Protectors of the Stone

Pinkie Pie gasped so hard the clouds changed positions. An irritated pegasus glared downward and put everything back where it belongs.

"You stole a Stone Keeper? Wow! Nopony has ever ever done that before in a billion gazillion years!"

The backdrop of the sunrise silhouetted Twilight Sparkle and her new hooded friend as they stood in the doorway of the local sweet shop, Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie, one of Twilight's best friends worked there and was already up and about preheating the ovens and preparing the stock for the morning muffin rush. She was a pink colored earth pony with precocious curly hair and a cutie mark of the pastel-colored balloons, and was by far the most energetic pony Twilight had ever met.

"Stone Keeper?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah! How did you get her here without touching her?" Much to the Stone Keeper's discomfort, Pinkie zipped around to inspect her from every angle.

"Pinkie..." Pinkie's flurried investigations would not stop so Twilight held her shoulders. "Pinkie! I didn't steal anypony. She was just--in my room. I don't know why, and she's not saying anything."

Pinkie rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Well yuh! Keepers of the Choosing Stone aren't allowed to say any words, or touch anypony or leave the cave of the Choosing Stone!" She got in close to Twiligh's face. "Everrrrrr."

"So..." Twilight said, mulling it over. "Stone Keepers never speak, never leave some cave with some stone, and never touch anypony. Well--" Twilight pauses to pull her head high with confidence. "This pony obviously isn't in a cave right now, so we must conclude she is not a Stone Keeper."

"No way, " said Pinkie, "That's totally the uniform!"

Twilight looked over. The ratty outfit looked even worse in the sun.

"Cookies! Cookies will solve this!" screamed Pinkie.

"Pinkie, I don't think--"

Twilight felt something running into her hindquarters. She looked back to see Pinkie headbutting her rear end, sliding her inside the store by the flats of her hooves.