Where your trust lies.

It was a sunny day in Ponyville - Pinkie Pie was bouncing around town offering everypony cupcakes while Rarity was decorating her latest dress with sparkling rubies the size of small pebbles; Applejack was competing with Big Mac and Apple Bloom to see who could buck the most apples whilst Fluttershy spent the day at the Sanctuary with Angel; and while Rainbow Dash was practising her latest routine with her fellow Wonderbolts, Twilight was happily reading through as many books as she possibly could in one day.

Spike had left the castle to spend the day with Gabby, and the two flew around town, raced each other, and jumped into a pool of water, splashing each other as they doubled over in laughter.

Meanwhile, however, a seventh pony hidden behind a large black cloak trotted into Ponyville, ignored for the most part by the ponies and fillies darting around, too busy with their own business to bother staring at the strange, hooded figure. The figure remained in the shadows, avoiding anypony they could, glancing around almost as if they were nervous.

One pony, however, darted over impossibly fast, eyes open so wide it looked as though they would pop out of their sockets at any which second.
Pinkie Pie vibrated on the spot, visibly excited, right in front of the hooded figure.

'Hi! Who are you? I don't think I've seen a pony like you before, are you new? Or do I know you? Lyra, is that you? No? Rainbow? Ooohhh, I'm so excited!! Who is it, who is it?!'

She bounced up and down, smile spread wide, her words now a jumble of excited gibberish. She was attracting the stares of ponies nearby, who had caught word of a new pony and seen the hooded figure standing ominously in the shadows.

The figure, sighing, lifted a hoof to bring back the hood, revealing her face - pitch black hair stood messily above a pastel red face, blue eyes watching the pink pony as she smiled and extended a hoof.

'My name is Constant Blaze - it is a pleasure to meet you.'

The red pony bowed her her respectfully, quickly looking up in shock as Pinkie grabbed her hoof with her own in a hoofshake that had poor Constant lifted up and down on the spot.

'Nice to meetcha! My name's Pinkie Pie!'
The pastel pony gave her a polite smile, as Pinkie brought her into a one-sided hug that seemed to shock Constant, as she stood still, eyes opened wide.

Suddenly, Pinkie drew back, jumping several feet into the air with an audible gasp as her mouth stretched wide in realisation for several moments, before Constant spoke up: 'I'm terribly sorry Miss Pie, but am I missing something?'

'Of course!' Pinkie half shouted, 'You're new!'
Constant nodded as Pinkie placed her hooves on her shoulders, bringing herself forwards so their noses were almost touching.

'We need to celebrate! Get everypony together, throw a party! I can bake up a mountain of treats, I'm sure Mrs Cake will want to help, set up decorations, play some music - say, what's your favourite colour? Red, right?? Maybe black?'

By this point Pinkie was seemingly talking to herself, buried in though as she planned.
Until suddenly,
'NO!'

Pinkie jumped backwards, startled, and a few ponies passing by also flinched as the voice shouted out in desperation.

'Constant? Constant, what's wrong?!'
Pinkie rushed over to her new friend who was now collapsed on the floor, eyes glazed over as she openly sobbed and whimpered. Pinkie placed her hooves once again on the ponies' shoulders, shaking her lightly as a few other ponies came over to help - Pinkie cried out to a stallion with pale yellow fur 'Get help!!', but Constant screamed 'NO!' again, stopping the stallion mid-turn.

She shakily climbed to her feet, eyes still brimming with tears and face damp with tears as she met Pinkie's worried eyes, breathing deeply.

'I'm fine, just... can we talk about this in private?'
She glanced over at the ponies crowded round, and the stallion who had been about to run for help.

'I'm sorry for worrying you all - I honestly didn't mean to make you fret' Constant murmured, bowing her head in shame.

Pinkie shook her head - 'It's not your fault. Come on, let's go to Sugarcube corner, we'll have some privacy there!'
Constant could hear the concern in Pinkie's voice, but her cheeriness seemed to be returning.

Before long the two were at Sugarcube corner, and Constant removed her cloak, revealing her body: she had ruffled, messy fur, and a cutie mark of a vibrant yellow heart rested on her flank, near her messy red tail that drooped nearly to the floor.

'Pinkie Pie...' Constant said gravely, sending the party pony a serious look, 'I'm on the run from ponies who want me and my friends dead.'

Pinkie's eyes opened wide, and she sat, looking at the pastel pony in confusion for a few moments before blinking rapidly and speaking. 'Would you like to... talk about it?'

Constant opened her mouth to answer, only to be cut off by a knock at the door.

Constant and Pinkie walked side by side as Pinkie opened the door, beaming at nopony, as nopony was there. There was, however, a single package left behind, a plain brown box held closed by tape.

Constant and Pinkie shot each other a curious look, Constant looking strangely frightened, and Pinkie picked the box up - it was fairly small, and longer in height than width.

Pinkie closed the door, and the two retreated to the party ponies' room, Constant watching gravely as Pinkie ripped the box open, faint excitement etched into her features, only for them to be quickly replaced by fear and horror as she opened the flaps.

In the box lay Angel. Dead.

His mangled body was covered in sticky blood, eyes staring blankly up at the opening of the box.

Pinkie screamed, and Constant covered her mouth with her hoof.

The game has just begun.