The strange pony.

"Twilight! Twilight!" Rainbow Dash screamed.

"I'm in here! What's the matter?" Twilight Sparkle was enveloped in the research books that she'd found. CRASH! Typical Rainbow. What's wrong now? Twilight thought. Twilight looked at her clock. Wow, I've stayed up all night! What could Rainbow want at seven in the morning? She comes out of the wall of books that she's enclosed in and is surprised by the blue pegasus mare carefully setting a tan earth pony mare on her couch. "Who is this, Rainbow?" Twilight asked, curious.

"I don't know, but she was out in the Everfree fending off Timberwolves, and then she was shot by these colts in green. Can you help?" Rainbow asked, nervous for her newly rescued acquaintance.

"I can try. Let's just get this dart off, and - her mane is in the -" Twilight gasped. The mare's mane crumbled at Twilight's touch, and then appeared where she'd wanted it.

"Cool!" Rainbow said. Twilight was fascinated. She'd never encountered nor read anything like this. She was determined to find out the answers to this (to her,) mystery.

"I have to nurse this wound, but after this is done, I have to research this. Could you stay with her until she wakes up?" Twilight asked.

"Sure can do." Rainbow said with admiration. After Twilight healed the mare as best she could, Rainbow turned to the mare. "Who are you? And what else can you do?"

Later...

Applejack finally made it to the castle. "Rainbow! Twilight! Where are you guys?" Applejack called up the stairs.

"Up here Applejack!" Twilight called back. A minute later, she found the two upstairs. "I need another book. Where's that one on pony genetics?" Twilight trotted off.

"Where's that mare that you carried off?" Applejack asked

Shhh." Rainbow closed the door behind her. "How'd you find out?"

"I'm always awake at dawn. So what about her?"

"She's asleep. What's the matter?"

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that -"

"Twilight! Rainbow! Applejack!" Rarity called. The mystery mare snapped her green eyes open. She shot straight up and was ready to run for the door, but Fluttershy and Rarity came up the stairs. The hallway was blocked. The mare heard four ponies outside. "Did you know that a new pony is in town?" Rarity asked. "Pinkie's throwing a party. We thought that we'd let you know." The tan mare heard the words said and backed away from the door finding a window.

"Did somepony say something?" Twilight came in.

"Pinkie's having a party for the new pony in town. We wanted to tell you." Rarity replied, and turned away from the door.

"You know." Rainbow told Twilight. She motioned to the door. Twilight gave Rainbow a knowing look. Rarity noticed.

"She's back there? Oh, we must see her." She opened the door. Rainbow was surprised as she saw the tan mare huff again. Dust seemed to shift on her back. She turned around as if to leap out of the window. "Wait!" The five called.

"Calm down, sweetie. We ain't aimin' t' hurt ya'. Come down from that thar winda'." Applejack tried to calm the stranger down.

"Thank you, Rainbow, for your help, and you too, princess, but nothing you do can help me now." The mare replied softly. She flapped out of the window with the working red wings that she clearly didn't have a second ago, swooped down and ran as fast as she could.

Rainbow followed her, and Applejack rushed down the stairs to help. "What just happened?" Rarity asked.

"That mare grew wings and flew away." Fluttershy replied, confused that Rarity didn't understand.

"Oh. Then I was right! But why did she leave?" Rarity asked.

"She must have heard of the party." Twilight said, sarcastically. Rarity sighed.

"And I was wanting to make a new ensemble for the mare. Where did they go?" The two followed at a slower pace, while Twilight stayed to research the phenomenon that was that new mare.