Fall of the Trossels

"Where did those two go off to," he asked. Infernalo walked along the trail, searching for his sisters. He stopped when he saw a freckled earth pony with a and pale yellow Pegasus walking in the opposite direction. The earth pony's mane and tail was blonde, with her mane tied back, and the pegasus's mane and tail were bright pink.

"Maybe these two have seen them around," he said to himself.

"Thanks for helping me keep track of all those adorable new baby bunnies, Applejack," the Pegasus said.

"Well, no problem, Fluttershy," Applejack said. Their attention turned to Infernalo as he walked up to the two. Applejack stared at him in a daze, while Fluttershy his her face within her wings.

"Excuse me," Infernalo said. "Have either of you ladies seen my sister around? Pale blue mane, bow on her tail, spikes on the backs of her hooves like mine?" He held up the back of his front hoof to show them. Apple jack shook her head clear, thinking.

"Uhh...oh, yeah," she answered finally. She went that way with Spike." She pointed to the left.

"Thank you," he said. "By the way, my name is Infernalo." He vanished into a black void, which disappeared shortly after.

"He's pretty cute," Applejack said absently.

"Yeah," Fluttershy added quietly. Applejack looked over at her suspiciously.

"What? You like him too?"

"No," Fluttershy answered quickly. "I mean, yes. I mean, I have to go." She flew away, as Applejack watched her.

Frostburn trotted along with Spike on her back as a giant black void opened up in front of them. Infernalo rose up, and the hole vanished.

"Who's that," Spike said shaking.

"Hi big brother," Frostburn said, chuckling a bit nervously. "Have you met my new friend Spike?" Infernalo glared at her.

"Don't you 'Hi big brother' me, young lady," he snapped. "Where have you been for the past three hours?"

"You said it was okay," Frostburn whined. "Besides, I've been with Spike the whole time."

"I can vouch for that," Spike chimed in. Infernalo looked down at him, and Spike shuddered.

"Where's your sister," he asked. Stonebolt flew into Infernalo, but he created a forcefield around himself and allowed her to fall to the ground. Rainbow Dash flew down next to her.

"Stone, you okay," she asked. Stonebolt got to her feet and nodded.

"Would you believe this isn't even my worst job. I'm a bit rusty." Rainbow Dash looked over at Infernalo and stared back at him in amazement.

"Hey," he said, remembering her. "You're that girl from earlier. Rainbow Sash or something, right?"

"Rainbow Dash," she corrected him. "Do you have a girlfriend," Rainbow Dash asked sporadically.

"I did," he said solemnly, hanging his head as he said those words. Rainbow Dash nodded sympathetically.

"I'm sorry," she said.

A large burning tree crashed down near a partially frozen Leafwind, who pried herself from the ice that trapped her. She looked around at what was left of her home.

"What happened," she asked to no one in particular. "I guess I'll have to find a new home. She hid behind the charred remains of the fallen tree as she heard three mysterious figures approaching. She poked her head up, seeing that the figures were just three small fillies: a white unicorn with a lilac mane, an orange pegasus with a maroon mane and a yellow earth pony who had her light red mane tied back with a pink bow.

"Apple Bloom," the unicorn whined. "Are you sure we're going the right way? None of this looks familiar."

"Plus, I don't think that we're any closer to getting our Cutie Marks than we were this morning," the pegasus added. Apple Bloom stopped and sighed.

"I guess we should probably head back," she said. The unicorn glanced over in Leafwind's direction, as Leafwind ducked back under the tree.

"It's okay," Leafwind whispered to herself. "Maybe they didn't see me."

"What is it, Sweetie Belle," the pegasus asked.

"I think I saw something behind that dead tree over there," she said. The three walked over to it as Leafwind hid inside the hallow trunk. The three trotted up to the trunk, and Leafwind was no where in sight.

"It must've run off," Sweetie Belle concluded. The Pegasus looked into the hole that Leafwind made in the hallow trunk as the others headed back. Leafwind sat there petrified as the Pegasus looked at her curiously.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Come on out." Leafwind gingerly scooted up closer and closer to the exit, before finally poking her head. The others, returning to see what was keeping their friend, looked down at Leafwind as she crawled out of the remains of the dead tree.

"Hi there," Apple Bloom said. "I'm Apple Bloom, and these are my friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. And together, we're..." she paused as they said the last words together. "THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"

"My name's Leafwind," she said timidly.

"What happened here," Scootaloo asked as she looked around at the wreckage.

"This was once my home," Leafwind explained. "Seldreinia was the homestead of many, many Trossels for centuries. One day, a friend of mine named Frostburn showed us this trick and something went wrong. I just got up when I noticed all this." The three jumped when a large dark void opened up and Infernalo rose from it. Leafwind beamed, as she looked up at him.

"Infernalo," she squealed happily, hugging him tightly. "It's okay, guys. This is the brother of that friend I was telling you about." the girls walked out to see him.

"Alright, I'm taking you home," he saidwith finality. They didn't argue with him, simply walked up to him. "Leafwind, I'm bringing you with me as a surprise for Frostburn and Stonebolt. Just let go of me." Leafwind let go of him sheepishly as the five of them vanished into the void.

Rarity was pacing back and forth anxiously, as Twilight finally stepped in front of her.

"Rarity, relax," she said. "Sweetie Belle always turns up eventually. Besides, she's with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. I'm sure that Infernalo will take care of it." Rarity looked at Twilight as though she'd just turned into a goat before her eyes.

"Who's Infernalo," she asked.

"The smartest, handsomest pony in all of Equestria," Twilight sighed, thinking about him. There was a knock at the door and Infernalo was standing outside with Sweetie Belle.

"Does this belong to you, Miss...," he asked, trailing off when he saw her. "and you are?"

"Rarity," she answered. "Thank you for finding my sister...do whom am I addressing?"

"Infernalo," he said, chuckling a bit at how she was trying to keep her composure. "I know what it's like to have a little sister. I got two of 'em." he glanced into the room and saw Twilight. "Hey Twilight." She giggled, blushing. Infernalo trotted off as Twilight joined Rarity in the doorway.

"I told you," she said and followed him to her home, leaving Rarity still phased by Infernalo.

"Frostburn," Leafwind said. "Wake up!" Frostburn bolted upright in her bed, as she looked down at Leafwind bouncing up and down on her bed excitedly.

"Leafwind," Frostburn cried. She hugged the little filly tightly before getting out of her bed. "How'd you get here?"

"I just followed Infernalo to here, and then some really pretty unicorn told me you were here."