Twilight awoke to a knock on her door, quickly followed by a scream. Fearing the worst, she rushed downstairs to see who it was.
"Twilight! It's awful!" Pinkie exclaimed. "We can't let her back here again!!"
Twilight looked past Pinkie to see half the town at her door. The other half was running around blindly, screaming their lungs out.
"We can't let who back here again?" Twilight asked. This was a lot of commotion for 8:30 in the morning.
"Her" Pinkie said, pointing out into the distance. Something in her voice said that, whomever was walking towards them, was nothing but trouble. Squinting, Twilight barley saw a figure of a pony walking there way.
"Um, Pinkie, that's just a normal pony." Twilight said. "Is this really worth waking me up for?"
"Yes!" Pinkie shouted. "That pony is nothing. But. Trouble! Everypony is scared of her because what she did when she last visited!"
Twilight scrunched up her nose. "Last visited?"
"YES!"
"Okay, if it makes you feel better, I'll go talk to her."
"Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Pinkie said. Twilight lifted her wings and took off.
"Don't get into her trap!" Pinkie called after her.
Into her trap? Twilight thought. What does that mean?
She didn't have much time to think about it, though. She was soon over this so-called 'trouble-maker'. She landed just inches away from her.
"Hello, fellow pony." Twilight said. "I'm sorry to say this, but, your disrupting my town. Do you mind if I ask why you are visiting?"
"What do you mean?" The pony kept walking as she spoke. Her voice sent chills up Twilight's spine. "I'm just visiting some friends, and, surely, the princess of friendship wouldn't mind that, now, right?"
Stunned, Twilight stayed in one place for a second. "Hm? Oh! Of course not!" Twilight ran to catch up with the mystery pony. "Who are your friends?"
The pony smiled. "Why should I tell a stranger that?"
"What?! Just two seconds ago, you said I was the Princess of Friendship!"
The pony turned around. "No, sweetie. I said 'the princess of friendship wouldn't mind that, now, right?' I never said 'you wouldn't mind that, right'? I honestly don't care about whether you mind or not."
'Um." Twilight lifted her wings. "I'm kind of the Princess of Friendship."
Mystery pony stopped and looked her over the first time since Twilight started talking to her. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" The pony seemed quite embarrassed with herself. "But, I still don't really want to tell you my..." The pony hesitated. "Friend's names..."
"That's perfectly fine." Twilight said. "But, why is everypony upset that your visiting?"
The pony shrugged. "I guess I'm just not likeable."
"No! No, I'm sure you are." Twilight said. "In fact, how about I show you around? I know you visited before, but, it's been a while since you've been here, right?" The pony nodded. "Well, Ponyville has really changed since then." This time, it was Twilight that hesitated. "My name is Twilight Sparkle"--
"I know that." The pony said. "Your all the talk back in my town."
"Really?" Twilight blushed. "Surely they have other things to talk about. By the way, what's your name?"
The pony looked at her through the corner of her eye, then slightly smiled. "Envy." She said. "Were here."
Pinkie couldn't believe what she was seeing! Twilight was actually walking Envy too Ponyville, instead of away from Ponyville! And she appeared to be smiling...why?
Not that Pinkie was envious of Twilight, or anything. It's OK if Envy is her temporary friend. She just knew that Twilight would see Envy's colors in no time at all. She decided to keep an eye on the two, just in case trouble erupted.
Noticing them by the town fountain, Pinkie crawled over and jumped into a bush right beside them, then looked out at them through a small break in the bush.
"And over here's the town fountain." She heard Twilight say. "We just got a new plaque on it today!"
"How is a new plaque....interesting?" Envy asked. "I don't see the enjoyment of having a new plaque." She corrected when Twilight gave her the stink eye.
"Oh, well, you see..." Twilight hesitated. "I actually don't know why I'm interested in them, either." The last sentence she said almost sounded like a monotone. Did that mean the Envy was...
No, that didn't sound right. Envy usually stayed a week, and she usually started cursing everypony with a spell or charm or whatever until the next day.
Still, Pinkie was worried. She decided to ask Twilight how she was feeling the first chance she got.
"How is a new plaque....interesting?" Envy asked. "I don't see the enjoyment of having a new plaque." She corrected when Twilight gave her the stink eye.
"Oh, well, you see..." Twilight hesitated. She thought she saw something pink jump behind the bust just a couple seconds ago, but, was to busy chatting with Envy that she didn't really give it much thought. Now, she did. There was only one thing that Twilight could think of that was pink.
Pinkie Pie.
Before Twilight could confront her, something hit her in the head. Hard. She suddenly wasn't able to control what she said at all, although she did hear it. "I actually don't know why I'm interested in them, either."
What? She thought. Why would I ever say that? Of course I like plaques! Who wouldn't?! Still confused and slightly dazed, Twilight shook her head. "Envy?"
"Yes?"
"Why did I just say"--
Something else hit her in the head, but not merely as hard, then fell to the ground with a clunk. Twilight looked down. A pebble was laying at her hooves.
"Did you just throw a pebble at me?!" Twilight asked.
Envy blushed. "Sorry, I was just trying to skip it across the fountain."
Twilight looked behind her, forgetting where she was for a second. "You can skip rocks?"
"Yeah! Want me to show you?"
Twilight was about to say Sure, but, the same strange force as before came and almost knocked her over.
"No, thanks, I'm good." She said uncontrollably. She tried to shake the feeling off, but it stayed on longer than before. "Let's just go back to my place." Zombie-Twilight said. "I'm sure you'll like it."
Pinkie sat back in the bush, confused.
Why had Twilight just blown Envy off like that? She wondered. It's possible that Envy is cursing her, but, Twi is stronger than her, right? Pinkie face-hoofed herself. Of course she is, Pinkie! Stop doubting your friend like that! Crawling out of the bush, Pinkie followed them back to the castle.
Only to be stopped by Rarity on the way there.
"Pinkie, darling, where are you headed?' Rarity asked. It looked like she was carrying a saddlebag full of gems, and she was slightly struggling under the weight.
"Over to Twilight's Castle." Pinkie explained. "I need to get there fast. I have no time to talk."
"Well, why ever are you in a rush?" Rarity cocked her head just slightly to the right, her perfect curls falling over evenly.
Pinkie looked around, too make sure Envy wasn't lurking around a building. After checking the coast was clear. Pinkie leaned in to Rarity's ear. "Envy is back." She whispered.
"ENVY?!" Rarity screamed. "What is she doing at Twilight's Castle?"
Pinkie shrugged. "I think she cursed Twilight and made her ask herself to be invited to Twilight's house, so it sounded like Twilight was inviting Envy."
"What?"
"No time to explain, Rarity!" She yelled, grabbing a hold of Rarity's face. "I've already wasted five precious minutes talking to you!" With that, Pinkie let go and took off towards Twilight's castle. Rarity watched her speed off.
"Wasted time?" She asked to herself, slightly offended.
Spike had been eyeing Envy ever since she walked through the door. Twilight knew he had a right to be wary, but, it was a bit rude to be watching her every step she took. Envy must have noticed the dragon, because, at one point, she levitated Spike, put him in a random room, then closed and locked the door.
"What did you do that for?" Twilight asked.
"Well, Twily," Twilight flinched at the nick-name her brother used for her. She liked it, but, why...how did Envy know about it? "Don't you just want us hanging out together? We don't need a dragon to watch over, let alone a baby one!"
"HEY!" Spike called through the door. "I'm able to take care of myself!!"
"Course you are, sweetie." Envy called back. Then looked towards Twilight. "So, I don't really have a place to spend the night at..."
Twilight looked outside. "It's mid-afternoon."
"Yeah, but, you know, for tonight..."
"Oh, well, if you don't have a space, you can take one of my many...many rooms..."
"That sounds great!!" Envy sat back on her hind-hooves and clapped. "So, do you have any plans for lunch?"
"Uh...well..." Twilight hesitated again. She was supposed to meet the Princess up for lunch, but, she certainly didn't expect somepony to come and spend the day with her. "I had plans."
"Really?" Envy asked. "Did I ruin them?"
"No! No! Not at all!" Twilight said in a rush. Why don't...Why don't you come with me...?" I really hope the Princess doesn't mind
"Of course!" Envy cheered. "Let me get my things!!" Envy looked around herself. "Done." She said after a moment.
"Wait, you didn't bring anything with you?" Twilight asked.
"No." Envy said. "I can go a week without a baggage. Somepony usually helps me, anyways."
"Oh, well, Ok." Twilight responded. What else could she say? "Uh, I need to go up and grab some stuff to show the Princess..."
"We're having lunch with the Princess?!" Envy almost screamed. She didn't exactly look happy about that. She looked more scared...or afraid...
"Yeah! So, we'll be leaving in five minutes. Just, make yourself at home..." Twilight called over her shoulder as she walked up the stairs.
Envy just sat on a couch when she heard a knock at the door. A pretty loud, urgent knock. "ENVY? COULD YOU GET THAT, PLEASE?" Twilight called from upstairs.
"SURE!" Envy called back. She went over and opened the door, just in time to see a Pink pony, with her face pressed against the door, fall to the ground on her face.
"Are you OK?" Envy asked, slightly horrified.
Pinkie picked herself up, just to find herself nose-to-nose with Envy.
"You." Pinkie glowered.
"You." Envy mimicked.
"Ah, I see you two know each other!" Twilight said gleefully from behind them, making them both jump. "Envy? I need to alert Celestia that I'm bringing a guest. Now, where's Spike...?"
"I'M IN HERE!" Spike yelled, pounding on the bathroom door.
"Oh. Right. Sorry!" She called as she opened the door for him. "OK, Spike, could you prepare a letter, please?"
"With pleasure." Spike glowered, giving Envy the evil eye as he followed twilight into the main room.
"Why are you going to lunch with Twilight and Celestia?" Pinkie asked once Twilight was out of earshot. "Celestia knows your nothing but trouble. Why risk that chance? More importantly, why are you here?"
"Oh, Pinkie." Envy said smoothly. "I think your way to confused then you normally are! It's all down to one simple plan. In my town, we feel like we need our own Princess there. I need to be with 'Miss Friendship is Magic' all the time in order for my brainwash curse to work! By the end of the week, she'll believe that I was her friend all along, and we were just visiting this..." She paused. "Shocking, unprepossessing town."
Pinkie gasped. "You wouldn't dare! Twilight's magic is way more stronger than yours!!"
"Which is why I'm slowly draining her magic every. Second. We. Speak."
Pinkie gasped again and slammed her hooves over her mouth. Envy gave Pinkie a menacing look, just as Twilight came back into the mudroom.
"Ok! I'm ready!" Twilight cheered. "Make yourself at home, Pinkie, I'll be back in a few hours."
Before Twilight and Envy left, Envy faced Pinkie one last time. "No more Twilight" she mouthed.
Pinkie turned away, not wanting to watch her best friend and her enemy walk away like nothing mattered at all. Because somepony did matter. Somepony REALLY important. She decided it was time to put a plan into action.
