Raven Mystery

Chapter 1

Raven Mystery groaned as piercing sunlight irritated her deep jungle green eyes enough to wake her. She grumbled and turned her head to look at her red alarm clock.

“Five to seven,” Raven complained, “I don’t need to show up at work until it’s nearly nine.”

Raven lowered her head into the pillows and tried to steal some more sleep. But her mind was becoming active already, plus her stomach rumbled for food. With a reluctant sigh, Raven rolled off her bed and onto her feet. A quick glance at the alarm clock made her snort in frustration that only one minute had passed since her first wake-up call.

Deciding she was up now, Raven yawned as she trotted down the stairs to the kitchen. Despite the early time, golden morning rays of sunshine already made her kitchen more bright and welcoming. Raven exchanged a brief smile that sunshine made her oak dining table look shiny and interesting as she passed it.

Then, she looked up and zapped a cupboard door handle above her head. With a faint light, blue aura of her magic, she opened the door and then let go of her spell for a second. A second later, she casted a simple levitation spell on a box of cereal and put it on the table. A minute later, she had gotten the milk out of the fridge and was eating breakfast.

“I don’t need to leave home for at least another ninety minutes,” Raven commented to herself as she knew her trot to work wasn’t a particularly long one. Raven crunched her cereal and thought about what to do with her free time. Then, strangely there was a pony knocking a hoof on her door.

“It’s quite early for post,” Raven mumbled as she trotted to the door.

“Who is it?” Raven called out before opening her front door.

“A pony told me it was your eighteenth birthday today and I agreed I would come over and make party arrangements with you,” spoke a rather fast speaking pony.

Raven yawned and struggled to make sense of what the pony said and took a couple of seconds to think about it.

“My eighteenth?” Raven asked confused, while she searched into her mind to remind herself whether it was in fact her birthday.

“That’s right!” exclaimed the pony outside in an excitable yell.

“Sorry, you must have the wrong address or the wrong pony,” Raven apologised with a slight yawn.

“Oh,” came an exasperated sigh, “Are you sure? I was told a Ms. Mystery lives here.”

Though, she couldn’t see the pony’s face, Raven had a feeling she had likely caused the pony outside her door to frown. She felt a bit guilty about that and then picked up on the fact the pony referred to her as Ms. Mystery.

“Yes, I’m the only Ms. Mystery in Appaloosa,” Raven confirmed, but still thought the pony outside had the wrong address. Still, she felt responsible for likely causing the pony to frown and in sympathy, she cracked the door open a bit.

“Oh, yippee! I found the right one!” an excitable yell came from a pink pony as she leapt for joy. Then, without warning, she barged past and into her house.

“You must be Raven, Braeburn let slip to Applejack that one of his friends in Appaloosa had a birthday coming up and I happened to overhear the conversation,” the chirpy pink pony did a small happy dance and then eyed her playfully with mischievous and wide blue eyes.

“Wait, I know you,” Raven paused and stared her deep jungle green eyes to the pink pony. Her wild, fluffy pink mane and paler pink coat along with her eyes did seem familiar from somewhere.

“Wait, were you on the Ponyville team in the recent buck-ball match?” Raven narrowed her view onto the pony.

“Yep!” the pink pony confirmed, “The name’s Pinkie Pie,” she flashed a mischievous grin.

“You made Braeburn upset,” Raven scowled and huffed and turned her back on Pinkie, “Please leave,” Raven turned again and pointed the way out of her house.

“Oh, only a little upset and a bit sour, maybe, but his pride recovered from his loss and he came by to visit Applejack, a week ago,” Pinkie tried to explain and revealed something Raven didn’t know. Plus, Raven noticed despite being told to leave, Pinkie hadn’t lost her smile.

“Well, today might be my birthday…” Raven began to construct a long sentence.

“So, today is your birthday! Well, happy, happy birthday, happy birthday to you, now you can be so happy that you can sing along with this tune,” Pinkie sang and jumped around Raven’s dining table with joyous laughter.

“Please don’t knock the table or the chairs, they’ve been in my family for two generations,” Raven sat on the floor and pouted.

“Aww, don’t be sad, today is your birthday, and I’ll be glad to go over arrangements,” Pinkie flashed a caring smile and then in a calmer fashion trotted over to her.

“I’m not so sure that a party planner is supposed to come to you,” Raven took a step back and thought about how parties were usually arranged. In her mind, she herself would had travelled to Ponyville and invited Pinkie herself if she really wanted a party, but she hadn’t.

“Oh, silly, I’m not known for an eye to look for parties for nothing,” Pinkie proudly boasted putting a hoof across her chest and stood still with confidence.

Her proud stance along with what Raven already had seen of mischievous behaviour, plus a friendly demeanour made Raven think. Maybe, she should hire a party planner for her 18th birthday. As would luck or extraordinary coincidence would have her believe, she had a party planner right in front of her.

Still, she barely knew Pinkie Pie. She had clouds of doubt about what sort of party Pinkie would arrange for her as she rubbed her forehead with stress.

  “You know if it’s best for you, I could make all the arrangements for you and I know five besties, a few friendly faces and I’m at least acquainted with every pony in Equestria!” Pinkie chuckled as she made a playful offer.

Raven had a feeling despite her playful tone, Pinkie was serious about being at least acquainted with every pony in Equestria, though it seemed impossible.

“Uh… just keep it to Appaloosa locals,” Raven mumbled and thought she didn’t want a party full of strangers and at least in her home-town, she knew Braeburn, Sheriff Silver Star, his deputy, and a few other friendly faces.

“Aww,” Pinkie groaned, “So, you don’t want to exchange fashion tips with Rarity, or bob for apples in one of Applejack’s barrels. Even a quiet reading session with the famous Princess Twilight Sparkle is possible, if you let me invite them.”

“I suspect the Princess of Friendship is way too busy to read books with a lowly commoner like myself,” Raven laughed and thought no way was that possible.

“Oh, laughter,” Pinkie chuckled, “I take that means you’re interested.” Then, there was another brief flash of a smile and Pinkie bounced out of the door.

“Hang on, wait, I didn’t say I wanted to read books,” Raven called out and tried to rush after the bouncing Pinkie. However, Pinkie proved to be a fast bouncer and was soon out of sight.

Raven stopped in the street and pouted with worry. Now, she might have to be ready for an assortment of guests.

“So, what ya’ doing up and about in the streets so early, Raven?” Braeburn asked with a playful chortle. Raven sighed and rolled her eyes and felt he knew everything about Pinkie’s surprise visit. She almost fainted, but managed to sit down and become stressed instead.