Prologue - Friendship Infiltration
All around me, ponies pranced in the sunlight, enjoying Celestia's gift in all of it's glory. I, on the other hoof, lay wrapped underneath my tattered robes. I found myself in Ponyville, the friendliest place in Equestria. The magic of friendship was so thick here that you could almost taste it in the air. It seemed to wrap in and around everyone and everything, imbuing them with its properties. It was working it’s magic on me too, because I was starting to have second thoughts about what I was sent here to do. Then I felt it. A good old kick in the gut to remind me of why this was so important. I could feel the magic drawing towards me, being sucked into the endless void I had inside of me. I feel like I could consume all of the magic in Equestria and still not be satiated! That was why I was sent here. I was told these ponies could help me. I had one mare in particular in mind, and I needed to find her.
After searching for an hour, I was starting to get frustrated. How hard could it be to find her?! I mean, it’s not like she’s invisible or anything! Or maybe she is… I mean, she’s known throughout Equestria for her magical prowess! The only pony even close are the other alicorns and her own pupil, to perhaps she has figured out the whole invisibility thing. I looked around me, seeing nothing but apple trees, a farm on the hill ahead of me, and the stone bridge I was standing on. The sign read “Sweet Apple Acres”. Hopefully this place would be more helpful than the last. That pegasus Derpy Hooves mark brought me to everyone but the one I needed!
I was drawn from my thoughts by three foals playing in the river below me. One with yellow fur, one orange, and the other white. Each had matching, yet not identical, cutie marks. A twinge of jealousy passed through me, but I cast it aside. It was not what I needed now. What I needed were directions, and these three looked like they could provide.
“Excuse me,” I spoke softly. Too softly apparently, because they either didn’t hear me, or didn’t care. “Excuse me, you three,” I said one more time, my temper starting to flare at being ignored. The potential disaster was just barely averted when one of them finally noticed me.
“Girls!” The yellow one shouted. “I think that pony up there is tryin’ ta talk ta us!”
“She’s kinda creepy, I dunno if we should be talking to her…” the orange one said.
“Just look at those robes! If my sister Rarity has taught me anything, it’s ‘never trust a pony with questionable fashion choices’!” The white one mimicked a high-class voice during the last portion, causing the other two to burst out into laughter. Greeeaat. I had to act now, or else I’d explode for sure.
“Excuse me, but I just need some directions. Do you know where I can find Princess Twilight?” I asked politely.
“Why do ya need ta talk with Twilight?”
“And how do we know if we can trust you?!”
“She does have a point, and the robes really aren’t helping you out here.”
“I have a… friendship problem.” My voice dropped off near the end, and I turned my head away, scratching the back of my neck.
“Oh, well in that case she’s just over there in the big crystal tree!” The white one answered, pointing to the other side of the river.
“Sweetie Belle! Why did you tell her! What if she’s looking for Twilight so she can attack her!” The orange one shouted, casting an accusing glance at the white foal.
“Yeah, what if she’s going there ta steal Twilight’s magic!” The yellow one shouted.
“Ooh, ooh, I love this game!” a new voice echoed out. “What if she’s going there to steal Twilight’s identity and assume her role as Princess of Friendship so that way she can pave the path for an invasion of evil monsters who will threaten all of Equestria unless the real Twilight stops them!” My jaw dropped so far that it hit the pony under me. “Oww, hey! Watch where your jaw’s going bud!” The pony beneath me shouted. I looked under me, only to find a pink pony’s head staring at me from the underside of the bridge. She was rubbing one of her big blue eyes and looking up at me expectantly. Crap.
“Oh! I’m so sorry, you just startled me was all. What was your name?” I asked quickly.
“My name’s Pinkie Pie! And I accept your apology, so now we can be the best of friends now, right?” She said, with a hopeful grin on her face.
“Yeah! I’d love to be friends,” I said as sincerely as possible, “but right now I-” I was interrupted by a wicked blast of confetti straight at my face! As soon as I could see again I saw Pinkie Pie on the other end of a cannon, somehow filled with confetti again, still pointed straight at my face. I glared at her, and she gave a nervous laugh.
“As I was saying, I would love to stay and chat, but I really need to go see the Princess.” I said, turning towards the crystal tree she called home.
“Ooh, I know how to get there lickity split! Just follow me!” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing off towards the crystal tree. I sighed, following her.
“...and that’s the time that we all got hypnotized by Starlight Glimmer! I’ll tell ya, it was really weird! I kinda remember it, but I really don’t, it was just kinda hard to think, ya know?” Pinkie Pie asked, bouncing down the road.
“Oh yeah, I definitely know the feeling.” I said, massaging my temple with one hoof while I sluggishly trailed behind her. “Do you ever stop talking?”
“Only when I’m listening! Or partying! OR when I’m being hypnotized! Then I couldn’t even talk unless she talked first!”
“I sorely wish you were hypnotized right now.” I said, reaching the edge of my patience. Thank Celestia that the crystal tree was right ahead, I don’t know how much longer I could take this.
“Why do you want me hypnotized? Wait a minute, you want me hypnotized so that you can tell me to do something!” Pinkie Pie gasped. “There’s only one thing that a pony would hypnotize me to do! And that’s plan them a super fantabulously amazing party but then make me forget about it so it’d be a surprise for even me when I received the invitation!!! I’ll go get the supplies right now!” Pinkie Pie excitedly said, disappearing in a cloud of dust.
“Thank Celestia that’s over, now let’s just get this over with.” I said, knocking on the massive door with my hoof.
“Who is it?” a voice called, one that didn’t sound Princess of Friendship-ey, or even like a pony at all! A small slit opened, and a pair of emerald eyes peered out. “Who are you?” it questioned.
“I need a private audience with Princess Twilight Sparkle as soon as possible, it’s of the utmost importance.” I said, trying to sound as official as possible. The emerald eyes squinted at me.
“I’m sorry, but the Princess is currently preoccupied. You’ll have to come back later.” The slit started to close, my chances slipping away with every inch.
“Wait, I have a serious friendship problem and I need her help! It’s urgent!” I said, panicking a little.
“Well, like I said, the Princess is in the middle of some very important business now, so I can’t help ya. Try coming back tomorrow!” The voice said, until a yawn echoed behind him.
“Who’s that at the door Spike?” a dreary voice said, coming from behind the door. When I heard that voice I got a little excited. Could it be her?!
“It’s some some shady pony who says she has a friendship problem. I don’t trust her, and she’s not telling me anything. She just keeps saying she has a friendship problem and that it’s urgent.”
“Spike!” The voice yelled, not an ounce of sleepiness left in her voice. “That’s the codeword! Let her in here, quickly!”
“What? Codeword? You never told me about- hey!” The doors became encased with a purple glow before sliding open. A purple alicorn beckoned me inside, holding a small purple dragon by the tail with her magic. The dragon’s arms were crossed, and his emerald eyes were glaring daggers at Twilight.
“I’m sorry about this Spike, but we’re meeting in the cutie map room. Keep everyone else out, even you and Starlight, ok?” Twilight said.
“Fine, but I still don’t trust her.” The dragon hatchling said. Twilight set him down and shut the doors. Deep purple streaks were visible under her eyes. We walked towards the cutie map room together, Twilight magically closing the doors behind us and soundproofing them. The Princess of Friendship yawned and slumped on her throne.
“I’m so sorry about Spike, he’s been pretty protective since we got abducted by the changelings a week ago or so. Thank Celestia Starlight was able to save us.” Twilight shuddered, and then yawned again. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, I should show my guest some more respect.” She stood a little straighter. She must have seen the confused look on my face because she chuckled and waved her hoof a little bit. “And I may or may not have made up all that codeword stuff just to get you in here, but ah well, I’ll just explain it to him later. So, you said you had a friendship problem, right? I’ll be honest, I’m really glad you showed up when you did, I really need to take my mind off of the whole changeling thing, so let’s hear it!”
“Yes, I… have no friends.” I said, toying with my purple mane. “And I’ve been thinking about you a lot, and how happy you are with your friends, and I’d really like to take them from you if that’d be alright.”
Twilight yawned, “Yeah sure, why not, wait, what’d you say?” She asked.
I just smiled.
