Friendship is an Epic Journey

It was a new scent. The timberwolves hadn't smelled a pony like this before. It smelled... Delectable. The leader of the group sneered as he motioned for the others to move. Dinner was just minutes away.

One spotted the prey. Moving toward his sight, he was surprised when what he thought was his hunted became his hunter, slamming into him and smashing him to pieces. The other timberwolves turned to see their comrade in shambles, and, upon seeing the killer, pounced.

They were astonished when a fiery, glowing longsword slashed into both of them, and they too joined their fellow in becoming nothing but firewood in one large swing.

The strong victim jumped upon the piles of sticks, making sure her attackers were certainly gone, but stepped off as soon as she was assured safety. She took the gleaming weapon lying on the ground into her hoof's grasp, but the sparkles that held it together faded away, taking the sword itself with it.

The Earth pony sighed, continuing on her way, now more wary of her surroundings. But not aware of the shadows following close behind her.

[center}***

Princess Twilight Sparkle was humming a tune as she headed toward the Library of Friendship, set within the deepest part of her palace in her new kingdom. When she arrived at the giant black doors beneath the castle, she stopped humming and illuminated her horn to unlock the room. Once the barriers were open, she spread her wings and bounded skyward toward the shelf she was searching for. It wasn't hard; she'd organized all of the columns and rows of books perfectly.

"Hard Rocks, Ha-ha Jokes... aha! Harmony!" The purple alicorn smiled as she pulled out the book with six of the most powerful objects in Equestria. She thought as she rubbed her hoof on the lightly dusty cover, she thought to herself, I really ought to put this in a safer place. Out among the other books just doesn't seem... right. But as she opened it, she realized that her thoughts were all too late. The princess shouted in agony.

"They're gone! GONE!"

[center***

"T-Twilight!" Spike tossed himself into the library. He'd heard his friend's shrieks and was coming to her rescue. "What's wrong?" he pushed his tiny baby dragon legs even faster when he saw the princess on the floor, weeping. "Twilight! What happened?"

Finally, the pony pulled herself together. She cried, "It's all my fault! I let them get stolen!"

Spike shook his head, not understanding. "What got stolen?"

"The Elements!" The alicorn burst into tears again.

Spike blinked. "But, Twi, aren't the Elements of Harmony our friends? Not the objects?"

Twilight frowned mournfully. "You don't understand, Spike. Yes, the others and I are the Elements of Harmony, but we need the necklace... uh, thingies and the crown to channel our powers! Do you remember when Fluttershy helped Discord reform? She gave up her necklace, so she couldn't channel her Element if we needed to lock the fiend-- I mean, him up again." The alicorn arose from the ground and started to frantically pace. "It's my fault..."

Spike shook his head boldly. "It's not your fault, Twilight. Someone snuck into the library, maybe last night. Do you think some evil pony has returned, like Sombra or the Changeling Queen?"

The purple princess shook her head. "I don't think so. Chrysalis doesn't seem to be returning anytime soon, and, hello!" Twi grabbed both sides of Spike's face, touching her nose to his with wide eyes. "Sombra exploded! What more proof do you need that he's dead?"

The dragon nodded thoughtfully (after pushing his friend's hooves away first) and said, "Maybe we need to see if the other ponies are okay. They could be in danger, too."

"Oh my Celestia, Spike! You're right! What villain would stop at taking a few pretty objects and not go after the bearers?!"

Spike exclaimed as Twilight grabbed him and flew straight out of the Library of Friendship, up the "dungeon" stairs (though Twi never imprisoned any-pony in there), and out the door of her palace.

***

Fluttershy had been feeding some abandoned baby animals that she'd found that morning with tiny bottles of milk that she had stored away. She was almost out of food, but not long here--

"Hey, Flutters," a silver unicorn entered the pegaus' cottage and nearly stepped on Angel bunny, who was running across the floor. "Woah!" The pony, seeing the mischievous grin on the rabbit's face, scowled, but when she noticed her yellow friend she smiled yet again, blowing her teal-and-black striped mane out of her eye, and levitated the picnic basket she'd brought with her up into the air and set it down again before Fluttershy. "Got that pet food you wanted."

"Oh, that's wonderful, Field!" the pony jumped with delight and hugged her friend. Then she ran into the next room for her bank, calling, "Now, was it two bits or three for your favor?"

Field put her hoof to her heart and laughed gently. "Fluttershy, I don't need any money. It's my pleasure to do something since for a friend." She headed out the door. "Well, I'll catch you later."

The Pegasus waved. "Oh, but there must be something I can do!" Flutters insisted. It was a long walk to the place from which her animals' food came from, especially for a unicorn.

"No, Fluttershy, I'm fine," Field replied more firmly this time.

"But I must do something--"

"NO!" Field shouted. "I don't want anything! Good day!" The unicorn angrily slammed the cottage door. Why did Fluttershy always want to give something to Field whenever she did a favor? It was annoying to hear her insist time and time again. But Field had learned her lesson from her past experiences. If some-pony offers you something, it's always bad. Even if the pony offering seemed as nice and gentle as Luna's moon at night. Yes.

The street can teach you some things.

Field's thoughts were interrupted, though, as a dark-cloaked pony walked past.

Fluttershy, after holding back a few tears from her friend's angry reply, went back to her feeding, but was interrupted by another knock on the door. She opened it and saw a pony she'd never seen before, in a long black cape. "Oh... my... h-hello. What can I--"

***

"Fluttershy!" Twilight called loudly for the umpteenth time, pounding on the house's door, irritated and fearful at the same time. The alicorn's friend wouldn't ignore a knock on her door. So, was she sleeping? Or had she been... No. Twilight wasn't going to think about that now. The princess lifted her hoof gracefully-- and smashed it into the cottage door, knocking it to the ground and stomping into the house. She and Spike, who followed close after, were shocked at her findings.

A unicorn lay on the cottage floor, beaten and bruised.

Field awoke to a sweet scent. She opened her eyes to see a container of spices being waved above her muzzle. "Wha... What?" The unicorn shook herself to fully come back to life. A purple alicorn and a baby dragon loomed over her. "Bah!" Field shot up quickly. "Who are you?"

Twilight bowed her head slightly. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and this is my assistant, Spike."

"Hi!" the dragon cheerily chimed in. But then he asked a question of his own. "Now, who are you?"

The silver unicorn gently rubbed the cut on her hoof. "Name's Field. Now I have to go." Field started to leave. but a hoof was placed on her shoulder.

"Wait!" Twilight called. "Where's Fluttershy? Do you know her? Did someone pony-nap her?"

The unicorn was nearly overwhelmed with the questions. But she managed, "First of all, of course I know Fluttershy! Why the hay would I be in her home if I didn't? Second of all, pony-nap? What are you talking about? Who would want to pony-nap Fluttershy?"

Spike became excited. "So you know where she is?"

"No. I saw her a couple minutes ago before I left here. No idea how I got back." Field again checked her hooves, seeing the bruises and slightly bleeding slivers of skin. "Yikes. How did this happen?"

Twi shrugged. "We found you like this. I assumed it happened sometime during or after  the pony-napping." The alicorn tilted her head concernedly. "Do you remember anything before you woke up?"

"Well, I did see a pony walk by me as I was leaving. Last thing I remember I was hit over the head." The silver pony moaned as she rubbed someplace under her flat, layered mane. "Yeah, I guess she was nabbed." Field again started to walk out the door. "Well, I'm going to find her. Thanks for waking me up, and yada yada and all that." The door was shut quickly, with Twilight and Spike still inside.

***

Field walked out of the town, trying to ignore to the bright-colored ponies staring at the dark-coated stranger. But she scowled, irritated, when two unfortunately familiar beings landed in front of her.

"At least let us help you!" Twilight urged. The silver pony sighed.

She was in for a long adventure. But she had no time to think this through any further as somepony slammed into her, huffing-and-puffing. After Field pushed herself up from the ground, she yelled, "What the hay?!"

But the Earth pony that had crashed into her ignored the exclamation and stared at something behind Field. The unicorn was about to yell again to see if the other had ears, but a large claw grabbed the silver pony and pulled her screaming into the Everfree Forest.

"C'mon!" Twilight called to Spike, who had already started to run for the beast, but the stranger was ahead of them both, even with Twi flying.

Field was crying out, but she was also thinking one single thing. I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die...