The Incantation

Not long after Discord had left, Fluttershy came home - with another of her friends.

"So, you're the one Shy's been making a big deal of, huh?" the sky-blue pegasus with a rainbow-themed mane addressed me as she and Fluttershy came into the living room.

I sat quietly on the couch and nodded. Fluttershy's been making a big deal of me?

"Not much of a talker, eh? Just like Fluttershy." The blue pegasus gave me a wink.

I squirmed a little in my seat. "Uh...yeah, I guess. I didn't catch your name, by the way. I'm Emerald Mist."

She flaunted herself like a snobby princess. "Call me Rainbow Dash."

"Would anypony like some tea?" Fluttershy tried.

I rubbed my stomach. "I wish I had room."

"No thanks," Rainbow said. "Just had some cider from Applejack earlier. Special order, hehe."

"Oh," Fluttershy murmured, sounding disappointed.

Rainbow turned her attention back to me. "So, Emerald, why'd you move from Canterlot to Ponyville? There's way better stuff there."

Fluttershy must've told her a little about me, I thought. "Trouble living there, put plainly. No need to elaborate," I told her.

"Uh-huh, and you just happened to end up on Fluttershy's doorstep needing a place to crash?"

Suspicious much? "Uh, actually I slept in her chicken coop. She found me."

Rainbow came over and sat beside me on the couch, smiling. "Really? That's cool. You'll like Ponyville." She stretched out lazily. "So, you like anypony here?"

Fluttershy coughed.

I cleared my throat. "Well...that's a bit personal, don't you think?" I accidentally let my gaze wander over to Fluttershy, where our eyes met. I looked away.

Rainbow chortled. "Nah, not really." She looked at Fluttershy and then at me. "Fluttershy has somepony she likes."

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy shouted, horrified.

"He's really cool, handsome, and sweet, she told me." Rainbow eyed me strangely, trying to see my reaction.

I was torn. Fluttershy had a crush...and it wasn't me? It didn't stop me from liking her, though. "Oh, well, good for her."

Rainbow studied me like a specimen for a moment before turning to Fluttershy. "Hey, that guy you like, are you gonna ask him out?"

Fluttershy was speechless, her mouth agape.

"Um, I think I have to use the restroom," I said, excusing myself.

They both looked surprised as I hurried up the stairs and shut the bathroom door behind me, leaning up against it to listen to their impending conversation about me.

"Rainbow Dash, that wasn't necessary."

"It was too! You said you wanted to know if he liked you."

"I know, but that was just a little...rude."

"Rude, shmude...you have to be bold with these things. Besides, I can safely say that he does like you."

"Oh...really?"

"Heck yeah, he does. Did you see the look on his face when I told him you had a crush? He was totally hurt."

"Oh...I wish you hadn't done it that way."

"And when I asked him if he liked anypony, he looked dead at you, girl."

"Omigosh...what do I do? I'm nervous..."

"Ask him out at the gala. I bet you 10 bits he says 'yes'."

"Well, um...okay, if you think it'll work..."

"Shake on it."

I heard hooves clap together and decided that I was done "using" the toilet and flushed it. As I "washed" my hooves, I tried to absorb what I'd just heard. So it was official: Fluttershy liked me. But what should I do? I've never been asked out, and from my understanding, they guy's supposed to ask the girl, not the other way around. But she had planned to ask me. I grew dizzy thinking too hard about all this. I certainly had my hooves full now.

I shut the faucet off and dried my hooves off on the towel hanging on a rack by the sink. When I finished, I headed back out of the bathroom and took the stairs instead of flying, trying to slow-play.

They were both watching me; Rainbow with a big grin, and Fluttershy - well, just looked shy.

"Hey, we were just talking about you," Rainbow said humorously.

I bet. "Oh? I hope you were being nice."

"Oh, we were, don't you worry," Rainbow assured me, her grin never wavering.

"Um, Emerald?" Fluttershy asked daintily. "What's in that box, if you don't mind me asking?" She pointed at my box under the couch.

I laughed nervously. I have no idea why. "Oh, that...is my...crown." Dumb.

"Your crown?" Rainbow asked.

"Yes," I replied as casually as possible. "I won it...in a contest." Dumber.

Rainbow seemed more interested now that I mentioned "contest". "A contest? What kind of contest? Was it a flying contest?"

"No." I sat back on the couch. "It was a card game." Dumbest.

"Huh. I bet you I could beat you in a card game. Wanna play for that crown?" Rainbow asked a little too excitedly.

I shook my head. "Absolutely not. I already won it. Why would I need to win it again?" That came out a little snappy, I realized.

"Can we see it?" Fluttershy inquired. For some reason, she wouldn't make eye contact with me.

"I guess," I said, after a moments' hesitation. I slid the crown out of the box into my lap as they oohed and ahhed.

"It's cool." Rainbow folded her arms across her chest. "But not cool enough."

"It's just a crown," I said, putting it back it back in the box and closing it. "It doesn't have to be cool. Besides, I'm selling it."

Rainbow started for the door. "Alright then. Well, I'll see you two - " She snickered a bit, " - later." Then she flew off.

I shook my head unhappily as I placed the box back under the couch.

Flutteshy sat beside me. "Rainbow Dash is always so bold." She put a hoof on the back of mine. "Sorry about her odd questions..."

I stiffened. "It's quite alright. I'm used to it."

She smiled at me through her mane. "Oh."

I sighed purposefully. "Well, I think I'm going to the library for a little research. Want to go with me?"

She perked up. "Sure. That sounds nice."

"Alright, let's go."

Dark Storm met up with his confidants far from his home, near the train tracks.

They'd both arrived not long after Storm had met with Solar Flare, the unicorn who'd employed him.

Orion, his first recruit, was a griffon - dark brown with a scar running vertically across his left eye. He was an excellent assassin, and his choice was a bow and arrow, which he carved himself and wielded expertly. Storm relied on him for his stealth-kill missions.

The other was a huge pegasus from Manehattan. His name was Steelwing, and rightly so. He could fly with the best of them - the Wonderbolts - and not break a sweat. His only weapon was a small dagger he kept concealed under his hooded cloak. His coat was a smokey gray, and he had a long, black mane. His eyes were a disconcerting, icy blue.

Both he and Orion encountered Storm on the platform about the mission.

"Orion, Steel, so good to see my brethren after so long," Storm said cheerily, though his eyes remained cold.

"Oh, please," Orion grunted. "You seen us last week in Las Pegasus."

Storm gave him a hard stare. "Indeed." Although normally Storm wouldn't have tolerated such sassiness from one of his subordinates, the current mission was much too important for him to worry about the submission. He needed both of them. "Come, let us walk and talk"

They all began walking away from the station, one of each of Storm's minions on either side of him.

"What are the details of this so-called 'make-it-or-break-it' mission?" Orion asked.

Storm answered without looking at either of them, facing forward as they all walked around the courtyard just outside the train station. "Emerald Rain has stolen a very powerful artifact from our client. In fact, it is so important, he is willing to pay five million bits for the return of the crown."

"Wait - we're retrieving a silly crown?" Steel laughed dryly.

"Not silly," Storm snapped, annoyed. "Powerful. Deadly. Unique."

"How so?" Orion inquired, dodging a pedestrian.

Storm was silent for a moment. "I cannot tell you. Client's orders. However, there is an update available on things."

"Eh?" Orion raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Emerald is quite possibly in Ponyville. The train he hopped on to flee Canterlot went straight through it on the way to Appleloosa. I doubt he got off there in Appleloosa, but it is a possibility that cannot be ignored. I will head to Appleloosa, Steel, you go to Ponyville. Orion, you will stay here." Storm stopped so the other two would do the same.

"What do we do if we find him?" Orion asked, looking around and back at Storm.

Emerald has a bounty, dead or alive, from the Princess of 100,000 bits. Capture him to get the crown. Kill any that stand in your way. The first sighting of him, however, shall be reported to me. We will do this as a team."

"That's a first," Steelwing muttered, earning a dirty look from the others.

"The terms of the mission are understood," Orion said.

Storm grinned. "Good. Let us begin."