Mysterious Arrival

Two days had passed since Fiery came by their house and Twilight and Spike had become friends with her. The pegasus had a small talent for everything, from cleaning- up to discussing importrant things with Twilight. It was very pleasant to have somepony to speak with and Fiery's presence caused Spike to forget about his problems and be the old Spike again. It was very merry in the Golden Oaks Library these days. Happiness was everywhere, as it should have been so soon to Heart's Warming, and Twilight felt the void, left from the absence of her friends somehow being almost filled by Fiery.

This day Twilight got woken up from the sound of a frying pan, that was being used. Still sleepy, she raised the head of the pillow on the sofa and saw yet another pleasant scene:

"  Butter! "  Fiery spoke from inside of the kitchen and Spike ran to the near-by fridge ( according to Hase, the strange- looking white device would help keeping food good for a longer time) , getting out butter and taking it to the pegasus, who had obviously chosen to take the role of a chef today.

" Salt! "  after another command Spike again appeared from behind of the corner and Twilight could clearly see how the dragon was trying to reach the upper shelf where she kept the salt, but it was unreachable. Luckily, Fiery also appeared from behind the corner and allowed Spike to stand on her back. The pegasus flew off the ground, laughing, while Spike pulled the handle and got the salt:

"  Got it! "  he reported and Fiiery took him off her back. Catching the salt with mouth she returned to the frying pan and continued asking for different ingredients, that Spike sometimes managed to deliver, but for some of them Fiery got him on her back. After retrieving the product the both of them laughed and clapped palm against hoof. It looked like they had been friends for months and Twilight wondered how could have it happened for only a few days.

'  Friendship is magic. '  the reply appeared in her mind as she got off the sofa, curious to find out what the two chefs were up to.

She peeked from behind the corner to witness a completely new way to cook. Fiery and Spike were circling the whole kitchen, throwing different ingredients in different pans and dishes. It all looked very chaotic, but when she focused over the separate dishes, she realised, much to her surprise, that all the ingredients were used only where they had to be used, and in the exact measures. She knew Spike was an excellent cook, but never supposed a pegasus can cook so good. None of her pegasi friends cooked so good. Rainbow Dash was mainly interested in flying and cool stuff ( her armour combining both of them) and Fluttershy was more interested in animals and made her dishes to fit mainly their tastes, which made it quite strange for most of the ponies. But now, while Fiery and Spike were joining forces to spin in a gastronomical hurricane, Twilight wondered if there was a mistake and her guest's cutie mark shouldn't have been something related to cooking.

Spike and his new pegasus friend were even singing a song while cooking. The cheerful tones of their voices sounded throughout the whole kitchen, as the chef ( singer ) duo was making the breakfast of the century:

Sip some sugar, get the oil,

don't break that egg but let it boil.

take a fork and taste that dish

add some salt and make a wish!

Of course, the song made no sence at all, especially the last line, but Twilight was happy to see, that Fiery had gotten over the panic that took her over the first night when the purple alicorn tried to understand more about her past. Twilight was highly worried what " the unthinkable " was, but decided to leave that question for a future moment, when Fiery would be more confident.

"  Ready! "  the both chefs shouted in unison and Twilight decided it's time to step out of the corner.

"  Twilight! "  Spike spoke excited upon seeing his friend.

"  I'm sorry if we woke you up. "  Fiery apologised " I just wanted to thank you for giving me shelter. None of the ponies I've met before would do such a thing. So what is spoken is true: that if Equestria is the tree of friendship, than Ponyville is it's flower. However, I wouldn't be able to finish in time if Spike didn't bust me. You owe this breakfast to him, too."

"  Well, i thank you. " Twilight smiled

" But know that I am not used to feasts for breakfast, or as Luna calls it, "  a royal breakfast " , so much of that food would probably get wasted. "

"  It is far from too much. "  the pegasus mare replied " And we're going to help you with it. "

The breakfast was indeed delightful. Twilight could count at least five types of dishes, and despite of the what seemed to be a mountain of food, it turned out to be just enough for two mares and a baby dragon. It was supported by jokes and laugh, which sometimes proved a little inappropriate, especially for Spike who bursted in laugh while his mouth was full of milk, but luckily the purple alicorn succeeded to make a magical bareer to protect herself, Fiery and the chairs from the rain, which caused another wave of laughter.

While Fiery was laughing to one of Spike's jokes, Twilight was reminded once more that she wasn't just an ordinary mare. While holding her fork in her mouth, ready to stick a fried egg on it, yellow shades went past the fork until eventually it turned yellow, golden yellow. Spike noticed this very soon, but Fiery was still laughing and Twilight decided to seize that chance to see what happened to her fork. She took the fork from the pegasus's  mouth and investigated it. It certainly was heavier than before. That shine... it was unmistakeable.

The lavender alicorn levitated a black board, on which earlier Spike and Fiery had written and compared their versions of the recipes to find the best sollution, and turned it around. Instead of chalk, she used the fork to write the letter " l " on it. if the fork was still steel, because Twilight owned no silverware, it would of made quite an unpleasant noice, which would cause Fiery to open her eyes, now closed because of laughter, and wonder what the hay happenned to her fork. But this fork was quite softer, so instead it just left a golden scratch on the board. Twilight tried to wipe it off with her napkin, but it stayed.

The purple mare made a sign to Spike. Luckily, the dragon understood her and put his own fork next to Fiery's plate. And just in time! The yellow mare stopped laughing and looked around for her fork, confused. However, she soon spotted it next to her plate and obviously thinking, that it had fallen off during her laugh, she just caught it between her teeth and stuck an egg on it.

The breakfast was over and Twilight wondered what would she do. Showing the golden fork to Fiery and asking her about it wouldn't give her any answers. There was something mysterious about this young mare, but obviously she didn't want to share. Perhaps the unthinkable was, that her mother asked her ,for an example ,to build her a golden castle? Was the mother's love caused by greed? If it was really so, no wonder Fiery was so afraid of her past. The alicorn needed more time to research things, to see what was the reason for her guest to turn the objects into, obviously, gold.

No such case was described in her books and Twilight suspected other books would give her no answer either. The only thing Twilight could remember was the old legend of King Modest of Grease. It was about a pony, supposedly cursed (or blessed) by a god to turn everything he touches to gold. With all of that 9 realms explanations, the god could have easily been a being, simillar to the Horsegardians or even one of them, but Fiery wasn't King Modest. King Modest wasn't modest at all despite of his name, because he had wished for that curse ( blessing) by himself. Twilight doubted Fiery would want such a gift, she was everything but greedy, and unlike the king she was modest. And besides the pegasus didn't turn everyting she touched to gold. By so far such thing had only happened to the fork. According to her observations, it was caused by Fiery's overjoy at that moment.

Another thought came to Twilight's mind. What if it wasn't outer magic, but it came from the inside? What if Fiery caused it?

Twilight quickly threw that thought away from her mind. Inner magic? Pffrt! It was true, the pegasi still had magic in them ( otherwise they wouldn't have been able to fly. Their wings weren't big enough. ) , but it wasn't magic they could control... and despite of the fact, that according to her theory Fiery didn't control the process either it was still... different. And she wasn't a mutant either.

How did she know? Well, after they returned from their last adventure, Hase realised all the mutants that existed in the future would also exist now. Several scouts were sent to look for Xavier's school near Manehatten, but without any success. Twilight knew it was either the fact that it was very well hidden or not built at all. Buzzing with time was dangerous. The way they fixed the future affected the past too. Instead of returning in late June, one week after the adventure with A.I.M. and Vortex, they returned one week before it. And Spike claimed they had left a month earlier, promising that they would return after one week. According to him the A.I.M. adventure happened the third time they were visiting Canterlot to report about Hase and not the last. It was weird and dangerous to mess with time.

So after they returned, Hase built a small gadget, that was supposed to detect mutants if they were nearby ( catching differences in brain waves and simillar stuff). However, it didn't beep when Fiery past by so Twilight was forced to conclude the pegasus wasn't a mutant.

But still... turning a fork to gold? It wasn't something very scary, and who would call a golden fork " the unthinkable " ? Twilight needed more time to analyze the situation, to watch out if something else changes near Fiery.

This noon she was invited to have lunch with the apples. At first, before Fiery came by, she thought of going alone, since Spike definetely wasn't going to be in the mood. But now she thought it would be great if he takes him and Fiery, and this way she would have been able to introduce her to some of her friends - not her best friends, who were still away, but still some friends. The purple alicorn smiled at the thought of the meeting of The Cutie Mark Crusaders and the quiet Fiery. Perhaps they would make her more open?

Yes! It was a perfect idea. Twilight took a look of the clock on the wall. It was nearly noon. They'd better be going.

After she told them about the lunch they were ready to get out after only a couple of minutes. Spike had chosen an orange coat just his size ( probably because Rarity gave it to him) and Fiery was wearing a blue one, probably one of those who were wrapped around her when she arrived.

The day was sunny and there was a thick layer of snow. Twilight was glad they left earlier since in such snow walking was amazingly slow. She could fly, of course, but prefered to walk, leaving more time to talk with Fiery. Obvously she thought the same, since she was walking with them, instead of flying.

" So, who are we visiting? " the pegasus mare asked.

" The relatives of my friend Applejack, who you may know as... "

" Captain Equestria and used to be the Element of Honesty, if I'm right? " the mare with the orange mare smiled upon guessing the identity of the purple alicorn's friend.

"  Yes. Celestia, I didn't know we're that famous! " the lavender mare exclaimed

"  Wallpapers, comics, you're even filling the newspapers. " Fiery replied

"  But, please, continue. "

" They're just normal apple farmers. Honest and hard- working earth ponies. Since Rarity is on the Moon and Sweetie Belle, her sister, hasn't decided if she wants to live there yet she is currently staying in Sweet Apple Acres. Of course, Applebloom, Applejack's younger sister, is also there, and where two of the Cutie Mark Crusaders reside, you would usually find the third one too - Scootaloo... "

"  The Cutie Mark Crusaders? " Fiery's confusion was understandable. After all, the Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't a popular superhero team... yet.

That was something, that bothered Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight herself deeply. No matter that they changed the future, the future selves of Applebloom, Scotaloo and Sweetie Belle had told them, that no matter what they do, unless they mess with the time around their birth, something unthinkable, they would stay mutants - and eventually their powers would be revealed.

Now Twilight knew why neither of the three fillies' cutie marks had appeared yet. In the future their cutie marks were nothing like the fillies of the present expected. Applebloom's was a transparent apple going through a wall, splitting it in half, a pretty obvious sign of her skill to phase herself and anything she touched, if she wished. Applejack was worried about this, since she imagined how her sister's hoof would go through something, while she still couldn't control her powers, and remain stuck there. Such vision would horrify anypony.

Swetie Belle's  cutie mark was consisted of pink, but hollow, butterflies, nothing like the ones on Fluttershy's cutie mark. It suggested, that her skills allowed her to create things out of pure telekinetical energy - something impossible, which was why they fell apart after the magic ended. Her mutation also made her a telepath. Rarity was horrified by the thought of how confused her sister would be when she started hearing voices in her head. Ponies could have even declared her for crazy! That's why she insisted on Sweetie joining her on the moon, but since she " presented no arguments " , as Sweetie said, she said she would think about it. And there was nothing anypony could do about it: no force on the world can stop stubborn young fillies.

But with Scootaloo... Twilight just couldn't imagine how the pegasus filly would have been able to live normally. In the future she was constantly forced to wear either ruby quartz sun glasses, when not fighting, or her special visor when fighting. Her eyes were somehow a portal to a dimension out of pure energy and constantly let it out, destroying everything in their way. Such portal would have opened in the present Scotaloo's eyes too at some point. And that was the most worrying part. Not only that Scootaloo's power was the most destructive of all, but probably her parents didn't know either.

Well, actually they knew. Twilight isolated herself from the outer world and reached back to that memmory....

.... She landed on the terasse, together with Hase and Luna. Hase's worries for Scootaloo were entirely personal, since he loved the filly the way all of the Mane 6 did, while Luna wanted to give her parents some enchanted stones, that were supposed to replicate the effect of ruby quartz and prevent the house from being destroyed when Scoot's powers mainifest, and she also did this as an act of thanking the Scootaloo of the future for helping them, since she knew they would had never succeeded on their own.

The two pegasi were surprised to see three loyalties on their balconee, more surprised than when Twilight told them the bad news. They were frightened, but along the cries the purple alicorn could also hear " Not again. " When she asked them what they ment, they told her a story, that she remembered painfully clear:

" Scootaloo... has a bigger sister. She was a mutant too. Her powers were absorbing energy or creating it and allowed her to use it as a weapon. One day she left and we never saw Alexia again. "

Obviously the mutant gene ran in her family, they same way it ran in the Apples. Alexia Summers had dissapeared, and Twilight certainly didn't want Scotaloo or any of the girls to get hurt, but for mutants this wasn't easy. The lavender mare was sure, that the X-ponies currently exist, though the base search failed, and hoped that Professor Xavier would contact them soon. She hoped, that he reached them first.

Before leaving, the future Scotaloo had warned her for several threats, that would have been dangerous for their past selves. With Hase being brought back to good, the danger of the Sentinels was gone, but a single day didn't pass without that she looked around for strange -looking ponies, members of the Brothership of Evil Mutants, led either by Magneto or Mystique, Twilight didn't know how the time travel affected the Brotherhood's backstory.

And now, with Sweetie's sister on the Moon, Rainbow chasing a mysterious villain and Applejack on a mission Twilight was the only one left. Of course, she had spoken with Big Mac and  Granny Smith. They took that threat very seriously and now Twilight at least had somepony she could rely on in case the worst happenned. While Granny Smith was " a skipped link " like Applejack in the mutation chain of the Apples, Big Mac was able to turn his skin to unbreakable organic steel and crush his enemies with ease. In the future, he was known as " The Colossus " . And still even with Big Mac that were only two ponies with enough power to stand a chance against the Brotherhood. Twilight had also spoken with Zecora. The zebra was surprised to see, that Twilight knows so much about mutants, and later amazed her herself by revealing she was actually an old student of Xavier, who now watched this area for mutants and Brotherhood members. She had refused to share any more information about the X- Ponies and remained stone silent when Twilight tried to ask her something about Wakanda, a small country near Zebrica, where the most of the world's vibranium deposits were hidden. She could rely on her for help, but not for information.

And still, that were three ponies between the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Brotherhood. Usually Stark and Dash in their armoured suits were also nearby, but now they were away. Twilight was on the verge of panic when she suddenly remembered she wasn't so alone as she thought .

Emma Frost, Wanda Maximoff and Johny Blaze. Hase's foalhood friends, they remained in Ponyville as Wanda was pronounced the CEO of A.I.M. Twilight's relief was great when she remembered that except the two mutant mares and the Spirit of vengeance A.I.M. still had a big number of Extremis soldiers at their facility, which Wanda had decided to move on the sight of the Diamond Dogs. Thus their tunnels were used for something good and with all the treasured they had gathered A.I.M. now had a whole new, strongholdlike facility, which prevented Diamond Dogs from attacking ( the gates to the unused galleries were guarded by power armours and Extremis troops) and proved a strong opponent for any possible threat.

Something Twilight couldn't say about Stark Industries. While Stark was a good pony, he was also a bit arrogant. A little arrogance wasn't something so scary, but Stark kept all the rights for the Arc Reactor technology, forcing A.I.M. to search for other power sources. According to him mass usage of such technology was dangerous and maybe he was right, but why did he just shut A.I.M. up? His technology was still unmatched and Stark Industries was the pioneer of Equestria in all categories but weapons manifacturing. The new Stark Industries facility was built on the two sides of the railway to Canterlot and got finished last week. If Twilight wasn't so worried about the Cutie Mark Crusaders probably she would accept Stark's decision for prudent, but now, confused from fear, she found it terribly wrong. Why would that stallion keep that technology for himself?

Suddenly, she calmed down and thought about this all over again. Stark only wanted to prevent accidents from happening. And with so many superheroes still left in town she could stop worrying about the Cutie mark Crusaders and return to the reality again.

"  Hellooo? "  Fiery was waving her hoof in front of Twilight's face. The purple alicorn looked the pegasus in the yes, which caused her to smile:

" Well, ok. You've been somewhere else in your thoughts for a minute. But hay, you didn't have to stare this way. Spike and I got worried about you. "

"  I'm fine. " the lavender mare replied

" But please, could you repeat your question. "

" I was asking who are the Cutie mark Crusaders. " the pegasus repeated her question.

" Ow, they are just three little fillies, who have found a club to search their cutie marks, nothing more. " Twilight barely managed to say the last two words, since she knew that they were much more than that.

' Not again. ' Spike thought. The last thing they needed was Twilight to psyche out again. Since they returned, Twilight was taking her job as the protector of the three fillies very serious, in fact too serious. She was constantly tracking them and spying on them, and now, after Applejack was away she was even more worried. Luckily, the three fillies didn't suspect a thing, but it was still worrying to see your best friend hide in the bushes and spy on three fillies. It was one of the reasons for Spike to get out of his love depression ( which was only a role since two weeks) and consult the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' guardians: Wanda, Emma, Johny, Applejack, Dash and Pony Stark. They agreed with him it would be better to speak with the alicorn, but she refused to leave her guard. She was overreacting, constantly thinking everypony for a threat, forgetting, that even now Ponyville was guarded by Hase's old friends, Zecora and the Cutie Mark Crusaders themselves were also protected by Big Mack. Luckily, she jumped out of her stance pretty quick this day and Spike thankfully glared at Fiery. This mare had a relinquishing effect on both of them, it distracted the dragon from his love problems ( and was an excellent chef, who even made him a fake moustache out of one of her countless scarfs) and Twilight' from her constant worries about the three fillies. It was almost like if there was nothing to worry about in the whole world.

But now the dragon concentrated over their guest. It was true, she was just a normal mare, nothing special, but that fork... sometimes the dragon thought Fiery had bigger problems than any of them, but unlike Spike and Twilight who shared them with eachother, Fiery was keeping them for herself and Spike could only wonder what problems she had.

Something about her past for sure...

But Spike, unlike Twilight, didn't tend to fully sink in his thoughts, so the pegasus mare's voice brought him back:

" Are we near? "

In that snow walking to the Sweet Apple Acres indeed took a lot of time, but at least now they were close. After 5 minutes of walking the farm could be seen, and luckily it was pretty near now.

After another 10 minutes of walking in the snow they reached the door. Luckily, inside Big Mack had obviously taken care of the snow ( he handled such things with ease) and the two ponies and the dragon could finally keep up a good speed.

As they reached the farm, Twilight knocked on the door. Almost immeadietly after the thuds ended the door was opened and Applebloom appeared next to it.

"  Hey, Twilight! " the young filly greeted.

" Hey, Applebloom. Did... did you find your cutie mark yet? " Twilight almost imagined the filly was now going to go back through the wall. Concern sometimes took the best of her, but the purple alicorn didn't let such thing happen.

" Nope. Ah'm still wonderin' what could it be? Do ya have any good ideas? " the enthusiastic filly looked at the lavender mare.

" Weell, you have to find out by yourself. Remember, it will come, sooner or later. " Twilight replied, relieved.

" But don't let mah keep ya out heah! " Applebloom kindly invited them inside. Twilight and Spike thanked her, but when Fiery got ready to pass the door, Applebloom stood in her way, confused.

" Oh sorry, I forgot to mention. Applebloom, meet Fiery. She was caught travelling in the big storm and I offered her shelter, but eventually I think she'll stay, and we're also friends. " Twilight introduced her pegasus friend to the little filly. Fiery nodded and Applebloom smiled in responce.

" Nice ta meet yah! " she exclaimed and stood off her way, allowing her to get in.

After the door closed, Twilight asked Applebloom to lead Spike and Fiery to the table, while she took another corridor and went to the room of Big Mack.

" How are things? " she asked, noticing, that both the stallion and Granny Smith were in the room. Obviously she sounded worried, because the farmstallion looked at her as if she was a filly who was overestimating things.

"  Oh, come on, Twilight, dear. " Granny Smith cam by her and pat her on the shoulder

" Yah don't have ta worry about the three fillies so much! Yah forget, that we aren't rotten apples either! Calm down, take it easy! " the old mare smiled and Twilight immeadietly felt uncomfortable for creating such panic.

" I... I suggest I will. " she replied.

Big Mack stared at the clock and spoke to her:

" Nothing to worry about, really. Now it's lunch time. Get some good ol' Apple family type food and the panic should go away. "

Indeed the pie did help. Everypony were just chatting about everyday stuff and cared about nothing. Currently, the discussion was revolving around Fiery. She had challenged the Cutie Mark Crusaders to guess her cutie mark, taking in mind all Twilight had told them about her. The alicorn smiled, since she had actually never told them what Fiery's cutie mark was , and Applebloom didn't see it at all. The bet was a slice of pie.

" You survived in that storm... it has to be a survival cutie mark! " Scotaloo tried to guess, but Fiery just grinned and shook her head.

" It is a... a cooking cutie mark! " Sweetie Belle made her guess judging by the tales of the pegasus's amazing kitchen skills, but that was pretty far from the truth.

" Last chance. What's your guess, Apple Bloom? " the pegasus turned to the earth pony filly.

" A... big sun? " nopony expected, that Applebloom would guess, but obviously she saw more than ponies thought she saw. The pegasus smiled and transferred one of her pieces to Applebloom's plate.

" May we see it? " Scotaloo jumped from her chair.

" Sure, why not? " Fiery jumped from her chair too and allowed the Cutie mark Crusaders to study her flank.

" Wow.... that's a cutie mark! " the pegasus filly liked it very much.

" How did you get it? " Sweetie asked with begging eyes.

" Yeah, how did ya? " Applebloom joined the line of fillies, waiting for explanation.

" Well, "  after thnking if to lie to them for a second Fiery considered it would be best to tell the truth

" , i was born with it. "

The expression on the muzzles of the three fillies was one of a kind.But the confusion was soon replaced by doubt:

" How can you be so sure? " Scotaloo asked " What if you have gained it in a day you were so small you didn't remember them? "

" I... I remember no such days.... "

" Exactly! " Scotaloo thought, that Fiery agreed with her.

" No, I mean I am not exactly a daughter of my mother. She found me outside the door in a night like this one yesterday , in a basket. She says I had my cutie mark back than. "

" Oh. " the expressions on their muzzles went sad

" Sorry . " Applebloom expressed her compassion.

" There's nothing to be sorry for. " Fiery's reply brought their smiles back

After the lunch was over the three fillies left to play in their room and Granny Smith and Big Mack went upstairs for an afternoon break, so Spike, Twilight and Fiery were left alone on the table, sitting in awkward silence.

" You never said where you came from. " Twilight broke the silence.

" Oh, I come from Canterlot. I used to live there... untill I left. " Fiery looked fine, so Twilight decided to bring up the main question:

" And why did you leave at all?  The way you describe it it sounds like if you had a good family. "

" It was a good family, and they would probably accept me even now... but they wanted me to do something I could, but certainly didn't want to do. "

" Why? Why would your family want something like this? Why wouldn't they give you a choice? " Twilight asked, confused of the conservatism of Fiery's family.

" They wanted me to reveal my true potential. They saw it deep inside of me, but I just can't.... sorry, I shouldn't have spoken about that at all! " the pegasus jumped off her chair and flew away.

" No wait! " Twilight rushed after her. For a moment the pegasus stopped and turned around. Her eyes reflected the same panic she had experienced the last night.

" You... you're not the only one who is having problems. " the purple alicorn decided a confession from her side would cause the same responce.

" No. But I am the only pony with such problems. " Fiery turned around and landed. She walked towards Twilight and spoke:

" All problems have sollutions... but mine. "

" Fiery, you don't know what a relief you are for me! You are distracting me from all of my problems! You are my friend, no matter if you wish it or not! And I don't tend to let my friends deal with their problems on their own. A shared problem is half a problem! " Twilight tried to reason with her.

" And what if your problem cannot be shared? " usually Fiery used " can't " , so the sudden use of the full form made Twilight wonder.

" And what's your problem? Turning things to gold? Ponies have much larger problems than... "

" Twilight! " Spike shouted and the lavender mare realised she had went too far.

The pegasus' s face went pale and she knit her brows as her reply was heard:

" Turning... things... to gold? " she was obviously very angry from the fact Twilight had hidden this from her.

" Why didn't you tell me?! "

" Fiery... this isn't such great of a problem, after all. It can even be a blessing! " the purple alicorn defended herself.

Luckily, these words succeeded to calm the pegasus down. But she started crying. She broke through the door and flew away. Judging by her direction, she was heading for the Golden Oak Library.

Twilight surely didn't expect such turn of the events.  She lowered her head and told Spike:

" I... I think we should go now. "

Applebloom walked with them to the gates and from than on it was the two of them in the snow again.Nothing broke the silence but several rabbits, who ran across the pathway, now burried under the snow, and continued on their way. Twilight sighed. She doubted Fiery would want to talk with her again after what happened today. She was just so grateful for the pegasus bringing her out of her worries, spicing up her life with laughter and that special essence of a normal life, not depending on mysteries and magic, that she wanted to do the same for her. Some secrets were however never to be revealed and the purple alicorn realised, that the only thing she'd done was violently breaking the pegasus' private space and revealing herself as a spy. There was nothing more shameful for the mare. She was the Element of the Magic of Friendship, she was supposed to know all about friendship... and yet she failed. Pesky thoughts took over her mind, convincing her, that without the elements she isn't the friend ponies want her to be anymore. She perished that thought, but she couldn't do the same with her grief, grief of a loss . Fiery was the only pony she had these days, after all of her other friends were away, and she had failed with her. Why was the fate so cruel?

With her head down Twilight slowly walked down the hill to Ponyville, covered in snow, and the day that used to be sunny was now cloudy, in full harmony with her thoughts.