keep a census of every pony in Ponyville in this library?"
"Er...y-yeah?" Twilight asked in uncertainty.
"I need you to look up Scootaloo right now." Twilight shrugged and made her way to the library with the others right behind her. Right when she grabbed the census, the door quickly flew open, surprising her again.
"Twilight, do you...oh," Applejack said once she spotted Rainbow Dash standing there looking at her. The painter groaned and made a motion with a black hoof. Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy were immediately pushed into the library and the door was closed quickly.
"Didn't somepony ever teach you to never leave the door open?" "Rainbow scolded before turning to Twilight. "Look for her name." Twilight dropped the book on the table and quickly flipped it open while the others gathered around, trying to figure out what was going on. Fluttershy was keeping an eye on her friend in the past, tears threatening to spill just because she was around.
After a few seconds, Twilight got a look of bewilderment on her face. "No, that can't be right. Let me search again."
"Don't bother," Rainbow responded before turning to Scootaloo. "Who else?"
"Button Mash," she responded. Rainbow turned back to Twilight and nodded. She turned to the Bs and started searching. A few seconds later, she started to get desperate.
"He's not in here either!!" She yelled.
"Try Z-Zipporwhill," Scootaloo stuttered. Rainbow reached over and calmly pulled Scootaloo into a side hug. Twilight anxiously flipped through the census a few more times.
"Why can't I find any of those fillies in here?!" Twilight yelled in desperation. "I said hello to them plenty of times, they should be in here!! One of them is right there, yet she's not even in here!! The Equestrian Census has always been thorough!! I don't understand!!" Rainbow reached forward and slammed the book shut, getting all of their attention.
"That's because the enemy has been in Equestria," she said. "A pony with Dark Magic has been using it for their own greedy deeds. And have been commanding the Therohs before we noticed they even attacked Equestria recently. We are far too late."
"Wait, what?" Sunshower asked in confusion. "What the heck is a Theroh?"
Rainbow turned to her and answered, "A Theroh is one of the creatures that attacked Ponyville, Appleloosa, and Dodge Junction. And that was not the first time." Rainbow turned around and told the tale. "This morning, Scootaloo arrived on my doorstep and told me something that she has been holding inside for years. Those Therohs have actually been living in Equestria for years. And have actually been eating ponies that are not in this census."
"WHAT?!!" They all yelled.
"Those ponies and their families have been erased from the minds of almost all the ponies in Equestria in an advanced spell that even I don't know. But am quite eager to learn about." She turned to Scootaloo and asked calmly, "Do you remember your parents' names?"
Scootaloo shook her head and added, "And no one else in the community does either. It happened when we were very young and didn't even learn their names. Just 'mom' and 'dad'."
Rainbow nodded and turned to Twilight. "Those ponies happened to all be near Whitetail at the time and have made possibly fifty foals orphans. Because they ate their parents. Scootaloo's included. And nopony remembers them because they have been erased from existence. There could also be more ponies there that do not have foals that no pony even remembers. Which leads me to believe all of this is so much bigger than what I thought before. There is possibly a group of ponies in Equestria that hold enough power to actually be seated in Equestrian government and remove ponies from the Equestrian Census, and a possible group of mages that command Therohs to attack towns. Equestria has been taken over. And we didn't even realize it."
Celestia landed outside the Golden Oak library by chariot with even more guards and Luna, who was sitting beside her. Once they rolled to a stop, the Princesses hopped out and quickly headed towards the door, leaving the guards to assist. Celestia pushed open the door and strode inside quickly. "Twilight," she called sternly, trying to get the frantic unicorn that was furiously writing a scroll to focus.
Twilight dropped her quill and looked up in surprise. "Celestia! I was just about to send you a letter!"
Celestia took a seat at the opposite end of the table with the other Elements, save for one, with Luna. "I need the Census of—"
"Don't bother," Twilight interrupted. Celestia gave her a confused stare while she continued. "I've checked the Census three times for those foals. None of them are in there."
Luna leaned in and asked, "How do you know the name of the foals?" The Elements blinked and slowly turned towards the chest by the door holding the Elements of Harmony. The Princesses followed their gaze and nearly had a heart attack. Rainbow Dash was sitting there watching them intensely with Scootaloo between her legs eating something. Buff was standing to the side doing something to his wings.
"Oh, uh...Hello, Rainbow Dash," Luna greeted nervously. "W-What brings you here?"
"Scootaloo was one of the foals from the community," she answered. Scootaloo started coughing for a moment before she continued devouring her apples. Rainbow looked down and said with a smile, "Eat slowly. I know you're hungry but that's no reason to choke."
Scootaloo buzzed her wings in acknowledgement while she continued eating. Rainbow ruffled her mane then put her glare back on towards the Princesses. "You have a total of twenty-six foals here alone. Even more all over Equestria."
"So you know what is happening?" Luna asked.
"Equestria has been taken over by the being, possibly a pony," she replied. "And are using an army of Therohs to possibly take control in the future. The Therohs have been eating mares and stallions alike through a trap setup in Whitetail. The pony then erases their existence through mind altering dark magic from the ponies that knew them . Then gets rid of their homes and anything else that belonged to them through a spell that I am calling 'Forget Me.' What has me worried is the fact that all records of these ponies and their families were erased from the Census. Which means there are more ponies like them seated in Government."
Celestia was taken back, evident by the look on her face. "What?" She asked in disbelief. "How?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes and motioned towards everyone at the table. "Because you voted for them?"
Twilight huffed then turned back to Celestia with a worried look. "What are we supposed to do? There are Therohs all over Equestria if what Rainbow's saying is true."
Celestia hummed before the door to the library was pushed open, letting in Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. The two were wearing expressions of determination on their faces as they walked in. Cadance closed the door behind them and then made her way urgently towards the table to speak with Celestia. "There are a lot of foals out there," she commented while taking a seat beside her. "And there's absolutely no record of them." Scootaloo dropped her Apple core on the floor and walked over to the door, leaving Rainbow Dash rolling her eyes. She picked it up in her magic and tossed it in a nearby trash bin, making a noise and catching Cadance's attention. She gasped while Rainbow stood up and stretched her wings. "Oh, when did you get here? By the way, never grab my head again with your magic, it was truly frightening."
Rainbow grinned and stretched her hooves. "Before any of you did, Princess," Rainbow answered before she reverted back to Pencil Sketch, speaking in a slightly lower tone. "Do not ask too many questions involving how a Theroh works. You will not like the answer. I must do more research...as well as watch over Scootaloo. Princess Celestia, I need to speak with you. Alone."
Celestia turned to the rest of the table before she stood up and followed Pencil outside with Scootaloo underneath her, and Buff by her side. In the Square, there were ten large tents set up with doctors, nurses, and guards providing food for the foals. One of them Pencil recognized as Twist. One of the foals that go to the Ponyville Schoolhouse, along with Toola Roola and Coconut Cream in one whole tent eating a pile of fruits and vegetables while getting a check up by a nurse. Pencil stopped and looked underneath herself at Scootaloo, who looked right back up at her. "Go and see about them, leader," she teased. Scootaloo rolled her eyes but did trot out from underneath her.
She walked right up to Zipporwhill, who was across from Toola Roola and Coconut Cream's tent, also eating something. "Zipporwhill!" The filly called dropped her food and looked up, gasping at the filly.
"Scootaloo! Hey, she's back!" The other foals quickly stopped what they were doing and looked up. Scootaloo stopped in front of Zipporwhill's tent and gave her a hug while ten more foals came over and sat down around her. "What happened?" Zipporwhill asked her.
"Well I got us some help," Scootaloo explained. "I visited a friend and told her everything that was happening, since she—" Pencil plugged her mouth with a hoof and shook her head at her. Then removed the hoof. "I meant, I uhh...told somepony."
"Scootaloo!" A filly with a thick mane and tail scolded. Why did she look so familiar to Rainbow? Her mane was so thick it looked like bubblegum. "You know what'll happen if somepony finds out! Now they're going to split us uuuuupppp!" She started crying loudly before the other foals started doing the same thing.
Pencil Sketch shared a strange look with Celestia, who sighed and nodded. "I'll try and see if it is possible for these fillies to stay together. Do you know how long they have been on their own?"
"According to Scootaloo, for at least seven to nine years," Pencil answered as they stared. "And everypony here has never questioned it. Including Ms. Cheerilee, who I'm absolutely positive teaches three-fourths of these foals. Now back to the subject at hoof. How exactly are you planning to stop this pony? Any plan?" They continued on walking, making their way through the camp before one of the foals trotted up to Pencil Sketch and poked her hoof. She was an orange unicorn with an red and dark orange mane.
"Not yet," Celestia responded while Pencil ruffled the filly's mane. "We are looking for the...magic that you speak of."
"You can't just find dark magic, Celestia." Pencil opened one of her wings and scooped the filly onto her back. She quickly settled down for a moment. "The magic is already in you. You just need to know how to use it to get your desired results. What is your name, filly on my back?"
"I'm Firelock!" She replied enthusiastically. "You're Pencil Sketch!"
"I am...more or less." Celestia sighed through her nose.
"Did you save us?" She asked suspiciously.
"More or less again. Your community leader did more of the saving. I was just around."
"Ooohhhh."
Celestia chuckled and commented, "You sure have a way with children."
Pencil sighed and bent low so Firelock could get off her back. Once she did, she quickly ran over to the other foals while the painter righted herself. "Children are my one weakness," she responded. "I've taken a liking to Scootaloo more so than Rainbow. Now. The stakes have gotten higher, Princess. I suggest you buckle down and start investigating."
"Not yet."
Pencil glanced towards her in amusement. "What do you mean, 'Not yet?' A bunch of monsters are running around eating ponies, we have to act now!" Celestia placed a hoof out and motioned for her to lower her voice. Pencil rolled her eyes and appeased her with, "Don't worry, nopony can hear me. I put up a spell during this conversation so nopony can hear us that aren't directly in my face. There is no telling who is the pony trying to overtake the Equestrian government. They could be here. Or there. Now we need to get started on this investigation." She stopped and turned to Celestia. "What exactly are you waiting for?" Celestia didn't give her a verbal answer. Instead she gave Pencil a smirk. Pencil narrowed her eyes, then looked around. Lighting her hooves, she shadow teleported the three of them towards the outside of Ponyville, by the Everfree Forest, away from prying ears and eyes. Pencil changed back to Rainbow Dash who was giving her an irate stare.
"How many times have I told you? I. Am not. Working with you!" Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'll give you information, but I am not going back to join the Elements of Harmony!"
Celestia sat down and said solemnly, "Rainbow? I know you're mad. I know you're upset. But that does not mean you have to abandon Equestria. Yes, the five of them have made a mistake that they deeply regret. Yes, it has hurt your feelings. But we're not doing this for them. We're doing this for Equestria. Not for five ponies." Rainbow Dash turned around to look over the town in the distance. Celestia stood up and walked over to take a seat down beside her, following her gaze. "What exactly are you afraid of Rainbow?"
"Celestia, I'm not afraid of anything," Rainbow clarified sternly. "I just don't need friends who will do what they did to me."
"You are scared that it may happen again," Celestia concluded.
"What?!" Rainbow yelled, looking over at Princess Celestia with anger. "I am not afraid of...that!"
Celestia stood up and looked down at Rainbow Dash. "Then why won't you help us save Equestria? Last I heard, you fight for dreams, inspiration, and the foals of Equestria to make it a better place! What is stopping you?!"
"Nothing!"
"Then why won't you?"
"Because I don't want to!!"
"Why?!"
Buff backed away into the shadows of the Everfree forest. Just in case things got a little out of hoof. Rainbow yelled and turned around to face her again. "BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY HEART BROKEN AGAIN!!" Celestia stayed silent and backed down while Rainbow came to her realization. She too sighed and sat back down, holding her head downwards. "I don't want...I don't want any of it to happen again, okay? There, now you know. Each day of my life in Flight Camp I was pushed down. Limited to what I could really do because I was afraid somepony was going to tease me for it. Somepony would find out, tell everypony in the school, then it'd all become worse. I kept it down in there, but I let it fly free down here." She gestured towards the brightly lit town below, bustling with activity. "But I got too close, got too comfortable. My biggest mistake. Next thing you know, years later after meeting the other girls, it all blows up in my face. I'm not wanted, Rainbow Crash, all of it. Now I don't have to worry about it. I only have two friends. Scootaloo and....Buff."
"Buck yeah."
Rainbow huffed in amusement at her boyfriend's comment before getting all depressed again. "So I ran away. I ran away from everypony and let my dreams come true under a different name and persona that I created years ago to help protect me and give me advice."
"Rainbow," Celestia whispered sadly. "You also ran away from your problems." Rainbow sighed and rolled her eyes. Celestia calmly wrapped a wing around her. "I know you don't like to hear that. Or this. But it's always best to confront your issues head on than to let them haunt you forever. Yes, it may feel good to hurt a pony where it hurts after they've hurt you. But in most cases, it is never the right thing. This situation is a pure example of it. Yes, you're rich and you are a powerful pony. Both in magic and influence. But in the end...you are still a pony. With feelings, emotions, and pain. A lot of which come from your friends and fellow ponies. I'm not saying go out and start biting ponies on the ankle." Rainbow chuckled sadly. "But I am saying that it's best to start mending your relationship with them. You can never get where you want to go if you're always running from it. At least start slowly."
Rainbow sighed and brushed a little bit of her mane out from in front of her eye to gaze down at the town of Ponyville. "I know you miss this place Rainbow Dash," Celestia added. "You always come when you think nopony is watching to relax on the clouds and see what happens down below. Yes, I've seen you multiple times."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and deadpanned, "Of course you have."
"And I know you miss your parents as well."
"....to be honest...yeah," Rainbow responded sincerely for the first time throughout this conversation. Buff stood up from his position and walked over. He took a seat on the other side of Rainbow Dash, catching her eye.
"I think...you should give it a chance," he thought out loud. "At least once. Invite them to the house and experiment with it."
"I agree with your bodyguard," Celestia agreed before she leaned in and whispered. "Now are you two a thing, or...."
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "If you promise not to tell....yes, we are. I am keeping this secret, though. The press are helping me out unknowingly."
"I give you a promise not to tell anypony. Now are you willing to help us stop this threat, Rainbow Dash? Or should I call you...Pencil Sketch?" Rainbow shot a look to Celestia, who was smirking mischievously at her. Rainbow pulled in her lips but ended up giggling, making Buff do a double take.
"....I agree to experiment with this," Rainbow sighed. "And in public call me Pencil. But in private...call me Rainbow Dash." Rainbow turned back to Pencil before she shadow teleported them back to an area behind the library. They walked around the front and entered into the door. The Elements were still sitting there talking about something with the Princesses before they noticed them.
They stopped talking while Pencil walked in and was immediately confronted by Scootaloo. She bounced up to her from out of the kitchen and hid underneath her. "So Zipporwhill told me that nopony else has been able to get any good food around the community," she explained. "Everypony was going hungry! I should've been here to help!"
Pencil reverted back to Rainbow Dash and sat down on her flanks. Then smiled and ruffled Scootaloo's mane. "I think you have done enough already. You're staying with me for a few days, okay? Until we get some things straightened out,"
Scootaloo gasped and turned around, shaking her tail in happiness. "Really?!" She yelled. "I get to stay at your mansion?!"
Rainbow nodded and added, "I have an extra bedroom....bedrooms, actually. And a few more rooms which will become offices in the future. I just need to have some things moved around." Scootaloo reached up and hugged Rainbow around the neck, sniffing happily. Rainbow smiled and hugged her back, making Cadance's heart throb.
Celestia cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "I just spoke with Rainbow Dash on a few things. One of them, her feelings about all that has happened. She is upset and very mad at you, but...she has agreed to help us in this mystery of who is using dark magic to take over Equestria."
Twilight widened her eyes and looked over at Rainbow with the rest of the table. Rainbow sighed and held up a hoof. "Let me clarify. I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for Equestria. There's a difference. Don't get too comfy."
"Rainbow what did we talk about?"
"Celestia, this is already burning my tongue, I'd rather not catch on fire. I want you all to meet me tomorrow morning at my mansion five AM sharp. Get up early, the paparazzi and tourists don't arrive at that time. Applejack I already know will be up. Rarity, you might want to get your 'beauty sleep' while you can. Buff?" he nodded to her. "You're staying overnight. Because I know you want to." He bit his lip and smiled before Pencil bopped him on the nose. "Cadance, Shining Armor? Stay home and keep a look out for any suspicious looking foals carrying food, blankets, and other survival items. If you find any, track one back to their hiding location and inform me immediately through a letter by the flame that will be sitting on your desk when you return to the castle this evening. Same for Celestia and Luna. Celestia, I want a name of the pony that handles the Census in Equestria. From here on out, if you want to find these Therohs and get back Equestria, you listen to me and answer to me. Understand?"
They were all staring at her in disbelief. Since when did Rainbow Dash take control like that? "Y.....Y-Yeah," Twilight stuttered. "Spike? Set my alarm clock for three in the morning." Spike groaned, already dreading that wake up call while he made his way upstairs. Meantime Rainbow stood up and made her way over to the cases that held the Elements of Harmony. She popped open the glass cover and levitated the jar out with her magic, rotating it slowly in front of her.
The others watched her with rapt attention as she popped open the cap. The dust floated out and spun in a bright red circle. It flashed for a moment before the full Element of Loyalty hovered in front of her face. The light in it flashed for a moment in a strange pattern, making Rainbow roll her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up will ya?'" she turned back to Twilight's confused face while the gem floated back into the casing to lock itself into the chestplate. "Don't ask, she's really annoying. Bring all of the Elements tomorrow. Just in case. I may need to study it for something. My train will be at the station by four. Don't keep me waiting."
Rainbow picked up Scootaloo in her magic and deposited her on her back. Then turned to Celestia. "I hope this wasn't a mistake, Princess. I'm taking a two month 'planning period' because of this."
Applejack bounced out her chair and asked, "You think you'll have this figured out in two months?"
Rainbow shrugged and answered, "Maybe less, depends on how serious it is."
"What's more serious than somepony trying to take over Equestria?" Cadance asked.
"The pony who's trying to take over Equestria. You may be able to stop their plot, but will you be able to stop the pony?" Rainbow reverted back to Pencil Sketch and added, "Villains tend to always slip in their plans. But in the end, they learn from their mistake. So we have to kill two birds with one stone at the exact same time. Sorry, Fluttershy." Cadance turned to Fluttershy, who was looking at Pencil with a look of horror. Buff walked towards the door and opened it up before she warned, "Be careful ponies. Tell no creature of this meeting. Or of our plans. As of this moment, everything is kept between us. This thing we're fighting is dangerous enough to kill ponies with a wave of their hoof, claw, talon or anything else they may be using. And I have a feeling you are no exception. Let's go, kids."
Buff scoffed at her while she walked out the door. Then followed after her. The door was closed quietly, leaving everyone in there alone for a moment. Twilight blinked and turned back towards the casing holding the Elements of Harmony. The Element of Loyalty was pieced back together again. Sitting in its chestplate like it had never gone anywhere.
"I'm still trying to figure out how she does that," Rarity commented. She, as well as all the other ponies were looking at the chest plates with wonder.
"I'll get a headache just trying to figure it out," Twilight responded before she turned around and headed up the stairs, yawning. "I'm going to get some rest before the meeting. You guys are welcome to anything in the fridge."
Celestia sighed and turned to the others. Rarity was the first one who started to explain. "She's been worrying herself awake at night to the point of her sleeping at the library desk at noon everyday. She just started drinking coffee."
Celestia glanced towards the stairs in worry. "Hopefully, this'll take her mind off of things." Luna nodded in agreement.
***
After arriving back inside the mansion, Buff yawned and flexed his wings, trying to show off. Pencil stopped walking anf smirked at him while he tried to flex his muscles, acting like his hoof was hurting. "Phew, man. That flight hurt my hoof a little."
"Mmmhmm," Rainbow hummed. Scootaloo chuckled and shook her head. Pencil took her off her back and placed her on the marble floor before she started to stretch herself. Buff watched her move for a moment, biting his lip in longing before Pencil flexed her wings, flicking his muzzle. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him. "Sorry. But you're not ready yet, Buffy. Wait a few more months and we'll see."
"Awww!" Buff groaned before he followed her up the stairs to the bedrooms. After Rainbow showed him his room, because she still wasn't ready to become too intimate, she took Scootaloo to her own personal chambers.
"It can't be seven already!" Scootaloo complained. Rainbow chuckled and sat her on the bed. "Come on, Rainbow! Can I please stay up?"
Rainbow walked over to the wall where a bunch of light switches were on a panel, labeled accordingly to the room and started flicking them with her wings, turning them all off., including Buff's. "Sorry, Scoots. But all little fillies need their bedtime." Rainbow turned around and walked back towards the dark bed, lit only by the setting sun in the distance. She climbed on and circled her body around Scootaloo, draping a wing over her. Then leaned in and nuzzled Scootaloo's cheek. "No more cold nights," she whispered. "For you or your friends. Okay?"
"Okay," she whispered back. She laid down then closed her eyes. "Thank you, Rainbow."
"No problem, squirt."
They stayed quiet for a moment. No sound breaking the peaceful environment before Scootaloo whispered, "Rainbow?"
"Mmmm....yeah, Scoots?"
"You.....you'd make a great mom someday." Rainbow's eyes fluttered open. Then glanced towards Scootaloo who still had her eyes closed, pressed against her side underneath her cyan wing smiling peacefully.
"Yeah," she responded. Then closed her eyes back and laid her head back down, smiling contently. "...someday."
The crickets' chirping pierced through the night air in Ponyville. everything seemed silent. Quiet. Asleep. Giving the five quietly traveling ponies a sense of tranquility. Just like Twilight planned, the group would leave a little after three in the morning and meet up in front of the Golden Oak Library. Rarity had for some reason placed herself in a dress that looked like she was going to the ball. Applejack was just herself. Only a stetson and a rope. Pinkie was... Pinkie. Fluttershy was shivering out of fear, and Twilight had two saddlebags filled with notepads, ink, quills, and notes already taken. Once they had all arrived, Twilight began to lead them out of the town quietly.
After crossing over the bridge, Twilight looked over her shoulder at the others and whispered, "We only have one minute to catch this train. It should be there at approximately four o'clock, and arrive in Manehattan by five. I don't know how in Equestria Rainbow managed to get a train. Those cost billions."
Rarity whispered, "I'm sure it's just a private car. Even RD wouldn't want to waste money on a whole train unless she was shipping something large. Which I highly doubt." After a few more minutes of walking through dark streets, they arrived at the platform and sat down by the edge to wait. The area around them was dark, lit only by Luna's moon and stars in the sky. Applejack sighed and grabbed one of Pinkie's cupcakes from inside her mane to get some energy in her. After a few more minutes, the friendship express arrived. Alone. Nopony was commanding it. Twilight shared a look with the others, who were just as creeped out before they looked down the line. There was a large black car at the end that looked really futuristic. Black and silver. Long, and pretty. And the door was open. Twilight led the group quickly towards the door and got in before the others followed suit. Once they were all in, the door immediately shut and locked. Then the train began moving again.
Twilight and the others looked around the car, entranced by the luxurious items. Rarity was more interested in the expensive wines. Especially the one titled Blueberry Zebra. "Oh my, this is so...grandeur!" Rarity cheered. She took a seat on one of the velvet couches, sighing at the relief it put on her flanks. "Ooohh, that is goooood."
Twilight and the others sat down and had the same reaction. After awhile, Twilight whispered, "I wonder how this train is moving all on its own. There was no conductor."
Applejack shrugged from across and guessed, "I reckon it's Rainbow Dash's dark magic thing. You know, today would be a good day to talk to her about it. Find out where she got it from."
"That would be a good idea," Fluttershy asked. "I'm, um, not too fond of a pony using dark magic like this. Especially...driving the train we're riding on."
"Well it got to Ponyville on time!" Pinkie cheered while snacking on some of the food laying out on the snack bar. She stuffed her face with some crackers then added, "Just be happy that we get to go into the mansion again without being thrown around and actually look around!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Twilight agreed. "But I'm still checking out that tome. I wanna know where she got it." After that the conversation died and everyone was silent. Either eating the breakfast food already set up in the car or looking out the tinted windows. After a few more minutes, the whistle blew quickly, signalling that they were coming up on the Manehattan Station. The train arrived on the platform a moment later and slowed to a stop. The second the door to the car was opened, the group piled out of the private car and onto the abandoned quiet platform. Rarity led the way this time, since she's the only one that has been to Manehattan at night and traveled its safer routes. After a few more seconds, they spotted the mansion from a distance. The lights on the lawn creating a beautiful sight as they spectated from a distance. The glow reached up to the sky, creating an even more wonderful sight.
They stopped for a moment and stared at the marvel. Applejack was wondering if anypony had gotten any pictures of this yet. This had to be recorded. Nopony can just miss this. Twilight shook her head, getting her thoughts back on track before they all continued, soon making it to the white brick wall that was keeping back anypony. Twilight noticed small and unnoticeable runes had been placed on it. Unnoticeable to anypony but her, that is. Once they reached the gate, it unlocked and pushed in automatically, revealing the brightly lit front lawn. The water fountains were spewing water into the air, landing back inside of it and onto the beautifully cut grass beneath. There were four of them and the yard was big and green, a great contrast to the mansion in front of them that was made entirely out of white stone.
The group looked at each other, then cautiously walked inside the gate, which closed immediately after. The walkway was perfect. Wet, but perfect nonetheless. No overgrown grass, weeds, nothing. Pinkie took the time to look at the fountains and even stuck her tongue out to catch the sprinkling rain. Once Twilight stopped at the door, she raised a hoof to knock before it was opened by a tired looking Buff Battalion. He yawned and motioned for them to come in. The five mares quickly walked past and into the dimly lit foyer. The lights were on but it was obviously dimmed.
Buff closed the door and yawned again as he made his way over to the five looking around. "Sorry," he apologized. they stopped gazing and turned back to Buff. "I'm just not used to getting up so early. Pencil was up at one to paint and the kid was....snoring logs. She destroyed that bed, I can feel it. Anyway, I have breakfast set up for you. Pencil should be down in a few minutes with some supplies and all that jazz. Follow me please." He turned and made his way over to the east wing of the mansion. The girls followed him across the marble floor and towards the white themed kitchen, already prepared. They looked around in wonder while Twilight set down her saddlebags and looked towards the island in the kitchen that held six plates waiting for them. Including for Rainbow Dash. Twilight sat on the opposite end of the table while the other girls sat on the sides. Buff walked over to the refrigerator and started digging through it. Soon he came back out, holding a bottle of what looked like syrup and a bowl of something else. He set the bowl on the table then reached inside, pulling out a hoof full of small strawberries. He went around the table and placed some on the side of their plates then put some fancy syrup on the pancakes. Afterwards he put everything back and turned to the group with a tired smile.
"I hope you enjoy the meal," he yawned before grabbing a cup of apple juice nearby. "It took me over an hour to make over thirty pancakes. The filly, uhhh.... Scootaloo I think would want some too. So I made her a plate." He sat to the side and watched their disbelieving expressions.
Twilight's mouth moved like a fish. "You made this?" Buff nodded. "This looks amazing!"
"I concur!" Rarity agreed before taking a bite. She shivered as the taste danced along her tongue. "That...is...good."
"Thank you so much, er..." Applejack stammered.
"Buff," he clarified. "Buff Battalion."
"Thank you, Buff." The group ate in silence. Complete and utter silence that Twilight took note of.
Setting down her utensil, Twilight looked around in worry. There was always a good reason to be paranoid. Then turned to the bodyguard. "Buff?" He looked up from his drink. Twilight gestured to the area around them with her hoof. "Is it always... Quiet like this? I know it's early in the morning but..."
"Oh yeah," Buff answered. "Always. Ever since I first stepped hoof inside. The big ol' mansion fitted with only one pony in Manehattan, City of the Lost. It is always quiet and dead in here. If Pencil needed a peaceful setting, she comes here, a cloud, or another place. sometimes to my place, don't ask why." He took a sip of his drink before the sound of metal gears moving echoed around the building. Afterwards a low hum.
The girls looked around tentatively. Buff spotted their reaction and silently chuckled while swirling the juice in his cup, catching their attention. "It's just the vault, don't worry about it. It looks like she finished her experiment." Buff trotted towards the doorway and shouted, "Are you ready?!"
"Give me a few more minutes," Pencil's calm voice echoed around the building.
"So, darling," Rarity said to Buff. He turned towards her smiling face. "Where are you from?"
"Cloudsdale," he responded. Buff sat down and took one last sip of his drink. And then set down the empty cup while the Vault began to close in the mansion. "Lived there my younger years then moved to Canterlot when I was a teenager. Ran away from home, came here. Five years later my parents find me doing well and decided to let me roam free. Of course I didn't run away for no reason. That's a story for another day."
The girls shared a look before Pencil strode into the room carrying her tome in her magic. She looked to Buff and shot him a discreet wink that he smiled at before she passed by. "Good morning," she greeted before climbing into the chair. She set the tome down beside her plate then took a bite out of her food. Twilight eyed the book intensely. There must be a load of magical secrets in there. "You all do know why you're here, correct?" Pencil asked.
"To figure out this Theroh nonsense?" Applejack guessed.
"Partly. But mainly to catch up. Celestia and Buff recommended it. So Rainbow's going to... Experiment with this."
Twilight nodded and said, "Of course. Hopefully we can start over and get rid of this tension."
Pencil nodded and speared another pancake into her mouth. While staring at her food she said, "Buff?"
He smiled, already feeling it coming. "Yes, Pencil?"
"You know exactly what you're getting later."
He chuckled silently before heading out of the kitchen. "I'll prepare the library with a lot of pillows."
Pencil chuckled before reverting to Rainbow Dash. She took another bite out of her pancake then pushed it to the side a little. Then folded her hooves on the table and eyed the group for a moment. Of course Rarity would dress up for A visit to Manehattan. Even if no one saw her. "So Twilight." Twilight stopped eating and focused on Rainbow. "What do you know about Dark Magic?"
Twilight set down the fork in her magic and answered, "Not much really. I try to stay away from the Dark Arts. I know some ponies use it. Less than one percent in Equestria."
"At least that narrows it down," Rainbow commented.
"But most of them live here in Manehattan. You were added to that small percentage of ponies, by the way." Rainbow nodded and ate a strawberry. "If I can ask, how is it that you aren't affected by its disadvantages?" Twilight asked in disbelief.
Rainbow shrugged and answered. "Easy. I practice it safely. Most of my spells were experimental. So I finished them safely and use them safely. The ponies who want power are the ones who get sick and corrupted, and use them dangerously. Greed makes ponies do unthinkable things."
Rarity shared a confused glance with Twilight and asked, "But didn't you do it for power?"
"I learned it for self-defense," Rainbow clarified. "The spells I learn are all self-defense spells. Of course I optimized some for my own selfish purposes. But primarily? Self-defense. This tome..." She placed her hoof on the book next to her and stroked the cover. Twilight directed her attention straight at it, along with the others as if it were a gold mine. "Has taught me everything I know."
"Where'd you get it?" Twilight asked suspiciously.
"Found it. At first I was going to leave it. But I had a feeling I would need it in the future. And I was right. I did. A lot. Years after finding it, I used a spell to create Pencil Sketch and she got rid of my first round of bullies. My second round, I left Cloudsdale and moved to Ponyville. I met you four, and then became the Element of Loyalty. We went on a bunch of adventures, and during my 'me time', or whatever led you guys to believe I was sleeping, I was doing art. Mainly as a hobby until you guys shattered my heart."
They all got a guilty look on their faces before Rainbow added, "Best mistake for me you've ever made. Not so much for you maybe."
"Rainbow, we've apologized," Fluttershy pleaded. "What more do we have to do?"
Rainbow shook her head and said, "Nothing. Because what you guys did gave me the push to come out with my art. And within a few months became the multi-millionaire inspirational pony that everypony loves and treasures. All the while watching Equestria's flank for bugs that bite. Right now, there's a couple hidden in her fur that I have to pick out."
"That we have ta' pick out," Applejack corrected.
"Yeah, whatever." Applejack sighed and rolled her eyes. The same Rainbow Dash. Rainbow's hoof turned black before she started doing something with the tome. It glowed with runes as she unlocked it. Unlike the others, Twilight was eyeing it like it was the rarest candy in the world. While unlocking, Rainbow continued to speak. "If we're going to solve whoever is in charge of the Therohs and their associates, you need to learn about Dark Magic. I take it you know the origins, Twilight?"
"Uhh...y-yeah," she responded. She wasn't really paying attention, eyes still trained on the book. Rainbow took off the last rune and flipped open the cover, revealing it's contents. Twilight grinned... And then frowned. It... Was empty?
"In case you were wondering..." Twilight looked up at Rainbow, who was giving her the most mischievous smirk she could manage. "You can only see what's in it by being directly over it." Twilight raised her hoof and gave her a pleading expression, squirming in her chair. Rainbow stared at her with a nonchalant one. In the end she sighed and scooted her chair over. Twilight squealed and teleported herself and the chair over right next to her. Rainbow grabbed her hoof before she could touch the book and gave her the sternest look she could manage. "And don't you dare try any of this stuff. Light magic is yours, Dark is mine. Understand?"
"Of course!" Twilight gasped. "I don't want to try any of this, I just want to read what's in it."
"And don't rip it!"
"Moooom, why are you so loud?" They all stopped talking and looked towards the doorway in surprise. Scootaloo was standing there with a blanket over her whole body except her head. Her outrageous bedhead could have given Rarity a heart attack if it wasn't so early in the morning. She was obviously too tired to function right, evident by her still closed and tired eyes. Fluttershy nearly fawned over at how cute she looked.
They all turned to Rainbow Dash with smirks, the mare herself blushing deeply. "Er, uh....Sorry Scoots," Rainbow replied quietly. "We'll try to keep it down in here, okay? Why don't you go back to bed and catch up on your sleep, huh?"
"Okay," Scootaloo responded tiredly. She turned around and walked away from the kitchen, leaving the Elements Bearers alone. They all looked to Rainbow Dash, including Buff who happened to be by the kitchen when he spotted Scootaloo lazily walking towards the doorway. He turned and watched the filly walk up the stairs before she settles down in the middle of it and fell right back to sleep, right on the staircase.
"So....mom, huh?" Pinkie joked. "Oooohhh, I feel a party coming—"
"No you don't, and none of you heard that," Rainbow interrupted. she was still blushing wildly. "I'm not ready for a kid right now."
"I say you are," Applejack commented. "You'd be a great mom. Why not adopt Scootaloo?"
"Because, I have to get my entrepreneurship running first. Afterwards, I can talk about a possible child. Because there is too much going on for an adoption. Let alone a pregnancy. Add that to the 'two month vacation', and I've got a bigger situation than what's happening right now. In the future maybe. But right now, no. I'm just keeping her in my care."
"Okay," Twilight responded unsurely. "As long as she's okay. Now about this tome. Where exactly did you get it?"
Rainbow looked Twilight up and down suspiciously. Then leaned in real close inside her proximity. "Can I trust you?" She whispered. Twilight quickly nodded. "You won't tell anypony? Not them—" She pointed a hoof at the Elements. "—Celestia, Luna, or Cadance? Or even a single historian?"
"Well....er..."
"Sorry, can't tell ya'," Rainbow informed her. She pulled back and grabbed her tome from Twilight's eager hooves, denying her access to her stuff. "Because, yeah. It's that big. Now let's talk about ponies we know that may use Dark Magic. Twilight? I know you know."
Twilight sighed in disappointment. She knew Rainbow was hiding something important about that tome. She could feel it. Rainbow said that even Celestia, Luna, and Cadance shouldn't know. If the Princesses weren't allowed to know, then it was huge. She was going to figure out just where it came from. Even if she had to read every single book in her library twice.
Pushing those thoughts to the side she answered the question and continued the meeting. Of course with her next mission at the front of her mind. Look up that tome. And find out where it came from.
Soon, seven o'clock arrived, meaning everyone had to go home and leave Rainbow Dash alone for a while. They learned a lot about the situation at hand. Or hoof. Somepony was sacrificing other ponies so they could grow an army of Therohs. And using another pony to erase the memory of that pony from the minds of other ponies. Then the name of that pony would be sent to another pony in government so they could erase them from the census. There were three ponies in Equestria who possibly knew Dark Magic and one held a spot in Equestrian law. But just who were they?
Rainbow changed back to Pencil Sketch, who trotted towards and pulled open the door for the group of five. Once they stepped out, Twilight stopped and turned around to face Pencil. "Be careful, okay? And be a good mother to Scootaloo."
Pencil huffed through her nose but nodded nonetheless. "I'll be a great guardian. This was a good session. Don't make me regret it, Ms. Sparkle." Twilight nodded then turned around towards the others before they made their way towards the gates. Pencil unlocked and pulled it open with her magic before shouting, "All of your tickets are in your saddlebags, Ms. Sparkle!" Twilight stopped and lifted the flaps, then looked inside her bag. There were five purple tickets inside in a rubber band in between the scrolls. She turned around and acknownledged Pencil Sketch before they ran away from the mansion, leaving Pencil alone to watch. She had to admit, it felt good to talk to someone again like that. Actually crack a joke or something fun. She should do it again. And she had the perfect idea to do it with.
Something small nudged the bottom of Pencil's right hoof. She looked down at Scootaloo who was still adorably wrapped in the blanket with her head peeking out. she was trying her hardest not to fall asleep. "Are they gone, mom?" She whispered. "Can I please get some quiet now?"
Pencil smirked at her dressing situation. She looked so cute like that. Then reached over and ruffled her magenta mane. "Of course, Scootaloo. We can both go back to sleep this time. We need the rest because you and I are going to take a day off and relax. Together. Okay?"
Scootaloo looked up at her with tired eyes and smiled. Then nodded her head. "I'd like that," she whispered. She definitely has no idea who she's talking to, Rainbow thought.
"Good. Let's go get some rest. You too, Buff. Come on." Pencil slowly lifted Scootaloo and placed her on her back. Then shut the door and locked it. Buff was directly on the other side with a content smile on his face. Pencil smiled back and calmly walked back up the stairs to her room. Once inside, she made her way to the bed with Scootaloo lightly snoring on her back. Stopping at the side of the bed by her window, she levitated Scootaloo off of her back and pulled back the covers at the same time. Then laid Scootaloo down and got in with her, settling down beside her.
She turned to Buff who was standing there watching and asked, "Are you just going to stand there? Or get in?"
He looked at her in surprise, then down at Scootaloo who unconsciously snuggled up to her. She wanted him to get in the bed with her and the filly? Pencil changed back to Rainbow and motioned to the other side of Scoots. "Just slip in and protect your girls, Buffy. And be a stallion." He scoffed and made his way onto the bed.
"I'll show you who's a stallion, Ms. Millionaire-pays-for-everything," he muttered. He climbed on and laid down beside Scootaloo, then draped his wing over her back. Rainbow did the same and then laid down, pulling Scootaloo close.
"...love you....mom," Scootaloo muttered in her sleep. Rainbow smiled and then looked to Buff, who was smiling with her.
She focused her eyes back on Scootaloo and then nuzzled the top of her hair and whispered back, "Love you too, Squirt." Then she closed her eyes and fell back into dreamland. At least until the birds would start chirping. Buff eyed the two mares, thinking about life. Yeah, it has its ups and downs. But all that matters is that at the end of the day you can come home to this. They may not be blood relatives. But Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were as close to each other as an actual mother and daughter. And he would make sure it stayed that way.
He sighed and tickled the back of Rainbow Dash's neck with his wing. Then whispered, "Goodnight, Rainbow."
"Goodnight, Buffy."
***
Twilight looked out at the landscape as the ground moved by at a calm speed, looking at the twilight rising in the distance, signalling a new day. Her head was leaning against the window with her hoof acting as a pillow, filled with racing thoughts. Rainbow had gotten that tome from somewhere and didn't want anypony to know about it. Not even the Princesses. But why? Was it really that big? It's just a spellbook. Yes it contained possible secrets to Dark Magic, but it wouldn't be that bad that she couldn't even tell the Princesses. Right? "What are you hiding, Rainbow?" She whispered to herself as the land passed by. "What in that book is so important?"
Twilight made a mental note to contact Celestia about it later. There was possibly knowledge in that book that could help Equestria. Or destroy it. Only time could tell.
The silence in the mansion was deafening later on that morning. You could hear a pin drop on the first floor if you were inside Pencil's bedroom closet with the door closed on the second. The only sound at the moment was the birds chirping outside of the bedroom window, stirring the filly in between Rainbow and Buff's warm bodies. Scootaloo moaned and grabbed hold of the soft feathery object that was in her face, tickling her cheek. She giggled and moved it to the side before it buzzed again, some getting in her mouth. Thus waking her immediately. "Ack!" She sat up and peeked out from underneath the cover to see Rainbow Dash's brightly lit room. Then looked at all the pictures on the nightstand. Correction. Paintings on the nightstand. Most of them were of nature or collages. None of them contained the Element Bearers.
Scootaloo sighed and sat up on her haunches to yawn. Then smacked her lips and looked around. She spotted Rainbow Dash on the right side of her, and Buff on the other, leaving her in the middle. Sighing, she crawled over and nuzzled Rainbow's cheek. "Rainbow? You awake?" She whispered. Rainbow stirred and grabbed Scootaloo to pull her in with her left hoof, hugging her tightly.
"Mornin', Squirt," she whispered back with her eyes closed. "You sleep okay?"
"Mmmhmm," she responded before hugging Rainbow back.
"Good. You, Buff, and myself are all going out for the whole day. Go and take a bath, Buff already made your breakfast."
"Awesome!" She yelled, jolting Buff awake. With a buzz of her wings, she jumped off the bed and quickly made her way to the bathroom downstairs she saw yesterday.
"Walk straight, there's another bathroom on this floor," Rainbow called out to her.
"Okay!" Rainbow sighed and opened her eyes, checking out the area.
"At least she didn't call you mom this time." She looked over at Buff's waking form. He stretched his wings a little. Then sat up to yawn, rub his eyes, and offer Rainbow a smile.
Rainbow rolled her own eyes and did all the same motions before responding. "To be honest....I wouldn't even care if she did."
"Marshmallow." Rainbow threw a pillow at his head, landing an effective hit and trying her hardest not to blush.
"I am not a Marshmallow," she responded. "I am one half of the awesome painter—Pencil is the other—as well as the best flier in Equestria, and the Element of Loyalty."
"But behind closed doors, you are a giant, beautiful, and loving Marshmallow," he added with a sincere smile. "Don't take it as a bad thing. I find it beautiful."
Rainbow blushed and looked away. "Thanks, Buffy."
"You're welcome. Now I think I was promised extra pay for that amazing breakfast?" Buff walked across the bed and pulled Rainbow lightly into a very close embrace, giving her bedroom eyes. "I came to collect."
"Of course you did," Rainbow deadpanned. She leaned in and kissed him, which he happily reciprocated. "You know," she whispered between kisses. "You don't always have to... Win over my affection."
He kissed her harder and pulled her in closer. Then pulled back and whispered, "It's more fun this way. Because I always win during our sessions."
Rainbow broke the kiss and gave him a look of amusement. "Yeah right. I always win."
"Uh huh. I think I'm better," he playfully denied. He was very determined to prove himself.
"Think again." Rainbow grabbed his face and pulled him into a surprised kiss. He moaned just drifted off. He felt something moving into his mouth, licking his tongue. After a few seconds, Rainbow pulled back and smiled seductively at him. "I win."
Buff had a dreamy look in his eyes along with a pleasant smile. "Buck yeah you do," he moaned.
Rainbow giggled and then got out the bed, making her way to the door. "Are you hanging with me and Scoots today?"
"Yeah," he answered. His eyes were busy on her swishing tail. He nodded his head each time it swished. "Yeah, I'm... Definitely there."
"I hope to not just look at my flank. You might burn a hole in it."
"Can I put a hole in it?"
Rainbow stopped and looked over her shoulder, blushing madly. Then she smiled and said, "Some day. When the time is right. And now is not the right time."
"Why not?"
"Because Scoots got out the shower."
"Aw."
***
After Rainbow Dash and Buff took their baths, had their fun, and Scootaloo ate her breakfast, they all met in the lonely foyer of the mansion. Buff was wearing his saddlebags fit with a few supplies. As well as a few protective items. He looked out the window at the group of tourists taking more photos of the mansion. It was actually ten in the morning, meaning everyone was up and about to go about their daily lives. "These ponies sure get up early to see your mansion,' he commented to the window. He looked back at Pencil Sketch who was, surprise surprise, wearing a rainbow colored dress with golden hoof shoes and luxurious sunglasses. She also had a single strapped purse somehow attached to the side of it, fit with her locked tome and other supplies. Scootaloo was on her back relaxing and chewing a strawberry.
"I know," she responded. "They all love my new luxurious home that I have already paid off. Don't I look great? What do you think, Lady Loo?"
Scootaloo swallowed her strawberry and asked her confusedly, "Lady Loo?"
"Yep. Don't try and fight it. You're Lady Loo."
"No, it's Scootaloo."
"Nuh uh. Lady Loo. It's awesome."
"Nope, Scootaloo."
Pencil chuckled and motioned for Buff to open the door while she responded. "Lady Loo."
"Scootaloo!"
Buff laughed once he pulled the door open, letting Pencil walk out, looking grandeur as always. Buff locked and closed the door, then walked beside her while she and Scootaloo continued to playfully argue. "Today I am calling you Lady Loo." The crowd started pointing and taking pictures as she stepped up to the gates and Buff opened it. "And you can't stop me."
"Good luck with trying to get away with it," Scootaloo responded, attracting attention to herself. "Because I am not letting you."
"Of course, Lady Loo." Scootaloo groaned and hid underneath Pencil's mane. Pencil chuckled before the trio made their way past the tourists who were taking pictures of her and Scootaloo, actually smiling for once. "Okay, I'll stop, Scoots. Besides, I have a feeling a radio show is going to be asking who you are in the future. I'll just call you Lady Loo. Now let's go and have fun. How does Ponyville sound? From the sky and below?"
The cool morning air ruffled the designer clothing of Pencil as she, Buff, and Scootaloo walked through downtown Manehattan, amidst all the ponies pointing and talking about them. Pencil had a plan in place. To take her charge out for fun away from the hustle and bustle that was her life. Of course the trailing paparazzi were causing a slight issue. But since when were they never an issue? She had an interview in a few days with a radio show about something. She had a feeling it was going to be about her cutie mark once more. She may show it one day, but it won't be anytime soon. After she gets her businesses up and running, maybe.
She blinked when somepony snapped the camera in her face. White spots riddled her vision, getting her a little blurry eyed. Buff pushed the paparazzi aside effortlessly and then they continued. Scootaloo tapped the top of her head, getting Pencil to glance up into her excited magenta eyes. "So what are we gonna do when we get there?" She asked, obviously excited. "Movies, popcorn, ice cream, game store, huh, huh, huh?"
Pencil chuckled and tossed her head back, forcing Scootaloo on her back. Then answered, "We are going to the ice cream parlor, then you can show me a few things you can do on your scooter. Then after that, we can do what you want to do."
Scootaloo squealed and then scampered back on top of her head to sightsee as they made their way towards the train station. While they were walking, Pencil spoke to Rainbow Dash. "So what's the plan?"
"Well, it's exactly what I just told Scootaloo," she replied in her mind. "We're taking Scootaloo out so she can enjoy life as a foal without thinking about survival for the winter."
"We need to ask Celestia about the foals' living situation," Rainbow reminded her. "We can donate some funds for the project. I know there are more foals out there somewhere."
"Me too."
"Of course you do, we share the same mind," Rainbow deadpanned.
Pencil smirked and responded, "Exactly." Before they knew it they had arrived at the train station, which was a little crowded. It was always crowded, it was frickin' Manehattan. The largest city in Equestria. The City of the Lost, and Home for the Dreamers. The train hadn't gotten there yet, so Pencil was forced to sit down and hustle through the flashing lights of the paparazzi. Scootaloo was doing a good job with ignoring them herself, busy laying on Pencil's head with her hooves draped over her shades, groaning, "When is this train going to get here?"
"By seven-fourteen," Pencil responded. "It's only seven-twelve right now, Lady Loo. Hold on."
"My name is—" Pencil thrust a hoof into her mouth from the top of her head. Then used the other hoof to pick her up and set her down in front of her. Then gestured to the paparazzi around her, asking Pencil questions. "No names yet, remember? You're Lady Loo until we get there okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Scootaloo sighed.
"Ms. Sketch!" She looked up at one of the Paparazzis who was holding a notepad and quill in their magic. "When will Sketch It All! studios open, and why did you start the business?"
"Sketch It All! studios will be opened in a span of seven months and has been created for everypony pretty much participating in the Sketch Movement, which I had barely any part of, might I add. Except inspiration. Right now it is for painting and art only. But in the coming months, there will be more choices, such as music studios, salons, engineering labs, science labs, and more. Each department will have their own locations. Practically a school and physical workshop for the entrepreneurs."
"Will you be hiring anypony for the positions?" A train whistle blew down a little ways down the tracks.
"I will definitely be hiring ponies for different positions within the coming months at the same time that I will be distributing my newer paintings." The train stopped at the station, blowing steam out from underneath its cars. Pencil's was always attached on the end, serviced and maintained by the ponies at the station. Only cost a few thousand bits a month. She had way more than enough. She stood up and began making her way towards it.
"Will there be any paintings for the upcoming holidays?" One of the paparazzi asked desperately. "And are you attending the next Sketch Movement rally? Or to confirm that you went on a date with a possible pony?"
"I am currently on a vacation," Pencil responded before Buff stepped aside so she could get into the private car with Scootaloo on the top of her head. Buff followed after her, then the conductor closed the door for them. Silence reigned inside the luxurious soundproof private car. Scootaloo squeaked and jumped of Pencil's head as she reverted to Rainbow Dash, heading for the snack bowl. "Those were some very interesting questions," she commented before settling down next to Buff on the couch, who placed a gentle wing on her back.
"I'll say," he agreed, watching Scootaloo stuff her face. "There was definitely a little wanting from the Paparazzi this round. Try not to stuff your face, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo turned around with her cheeks bulging out, filled with Red Velvet cake. Rainbow sighed and said, "If you eat too much cake, you'll turn into Pinkie Pie. And you won't have room for the ice cream."
Scootaloo swallowed her cake then trotted back towards Rainbow Dash and Buff. She jumped on the small space in between them and settled down. Rainbow silently chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head. "Gettin' a little more comfortable around Buff, I see," she commented knowingly.
She shrugged and said, "He's okay, I guess," forcing a giggle out of Rainbow and a grunt from Buff. The train began to move, finally departing the station with its cars full of ponies wanting to get out of the house this day. The sun was shining, its heat radiating off the black paint on Rainbow's long private car and shining like a beacon to anyone who spotted it. From above, it looked like a small black bolt, speeding towards the city of Canterlot before heading towards Ponyville. Unknowingly, Twilight was in Canterlot right now talking to Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadance about what had happened that morning.
The four were currently in the dining room eating breakfast, save for Twilight who decided to just nibble on an apple. Celestia cleared her throat and said, "So Rainbow was very defensive over that tome."
Twilight nodded her head from between Luna and Cadance, who had a wing draped over her back. "Yes. She would barely let me touch it, let alone actually read it. She wouldn't allow me to after she asked a few questions. Which had me thinking and made me a little worried."
Cadance asked in interest, "And what were these questions?"
"That I wouldn't tell Celestia, Luna, Cadance, any historian, or any other pony I knew. Not even my friends that were at the same table with us."
Celestia arched her eyebrows and said, "Interesting. So the book is apparently very important enough that even Royalty aren't allowed to know about it. Let alone a recorder of history that is writing about everything she does in the light."
"But in the dark," Luna added. "She reads that tome and practices spells that even we cannot do. Let alone Twilight."
Twilight raised a hoof and said, "Exactly. That tome must be very important and had to come from somewhere, or somepony, very important that could have a role in everything that's been going on. Or have an important role in notable Equestrian society or history for it to be kept secret like that. I want to read it, but she keeps it with her all the time. Not to mention all the runes on it. I can barely understand any of them because I've never seen them before. But Dash knew exactly what they were for."
"Then I suggest wait for her invitation," Luna responded. "I don't like it either, but until we have proof that that tome is a threat or something, we do not go near it."
Celestia nodded and said, "I agree. Even if it belonged to somepony very important, it has been in Rainbow Dash's possession for seemingly a very long time. I still can't get over a pegasus using magic. Let alone dark magic. It worries me that there may be an enemy among us that we can't see."
"There is, remember?" Cadance reminded her. "The Therohs and their creator who has been commanding them to eat ponies for years underneath our noses? I have yet to spot a foal in the Crystal Empire that may be homeless and living in an abandoned home somewhere."
"I really hope there aren't any," Celestia agreed. She turned back to Twilight and said, "Try to stay away from the Tome. More so for your safety than for privacy. Rainbow Dash is strong. Much stronger than you by miles and I have a feeling she will not hesitate to blow you away if she catches you looking at her tome without permission."
Twilight sighed and looked away. She really wanted to know what was in that tome. It was very vital and important, she could feel it. But apparently, nopony else could. She turned back to Celestia and said, "I can't promise that, but I'll make an attempt. I just know there's something in there that could provide valuable information. Its original owner, its origin, all of it is in there, I can feel it."
Celestia sighed and shook her head. "Try to hold back your urges for information. It could cost you a mighty lot."
"I'll try, Celestia."
The train whistle blew as they neared the Ponyville station. From one of the couches, Rainbow Dash stretched her wings and then smacked her lips, waking from her slight nap with Scootaloo leaning on her side. She looked over and smiled at her. Then nuzzled her head again. "Come on, Scootaloo. Time to wake up, we're here. Battalion? Get your flank up, right now."
Buff groaned and sat up as the air brakes for the train screeched, and the train itself stopped. Scootaloo's eyes popped open and she jumped off the couch, dancing in place. "Oh yeah, let's party!" She yelled. Buff and Pencil shared a look before Scootaloo turned around and pointed a hoof at them. "We got the millionaire awesome pony, the lame-o—"
"Hey!" Buff protested.
"And you got the most awesome in Equestria, me," Scootaloo continued boasting, pointing a hoof at her chest.
Rainbow scoffed and then reverted back to Pencil Sketch, who stalked forward and scooped Scootaloo n her back with her wings. "Dream on, kid, I'm the most awesome," she denied. Buff walked towards the car door and slid it open, letting in the warm air of the town of Ponyville. Pencil walked out first with Scootaloo on her back to breath in the air of the town she actually missed a lot but knew she couldn't come back to. There was just too much hate and deceit here for her. Scootaloo on the other hoof would be fine. She was here for her.
"Come on, come on!" Scootaloo cheered while Buff took the lead for the town. Pencil chuckled and adjusted her glasses. Then walked next to him. Completely missing the violet colored unicorn getting off the train behind them, meeting with her friends who also didn't notice Pencil Sketch walking past. The only one that did notice was Clear Skies and Sunshower from high above. Who immediately swooped down and landed next to Pencil on her right.
"Hello, Skittles," Clear Skies greeted. Pencil stopped and turned to her with a confused expression. Then looked up at Scootaloo who was whistling and avoiding her looks before continuing on behind Buff towards Sugarcube Corner.
"Hello, Clear and Sunshower," Pencil greeted. "How are you?"
Sunshower shrugged and said, "We're okay. I never told RD, but I was promoted to Weather Manager. Amazing pay by the way. Didn't know she had that many bits."
"Rainbow says enjoy it while you can. Once the dry season comes, the pay dwindles." Sunshower made a silent "oh" with her mouth. "I'm taking squirt out today since she hasn't actually been able to have that much fun being in charge of the community and all that. What happened to those foals by the way?" The group walked into the busy square where Pencil was immediately recognized by a pony who screamed, "Pencil Sketch!" Then everyone else's heads turned and started talking all at once.
"I knew you were going to ask that," Sunshower responded enthusiastically. She motioned with her head towards the General Hospital in the distance. "They're all staying at the hospital until the Princesses figure something out. Saw you in the newspaper when you came by. Pretty amazing. A good image with you and Celestia."
Clear Skies hummed in agreement. "Yes, well that must have been taken without me noticing," Pencil responded. They arrived at Sugarcube Corner that Scootaloo quickly walked into, followed closely by Pencil and Buff.
The door dinged when they arrived, letting those inside know that they had a customer. Some of the customers looked up from their conversations with other ponies and nearly started choking on their treats. Pencil Sketch scooped Scootaloo on her back while Buff stood by to watch for any ulterior motive holding ponies.
Pencil looked through the glass displaying the treats with Scootaloo. Who pointed at a cake and said, "Oh! I want a lemon cake, and ice cream, and chocolate cake, and—"
"How about just a lemon cake with ice cream?" Pencil suggested.
An orange Earth Pony stallion walked out from the kitchen, a decent smile on his face with an apron, a bow tie, and a mane cover on. "Hello, welcome to—oh my faust! Ms. Sketch!" He walked out from behind the counter and eagerly shook her hoof. Pencil only smiled in return. "I-It's an honor to meet you! Sweetheart, get out here!"
Mrs. Cake popped her head out of the kitchen in curiosity and gasped. She grinned and walked out of the kitchen, eagerly making her way towards the famous pony wearing the obviously expensive dress, glasses, necklace, and purse. With a very familiar filly on the top of her head. "Ms. Sketch! It's a true honor!" She greeted, shaking her hoof.
The front door of the boutique opened before the Element Bearers walked in, curious as to why all the ponies outside were watching the restaurant. Rarity stopped and motioned towards Pencil at the front, speaking with Mrs. and Mr. Cake. "Wonder why she's here," Rarity whispered.
Mr. Cake stepped in and asked, "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, how may we help you?"
Pencil motioned up to the top of her head at Scootaloo. "I'm here with my charge," she answered. "She wants a slice of... You know what, make that a whole loaf of Lemon Cake and a small tub of Ice Cream, strawberry, please. Take your time, no need to rush for my sake."
"Oh, o-of course!" Mrs. Cake responded before looking over Pencil's shoulder. "Pinkie, we could use your help!"
Pinkie Pie bounced away from the element bearers and behind the counter. Then walked into the kitchen, preparing to cook while the cakes prepared the tub of ice cream. Pencil looked up and asked, "Satisfied, Scootaloo? This is for your friends. The two other fillies that I'm sure I'm going to see later."
"Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed. She jumped off Pencil's back and up to Buff, who was looking at her in amusement. "Do you want something to eat?"
"Uhhh...." He looked up at Pencil who was smiling at him. Even in a sweet restaurant, the multiple personality mare still looked beautiful. Even if he couldn't see her eyes behind the shades.
"Come on!" Scootaloo grabbed his hoof and pulled him towards the counter. Once there, he glanced at Pencil who pushed her gray mane in front of one half of her face. "You're getting a slice of the loaf!" Scootaloo commanded to Buff from the ground. "And you're going to enjoy it with me and my friends! I'm not taking no for an answer!"
Pencil grinned and turned to Buff. "Better listen," she warned him. "Or she'll bite ya'."
"I'll survive the bite," he responded. "Not sure about the cake and ice cream. Sounds like we're about to have a birthday party with a way too excited filly." Pencil nudged Scootaloo away from the counter and towards a nearby table so everypony else could order.
"Yeah, well Scootaloo deserves it," Pencil responded. She sat down with Scootaloo between her front hooves and looked around. It only seemed like yesterday when she had her Welcome to Ponyville party here. Right in this same shop when Pinkie had cornered her, trying to force feed her cake... Something seemed off about that. Pinkie needs to stop trapping ponies to have parties. Very dangerous. Good thing she didn't plan one for today. Hopefully. There was always those dangerous flash parties. When she would just yell "Party!" in the middle of the street and fifty banners would just appear, music would start playing, and everypony would just start dancing. Pretty scary stuff.
"Here you are, Ms. Sketch!" She buzzed away from her thoughts and focused on the counter. Her food, or treats since all sweets were definitely not food, were in a plastic bag on the counter. Mrs. Cake was grinning way too hard at her from beside it. Pencil got up and stepped towards her while reaching into her purse to get the money. "How much?"
"Don't worry about it!" Mrs. Cake tried to wave it off.
"No, I am paying, how much?" Pencil responded sternly. She hated when someone would always try to wave off her pay for their hard work just because of her name.
Mrs. Cake, taken back by her stern tone responded meekly, "Oh, uhh, twenty-three bits. Pencil dropped the required bits on the counter while Buff grabbed the bag with his teeth. Then smiled at Mrs. Cake from behind her glasses. "Thank you for your service," Pencil thanked appreciatevly. Scootaloo turned around and jumped on Pencil's back as they made their way towards the door.
"Th-thank you for stopping by, Ms. Sketch!" Mr. Cake called after her. "Please come again!"
Once the door closed behind the three, everyone in the shop relaxed and took a deep breath. Even Twilight, even though she just met her this morning. It was always surreal to see her. More tense than anything. Even when Celestia would just stop by the library to just have tea and talk.
Rarity fixed her mane and took a deep breath. "Well!" She exasperated. "This was a fast environment!"
Fluttershy peeked out from behind Applejack and nodded. "I agree. She was really scary." Applejack only rolled her eyes.
The second they walked outside, Pencil nearly blanched at all the faces watching her. A few pegasi smiling from the sky, and everyone else smiling and waving at them. Buff escorted her through the crowd and down another street that was empty. Oh how Pencil loved the way this Stallion moved.
Pencil walked next to him and discreetly nuzzled his cheek. "You sure know how to move, Mr. Battalion," she teased. "It explains your dancing skills."
"You love my dancing skills," he responded.
"Take me to a professional party with suits, violins, and amazing wines... And we'll see."
"Hi, Scootaloo!" Pencil looked over and spotted Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in front of her, gazing up at the boasting filly standing on the top of her head. As if she were the greatest superhero. Sorry, Scoots. The real hero of Ponyville's underneath your hooves. Applebloom pointed up and said, "Whatcha doin' up there? Get down from Ms. Sketch's head, ya' hear?"
Pencil chuckled and said, "It's okay, children. She can stay up there."
Sweetie Belle gasped and ran up to her. Then looked around and whispered, "Are you Rainbow Dash?" Pencil froze and then glanced up accusingly at Scootaloo.
She nervously scratched the back of her neck and said, "Yeah, I sort of... Told them... Sorry."
Pencil sighed and looked down at the two in front of her. Then whispered, "You can't tell anypony about it. Okay?"
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle saluted and yelled, "You got it, Ms. Sketch!"
"We got Lemon Cake and Ice Cream!" Scootaloo cheered. She jumped off of Pencil's head and then grabbed her hoof. "To the.... Place!"
"Yeah!" Applebloom cheered before the three shot off, yanking Pencil along.
"Wait wait whaaa!" Pencil was yanked down the street, headed towards a place really far off with Buff flying behind to catch up. Those three fillies could run. A small trail of dust followed their path, starting from where they were before, leaving nothing behind as a clue to where they were on that street away from prying eyes. Nothing but a very important item from Pencil's belongings.
Her tome dropped back down onto the soil of the streets, still locked close. After Scootaloo pulled her off, nearly yanking her hoof out in the process, the thick book had flown out without any of them noticing. Now it lay dormant in the streets, glowing every now and then with runes and lock spells. Leaving it alive for anypony to find. But only five ponies walking nearby would recognize.
Twilight sighed amidst the conversation she was holding with her friends about the talk she had with Princess Celestia. "I know there's something in that book," she exasperated. "As a scholar it's important that I know! Right?"
Rarity hummed and answered, "While it could provide information on some possibly vital things, it is still impolite and rude to go rummaging through her things without permission first."
Applejack hummed and nodded. "I know I wouldn't want you going through my things without askin' first," she added.
"I know, but this is vital information that could possibly change Equestria—I CAN FEEL IT!" The group stopped and jumped at her outburst. Then turned to her. "I feel magic! A lot of magic!"
Rarity glanced up and tapped her horn. "I don't feel anything," she responded.
"That's because your magic isn't really adapt like mine." Twilight started looking around, scanning her surroundings for that familiar source of magic. Pinkie saw it first.
"Lookie what I found!" She announced, the quickly bounced into the street Pencil and everyone was just on a second ago. She bounced up to the book, sniffed it, and then turned to Twilight pointing at the cover. "Is this it?"
Twilight trotted over with the others and picked it up, looking it over in curiosity. "Who would leave a book out like this?" She asked. "This is where the magic's coming from."
Fluttershy raised her hoof and then pointed at the cover. "Umm, maybe there's a name inside."
Twilight lit her horn and tried to open it, not expecting the result. The many runes on it lit up, surprising her. She yelped and dropped the book back down on the ground. "Runes. It's locked. Tightly. I can't break those, there's way too many."
Applejack hummed and walked up to it. Then grabbed it with her hooves and tried to open it again, lighting the runes. "Wait... I recognize them runes," she whispered. Then gasped in realization.
"What? What is it?" Twilight asked.
"This is... This is Pencil's tome."
"What?!" Twilight quickly yanked it out of her hooves then tried pulling it open, revealing the runes again. The familiar lights, the strange magical signature that had her horn cold, the many pages that left it like the size of a textbook... "You're right! Pencil's tome, it's just laying here on the ground!"
"She must've dropped it and didn't notice," Rarity responded. "I certainly wouldn't have left something like this out."
"This... This is my chance! To finally read it and find out its secrets!" Twilight yelled, staring at the book in excitement.
"Twilight..." Applejack said sternly. "You can't take Pencil's book and read it without permission. You have to give it back to her. What were we just talkin' about?"
Twilight waved a hoof in her direction, awe-filled eyes still trained on the book. "I know, but... This is history right in ny hooves! I have to do something!" Now let's see..." She looked the book over, hoping for an unlock mechanism. She didn't see anything, so she instead looked at the cover and binding, eventually finding something. She pointed towards the clue and said, "Look, initials!"
Rarity peeked over and read it. "'StB'. What's StB?"
"Library!" Before any of them could say anything else, Twilight lit her horn and teleported them all back into the Golden Oak Library. While their eyes were spinning, Twilight ran forward towards one of her bookshelves and started searching using her magic. "Okay, StB, StB, I've seen that before somewhere. References!" She teleported to the other side of the room where all the textbooks were and started scanning.
"Twilight, I'm tellin' you," Applejack warned. "Drop the book before she shows up and bucks you inside your own fridge!"
"I saw it, I saw it!" Twilight grabbed the book she just scanned and dropped it on the table behind her. Then placed the tome right beside it. She scampered over and quickly flipped the reference book open, turning to the page. "Okay, okay... StB stands for...." Her face of focus slowly changed into that of the utmost shock and surprise. Then she pointed to the book's signature. Then the one in the reference guide. A perfect match.
"Oh my faust!!" She screamed. "This book is by—"
"What...the buck...are you doing?"
Everyone froze and stood still, staying as quiet as possible for a few seconds. The clock ticked in the corner. Rarity slowly and fearfully turned her head towards the hall that led into the kitchen. Pencil strode out with narrowed eyes and black tendrils crawling over her body and dress, mainly around her eyes. Buff was behind her with Scootaloo on his back, eating cake with the other crusaders in the kitchen, no care in the world. Her metal hoofsteps were the loudest things as she walked over to the table.
Twilight quickly stepped back and stuttered, "W-we found it! Honest!"
"And then brought it back to the library so you can research?!!" Rainbow yelled. The crusaders stopped their eating and looked over each other into the library.
"I-I'm sorry!" Twilight apologized, nearly shivering in fear. "B-B-But that's Starswirls the Bearded's book! I-I have to know—"
"Twilight?" Rainbow interrupted. "You. Are. Not. Going. To. Know. Anything. About my BOOK!" She stomped her hoof, the sound of metal cracking wood reverbearated around the building. "At. All!" Twilight gasped and looked about ready to cry. "This book belongs to me and I've kept it with me for over ten years. You are not going to tell anypony about this either! I'm just going to have to erase your memory of this."
"What?! No!"
"Do you prefer the Frozen North then?"
"No!"
"Then memory it is!" Rainbow lifted her hoof, crawling with tendrils towards Twilight's head. She gasped and quickly lit her horn, teleporting away. Rainbow groaned and then turned towards the door, preparing to go after her. But had a better idea. She cleared her throat and then grabbed her tome from the table. "Buff, an emergency just came up. We have to head back to the mansion. At once."
Buff nodded then slid Sweetie Belle and Applebloom off his back. Rainbow calmly walked over and summoned a spell, shadow teleporting them away. Then all was quiet in the building. Save for the racing hearts of the Element Bearers.
The group of three calmly strode out of a dark corner in Pencil Sketch's grand mansion foyer, stepping into the middle. Scootaloo was a little worried. She's never seen Rainbow Dash that angry before. Let alone threaten to erase a pony's mind. And those black tendrils crawling all over her were like... She couldn't even describe it. And neither could Buff, the stallion whose back she was riding on. Scootaloo was about to cry. It had scared her so bad.
"Buff?" Pencil called behind her. "Show Scootaloo towards the study."
"Rainbow?" Scootaloo called. Rainbow stopped and turned around. Scootaloo jumped off of Buff's back and up to Rainbow Dash. Then placed a hoof on top of hers, staring up into Rainbow's eyes with her kind pleading ones, wet with tears that were threatening to fall. "Don't hurt them. Please," she requested almost silently. She was overcome with emotion. Nearly breaking Rainbow's heart. She was trembling.
Rainbow sat down and took off her necklace. Then reached down and pulled Scootaloo into a hug. Scootaloo nuzzled her tears into her coat, whispering among the tears that began to pour, "Don't hurt them momma, don't hurt them—"
"I'm not going to hurt them, Scoots," Rainbow whispered back, steeling herself for letting her anger get the best of her in front of her.... Daughter. Her daughter. Scootaloo. Rainbow sighed and nuzzled the top of her head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt them," she whispered. "Only if they try to force their hoof will mine touch theirs."
Scootaloo pulled back and sniffled, wiping her eyes. But the tears continued to fall and Scootaloo continued to shake. "P-P-Promise?" She stuttered.
Rainbow smiled and pulled her back in. Then kissed her forehead. "On my undeniable love for you, I promise," she whispered back. Scootaloo hugged Rainbow tighter, crying into her neck. Rainbow sighed and glanced up at Buff, who was staring at her in pity. She blinked at him, then rubbed Scootaloo's back. "Are you okay, squirt?"
Scootaloo shifted then pulled back to look up into Rainbow Dash's eyes with her red ones. She sniffled and wiped her eye. "I... I-I don't know," she replied. Then honestly said, "I'm scared, Rainbow. I'm scared."
"Shhhh." Rainbow pulled Scootaloo back in. Then grabbed her and lightly placed her underneath her body. "I'll always protect you Scoots. Buff, could you bring out one of the bean bags from my office?" He nodded and scampered off to complete the task. Rainbow looked down at Scootaloo's scared expression and lightly nuzzled her hair again. A moment later, she gasped then sighed in realization, mentally cursing herself. "Don't worry, Scootaloo," she whispered. "I'll protect you from those who want to hurt you, my enemies, and...from the monster that I've become."
"You're not a monster, Rainbow," Scootaloo whispered. She wrapped her hooves around one of Rainbow Dash's, staring up into Dash's eyes. "You're just lost... You have to find yourself again."
Buff walked in with a bright red bean bag and set it down in front of her. Rainbow lifted her hoof while Scootaloo still had a firm grip and walked up to it. Then settled down with Scootaloo who bounced off her hoof and decided to cradle against her side. Rainbow lifted her wing so she could get closer then draped it over her back. "...I know Scootaloo," she whispered.
"You have to choose who you are," Scootaloo whispered. "Are you Pencil Sketch that barely knows me? Or are you Rainbow Dash, my idol and beloved pony from Ponyville?"
"I'm Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo."
"Then why does everypony call you Pencil Sketch?" Rainbow bit her lip. Then shut her eyes and looked away. She realized what Scootaloo was trying to say. She was turning into somepony different. She never considered how much it was hurting those she actually cared about. And what would happen in the future from the start. "Don't change, Rainbow. Please don't change."
"I will never change, Scootaloo." She kissed and nuzzled Scootaloo once more. "Never. I'm just... Angry."
"Then talk about it. It's okay to talk about it."
Applejack groaned and rubbed her face inside the Golden Oak Library with the other Elements, all a little tired from what had transpired earlier. They could all see Rainbow Dash's angry face. Even after she had left five minutes ago. After a moment, Rarity sighed and concluded, "Twilight has an addiction to books."
Everyone voiced their agreements. Fluttershy asked, "What if she's actively telling Celestia about the tome and that it was Starswirl the Bearded's?"
"Then that's going to cause trouble for everypony," Pinkie answered. "Starswirl is a highly established pony that has a very noticeable place in Equestrian history, and was also the teachers of Celestia and Luna. Hearing that he has created a book that centers around safe dark magic and holds possibly over a thousand safe spells that can possibly be used by any kind of pony will be a Gold Mine for anypony! That book would be taken from Rainbow's hooves and placed in a museum!!"
"And she'll become even more angry," Rarity added. "We mustn't let Twilight—"
"Too late." They all turned towards the voice. Spike was sitting on the stairwell with his head leaning into a claw. He had a tired look in his eye, a nonchalant expression on his face. "Twilight's already there by now. She doesn't waste time to try and get what she wants. Question is, what happens next? Pain? Or frustration?"
Celestia and Luna sat atop their thrones, looking at documents and forms that needed attention. Oh how Luna loathed all the paperwork. She cursed herself for actually falling for a work day like Celestia wanted. Plotting to place a whoopie cushion underneath her chair when she holds another meeting. Celestia was more neutral about it. Evident by the fact that she was blazing through the forms, anxious to complete them. A snap and crack in the middle of the room startled them so much, they nearly teleported. Instead chose to look over their work at Twilight, who was holding a massive grin.
Celestia and Luna shared a glance. Then focused back on her. Luna raised a hoof and asked, "...can I help—"
"IT'S STARSWIRL THE BEARDED~!" Twilight sang proudly. Then trotted over, explaining her finds. "Pencil stopped by Ponyville. I don't know why, but we saw her in Sugarcube Corner buying treats with Scootaloo. I just ignored her at first and then we left." Twilight then recalled the tale of everything that had happened in Ponyville. All the way up to this very moment.
Celestia stared at her blandly when she finished. Then said sternly, "Twilight? I am sure I asked you not to go through Pencil's things."
Twilight shyly rubbed her other hoof and avoided Celestia's disapproving glare. "I know, I know! But I couldn't help myself! It's a good thing too! That tome belongs to Starswirl the Bearded!! It holds so much information and knowledge that the magic community has never seen before! We have to do something about this! The worth of that tome is priceless! Not only does it hold information on magic, but the secret on how to safely utilize dark magic!! We have to do something!!"
"Okay, one? I am closing your library and sending you back to your parents for a month," Celestia responded. "Because your obsession with books and knowledge has progressed into an addiction. It's scaring me. And two? That is an interesting find. On one hoof, it belongs to Starswirl the Bearded and holds many magical secrets like you said. On the other, our little friend found it and has kept it in her possession for many years. The only options for this would be taking her to court which I am telling you now to not do. Or asking her, which I am also begging you not to do."
"What?! Why not?!"
"Well Pencil is definitely upset with you for even going over her book without her permission. Now imagine her reaction when she learns you tried to take it away forcefully. We're trying to win her back, not drive her away."
"Yes, but—"
Celestia raised her hoof. "No, Twilight. That book is now Pencil Sketch's. Because let's just say you're right and the book gets into Equestria's possession. What becomes of Rainbow?" Twilight didn't have an answer. "Let me tell you. She will either become incredibly angry and become our enemy, or incredibly sad and we actually end up burying her. She was already bullied and traumatized because of what you and the other Elements have done, along with other ponies. Imagine what would happen if you take away her things."
Twilight sighed and looked away. Celestia was right. Like always. She needed to calm her need for knowledge. "I know it's hard Twilight," Luna inputted. "But unless she uses that book for an evil deed, then we cannot take that book. I suggest you apologize to her. As soon as possible."
Celestia nodded. "Good. Now Twilight? I'm a little disappointed in you." Twilight gasped. "I trust you to think before you let impulse take over. Knowledge is good. But if left unchecked, it can be dangerous. You must limit yourself. So for the next two weeks, no spell books. And your library is closed for thirty one days. You and Spike are going back to Twilight Velvet and Night Light until further notice."
Twilight's eyes went wide and she gasped in despair as deep as she could. "B-B-But Celestia—!"
"No buts. I am also entrusting you to collaborate with PS. I will be bringing you to her in a few minutes to apologize. GUARD!" The doors opened as a Royal Guard stallion walked in. He stood beside Twilight and saluted. "Ready my chariot. We're going out for awhile."
After Scootaloo's emotional moment with Rainbow Dash, Buff was told to go and take the rest of the day off. Which he chose to stick around and help out in the best way he could. So Rainbow asked him to take Scootaloo to his place while she thought about a few things. He agreed and allowed her to have her space. So after a kiss from Buff and a huggle and nuzzle from Scootaloo, the front door of the mansion shut. Leaving Rainbow alone in the foyer staring at it.
"It was a wake up call," Pencil said in her mind. Rainbow sighed and settled back down on her bean bag.
"It was," Rainbow replied. "I forget that I'm hurting those that do care about me with my reluctance. I'm just...fed up!" She banged her hoof on the floor in front of her. "Nopony understands what I've been through. I'm angry and I use my skills in art to compress my feelings. But it's still not enough!"
"So what are you going to do?"
Rainbow waved her hoof towards the ceiling. "Well I'm not setting down my paintbrush. Especially during this time. My friends already know who I am. I mean... I really don't know what to do!"
"There is one thing."
"Enlighten me."
"Take off the Shadow Persona." Rainbow's eyes were like coffee saucers. "It's time to stop hiding, Rainbow Dash. It's time to stop being Pencil Sketch and face your fears head on. As Rainbow Dash. To not be the lonely dull painter. But to go back to being the strong, boastful, lively, and fast-flying Equestrian that can use every part of her body to create the most enjoyed of masterpieces that have inspired a nation and created a movement that is over seventy-thousand strong.”
"Are you nuts?!" Rainbow exasperated.
"No. I'm you."
Rainbow huffed and shook her head. "Pencil, if I reveal myself they'll know I use Dark Magic. Then they'll think I use them on my paintings, which'll then be rendered in false value because they're not hoof-made. Imagine the many lawsuits!"
"Then hire a validator. You know you can afford it. Heck even ask Celestia. She'd be happy to do it."
"Maybe."
"So what are you waiting for?"
Rainbow scoffed and stood up in agitation. "I....I...." Rainbow pulled in her lips.
"Rainbow....."
Rainbow sighed. She may as well tell the truth. "It's just... I'm afraid everything is going to fall. Every single thing I have accomplished. Including my hidden past." She turned around and began to make her way to her study, explaining all the while. "I've come really far Pencil. Like really far. I've accomplished my dream. Well, one of them. The Wonderbolt thing is pretty much a bust now. I've pushed past the ponies who put me down. Created an empire of inspiration. Now i'm building schools across the nation. I made it. I've completed something I've always wanted to do. But.... then again, the way I got to this point was after those ponies betrayed me and used me. I had to take up a fake persona just to get what I wanted all along. I was held back by them. By this.... 'Friendship'. Oh please." She stalked into her study and headed for her desk, littered with mail. Then jumped into her chair. "Friendship broke my heart time and time again. It's only a matter of time before it happens again. All those ponies out there? The ones you want me to talk to? Imagine the library incident all over again. But this time from over thousands upon thousands of ponies. That I can never run away from."
"Then tell them everything. Explain to them why you did what you did. They'll most certainly understand. Then apologize in case. You did in fact cause minor pain for the ponies that did care for you."
Rainbow sighed and folded her hooves on her desk. She gazed at all the paintings strode around the room, littering the walls. Dresser. Desks. The artwork. Newspaper clippings of her with different ponies as Pencil Sketch. "Are you not fond of taking photos with friends? Or even Buff?" A loud bell rang around the mansion. The doorbell. Rainbow sighed and reached under her desk to click a button, opening the gates. Then closed her eyes, using her magic to see who it was.
"Celestia, Twilight, and Luna. My three favorite ponies," she muttered sarcastically. Then jumped out of her chair with the bag containing her tome around her neck. "I need to place this in the vault. Then spell said vault to be impenetrable."
Twilight stared fearfully at the large white mansion behind the gate, intimidated merely by its presence. Celestia, Luna, and four guards—just in case—accompanied her. The guards didn't know about Pencil Sketch's actual identity. Only a select few actually knew. Behind her, two guards stayed with the chariot while two more stuck with her. The bright sunlight bounced off the Royal Guard's armor as one strode towards a button on the wall. Like always, there was a crowd of ponies there taking photos. Much more now that Royalty was paying a visit.
A loud buzz pierced the air once the Guard pressed it. Then trotted back over to stand next to the others. Luna glanced at Celestia who also glanced back with a hidden message. Be prepared and on your hooves. The two had spotted the insane amount of runes all over the brick wall protecting the mansion. As well as its gates. Rainbow knew they were here.
The magically locked gates pushed wide open, allowing them entry. The group of five walked in while two guards stayed out. Once past the gates, they automatically closed and locked once more. The group calmly trotted up to the door while admiring the well kept lawn and fountains. Celestia wondered what was actually inside. Nopony here had actually taken a tour of the whole giant mansion. Looks like they were about to find out.
The doors to the mansion opened up automatically, allowing them permission inside. Twilight took a deep breath and walked in first, followed by Celestia, Luna, then the guards who looked around in amazement upon entry. Especially at the large crest on the floor that had—
The doors suddenly slammed shut behind them, catching them all off guard. Even the guards. They looked behind them at the door, then around the foyer. "Give me a moment," Pencil's voice resonated around the building. A loud groan and a low hum followed along. Celestia and Luna glanced around tensely.
"It's her vault," Twilight said. "Pencil has a vault."
"Oh," Luna whispered. They calmed down and listened to the motions of the famous painter before the vault was closed. Then hoofsteps down the hallway by the kitchen. They followed the sound of hoofsteps and waited. Looking at the entrance to the hall tensely. Pencil finally stepped into view, wearing what she had worn earlier that day.
"Hello, Celestia. Luna," she greeted casually. "I've been expecting you. Into my study, please." She walked across the foyer and over to the adjacent hall, followed by the curious onlookers. The pool was at the end, along with a connected hall that led out to what looked like a garden. They soon arrived at the luxurious study, where Celestia ordered the guards to wait outside. The four filed in. Then the door was shut and locked.
Pencil waited by the door and watched them while they all took a seat on the couch and bags. Then changed into Rainbow Dash while making her way to her desk. She hopped into her chair, became comfortable, then kindly stared at them with her hooves folded on top like a businessmare. "So," she said, breaking the silence. "I guess you've heard about the altercation in Ponyville."
"Yes," Luna responded. The two diarchs turned to Twilight. "Twilight has something she'd like to say."
Twilight sighed and stood up, approaching the desk timidly. "Rainbow? I greatly apologize for the way I've been acting. I never meant any harm. I just.... I just wanted to know."
Rainbow smiled. Then leaned back and kicked her hooves on the top of her desk. "I know, Twilight. And I forgive you. You've always been... Interested in my stuff. Sorry, I have a boyfriend." Twilight blushed and looked away. Rainbow's smile slowly died away, replaced with a more despondent one "I'm joking, of course. But now... I want to ask you something. It's important." Celestia took note of Rainbow's tone. It sounded desperate. Luna picked up on it too.
Twilight nodded. "What do you need, Rainbow?"
Rainbow sighed and stroked her mane in front of her eye. "After I got home, I asked Buff to take Scootaloo to my study. But... She cried. Then ran up to me with tears in her eyes. And said.... 'Don't hurt them. Don't hurt them, momma.'"
"Are you wanting to adopt Scootaloo?" Luna asked in surprise.
"Well... Yes, but—"
Celestia smiled and said, "I think you should. You can obviously support her."
"That's not the point!" Rainbow yelled. She banged her hoof on her desk, shocking and silencing them. Sighing she closed her eyes and lowered her head. "That was the point. What I just did. Tell me, Twilight. When, out of all the time you have known me, have I ever done that? Yelled in anger?"
Twilight stared at her for a moment from between Celestia and Luna. Then shook her head slowly with her eyes still trained on Rainbow. "I....I don't remember you ever doing that."
Rainbow withdrew her hoof. "Exactly. When Scoots said that... It made me realize who I am. Who I've become. I've become... A perpetrator."
"You're not exactly a perpetrator per se," Celestia countered. "More like..." She waved her hoof around, trying to find the word.
"Scootaloo said I'm lost."
Luna nodded. "Yes. You've lost your way. I understand what she means. Let me guess. You're afraid you've become a pony you don't want to be."
Rainbow nodded. "Yes. After Scootaloo said that, she asked me a question. 'Who am I? Pencil Sketch? Or Rainbow Dash?' To be honest, I... I don't even know anymore." Rainbow stood up and grabbed one of the wines behind the chair, pouring herself a cup.
"You've become the lost one," Celestia clarified.
"Yeah," Twilight agreed. "The pony who can't decide her path." Rainbow set down the bottle and walked back to her chair, the cup levitating behind her in a black aura.
Rainbow sighed and said, "The thing is I love being a painter. It's my dream, but... I made it under a different persona." She took a sip of her wine and set it down on the desk in front of her. "Pencil gave me an alternative. Practically suggesting that if I come out to every single pony in Equestria, and the lands beyond it about who I really am, then I would finally realize where I want to be. All of my anger would extinguish, then I'll finally be happy. But... I'm afraid that everything will fall if I choose that option."
"So you're asking us for advice?" Celestia inquired. Rainbow nodded her head. "Well... I have to admit, this is quite the conundrum. Many ponies who have risen to your place in Equestrian status hold secrets. Even Hoity Toity, who was found sleeping with another mare. Coco Pommel, you know that one, you were there. And many others. However, none have such a big influence on Equestria as you do. Not even close."
"I know," Rainbow deadpanned. "That's why I need advice. Many ponies look to me for information and advice. The whole Sketch Movement was created because somepony simply looked at one of my paintings. There's so many, I don't know which one. But it inspired thousands of ponies to innovate."
Twilight chuckled and added, "Even Pinkie Pie. She's trying to start sewing."
"You're bucking kidding me," Rainbow muttered. "But imagine how all of those ponies would feel if I tell them that I pretty much lied about who I am. Well....not lied, but disguised myself."
"To be honest.. I think you should," Luna suggested. "Life is not worth living if you can't be yourself while living it. Living behind a mask is no way to live, Rainbow. Pencil Sketch may be the most known pony in Equestria. But behind all of the gray, intelligence, and artistic skill, it's Rainbow Dash. A pony who is believed to be dead, but still managed to inspire all the ponies in Equestria. Pencil Sketch is just an exact copy that dealt with your problems."
Rainbow sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But... How would I pull it off?"
Celestia raised her hoof and waved at her. "Easy. You tease them. But something is telling me you have already prepared for a situation such as this." Rainbow smiled and nodded.
"While I was in the hospital in Cloudsdale, I—"
"Wait, when did you go to the hospital?" Twilight asked in worry. "Were you admitted?"
"Yes. It was when I first revealed who I was. Outside of Pencil Sketch. To my parents. I had miscalculated how much time I could spend under the Shadow Persona spell. The one where I switch out with Pencil Sketch. I had spent a lot of time in the form. And during that time, I wasn't eating or moving. Pencil was. So....I sort of... became malnourished on one side of my mind. Now back to the plan, While I was in the hospital, I had created a painting that only my parents and Clear Skies have seen. It is kept under many locks and keys inside my vault, which is reinforced with many and indecipherable runes that will even have Twilight dizzy just staring at them."
"Don't make me test that," Twilight playfully responded.
Rainbow chuckled and got out of her chair. "Before I make a decision, I want Buff's opinion and my parents'. I have a feeling that one of them, or rather I'd say two of them, would agree with this. The other three I don't know." Twilight looked at her hoof, then back at Rainbow Dash in confusion.
"Wait, but I thought you were asking only three ponies," she reminded her. "Buff and your parents. You said five."
Rainbow smirked and said, "I know. But Buffy is mommy and daddy's big baby."
Fire Speed and Navy Sword stared down at the filly in front of them hiding underneath their son's barrel. Scootaloo peeked out and then glanced up at Buff, who was giving his parents a nervous smile. Fire Speed hummed and then glanced up at Buff nervously. "So... Pencil has a daughter?" She asked.
"No," Buff responded quickly. "Although I have a feeling that may change."
Navy Sword reached over and wrapped a hoof around his son's neck, sporting a cocky grin. "Already thinkin' about havin' foals huh? Let me warn you now. Pencil seems to be the more rowdy and in charge one. Try not to let her break your pen—"
"Dad, foal right here!" Buff interrupted. He motioned towards Scootaloo's confused face.
She looked up at Buff, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Break your....pen?"
"Yep! Uhhh... Pencil likes to snap pens!" Buff responded casually. He shot his father an upset glare then scooped Scootaloo back on his back. "Pencil is handling some things right now. So I volunteered to take Scootaloo here to relax and get to know each other."
Fire Speed gasped in excitement. Then sang proudly, "Definitely a father figure~!" Buff sighed and rolled his eyes. Fire Speed gasped again and added, "You didn't deny it! Are you really thinking about adopting a foal?! I'm so proud of you!!" She zipped forward and pulled her son into a crushing hug.
"Mom!" The front door of the house suddenly opened, taking everyone off guard. Pencil casually strode in with her flanks uncovered, revealing her sketched cutie mark that she totally forgot about.
"Buff, I need your advice!" She announced before spotting the parents. They all froze and once again made the moment more awkward than it already was. Scootaloo looked between them and sighed, shaking her head. Pencil grinned and waved kindly. "Uhhh... Hello, everypony."
"Hello.... Ms. Sketch," Fire Speed responded, eyes glued to her flanks. "Your...cutie mark is a lightning bolt?" Pencil gasped and looked down at her flanks. Just now noticing her cutie marks were on full display.
"Ah, jeez, I forgot to cover them," she whispered. Turning her head back to the parents she waved her hoofs and said, "Do not tell anypony about my marks. Seriously."
"We won't tell a word, Ms. Sketch," Fire Speed reassured. "I give you my promise. Right, Navy Sword?" He didn't answer. Too entranced at Pencil's cutie mark. He raised a hoof and rubbed his chin. Where has he seen that before?
"I've seen that cutie mark before somewhere," he thought aloud. "But I can't remember where. And it wasn't black and white like that. It was full of color." Scootaloo, Buff, Pencil, and the Rainbow Dash inside froze immediately. "Don't move Ms. Sketch." he walked around his wife and towards Pencil, eyes still glued to her flank. Pencil watched him, brow wet with a slight sweat. Rainbow Dash was inside shaking. After a moment he stood up and pointed at the flank. "Ah, yes. I remember talking to captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts a few weeks ago. She was going through a bad time. A pony she had admired for a long time had gone missing and was declared deceased by Princess Celestia. It broke her heart. She showed me a picture of that pony. Rainbow.... something." He waved a hoof around. "Rainbow Dash! That's what it was. Element of Loyalty and the only pony who could complete the Sonic Rainboom. It inspired Spitfire so much. She said one day Rainbow was there at her home. The next she had disappeared without a trace. A search was started and nopony knew anything. Spitfire fell into a depression after that and we talked about it. She had gotten better quickly after a few weeks and was back to being captain, but... Nopony ever...." He looked up at Rainbow Dash with his mouth partly opened and eyes slightly narrowed. "...found the mare."
He got back up onto his hooves and stared Pencil in the eyes. Then glanced over at Buff and Scootaloo, the filly once again hiding underneath Buff's stomach. He glanced over at Fire Speed who met his curious gaze with her own. Then they both turned to Pencil. Fire Speed trotted over while Buff stood to the side. Then whispered to her, "Are you..... Are you Rainbow Dash, Ms. Sketch?"
Pencil lost her nervous look and stared at them boldly. She could feel Buff and Scootaloo's nervous stare. But she could also feel Rainbow Dash's worry at being so easily found out. "What do we do, Rainbow?"
Rainbow Dash sighed and stood up from her cloud inside Pencil's mind, prepared to take over. "I'm going in," she whispered. The silence reigned on until Pencil's coat seemed to flip. Starting from her hooves and moving upwards into a more cerulean blue. Her cutie mark outline gained color once more, creating the spectrum and rainbow colored rainbolt that had matched her necklace. Then it moved up to her eyes, which changed from their lifeless gray into a bright and magnificent Magenta. Then finally her mane and tail. The colors immediately matched her Cutie Mark.
The change stopped, revealing to the stallion that his hunch was correct. Fire Speed and Navy Sword backed up a little out of surprise and looked her over. Fire Speed looked her up and down while Navy Sword looked in her eyes. Rainbow Dash sighed and said in her normal voice, "Yes."
Nopony moved. Barely even breathed. Everything was quiet, save for the air conditioning that was running inside of Buff's home. Pencil Sketch had just changed back into Rainbow Dash. Right in front of his parents who saw and witnessed the process. Rainbow stood in front of the hallway that led to the front door, a bland look on her face as her thoughts raced. Fire Speed, Buff's mother, was staring at Rainbow Dash with a look of disbelief. Navy Sword was...obviously confused. Or was it bewildered.
He scuffed his hoof along his chin, looking her up and down with curious light blue eyes. If only Rainbow Dash could figure out what he was thinking. She glanced left and right as he studied her. "Wow," he muttered, breaking the silence. Then added much louder, "I was expecting something more along the lines of pulling off a wig and throwing it at my son. Then grabbing like a cloth and sponging yourself down to get rid of that gray paint. But I was WAYYY off the mark." Rainbow glanced at Buff and Scootaloo, both of which shrugging, also confused at his reaction.
Focusing her confused sights on Navy Sword, Rainbow asked, "So....you're not mad?"
"Oh no, I'm pretty upset," Navy responded. He narrowed his eyes and got into her face. "I want the truth, Ms. 'Sketch'. Have you been using...apparently, magic on your paintings?"
"Absolutely not!" Rainbow yelled, obviously offended. She stood back up and glared down at him. "The only reason I use magic is for self-defense! And for my own more convenient reasons, but I do NOT use it to make my bits!"
Buff raised his hoof and nervously added from the side, "I can vouch for that. I've watched her paint for four hours in front of me. Quite an extensive process if I do say so. Waiting for her to leave a store is something else entirely." A ball of paper suddenly bounced off his face. "But Rainbow uses no magic at all in front of her while painting."
Navy Sword hummed and turned to Rainbow. Then gasped and turned back to his son. "Wait, you knew about this?!"
"Err....yeahhhhh?" He answered quietly as if he wasn't sure.
Sighing, Fire Speed turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Well regardless, you lied to us about your identity. Wait, so are you Pencil Sketch, or Rainbow Dash? I'm confused now!"
"I created Pencil Sketch," Rainbow deadpanned.
"Oh. So Pencil Sketch is an alias. A complete mystery. But..." Her voice got quiet. "Why did you create Pencil Sketch? She has a lot, a lot of bits while you just stay in the background. I'm not worried about the fact that there's a pegasus that can use magic and create a pony using her own body. Not to mention there's probably—okay, how exactly are you using magic?" She asked, cutting herself off.
Rainbow and Buff shared a knowing look. Just as she thought. Rainbow just changed in front of a pony, revealing herself not to be who she thought she was. And all this Pegasus was concerned about was the fact that she used magic. Now she wants to know how to do it. Good thing that Tome is under a lot of locks and keys. Rainbow looked back at Fire Speed and answered, "Sorry. I...can't tell you that."
Fire Speed turned her head and waved a hoof at her. "Oh...I'll figure it out eventually."
"Good luck."
"Buff, how does she use magic?" Rainbow blinked and turned to Buff in surprise.
Buff looked around and picked up Scootaloo, placing her on his back. "Oh, wow! Look at the time. Looks like it's time for your daily nap, Scootaloo!" Before Scootaloo could protest, Buff turned and walked down the hallway, trotting briskly into his room and slamming the door shut.
Fire Speed scoffed and turned back to Rainbow. "Fine! But i'll figure it out eventually!"
Rainbow chuckled and said, "Like I said before, good luck. Now I need you guys to promise not to tell anypony about this. My cutie mark, my magic, or even my real name. Okay? I'm actually debating to come out to the public about who I am and actually teleported over here to speak to Buff about it. But you just happened to catch me."
"Oh...uhhh..." Navy Sword and fire Speed glanced at each other then back at Rainbow Dash with uncertainty. "We promise not to say a word. But I know I didn't like being lied to. You were presumed dead in Ponyville. You lied to millions of ponies, and creatures in Equestria and the surrounding lands. Not to mention you can use magic, which everypony'll realize once you...do whatever you just did in here. Everypony likes and buys the rights to your paintings for their precision and authenticity. If they see this, they'll think you use your magic for making your paintings. Not to mention will want to know where you even got it from. i know for a fact there will be thousands of lawsuits against you."
Rainbow sighed and nodded her head. And added, "I'm not too sure about them knowing where I got my magic from. My magic is really important to me and...the only thing I had left before all of this. Let me tell you my history and everything that led up to me being forced to hide myself."
Back in ponyville in front of the square, Applejack spit out her drink at the sign that a Royal Guard was placing on the library door. She walked towards it and called, "Excuse me?" The guard turned around and nodded, acknowledging her. "The Library's closed?"
"Yes, ma'am," the female Guard responded. "Orders by Princess Celestia herself. The library's closed for thirty one days and will not be available for use. Good day." The guard walked around Applejack and back into town, leaving Applejack with so many questions.
"What in Tartarus?!" Applejack jumped at Rarity's loud voice and held a hoof over her chest to calm her rushing heart. Rarity walked over to the door and stared at the sign in disbelief. Then turned back to Applejack in surprise. "What happened?"
Applejack shrugged and said loudly, "I don't know! I guess Twilight got in some trouble—ohh, this is gonna bite her hard in the flank and is goin' to leave a giant bruise."
Rarity sighed and commented, "I wonder where Spike and Twilight living now."
Applejack shrugged and turned around, heading back to her business in the square, selling apples. "Probably with her relatives."
***
Twilight sat in front of her parents who both had a cross look for expressions. Spike had gone upstairs to their old room, leaving her to fight this battle. Twilight Velvet sighed and said, "Twilight? You could've gotten in real trouble with the law of Equestria. Thankfully, Celestia kept this under the wraps so you're clean. However, you should no better than to go through a pony's things. Especially a famous pony's things. Imagine what would happen if the media found out about this. It would have ruined you. And us. There would have been so much scandal around you and our family. Not to mention a little around Pencil Sketch, which I am sure she doesn't want. Thankfully, she forgave you."
Night Light pointed a hoof at Twilight and reminded her. "Just Like Celestia said, no reading any type of knowledgeable books and no libraries. Go and have some fun somewhere. For thirty-one days." Twilight whimpered and lowered her head. This was going to be a tough month. But maybe she could stop by Rainbow Dash's mansion. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.
Twilight nodded and got up, making her way out the door. "No library!" Twilight Velvet reminded her before the door closed.
Fire Speed and Navy Sword drunk down the rest of their tea. The two were sitting on both sides of Rainbow Dash on the old time couch, rubbing her back as she finished up her Flight Camp tale, complete with tears bursting out of her eyes at the end. "There, there, dear," Fire Speed cooed. She hoofed over another tissue paper for Rainbow to grab and blow her brains into. "I didn't know you went through that much pain in your life. And your parents didn't know?"
Rainbow sniffed and nodded. "They told the teachers, and they warned the bullies," she answered. "But then the bullying got even more aggressive. So I created Pencil to stop it. You know what happened after that."
Navy Sword sighed and nodded his head. "While I do agree that everypony did do you wrong and have hurt your feeling at a reasonable amount, that still doesn't explain why you're hiding."
Rainbow sighed and told the second bit of her story. Telling them about how the bullying in Cloudsdale had gotten worse and she moved to Ponyville. Then moved on years later to nearly a year ago when her friends yelled and said they didn't want to be her friend. And how they pretty much used her for their own reasons. For their own victory. That's when she cut herself off from society, moved to Manehattan, lived in a standard home before Celestia magnificent caught the eyes of many ponies looking for artwork, got placed in a museum, and was paid two thousand bits for the rights from many organizations that decided to use a copy of her painting for their own reasons. Those were a lot of organizations. Which soon became more. And more. And more. Until she was able to build her mansion, make her first appearance, and so forth to today.
"But all of that may come down if I'm not smart about my true reveal," Rainbow whispered. She wiped her eyes and added, "I've worked way too hard for that. I don't want to hide anymore, but I don't know what to do. I mean...my plan is this." Buff jogged out the hallway with Scootaloo on his back, heading into the kitchen while she explained. "I created a painting of myself and Pencil Sketch. In an experiment that involves light rays and the pony eyes. Dimensional distortion. I have an original painting that displays it normally. But nopony, and I meanNO pony will be able to do this. I created a layer that will overlay the painting, placing you and the painting in an atmosphere where you can see all angles of the painting. It's like you're looking at my face and you can't see the mole on my shoulder. Until you stand up and lean to the side."
"Wait so it's like the real thing?" Fire Speed asked in surprise.
"As real as it could get, since this is my first time experimenting with it. imagine the bits I could get with my art. I'm in the midst of making a few more, but I'm still trying to make a decision on whether or not to come out about my identity. That's why I came here to get Buffy's opinion." She turned to the kitchen where Buff was in the middle of a hayburger eating contest with Scootaloo. "What do you think, Buffy?"
"I'm winning!" He yelled. He bit into the rest of the Hayburger before Scootaloo threw a bit of hay at his face, distracting him for a moment. Taking this chance, Scootaloo pushed his plate to the side a little. Then gulped down her entire Hayburger, grinning innocently at Buff. "I loooost!!!" Buff cried. Then let his face flop down onto the plate of hayfries next to him.
Scootaloo licked her hoof and cooly ran it through her mane. "Told ya' once, showed ya' once." She leaned over the table and got into his proximity. "You can't be me! I'm too awesome for you! Boom!"
Rainbow laughed and fell back into the couch. "Oh my faust! What just happened?!" She screamed.
Scootaloo giggled then jumped off the chair and ran over to Rainbow. "Buff bet that he could eat a Hayburger faster than me. I was like, 'Nuh uh'. But he bet me and said he could. So we came in here and got busy. Safe to say...I beat him." Buff grumbled and calmly ate the rest of his food.
Rainbow Dash chuckled and got up, making her way to him. "Awww....are you upset?" She asked. "I hope you learned to never mess with Scootaloo over food. She will destroy you. I found that out the hard way." Buff huffed before Rainbow nuzzled his cheek lovingly. "Come on. Scoots just plays tough. If you want to beat her, you have to go twice as hard."
"I'll keep that in mind..." Buff glanced at Scootaloo. "For next time." Scootaloo stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and asked, "Now what do you think about my plan?"
"Well I know you need a validator to prove you don't use magic in your paintings. Because many ponies will believe you do once they see your experiments. Just to be on the safe side...I think you should have you know who scan it first. Then have Celestia do it at the reveal. Just to be sure. I hear magic is... 'tricky.'" Rainbow scoffed and slapped his back with her wing.
"That was a terrible pun." She turned and decided to walk back to the couch. Accidentally snorting.
Buff pointed a hoof and yelled, "Aha! I knew you enjoyed my puns! You can't deny it! I heard—" The paper ball Rainbow threw at him earlier hit him in the face. Once more.
Twilight tapped her hoof patiently against the stone sidewalk as she gazed at the entrance of the mansion that was Pencil Sketch. Or rather Rainbow Dash. There were still tourists around there taking photos and pointing. She was still trying to figure out why it was so interesting. It was just a mansion. A white stone mansion with a perfect lawn, water fountains that are just gorgeous, a high ceiling with marble floors and...
Twilight shrugged, seeing their point. Too bad they could only get an outside look. It was pretty great inside. The parts she could see anyway. Twilight lifted the straw she was sipping from to her lips to drink more of that refreshing beverage. She's been sitting here for awhile. After arriving at the mansion, she realized no one was home. So Twilight walked down the street, picked up a drink, and then took a seat across the street from Rainbow's mansion. Waiting. Just waiting.
"Having fun?" Twilight spit her soda out and turned around to face Pencil. Smirking knowingly and wearing a dress to cover her flanks. "Couldn't help but notice you suspiciously sitting across the street glaring at my mansion."
Twilight stuttered, "I-I have no idea what you're talking about. I was just sitting here drinking an amazing cold beverage. Minding my business, heh hehe heh." Pencil gave her the most deadpan expression she could manage. Twilight dropped her fake smile and admitted, "Fine, I was waiting for you. Since all of my books are confiscated, thought we could just talk for a bit or something. That and I'm staying in Canterlot until my sentence is raised."
Pencil chuckled and waved her into an alley unseen. Once out of sight, she shadow teleported herself and Twilight into the mansion's foyer where Buff and Scootaloo were running around. Twilight and Pencil, who turned into Rainbow watched them amusingly as Scootaloo jumped on his back and playfully tugged his ears. Buff yelped and continued running.
Twilight raised her eyebrows and muttered, "This is...interesting."
Rainbow nodded in agreement. Then cleared her throat loudly, getting their attention. Buff and Scootaloo, who was holding onto Buff's ears like reigns of a horse stopped and stared at them like Applejack was caught trying on Rarity's dresses. Rainbow pointed at Twilight and said, "We have a guest. So... What was that?"
Scootaloo hopped off Buff and looked at her hoof as if nothing happened. Buff meanwhile just turned and walked away. Rainbow hummed and then turned to Twilight. "So what was it you wanted to do? Actually, I have to ask a favor of you. Come with me." Rainbow turned and headed down the hall to her study, followed closely by Twilight.
"Wait!" Rainbow turned to Scootaloo who was quickly running over to them. "Can I come?"
Rainbow shrugged and said, "It shouldn't hurt. Sure." She bent low and let Scootaloo climb on her back. Then rose back up and continued on her way down to the study. Twilight smiled and followed along. It seemed that Rainbow was becoming more suited to being a possible permanent caretaker for Scootaloo. Possibly.
Soon, they walked into the fancy room and library. Rainbow bent low and let Scootaloo climb off to raid the shelves while Twilight made her way over to the beanbags. She flopped down in one while Rainbow took a seat behind her desk. "So what do you need Rainbow?" Twilight asked her. "I was actually going to come here to see if you needed anything that may help with your reveal, should you choose that route."
"Yes," Rainbow responded. Then doubled back and said, "Well, maybe. I just happened to slide inside of Buff's place and well...I didn't cover my flanks. Unfortunately, his parents were there."
Twilight seethed through her teeth and said, "Oh no."
"Yep," Rainbow stated. "They. Saw. Everything. And his father just happened to know Spitfire, who knew me, and he made an educated guess that I was Rainbow Dash. After a quick explanation—"
"That involved tears!" Scootaloo interrupted from the back.
Rainbow sighed and said, "Yes, that involved some feelings, they promised they wouldn't say anything. They said that they didn't like me lying to them. They promised not to say a word, but they still did say they didn't like being lied to. That made me think that my fans may not like me lying to them if I carry this out any longer. So..."
"You're going to do it," Twilight assumed.
Rainbow sighed and nodded. "Yes I am. I have a plan, but I need your help."
"What do you need?" Twilight asked quickly. "I'll be happy to help you out."
"Well I need two ponies that can detect dark magic. I know you can, so if you could follow along with me at the reveal of my new experiment, I'd really appreciate it."
"Sure, I'd be happy to come to your reveal." She leaned in and whispered, "Is it backstage?"
Rainbow leaned in too and said, "All of the VIPs get backstage passes, meet and greets with more VIPs like Hoity Toity, Fleur De Lis, Songbird Serenade, and a few more expensive names. Not to mention..." She leaned back and reached underneath her desk, grabbing a pass. "A free pass to the grand opening of Sketch It All! Studios in a few months. This pass is a free all access pass to all of my studios in Equestria. All of the studios right now have a different niche per city. I was going to do all art studios. But with the Sketch movement going full blast, that means that everypony will want a chance at everything. So I had to assign different studios for different things. All of them will have a subscription service of ten bits a month per studio. The one in the Crystal Empire will be your niche. Magical Arts with all texts on the subject that you can read. Imagine Starswirl the Bearded's works. But all of Starswirl the Bearded's works right in your hooves. Well...except one that we both know will not be available to the public eye."
Twilight didn't get it at first before she fawned. "Ohhhh, right. I'll do it. I'll help you detect dark magic on your new experimental painting."
"Excellent. Now I need a second pony to do the second scanning. Since you know me, my fans will think I put you up to this. So me and Buff were thinking Celestia without her knowing until I ask her."
That caught Twilight by surprise. "Oh! Okay. Do you want me to ask her for you?"
"No, I can ask her myself." She patted a space on her desk that had a slot on it. "I can ask her myself by simply writing a letter. I need her to get over here for a moment. Scootaloo, what are you doing?" Twilight blinked and directed her gaze to Rainbow's side, noticing the sliver of orange fur on her back. Scootaloo's head popped up over Rainbow Dash's, her hooves full of her colorful mane.
"Your mane is really soft," she commented. "So I'm playing with it." Rainbow sighed and rolled her eyes. Then started writing the letter with her magic while Scootaloo started doing something with her mane. Once she finished, she slipped it into the slot and folded her hooves on the desk, facing Twilight.
"Now...we wait," she stated. Scootaloo continued doing whatever she wanted with Rainbow's long mane, tongue sticking out in focus. "Scootaloo...what in Equestria are you doing?"
"Something awesome!" She replied. Rainbow rolled her eyes and just let Scootaloo have her way with her hair. It was enough to get her tired after a while. She'll run out of steam eventually.
The Crystal Empire gleamed with light as the sun's rays bounced off the spires of the castle and other crystal structures. Which were all the structures. The front doors of the castle opened up as Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor walked out with eight more guards, pushing along a carriage that held Flurry Heart's squealing excited form. Cadance leaned in and nuzzled her lovingly. "Who's my baby?" She cooed. Flurry cried out and grabbed Cadance's muzzle. "That's right. You are."
Shining Armor smiled harder and faced forward as they walked down the street, taking their time in the afternoon sun. "It was a nice day," he stated. "We should've taken her to the park to interact with other foals earlier."
Cadance glanced at him in uncertainty. "I'm not sure about her interacting just yet. She's still really young. I don't want her making a lot of friends before she can even walk."
Shining shrugged and sighed, "I think we should at least think about it every now and then." The group walked into the square, waving at a few more ponies. "Hey, maybe Flurry might make a friend that can't walk yet either."
"Maybe. But until then..." She leaned back down and blew a raspberry into her baby's stomach. Shining chuckled and rolled his eyes. After a few seconds, Cadance rose once more and looked around the busy square. Pobies were going out and buying food, clothes, and more. Some were going into nearby stores and buying things too. Like that foal with...
Cadance's breathing hitched for a moment. Not peeling her eyes off, she nudged her husband. He looked at her and asked, "What is it?" She didn't say anything. Instead, motioned with her head towards the square. Shining followed her gaze to a foal in the middle of the area looking around. It was a filly with a gray coat and a light red mane adorned with a single gray streak. But what had caught Cadance's eye was the state the filly was in.
She looked wild and had a few bruises on her. Her coat was matted and ruffled, and she seemed to be injured. Based on the fact that she was keeping off her right hoof. She looked around for a moment, then bent low, sneaking underneath one of the stands that was covered with a blanket. A moment later, she sneaked back out with a bag of apples, heading for an alley with the bag dragging the ground. Shining gasped and exclaimed, "Did she just steal—"
"Shhh," Cadance shushed her husband. "Keep watching. I think...." The foal poked her head back out and glanced left and right. How nopony was seeing this was impossible. Once she deemed the coast was clear, she ran out the alley with a wagon attached to her. Cadance could tell there was something wrong with her because she was still keeping off her right hoof.
Cadance turned to her guards with her wings outstretched, completely focused. "I need four of you with me, and four with my baby. Let's go. We need to know about this foal." Cadance turned and trotted down an adjacent alley, followed closely by four guards. Cadance peeked her head out and spotted the foal running out and heading down the street, heading further and further away from the castle. Once far enough, Cadance ran out and took to the air, landing on a roof and running across while keeping a close watch on the filly limping down the street. The guards were following along too, keeping a short distance away from her. After a few more minutes, the filly slowed down to a slow limp towards an old building that was all alone on the outskirts of town, huffing and puffing. The guards quickly ducked into alleys when she turned and looked around. Then knocked on the door in a pattern. It opened up a second later to let out three more foals who quickly helped her out of her harness. One of them were a colt and the other two were fillies.
The colt grabbed the straps and tugged the wagon inside the building while the other two foals helped the other filly inside. Then shut the door. Cadance teleported down in front of her guards. Then pointed at the structure and ordered, "Keep an eye on the building. I need to send an urgent letter."
While they waited for a response, Rainbow and Twilight made simple conversation about things that have been happening on Twilight's side of things. Apart from being grounded, and reading about Pencil. Rainbow stayed honest and admitted that she was just working on more art and her studios. As well as getting ready for a radio interview tomorrow. She was nervous because this would be the first time she's ever done one. Meanwhile, Scootaloo was still braiding Rainbow's mane. Twilight was just avoiding the visible motions she was making as the different colors flew up and down back there.
Twilight slurped the last few drops from her soda and asked, "Are you expecting any interesting questions?"
Rainbow chuckled and kicked her hooves up. "Of course!" She replied. "Pencil and I are a mare of mystery. Nopony knows anything about us. We're completely strange and unknown. I'm also expecting some weird questions."
Twilight chuckled and asked, "Weird questions?"
"Yeah!" Rainbow dropped back down and leaned over her desk. "Like, 'Did you ever have a real foalhood?' 'How was school for you? You seem to be the more deep pony.' Questions like that."
"Ah, okay." A note slid out of the Celestia slot on Rainbow's desk, sliding across the wood and stopping in front of her. Twilight motioned to it and asked, "Celestia?"
"Yep." A red letter slid out of another one, taking Rainbow a litrle by surprise. "And another from Cadance? This one seems more urgent because it's red."
"How observant of you." Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight's playful jab and unfolded the red one, reading it to herself. Her smile slowly died down, replaced by wide eyes.
She looked up and yelled, "BUFF!! GET MY SUIT!! WE'RE GOING TO THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE!! Scoots, you're coming with." Scootaloo peeked over Rainbow's shoulder with a face of confusion. "No questions. Twilight you're coming too."
Rainbow jumped over the desk and made her way to the door with Scootaloo dangling from a single braid. Twilight looked around for a trash can of some sort. But since she didn't see one, she sighed and just carried the empty cup with her in her magic after Rainbow. They quickly ran into the foyer where Buff was waiting with Rainbow's Mystery Mare outfit draped over one of his wings. Record time in grabbing her things. She ran over to him and used her magic to lift it up into a real life position. Scootaloo let go of her braid and fell on the ground while she casually walked into the suit as if it were air. The mask was still down, allowing her face to be seen in the leather suit as she adjusted herself. For now.
Twilight cleared her throat and asked, "So why are you going Mystery Mare again?"
"Cadance and the Guard spotted another community of foals in The Crystal Empire," Rainbow explained as she zipped up the suit. "She said one of them was hurt and they didn't look healthy. They want me to come in and check things out since I'm the expert in this stuff."
"So—"
"Yes, Twilight." Rainbow put the hood over her head and said, "There are Therohs in The Crystal Empire. Now hold on." She turned around and raised her hooves for a moment before they all disappeared in a flash of black smoke. Heading for the Empire.
The Guards kept their eyes on the abandoned Crystal Structure just like they were ordered to do by Princess Cadance. Some pulled out binoculars, looking through some of the broken windows that something would more than often move past, casting a shadow. The Lieutenant hummed and lowered his own binoculars, trying to figure out what a bunch of foals were doing in an abandoned house. "Anything?" He turned to the voice of Princess Cadance behind him.
She urgently walked over and stood next to him. He hoofed over the binoculars to let her peer through and answered, "Multiple signs of movement inside the building. I can't tell how many exactly, but I saw eight different forms and mane colors."
"Interesting. I sent for an expert. If I know her as well as I do, she'll be here in a few seconds." Someone tapped her shoulder, getting her to lower the binoculars, look over, and nearly shriek. The Mystery Mare was looking her right in the eyes through mesh eye holes. Cadance held a hoof over her chest and took a deep breath. Then spotted Twilight peeking over the Mystery Mare's shoulder.
Rainbow motioned with her hoof for her to explain. So Cadance nodded and pointed towards the run down building. "Five foals so far as we can tell in there. If you're going to investigate, stay quiet. They may just be a poor family. Possibly hostile because of that filly's bruises."
Rainbow nodded then turned invisible, ready to begin the task. She ran out of the alley and into the street, walking around the building and towards the corner leading to the backyard. Once out of sight, Cadance turned to Twilight, Buff, and Scootaloo. "Scootaloo, we could use your help too. Since you were possibly in the same position as these foals, you can maybe calm them down if they are in fact aggressive, and ask questions since you've been in this situation. Just listen to me, okay?"
***
Rainbow Dash stopped at the corner of the building and shimmered into view. Even though the building was a solid crystal, she could still make out movement inside. A lot. Converging on one spot that were probably the stolen apples. But she could only make out so much outside. She needed to get in. Now. Without making any noise.
Rainbow Dash sighed and jumped into the building's uprooted backyard. Either these ponies were using the bathroom out here, or it just smelled naturally terrible. She was going with the former. There was a wooden door in front of her that was definitely unguarded. Based on the fact that nopony wanted to be near this literal wasteland. So she quietly and casually pushed it open. The hinges squeaked as it rotated, revealing what seemed to be a really quiet and creepy kitchen that was no longer in use. The first thing she spotted was a stove that has definitely seen better days. The floor was worn down, the lights in the ceiling were dangling, and the building was packed. She could tell just by listening. But she needed an eye inside.
So Rainbow immediately creeped in and quietly shut the door behind her. Then turned back around towards the dark kitchen, greeting it with a deep breath. Without making a squeak, she slowly moved towards the doorframe that had a door ripped off its hinges. Her hoofs made soft sounds along the crystal when she stopped at the edge and listened in. It sounded like they were still eating, save for the pony groaning and hissing.
"Stop moving, you're making it worse," a filly said. Rainbow heard a rip then another hiss.
"Well it already bucking hurts!" Another filly yelled. Rainbow took note of her language. There was no telling how long these foals have been alone. Didn't matter right now though. Using an invisibility spell, Rainbow walked out from behind the door and into what seemed to be a living room in the past. These...are a lot of foals, Rainbow thought. There had to be at least thirty in the large living room alone. But from what she could hear, there were more up the stairs. Two levels. A challenge.
Rainbow backed into the kitchen and used her magic to create copies of herself. Four of them, dressed in the same outfit as she was. After they were created, they looked over and focused on her. The original pointed out the door and whispered, "Stay invisible and surround the room. Create a silent containment spell. I'll handle upstairs. Let's move." Rainbow turned on the spell once more and soundlessly walked out from the kitchen, heading for the stairs. She walked past a couch that held three sleeping fillies across from the circle of eating foals. She spotted who was doing all the moaning and groaning earlier. A filly with a gray coat, a light red mane and tail in it with a single gray streak. She looked like somepony beat her up.
There was another filly beside her patching up a wound on the gray filly's right hoof. "You need to stay inside, Gray Fire," she warned. "Or else this is going to break and we'll have to start over again."
"I can't stay inside," the filly known as Gray fire responded spitefully. She grunted and stood back up. "Somepony needs to look out for everypony here. And that pony is me. I do what I have to do. Broken leg or not. We need more food." Rainbow quickly turned and silently made her way up the stairs while Gray Fire walked towards the front door. She was determinedly limping towards it, ready to do another task. Instead, she bumped her muzzle into the containment field. Bouncing back, she rubbed her muzzle. Yelling, "Ow! Huh?"
Everyone in the room stopped eating—and snoring—and looked up at where Gray Fire was feeling...the air. Gray Fire pulled back her good hoof and hit what seemed to be the air, creating a black ripple that they all noticed. Gasping, everyone walked over to where she was banging on the containment field, creating more ripples. They all started complaining and crying out.
"What is this?!"
"I don't know!!"
"Can we get out?!"
"Try the kitchen!" The fillies and colts headed towards the kitchen and hit another wall. "We can't get out!!" Gray Fire declared angrily. She turned around and yelled, "Who's the pony that put us in here?! Show yourself!!" A puff of black smoke later, a unicorn filly from upstairs was deposited downstairs in the middle of the room, eating an apple. Not even noticing that Rainbow Dash had moved her. Gray Fire gasped and narrowed her eyes. Then bumped past the other foals and up to the eating foal. She grabbed her hooves, making and pulled her up to look into her eyes by surprise. "Let us out of this field! Right now!"
The filly froze and glanced left and right. Then looked into Gray's eyes and asked, "...huh?"
Before Gray Fire could ask, another foal, this one a pegasus like her, was deposited on top of her, forcing her flat onto the ground. This one was reading a book at the time she was deposited. But stopped once she realized the brightness of her book had dimmed. She looked up in concern and then checked out her surroundings. "Wait a minute... How'd I get down here?" She asked.
"Get! Off!" She looked down and yelped, jumping off and hovering in the air as more and more foals were deposited in the living room. Gray Fire stood up and looked around at the overly crowded room filled with over forty five foals. And none of them could move. It was getting a lit hot. She looked around and yelled, "What is going on?!"
Everypony began talking at once, not even noticing the mystery mare slowly creeping down the stairs. Except the foal that was fixing Gray Fire's hoof. Keeping her fear-filled eye on Rainbow, she poked a hoof into Gray's side, grabbing her obviously furious eyes. Ignoring them, she pointed at Rainbow who was staring directly at them. Gray followed her gaze and paled. Soon after a few more seconds, the chaos stopped and everyone stared at each other. Rainbow at the foals, the foals at Rainbow.
Rainbow sighed deeply. Then lifted her head towards a corner of the couch and waved a hoof. Her copies shimmered into view, their hidden eyes trained on the foals who were frozen. Finding them defenseless, Rainbow walked towards the front door and pulled it open, letting in the light and waving a hoof. Then turned around and walked back inside, leaving it open. She stood to the side and kept her eyes on the foals while two Royal Guard strode in. Followed by Princess Cadance, Twilight with Scootaloo on her back, and Princesses Celestia and Luna, who arrived after a letter was sent by Cadance. The foals didn't even move as they looked around.
"By faust," Celestia whispered as she gazed at all the foals, who in turn stared back. Celestia sighed and asked, "What happened here? Mystery? Any idea?"
The Princesses turned to Rainbow Dash who answered by shaking their head. Then deadpanned, "They don't seem like a family, Cadance."
Twilight looked up at Scootaloo and whispered, "Do your thing."
Scootaloo gulped and timidly jumped off her head, landing on the cold and dark crystal floor. Then walked towards the foals before one of them bumped past the others, limping into view. Scootaloo stopped and looked her over. Then asked, "Where are you from?"
Gray Fire backed up and asked, "Huh?" But Scootaloo couldn't hear her. She turned to the Princesses and shrugged.
"Oh! Right!" Rainbow yelled, then motioned to her copies who stopped the spell. This time the Princesses were able to hear their breathing.
Satisfied, Scootaloo turned back around and asked, "Who's the community leader?"
"Me." Gray Fire limped out of the group once more and asked a question of her own. "Who are you?"
"I'm Scootaloo. I was the community leader at the camp in Ponyville."
Gray Fire gasped and whispered cautiously, "Your....parents were...."
Scootaloo bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, I...I don't like talking about it. How long have you been here?"
"Maybe four years now. But before this point, nopony really seemed to notice us! It was really weird—ow!!" She sat down and looked at her injured hoof that was fit with a stint. She whimpered and added, "We've been doing a lot to try and get ready for the upcoming winter and were preparing this area for it maybe three weeks ago. I had fell after fixing the ceiling from falling planks and...broke my hoof."
"Oh dear. Guard, let's get these foals away from this unstable building," Cadance ordered. "Everypony outside. If you need help to walk or move just ask." The Guard stepped to the side while the foals began to move. Meanwhile, Rainbow walked up to Gray Fire beside Scootaloo, scaring her enough that she backed away, nearly hurting her hoof even more.
Scootaloo squeaked and said, "It's okay. She looks very intimidating like this, but she's really not. Trust me." Rainbow bent low and allowed Scootaloo on her back. Once she was comfortable, Scootaloo waved to Gray Fire invitingly. "Come on, she won't bite."
"I-I can walk, thank you," she replied. Then began limping towards the door. Rainbow rolled her eyes and stood back up. Then scooped up Gray Fire and tossed her on her back. Once she landed, Gray Fire held an expression of horror, frozen in fear.
"Yeah, I forgot to mention. Mystery gets what she wants," Scootaloo added. Rainbow sighed and turned around to walk outside while the Guards investigated the building. But before she did, she extinguished her copies, turning them to black smoke. She spotted Cadance speaking with Twilight, Celestia, and Luna. Probably about where to place these foals. She walked towards the circle of other foals and laid down, listening to Scootaloo and Gray Fire. It seems they were already kicking it off, based off their excited chatter on her back.
Gray Fire leaned in and whispered, "Is that her name?" The two jumped off and slowly walked towards the rest of the foals, leaving Rainbow alone. She watched them walk away and a bunch more guards arriving with chariots and medical supplies.
"You know..." Rainbow turned towards the voice of Princess Celestia. "You do not always have to hide. Last time I checked, nopony knew of Rainbow Dash in the Crystal Empire."
"True," Rainbow responded. Then turned back to Scootaloo who was hugging Gray Fire while she got her hoof looked at. "But I do not like taking chances. At least with my identity. What are we going to do with them? We can't leave them in the street and forty five foals at the hospital is pushing it. That's even more than Ponyville."
Celestia hummed and looked towards the castle in the distance. Then back at Rainbow Dash. "Well Canterlot has more than enough room to house them," she suggested. "There are plenty of empty rooms in the castle. I am also aware that Manehattan has a lot of room too."
"More than enough, but why Manehattan?" Rainbow asked in confusion. The other Princesses and Twilight walked over to listen in. "Why do they have to leave their home?"
"Well besides them not having any place to go," Twilight answered. "Or the fact that the Therohs are still here somewhere, you're the only pony in all of Equestria that can fight them. That and to protect these foals."
Luna pressed a hoof against Rainbow Dash's mouth and said, "Before you ask, let me explain. Whoever is commanding these Therohs have political power. Political ponies get all the news surrounding Equestria on their desks all the time everyday. This pony is dangerous and if they so much as hear about these foals speaking about what happened, or if this situation gets enough notice..."
"Then the foals also become expendable," Rainbow assumed. She sighed and turned back to the foals who were being checked out by medics. Specifically Scootaloo who was holding Gray Fire's hoof while she was painfully injected with painkillers for her hoof.
"Right," Twilight responded. "Their records of existence have already been expunged. It wouldn't really matter to this pony if they were completely gone. This pony obviously wants everything kept absolutely quiet. Not even a squeak. Even though this was a huge event in Ponyville, Celestia had to ask the press to not put out anymore news about it."
Rainbow took a deep breath and stood back up, eyes still on the foals. She growled and yelled, "Fine! Bring them to Manehattan, but not my mansion. I already have Scootaloo and... Gray Fire."
"Wait, you're taking in Gray Fire too?" Cadance asked. She was obviously confused.
Rainbow motioned towards Scootaloo and Gray Fire, who was following Scootaloo around like she was her older sister. "They may have just met. But I can already tell they're not going to just leave each other. So... I'll take her back to my place and have her settle in there. Maybe Scootaloo could get some questions answered and I can find a pattern in these attacks. Buff?" The muscular pony was at her side in a second, saluting like a soldier. "Get Squirt on my train. Along with her friend. Take them back to the mansion. I'll already be there. If you need any bits, you know where to find them. The pass for the train is already in your bag. Twilight, you're with him. Keep them company okay?"
"You got it!" Twilight responded. Then motioned with her eyes towards Celestia.
Rainbow jumped in recognition. "Oh! Right! Celestia, I was hoping .."
Celestia chuckled and waved a hoof in her direction. "I'd be honored to attend your unveiling, whenever it may be."
"Maybe a month from now," Rainbow guessed. "These ponies will drop everything just to see a few new paintings."
"Hold on!" Everyone turned to Luna and Cadance, who were bearing offended expressions. Luna pointed a hoof at Celestia and asked, "She gets a formal invitation but we do not? How ghastly!"
Rainbow sighed and held a hoof out to them in a presenting manner. Luna and Cadance instantly perked up and answered her unasked question, "Of course we'll go, thank you sooo much for inviting us!"
The Royal Guard in the Crystal Empire had blocked off a street on the outside of the city, attracting only minor attention from the crystal ponies that moved along their day. Oblivious to the disaster that had been discovered. Just how the Princesses, Rainbow Dash, Pencil Sketch, and Scootaloo preferred it.
While the Princesses and Twilight were speaking with Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo was speaking with Gray Fire about anything she's seen and/or heard. They walked away from Rainbow Dash and settled down behind the other foals. "Do you remember when it happened?" Scootaloo asked.
Gray fire sat down and held up her stinted hoof for a guard to look at and answered, "Yeah. I was maybe three at the time. I was pretty much a take charge kind of pony anyway, so they left me to my own devices at the house. Well...they never came back. So I went out and looked for them. I knew the path they always took. It was quiet and very beautiful, on the outside of town where the snow meets the soil. Full of trees, wind, and silence. They always took it when they wanted some alone time. So I took it too. Well instead of silence, I heard....screams. screams, and shouts for help. I quickly ran in down the path and saw..." Gray fire took in a deep breath for a moment. "I saw these pitch black things. It was like they were bears made out of water. Black water with red eyes, sharp claws and sharp teeth. There were three of them and they had my parents surrounded. My dad was a unicorn and was firing spell after spell. But it was like those things weren't even there. Well, mom spotted me and yelled for me to run. The creatures spotted me too. That's when the standoff was over and everypony jumped at each other. All I heard were screams. And I never saw them again. When I went home within that very hour...."
"The house was no longer there, and nopony could see you," Scootaloo assumed.
Gray Fire nodded before a team of nurses came over to put her hoof in a cast. "Yeah. Nopony saw me or heard me for a few months. Within that time, I saw more fillies and colts having the same issue. We all banded together and did what we could to survive, eventually giving up yelling for help. We've been growing in numbers ever since, living on our own. Whatever those things were, they've been eating parents and leaving the foals to fend for themselves. Well I decided to defend for them and provide for all of us."
Scootaloo nodded and said, "I've been doing the same thing until I had one pony I could talk to about the situation. Those things actually attacked our town."
That got Gray Fire's attention. She swiveled her head and asked incredulously, "The whole town? Like, the foals or—"
"No. Everypony. They flew out in a swarm from the woods in Ponyville and two more towns. They were stopped but they still came out."
"How can you stop them? My dad was a very powerful Unicorn and his spells weren't even working."
"Only one pony can take them out that knows how."
"The Princesses?"
"Nope, not even close. They're not even royalty. But they're really really good."
"Who is it?"
Before she could answer, somepony touched Scootaloo on her back, grabbing her and Gray Fire's attention. Buff was standing there with Twilight, both offering reassuring smiles. "Alright, Scootaloo! Time to head back home!"
Scootaloo looked around for Rainbow. But saw only the foals, Gray Fire, the Royal Guard, nurses, and the Princesses. She looked to Buff and asked, "Where is she?"
"She went ahead. Princess Celestia wants to place all the foals in Manehattan. Including your new friend, who I'm guessing is in charge?"
"That's right," Gray Fire confirmed with pride. "Where are my ponies going?"
Twilight almost fawned over. Instead, she reeled herself in and answered, "'Your ponies' are going to an unspecified location in Manehattan. Reason why it's unspecified is because all of this is secret. Everything involving you foals are a secret, including Scootaloo. Even though she's a special case. There's a hospital in Manehattan they're heading to first. Then to the location. However, you're going to a special location, Gray Fire. Because somepony has a plan in place that I don't know about. You'll still be in the same city with 'your ponies.'"
"Trust me, you'll like it," Buff added. Gray Fire and Scootaloo shared a look before they both stood up. Following them towards the chariots.
***
The Crystal Empire was ordered on a tight lockdown. All ponies were inside with closed window shades, locked doors, and lights off. What for, they had no idea. But the guards trotting outside were saying that unreformed Changelings were running amock in the city. Anypony that were outside would be arrested and held until said otherwise. The perfect excuse for the forty-something foals to be transported to the train station by chariot.
Scootaloo was riding on Buff's back with Gray Fire, who was trying to help console the younger foals with the guard. They were mostly listening to her rather than the older mares assisting in the transport. Amusing even Twilight when they came to a stop in front of the abandoned train station.
The Guards placed steps next to the chariot so they could get off safely. Then directed them up the steps to the silent train platform. They were going to have to wait for a few minutes before the friendship express came through. Until then, everypony were asking the foals questions and taking notes on their predicaments. It baffled Gray Fire why they weren't asking her or anything like that. Scootaloo reassured her that she'd be asked some questions on the train. By who though? From what she heard, a majority of the Royal Guard weren't boarding the train. They were staying in the Crystal Empire.
She didn't have anytime to dwell on it because heard and saw the train approaching the station from the distance. All the foals watched it approach, blowing out steam from the engine, inching closer and closer. It slowed down and then stopped in front of the foals. Once the steam was let out and the doors slid open, the Guard began directing the foals through the doorway and onto the train. Followed by two guards per train. "Uhhh..." Gray Fire stammered, still on the platform with Scootaloo, Buff, and Twilight. "I thought we were getting on the train."
"We are," Twilight responded. "Just not these cars. Let's go." She and Buff turned left, trotting left down the stone platform towards a sleek black long car. Gray Fire had her mouth partly opened as they approached it. How did she not see this before? It was the only thing colored black all around them!
Buff stopped in front of it while Twilight reached in his bags and pulled out a card with her magic. Then slid it into a crack beside the door, which pushed out once it was inside fully. Buff quickly bounced into the lavish car, followed by Twilight once she retrieved the key. Right after the door shut, the train whistle blew and they were on the move. While it moved along, Buff bent low and let the two fillies off. Gray Fire was more in shock about it, staring at the velvet seats, tinted windows, extremely detailed paintings, and food on a table that Scootaloo was munching on.
"Are you just going to stand there?" She asked around a mouthful of cherries. "Come on! Get up here!"
Snapping out of here phase, Gray Fire carefully walked towards Scootaloo with her injured hoof. Then jumped onto the seat next to her, staring at the cherries. Rolling her eyes, Scootaloo grabbed some with her mouth and placed them on the seat. "You can have some."
"Are you sure?" She responded timidly. "The owner of this train won't be mad?"
Twilight chuckled and answered, "Far from it."
Finding her words okay, Gray picked up the cherries and ate one. Then four. This was going to be a long ride.
After the foals had boarded the train, Rainbow Dash had shadow teleported back to the Crystal Empire to grab the Princesses. Then back to the mansion. Cadance had never been there before, so she was in awe of everything. Even the painting of Rainbow Dash herself setup inside of Pencil's paint wing. Made only for painting and art. "So how exactly are you going to play this out?" Celestia asked, once they were all settled inside of her study. "Both the Therohs and your unveiling?"
"All I need from you Princess is to be there at the unveiling," Rainbow responded. "There will be details in the newspaper by tomorrow afternoon and I'll be sending you extra information. I have a radio interview in the morning and will be telling the world about the event. Most of the ponies attending will be press, VIPs—such as you three—and maybe the others. We'll see if they show up on my doorstep by dinner time tomorrow evening. Yep, you heard right. I said 'dinner time'. I'm turning into a bucking family mare. I need a drink." She got up from her chair and pulled open her bookcase of wine to pour a cup of Blueberry Zebra. "Would you ladies like a glass?"
"No thank you."
"I'm okay."
"Sure." Celestia and Cadance turned to Luna like she was nuts. She threw her hooves out in mock offense. "What? I researched Blueberry Zebra on my offtime. It is a very expensive wine that is only filled for five bottles every two months."
"And I am the first to get every single private distribution." Rainbow floated the cup over to Luna, who grabbed it in her own magic. "It's non-alcoholic. Come on, I have a foal that lives with me."
"So I've heard," Cadance commented knowingly. She smirked knowingly and stated, "A little birdie told me—"
"Celestia," Rainbow guessed. Luna choked a little on her drink at Celestia's red cheeks.
"—that you were planning on adopting Scootaloo. That would take a while since Scootaloo's personal records have all been erased from existence."
"I know. But I have all the time in the world. Now about those Therohs in the Crystal Empire. We all know they're there, and are doing the same thing that they did in Ponyville. Grabbing ponies, eating them, and leaving the foals. Question is, why? Hopefully these new foals can provide some clues. Including the names of parents. In the meantime, this is what I suggest we do." She took a sip from her glass then set it back down, sighing in relief.
"Which is..." Celestia pushed.
"Create a copy of every single pony's identity and stash it under lock and key. Every. Single. One. Even the deceased. Whoever this perpetrator is they don't want any clue of these ponies existing. No government officials are doing this task. Only you three and Twilight, nopony else in the government, past government, or future government. Not even assistants. We know this pony has political power."
"So they may have political spies as well," Cadance guessed. "A pony this powerful has to have a firm hoof. They could possibly be influencing other ponies through blackmail, or they could also be volunteers. Going after what they're after."
"But what are they after?" Celestia asked.
Rainbow sighed and said, "One step at a time. Goal One? Find out the plot. Step one in goal one? Track down parents and find a simililarity point. What do all these victims have in common? To find these ponies, we need to create the copies of current records and store them. Keep it secret. Nopony is to know about this except you three, myself, and Twilight. Anypony else? Absolutely not. Under any circumstances. Understand?"
"Of course. Amazing drink by the way," Luna responded. She levitated the empty cup back onto Rainbow's desk. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I have to send a letter to Buff and Twilight about how to get into town without being spotted. Then I have to prepare for tomorrow. Next month is going to be tense and fierce, I can already feel it."
The ride back to Manehattan was long. Considering the train had to move through Ponyville and Canterlot. All in all it was a five hour ride. The cars that made up the Friendship Express jostled and moved along the terrain they crossed. Save for the one in the back with pretty stable shocks that delivered to its occupants a smooth ride. As well as a near silent one. So silent in fact that Scootaloo and Gray Fire were sleeping on top of each other, sawing logs. Gray Fire herself looked like she needed it. Scootaloo just got tired.
Twilight was staring at the fast moving green of the plains as they neared the bridge for Manehattan. Hopefully Rainbow had a plan. Because these institutions all over Equestria were going to be filled up at this rate. Beyond capacity. There had to be someway to catch the invisible. But Rainbow Dash also had her own thing going on. With her Sketch It All! Studios popping up all over Equestria. How in actual Equestria was she going to balance all of that? Including her love life?
Something flew across Twilight's lap when the train finally reached the bridge, ruffling her fur and grabbing her head. It was a notecard, like the ones used in school. Using her magic, she lifted the note and read it to herself near quietly. "'Use the rear entrance. P.S.' Rear entrance? Her house has a rear entrance?" She lowered the note and directed her eyes towards Buff who was sleeping silently. "Buff," she whispered.
He must be a light sleeper because his eyes quickly popped open and focused on her. She lifted the note and said in an undertone, "She wants us to use the 'Rear Entrance'. She has one?"
Buff nodded tiredly. Then sat back up and stretched his wings. After the joints popped and he happily sighed in relief, he responded, "Yep, she has a rear entrance. Not a visible one though. You'll see." The two looked out the windows as they approached the station. Watching the city flow past before they entered the tunnel. "Twilight?" She looked back at Buff when he called her name. "I need you to teleport us off this train to a hidden spot once we reach the platform. Since you know who is pretty famous, when the train pulls up..."
"All eyes turn to this car, I get it." Twilight huffed then smiled at the two cute fillies mumbling in their sleep. Scootaloo had her head propped up on Gray's, pinning her to the seat.
Before the whistle blew anyway. Gray Fire's eyes popped open at the same time she sat straight up, tossing Scootaloo to the side. "What's going on?! Where's the fire?!" Scootaloo moaned from the side and rubbed her eyes, disturbed by the rude wake up call.
"I'm awake, not dead...awake, yeah," she responded to her outburst. She sat back up and stretched. Then looked around the car. "Where are we?"
"The station in Manehattan," Twilight answered. She looked out the window towards the platform where a bunch of Royal Guard were waiting. They were directing passengers to the side while also helping the many foals get off the train. Paranoid was a sugarcoated word to describe them. Being in a new city amongst a bunch of unfamiliar ponies was a lot to take in at once. They were trying not to take it in at all.
The second the foals were on the platform, they looked around, hyperventilated, screamed, then began running in circles.
"Where are we?!"
"What happened?!!"
"What the buck?!" A few ran towards the unfamiliar ponies, screamed, then ran right back. The guards were so taken back by it that they just watched. Not knowing what to do at all.
Twilight and Buff stared with huge eyes. Then turned to face each other. Was it really that bad? It made Twilight wonder if the foals in Ponyville were currently having the same issue.
"They need me!" They all looked towards Gray Fire who was worriedly watching the chaos through the window. "They get like this when I'm not around. I don't know why, they just do."
"Alright. Hold on. And try not to throw up." Before Gray Fire asked what she meant, Twilight teleported towards them in the center of the chaos. Making all the foals jump. After the shock wore off, they continued screaming and running around.
Gray Fire stepped forward and cleared her throat. Then took in a huge lungful and yelled, "Hey!!! Shut up and pay attention!!!" The foals all stopped then gathered in front of Gray Fire. It was like somepony flicked a switch from chaotic to calm and curious. They weren't even talking anymore. Instead, they bunched up into a formation similar to a block, all facing Gray Fire. Impressing even the guards nearby.
"Whoa...creepy," Scootaloo muttered.
"Listen, everypony," Gray said loud and proud. "We're being moved to a facility here in this city called uhh....something, I can't remember." Buff chuckled and shook his head. At least she tried. "Until all of this is sorted out, we're listening to whoever's in charge. I won't be with you. So I'm leaving Purple Bubble in charge."
A purple filly with a short deep purple mane and glossy bubble for a Cutie Mark that looked almost like a colt—and would blend in very well if it weren't for the eyelashes—looked around then pointed a questioning hoof at herself. "Me?" She asked.
"Of course!" Gray cheered. Then hobbled over with her cast and looped a hoof around her neck. She whispered something unheard by everyone else. Whatever it was must've been very sweet because she and Gray Fire blushed and shared a nuzzle. Gray Fire pulled back, then addressed everybody else. "Listen to Purple Bubble! Dismissed!" The foals began muttering and turned to Purple Bubble for instructions.
Meanwhile, Twilight lit her horn and teleported Gray, Buff, Scootaloo, and herself out of the crowd and to the front of the station. They looked around for a moment before Scootaloo wrapped a hoof around Gray Fire's neck. Then smirked and asked, "So...who was that?"
"Oh... Wh-What do you mean?" Gray asked nervously. Twilight and Buff began to lead the two through the large city towards the mansion on the other side of town.
"That filly, who was that? Your friend?" She teased.
"Yep! Just a friend!"
"Uh huh."
"Look, Scoots..." She turned and whispered, "Can I call you that?" Scootaloo shrugged and waved it off with a hoof when they turned a corner. Rainbow's mansion was directly ahead. "Scootaloo, who I talk to is my business."
"Okay. I was just wondering because you two were mighty close and blushing a lot. Making googly eyes. And what was with the screaming?"
Gray sighed and decided to tell them. "All those foals in there? They're like...unstable children without a leader. They run around, break things, crash things, go wild. Until I step in. When that happens, I....what the buck?" She whispered. Buff and Twilight shared a knowing look. This filly had a very bad mouth. They were coming up on the mansion that Rainbow Dash occupied with Scootaloo, its walls and atmosphere daunting to even Buff, who had been here multiple times already.
Pointing, Gray Fire asked in astonishment, "Who lives there?" She asked.
"A very famous pony," Scootaloo answered. Buff took the lead and turned towards the side of the building, walking parallel to the high brick wall with simple runes covering it. After awhile, he stopped at a certain point then looked around. Coast determinedly clear, he pressed his right hoof against the surface then pushed it in, opening it wide into the freshly cut backyard with the large pool that Pencil was currently sunbathing in.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Gray scolded quietly. "We can't just walk in there, that pony is loaded!"
Buff chuckled then used his hoof to push her inside, despite her yelps. Once Scootaloo was in, Buff walked in after all of them. Then closed the wall back. Intrigued, Twilight turned around and touched the wall. It felt pretty solid. "Chaos magic," she muttered. "A form of dark magic."
"That's right," Pencil answered. She was still sitting on her beach chair with a freshly poured cup of lemonade beside it. Wearing sunglasses and a large beach hat, staring at her pool. "How was the ride, squirt? You enjoy it?"
Scootaloo ran over to her and jumped on her lap, nearly knocking her off the chair. She pulled Pencil into a hug around the neck and answered, "Yep!"
"Good. Snacks are on the table in the kitchen. Show your friend around, then take her to my study. You know where it is. Then come and enjoy the pool while you can. You have school in the morning." Based off of Scootaloo's look, she didn't understand. "Just because you live with me doesn't mean you don't have school. Still in Ponyville, and still with your friends. I'm taking you in the morning."
"Okay!" She turned and jumped off of Pencil onto the concrete beach. Then gestured towards Gray Fire who was looking around in wonder, trying to take in everything at once. The massive mansion, pool. All of it. "Come on, let me show you around." Gray looked back down at Scootaloo and followed along towards the doors that led into the mansion.
They first walked into the exercise room. Apparently, Gray Fire has never heard of Pencil Sketch. The other foals either maybe. Boy was she in for a surprise.
Rainbow Dash fell down on her side with a thud, successfully breaking the ponies out of their frozen state.
"Rainbow!!" Windy said rushing forward. "What's wrong?! What's happening?!"
The father quickly rushed into the kitchen and grabbed some water while Spitfire ordered the Wonderbolts outside to fetch a medic.
"The....the spell," the pegasus said weakly. "Has....natural disadvantages." Buff grabbed a water bottle that he had, for some reason, stashed underneath his armor and popped the lid, pouring it into her mouth.
While they were waiting, everyone was looking over the supposedly deceased daughter. She did not look good at all. She was frail, her mane was messy, her eyes were red and wet, and there were bags under them.
"What happened to you?" Scootaloo whispered, coming closer.
"Natural....repercussions....of....spell used," she said breathlessly. "Two ponies.....one body....one pony.....uses energy.......other..... doesn't."
Before they could question what she meant, two ponies in uniform rushed into the house to take her to a nearby hospital.
Rainbow was hooked up to an IV while resting at a hospital in Cloudsdale, regaining her strength after being extremely malnourished, according to the doctor. Her parents, Spitfire, Buff, and Scootaloo were all in the room, watching her as she slept.
"Where....where has she been all this time?" Her father whispered.
"She was painting," Scootaloo answered. "Rainbow Dash is Pencil Sketch."
"So she somehow merged with a pony?" Spitfire assumed.
"Not quite." They looked towards the big bodyguard still clad in his armor. "Pencil Sketch was created by Rainbow Dash. I'm not sure on how, but she did. Whenever Rainbow couldn't do something, they'd switch out and Pencil would take over."
"So Rainbow Dash used magic," Bow assumed without taking his eyes off his daughter. "How can a Pegasus use magic?"
"I don't know, but she did."
"I don't care what she did as long as my filly's alive," the mother cried, nuzzling her sleeping daughter. The color maned pegasus shifted at the contact without waking.
"I knew she was alive," Scootaloo called, attracting their attention. "I went to her mansion in Manehattan and-"
"Oh my gosh, that reminds me...." Windy turned back to her daughter. "Rainbow's a millionaire and the most influential pony in Equestria."
"Yeah, and her mansion when you walk in is really awesome," the filly told them.
"But why did she leave?" Spitfire asked, walking closer.
"The elements." They looked back towards Scootaloo, who was clearly angry. "The Elements of Harmony. They drove her away. She was already really really REALLY affected from the bullying in Flight Camp. Like REALLY bad. And they all lashed out at her. So I need to give them all a piece of my mind. I need to give them all a piece of my mind. Buff? Can you take me to the ground?"
"Uhhh...." The stallion that could rival Big Mac in size stared at her unsure before shrugging. "I guess. You are a friend of my girlfriend. Where do you need to go?"
"Center of ponyville," she said as they walked out the room. "I'll take over from there." After a few more minutes of walking, they walked out of the hospital. Buff picked up the filly, set her on her back, and took off flying towards the destination.
Scootaloo was clearly upset with these Elements of Harmony. Especially Fluttershy and Applejack, who, from what Pencil said, were the most aggressive. She was going to let them have it. This wasn't like when Diamond Tiara was bullying them in the past. Using simple name-calling. Insults.
This was pure hate that made her idol dig herself a hole that she crawled into, which was covered up by a legendary painter. Not to mention the richest pony in Equestria. That spat out what they felt in their so-called hearts. There was probably nothing but rocks in there. What they did to her was unacceptable. And she was going to return the favor in kind. Rainbow was there for her as much as a big sister would be. And she was going to defend her honor.
"Alright kid, we're here," Buff said, landing on the ground in the middle of the square. There were still ponies out and about obviously shopping.
"Try not to do anything drastic," he warned her as she jumped down. "I don't think Rainbow would approve."
"No promises, Buff," she responded, looking around. "Could you stay here and wait for me?"
"I guess." She thanked him and made her way towards the Apple stand that Applejack was currently manning. She groaned in anger before putting up a fake smile.
"Hey, Applejack!" The farmer looked up and gave her a smile.
"Well, howdy there, Scootaloo! How can I help ya'?"
"I need you to round up the rest of tbe elements and meet me in the library. And tell them to bring something very important to them."
"Uhhhh....can I ask why?" She asked looking at her very suspiciously.
"It's for a personal project, just meet me there." Before Applejack could ask, she turned around and walked away, leaving her confused.
"Ummm....alright." The farm pony left to fulfill the request while Scootaloo made her way to the library, casually walking inside.
Spike was sitting at the table, reading a comic book with his feet kicked up. He barely acknowledged her. Giving her a bland greeting. "Welcome to Golden Oaks Library," he said nonchalantly, not taking his eyes off the book. "How may I help you?"
"Where's Twilight?" Spike looked up at the filly as she made her way to the desk, grabbing a lot of inkwells from one of the drawers.
"Uhhh....with Rarity. What are you doing?"
"Counting her inkwells," she lied. Spike seemed to buy it because he shrugged, turned around, and went back to reading.
Scootaloo shook her head after grabbing the last one and setting it on the floor. She counted thirty eight. Why would she need.....you know what, it didn't even matter. She quickly ran back into the kitchen and grabbed a water bucket, a lot of paper towels, and a large spoon, bringing them back into the library. Spike was still busy reading, not even realizing what she was doing.
Grabbing the inkwells, she emptied them all into the bucket, making a huge and thick puddle. Satisfied, she nodded and put all the empty inkwells back in the drawer. Spike barely moved from his position, making her shake her head. He was the worst assistant ever.
Grabbing the twenty bottles of oil that Twilight had in another drawer for some reason, she emptied those in the bucket with the ink. It was looking good so far. Two things that don't come out of fabric and don't come off anything at all. And something magic definitely won't get rid of. She grabbed the spoon and quickly mixed the thick substance.
Once done, she threw away the spoon and the bottles. Twilight won't need those anymore. She then grabbed the towels and laid them down on the floor on the left side of the bucket. Next she grabbed a notepad, an inkwell, and a quill. She had to play this part out well.
Now....she waits. Five minutes later, the ponies walked through the door, holding the things they treasured the most. Twilight was holding some very old book, Rarity was holding a velvet dress, Pinkie was holding a photograph, Fluttershy was holding sheet music, and Applejack was holding her stetson.
"Okay, Scootaloo," the farmer said as she stood in a line with everyone else. "Everyone is here and they brought their things. Now what is this here project?"
"I'm trying to see the patterns that cause a pony to become so attached to their things."
Applejack looked at her suspiciously before she sighed. "Nothing mischievous?" Scootaloo shook her head.
"Okay, we're gonna trust you with our stuff," Twilight said. "Since everything looks legit. Now what do we do?"
"First set everything on these towels," she directed, motioning to the brown paper laid out horizontally in front of her. They did as asked and stepped back before she asked them some questions. None of them caught sight of the bucket she was hiding behind her back. "Now why is this important to you?"
Fluttershy went first and pointed to her sheet music. Turns out that was the first song she ever sung right before she got her cutie mark, which gave her the ability to control animals. Scootaloo wrote down some "notes", which was basically her criticising them. Next to Fluttershy, she wrote "Deceiving pegasus writes to boost her lying levels."
Once finished, she moved onto Rarity. Her red dress was the fist thing she ever created. Having only worn it once at a birthday party when she was a filly. Scootaloo wrote beside her name "Wannabe designer creates lies that she herself believes."
Applejack said her hat was sentimental. She was born a farm pony and that she'll always be a farm pony. Scootaloo wrote "Element of Honesty lying to herself. She's not a farm pony, she's a bully."
Pinkie said the picture of the party reminds her every day that she will always bring ponies happiness. Scootaloo wrote beside her name "Instead of bringing my idol happiness, you brought her into the hospital."
And finally, Twilight said that that was her first Starswirl the Bearded book. The first one that taught her the teleportation spell. Which she uses daily that helped her gain friends and become even more powerful each day.
Scootaloo wrote down "Mare who thinks she's so great."
"Okay!" She said, acting like she drew a check. "Now it's my turn!" She turned around, placed the notepad over the bucket and finally brought it into view. They couldn't see what was in it, but there was something in there. "In this bucket is something that I really REALLY care about that has made me so happy!" She cheered giving the ponies a wide smile, which they returned...........
Before it changed into a scowl. She swiped the notepad off, picked up the bucket, and poured the mixture all over their stuff. They gasped and stood stock still with their mouths wide open in shock, terror, and horror, their minds not fully registering what was going on. Spike looked over nonchalantly at the sound of splattering and dropped his mouth to the floor at the scene.
Scootaloo shook out the last dregs of the liquid onto the Starswirl book, then threw the bucket, landing it successfully over Twilight's head. "THIS-" She pointed to their ruined treasures without taking her angry eyes off of them. "WAS MY IDOL, MY SISTER, MY TEACHER, AND MY BEST FRIEND, RAINBOW DASH!! WHO YOU DECEIVED, LIED TO, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE TO FOR YEARS, AND THAT YOU THREW AWAY TO THE WIND! YOU EVEN HAD A FREAKING PARTY WHILE SHE WAS MISSING AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN CARE!!!"
"Scootaloo!!" Applejack yelled, tears pouring down her face. "What did you do, WHAT DID YOU DO?!! We trusted you!!" She rushed forward and grabbed her ruined Stetson, hoping to save it by wiping off the ink, making it worse. Rarity's dress was completely drenched and everything that had paper was gone for good.
"And Rainbow trusted you!" She retorted. "She trusted you, all of you, the Elements of Harmony, the very symbol of friendship, to be her friends! To be there for her when times got tough! But instead, you took that honor, that TREASURE, and you poured ink and oil all over it!!!! She was already deeply discouraged you monsters!!!!!!"
Scootaloo started grabbing their already ruined things and started ripping and breaking them apart even worse. Even taking Twilight's book, which she opened, and smeared ink all over the pages.
"Scootaloo what are you doing?!!" Twilight yelled desperately, flinging the bucket off her head and rushing forward to try and save her stuff. "Stop, stop, please just stop!!"
She grabbed the book and took it back, analyzing it desperately. "I bet that's what Rainbow Dash said to you after you lashed out at her!" Scootaloo screamed. "After you lied to her! Made fun of her! Made her bury herself in a hole so deep without eating, drinking, barely taking care of herself that when she did climb out she had to be admitted to a hospital! Could barely stand and suffering from extreme malnutrition! You took that treasure, that beautiful, kind treasure, and you ruined it with ink and oil! On purpose!! And it will never return! Yeah, you can go out and get a copy, something that looks just like that treasure to replace it. But it will never be the same!" Scootaloo took Rarity's dress and smeared it before throwing it and making her way towards the the door, tracking ink all over the floor.
They all looked so devastated. There were waterfalls coming from their eyes as they picked up the remains. Completely ruined. Scootaloo turned back to them with fury and said one last thing. "Now clean up your mess."
She slammed the door hard, scaring the ponies outside and inside while she made her way towards Buff, who was looking at her curiously. "I'm guessing you broke something, huh?" He asked nonchalantly while he placed her on her back.
"Yeah. Their spirits. Let's go stay with my teacher."
