Room For One More

Chapter Three: Beyond her Garden

"The thing with wolves is that there is never only one, perhaps it would be best if we were to-"

Zecora Skygazer

The Ponyville market was alive with activity. Shop vendors selling their wares shouted out advertisements for various forms of produce. Pears, carrots, tomatoes, cherries, and, of course, apples. Applejack was teaching her younger sister how to sell apples on market day at the family stall.

"Now, you gotta be friendly but firm. Gotta get their attention without making 'em feel like you're putting 'em on the spot. Like this."

She put a hoof to her mouth and bellowed.

"Get your apples here! Sweet Apple Acres finest! Care to bite into the best apples in Equestria, sir?"

A brown earth pony smiled and walked over. They chatted before he rummaged through his saddlebags and produced a few bits. Applejack smiled as he left with an apple rapidly disappearing into his mouth.

"See, that's how it's done. Just gotta get noticed and be friendly. Now you try it."

Applebloom thought a moment before nodding enthusiastically and jumping on top of the stall.

"HEY YOU! WE SELL ONLY THE FINEST APPLES IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA! YOU WON'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE BETTER! HEY! WANT SOME APPLES? WE'VE GOT LOTS! TONNES IN FACT JUST WAITING TO BE EATEN!"

Her voice certainly carried a long way. Ponies closer to the stall were shocked off their feet and the rest either covered their ears or hid behind something.

Applejack righted her hat and laughed nervously.

Damn, that filly has some pipes on her.

"Whoa, that was, uhn, spirited. But you're a little too forward. Try-"

Applejack was interrupted by a notebook surrounded in a light yellow aura poking her shoulder. She looked up to see a mint green unicorn staring at her with bright yellow eyes and an equally bright smile.

"Oh, why hello, Lyra! What brings you out here?"

Lyra tilted her head down and smirked, gesturing at the bushels of apples with a hoof.

"Right. Sorry, just a little discombobulated without seeing you with Bon Bon and all. How many'd ya want?"

Applebloom went down to pick up a basket, waiting for the number.

... Ummm

It never came. She looked up to see Lyra holding up her notebook with a big black, 2, written on it.

Applejack nodded and looked down at Applebloom.

"Two baskets of apples, Applebloom."

Applebloom frowned but hoisted the baskets over to Lyra anyway who floated them away. She waved goodbye and bounced down the road in a way that reminded Applejack strongly of Pinkie Pie.

Applejack watched her go before feeling her sister tap her shoulder.

"What's up with Miss Lyra? Why was she writing everything down on that notebook? Can she not speak today? Does she have a cold or something? She didn't look like she had a cold."

Applejack sighed and adjusted her hat even though it didn't need it.

"Lyra is a mute, Applebloom. Do you know what that means?"

Applebloom stared at her, blinking.

Applejack smirked.

"Of course you wouldn't. A mute is a pony who's lost her voice. No! Wait, umm, she was born like that, she's never had a voice. I've never one peep from her in all the time I've known her."

Applebloom's mind slowly wrapped itself around the concept and didn't like it.

"You mean she can't sing? Or laugh? Or cry or anything?!"

"Shhhh, not so loud!"

Applejack looked up to see Lyra staring at her and her sister. Her lower lip wobbled and she ducked her head and trotted out of the marketplace. Applejack scowled and lightly cuffed her sister upside the head.

"Oww! What'd I say?"

Applejack started counting the apples they had left. It was her nervous habit.

"Something hurtful."

Lyra ran out of the marketplace and onto an empty street. She shucked off her saddlebags and sat down on a bench. Tears started leaking out of her eyes and she angrily wiped them away.

It hadn't been a problem back in school. She'd had her bested friend in the whole wide world Bon Bon there for her. Even when she'd gone away to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns it wasn't too big of a deal as everypony she'd met was either kind and understanding or too busy in their own studies to notice.

When she'd graduated and moved back to Ponyville she thought she'd gotten over being stared at. Being treated differently or talked about like she was some sort of freak.

Apparently not.

The worst was when she was treated like she was stupid. They would talk slower and over enunciate their words as if she was deaf.

She thought about what other ponies could do. She'd played in big concert halls before and heard the singers' voices reach the heavens. She didn't envy them so much as pity herself. She couldn't make a sound with her mouth. Not speak, cough, cry, laugh or scream. It was some sort of magical condition she'd caught in the womb. No sound could escape her lips. Her vocal chords were fully formed and nothing was wrong with her physically. She was just broken.

She sat on the bench, head hung low as she remembered all the times she'd caught herself with her mouth open after one of her friends had told a joke only to close it and blush. Every time she'd wanted to scream after being stung by a bee or call out for help when the school bullies went too far.

"Somepony say something dumb again, Lyra?"

A candy cream voice filled her ears and she visibly relaxed as she turned to meet the face of Bon Bon.

Lyra took out her notebook and started scribbling through her still wet eyes.

"Yeah, Applejack's sister. She didn't know

and she started listing off all the things I

couldn't do and-"

Bon Bon stopped the quill with her hoof and smiled warmly. She pulled Lyra into a hug and they stayed like that for a minute before Bon Bon heard the quill scratching again.

"I know she just didn't understand and I'm

overreacting right now but it just hurt so

bad and

And actually, Applejack did a good job of

explaining it. I didn't lose my voice like I

forgot it somewhere or it was taken away.

I just never had one and that suits me JUST

FINE."

The quill's tip snapped causing Lyra to jump. She stared at the broken end, unable to write anything more.

Bon Bon reached into her own saddlebags and pulled out another one. Lyra looked over at her and did her best not to burst into tears again, though for a different reason.

Sugarcube Corner was strangely closed for business. All the windows were shut and doors locked. A storm cloud as black as night hung over the brightly coloured building. A faint sound could be heard if one dared to put her ear up to one of the windows. Like, giggling, only crazier. Only two mares in the entire world knew what insane experiments were taking place inside.

"Sooooo, what do you think? I know Dinky is just going to love it!"

Derpy Hooves stared at the ball of energy and cheer that was Pinkie Pie. And she was in fact a ball of energy having collected a small storm's worth of static electricity from having handled so many balloons. Her hair looked not unlike a pink thunderhead, complete with real thunder. Though how was beyond Derpy and she just sighed and looked on in trepidation.

Pinkie blinked and arcs of electricity shot between her eyelids. Derpy winced.

"Pinkie Pie, I can't thank you enough for helping plan her party but, well, let me help you with... all of that."

Derpy grabbed the faucet and then touched Pinkie Pie's shoulder. The resulting surge of lightning lit the whole house up for a second.

Derpy blinked and coughed, her eyes searching the room. She finally settled her eyes on Pinkie Pie who was smiling innocently at her.

Just needed to ground all that energy. Then again, that's probably impossible with Pinkie Pie. At least her hair is back to normal.

She smiled at Pinkie Pie who smiled back then snorted and covered her mouth with her hoof. She started stamping the floor before she couldn't hold it any longer and burst out laughing.

"What? Oh. Hehehehe. "

Derpy caught her reflection in the mirror across the hall and had to look three times before confirming that the blond afro staring back at her was in fact, the real Derpy Hooves.

"Careful, Derpy, don't bump into anything with that thing!"

Derpy shot a fierce look at Pinkie Pie, a fire in her eyes that burnt Pinkie's now normal hair.

"Oh! Oh no-no-no-no! I didn't mean it like that! I meant... I'm sorry, Derpy."

Derpy relaxed and put away the look usually reserved for those on the other end of a lecture or worse. She felt as embarrassed as Pinkie did and her cheeks went red.

"Sorry, Pinkie, I know it was just a slip of the tongue and in all honesty, I shouldn't be so sensitive. That's all behind me now. Hey, you've more than made up for it already. Dinky is just going to love this surprise party! She just loves storms and... just thank you."

Pinkie Pie smiled and waved off the praise, the tension behind them already.

"Oh stop, it's the least I could..."

She frowned and tilted her head to the side.

My lower left second molar is aching. That only happens when I eat too much green tea ice cream. I've only been eating vanilla and peppermint today. The last time this happened was when... NO!

Pinkie Pie stared wide eyed at Derpy.

"DISCORD! Get to Twilight! GO!"

"What?! Hey!"

Derpy was physically picked up and thrown out the door. She managed to catch herself with her wings but not enough to stop her momentum. She bowled over a couple walking down the road, landing on top of them.

"Oh! Sorry, Lyra! Sorry, Bon Bon! Pinkie Pie! Gotta go!"

She took off into the air and gave chase to the pink blur running around behind Sugarcube Corner.

What did she mean, Discord?!  Is he coming back? I need to see Dinky and Sparkler, right now.

"No time! Must tell Twilight!"

Derpy yelped at the sound of Pinkie Pie's voice in mid air. She had run back for her candy helicopter and was now speeding towards the library at a frightening pace. They flew over the town, the library slowing getting larger in Derpy's view. Too large.

"Pinkie! Slow down! We're almost there!"

Pinkie either didn't hear her or didn't care. She added on more speed and aimed the contraption at the tree's balcony.

"Pinkie Pie!"

Derpy flew under the whirling blades and pulled Pinkie Pie out of the cockpit. The helicopter smashed into the balcony, pieces of it lancing through the house.

Derpy tried to pull up but it was too late, she hugged Pinkie close and tucked her wings in.

She could see stars, and dark green leaves. Dinky smiled at her and trotted out of view. Derpy reached out but her hoof was taken by a purple leg that pulled her out of the branches.

"Oh... hhey Twilight?"

"Derpy! Where did you come from? Pinkie, are you okay? What happened? Why did you crash into the library?"

Derpy's eyes which were looking at both Twilight and Pinkie Pie snapped into focus.

"Canterlot Memorial Hospital. She has a contusion on her left fore metacarpal. I pulled her out of the helicopter when it became clear that she could not perform the necessary manoeuvres for landing safely. I then provided her with a safer deceleration method. She crashed into to library to tell you about... oowwwwie!"

Derpy groaned and brought her hoof out from under Pinkie Pie, in it was an inch long splinter. Twilight blinked and made to ask again but looked into Derpy's eyes, well, one of them, and pulled the grey pegasus out from under the tree branch she'd landed in, and then helped Pinkie Pie to her feet.

"Let's get you two downstairs."

A few minutes of impromptu surgery later, Derpy was nuzzling the bandage and poking it with her other hoof.

"Stop touching it, it'll heal up just fine."

Twilight giggled and looked over to Pinkie Pie who was doing the same with her own bandage. She smiled sheepishly at Twilight before putting her hooves down.

"Heh, sorry. Twilight, there's something super important I need to-"

"Pinkie Pie," Twilight interrupted, "Can you first tell me why there is a helicopter-"

"Pieces of a helicopter," Derpy corrected nervously.

"-pieces of a helicopter in my house?"

"Yes. It'll be in the telling of the super important thing I have to tell you. Discord is back!"

The air hung for a moment. Everything in Equestria stopped for a brief moment.

"At least, I think. See, I got this ache in my lower left second molar and I wasn't eating green tea ice cream today and it only happens when I do but once it happened the day Discord escaped and it happened again today so I flew over here, with Derpy, to warn you. Sorry, about the landing, Twilight."

Twilight had promised herself to believe in Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense. She said that she would believe Pinkie Pie no matter how crazy the prediction. But this was too far.

"A tooth ache, Pinkie Pie?"

"Yahuh, a tooth ache. We need to warn the Princesses right away!"

She smiled brightly but it quickly faded at the sight of Twilight's expression. She was just tired looking. Her ears drooped and Pinkie Pie could see bags under her eyes.

"Pinkie Pie, did you have any other ice cream today?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with-"

"Pinkie Pie, ice cream causes tooth aches. It was probably that."

Pinkie Pie's eye twitched and her lips quivered.

"But, but-"

Twilight held up her hoof. She narrowed her eyes at Pinkie Pie and spoke it a low, flat tone.

"Everything is alright, Pinkie Pie. Go home."

Derpy could feel the knife hit Pinkie's heart. Pinkie Pie's hair deflated ever so slightly.

"You don't believe me?" she whispered.

Twilight's expression softened and she smiled ever so slightly.

"I'm skeptical, Pinkie Pie. Tell you what. I'll mention it in my letter to Celestia -- tonight. I just need to rewrite it first. You and Derpy have a nice rest of your day."

"Oh, right. I'm... I'm sorry, Twilight."

Pinkie Pie still looked like she could burst into tears at any moment but nodded and made to leave. Derpy followed her out the door, already wondering how she could help. Twilight watched them go and felt guilty for not being more understanding. She slowly took a breath and glanced over at the damage her home had sustained and nodded.

A few nights' work lay shattered on the ground where a candy cane landing skid had impaled it. A focusing crystal for her new telescope and the telescope itself lay on the ground, broken and cracked. A grim still life.

"So, Applebloom, you were saying?"

Scootaloo pulled on her helmet and revved her wings.

Any day now. Any day.

Applebloom sat down next to Sweetie Bell in the wagon and dug out a few juice boxes from her saddlebags.

"Ah'm saying I feel really bad for saying those things about Lyra! No one ever told me she couldn't speak! Wait, that still sounds offensive. Shoot, this is hard."

Sweetie Bell finished her juice and thought a moment.

"Maybe you should just go talk to her... wait, darn it, this is hard."

Scootaloo was raring to go. She just wanted to get moving, her wings started itching and she fluttered them to cope with the feeling.

"Just tell me where to go, Applebloom. You can explain it on the way."

"The Everfree Forest. Pronto!"

Scootaloo's ears pricked up at the mention of the most adventurous place in Equestria! Well, the most adventurous place they'd gone to so far.

"On it!"

"Whoa!"

Sweetie Bell was nearly unseated by the burst of speed that carried them down the road and away from Rarity's boutique. Her sister had been buried under work and had gladly let the girls she was supposed to be watching for the day play outside while she tried to make a dozen dresses and tuxedos.

They flew down the road at a frightening pace. Not frightening for the occupants but for the worried onlookers who were now betting on when they would crash.

But crash they did not. Applebloom held on for dear life as the wagon came up on two wheels around a corner. She shot a hoof backwards and pulled Sweetie Bell back into the vehicle and they were off again down the road.

"Wow, Scootaloo! This is the fastest you've ever gone!"

Scootaloo grinned with pride. All the training had paid off. After school she had managed to convince Rainbow Dash to practise alongside her. While she obviously couldn't fly, she had picked up a few pointers from her favourite pegasus for exercises on the ground. So that's what she'd done. Day in and day out. And it was paying off. She could jump and glide two dozen feet now.

"Thanks! I've really been practising!"

Sweetie Bell tried to keep the juice she'd drank in her stomach. She was less than amused by the jostling but was proud of her friend all the same.

"So why are we going to the Everfree Forest?"

"Ah need to do something that'll make Lyra smile! She looked so sad when she ran off and my sister always says you should make amends to those you offend. So we're going to the Everfree Forest to get her something to cheer her up like some flowers or maybe something from Zecora's."

Scootaloo frowned. She was a lot sharper than most gave her credit for.

"You sure you aren't doing this because you feel guilty or because you actually want to make it up to her?"

Now it was Applebloom's turn to frown.

"What do you mean? Of course I feel guilty! I said something hurtful and now I'm making amends."

"I mean, are you doing this for yourself or for her?"

"Her! Why would I... oh, I see what you're saying. Yes, I want to get rid of the guilt. And I'll do it by doing something nice for her because it's the right thing to do. So, both kind of."

They turned another corner and Sweetie Bell held a hoof to her mouth.

"Why can't you just buy her flowers from Lily or Rose. Urgh, I'm gonna hurl if you don't slow down."

Scootaloo threw her wings out and slowly came to a slow roll on her scooter. Applebloom laughed at something, her mind off in reminisce.

"Because my sister once told me that flowers from a store are just a stallion's get out of out jail free card with mares. If you really mean to say you're sorry, pick a bunch yourself rather than stop off at the store on your way home from the salt bar, whatever that means."

Scootaloo snickered and rolled her eyes and Sweetie Bell bit her lip and smiled. Applebloom just looked confused.

"What?"

"Nothing," they said in unison.

A few minutes later they arrived at the Everfree Forest entrance. It looked dark and had eyes peering out from behind the trees and bushes. While not unusual in of itself, the unnerving part was the intensity. There were dozens of pairs of eyes and there seemed to be a shadow hanging over the forest. They all gulped.

"I think we should leave the scooter and wagon here. Just stash them in the bushes over there."

Scootaloo looked away from a pair of green eyes looking at her from a tree top.

"Yeah, sure."

She pulled off her helmet and threw it, the scooter and wagon under the bush and looked up to where the eyes had been. They were gone. She blinked and looked again. Nope, they'd just joined three more pairs.

The Everfree Forest was fittingly named because that was literally what it was. A forest that was free of any need for intervention by ponykind. Pegasi didn't need to regulate the weather, which Rainbow Dash found both curious and irritating, to make the trees grow tall. Earth Ponies didn't need to work the land to cultivate the many kinds of fruits and vegetables that grew there and unicorns weren't required for whatever those unicorns did for plants and such.

Rainbow Dash flew over the trees, now at a reasonable altitude, towards Zecora's house. The zebra and her had hit it off, or at least were having friendly conversations, after they had both discovered a filly like fascination with The Wonderbolts, albeit for different reasons. Rainbow Dash wanted to join them while Zecora was just enamoured with their aerial acrobatics, being a ground bound zebra.

Rainbow Dash recalled hearing her talk about how zebras inherently distrusted those who came from the sky as their former rivals, the gryphons, often had come on raids to cut them down to carry back to their nests. While things had changed and Zebrica had modernised somewhat, Zecora's people still had a habit of hanging on to grudges. But not her, ever since she was a filly she was always watching the skies in the hopes of seeing a bird or weird shaped cloud. She had even earned her name, Zecora Skygazer, by searching the sky and letting her friends know when the rains were coming and even what the weather was going to be like for the next couple of hours. Zebrica, like the Everfree, was a wild and untamed place by Pony standards.

She came across the tree house and immediately noticed something was off. The door to be specific.

That's never a good sign.

"Zecoooraaa!"

Rainbow Dash's call was deadened by the dense canopy and thick trees. She could hear her own heartbeat and her breath seemed oddly loud.

She walked tentatively towards the house. The windows had been smashed apart as if something too big to fit had been forced through them. Her hooves crunched broken sticks and bumpy ground. She looked down to see the dirt had been stamped down and scratched up and was littered with twigs and sticks.

"What... Zeeecoooorraaaa-"

"Be quiet! Do not cause such a riot!"

A metal blade found its way under her chin. She slowly turned to see it was attached to a long wooden staff. Zecora was breathing heavily but otherwise unmoving. She had a wild, deranged look in her eyes as if she distrusted what they showed her.

"Zecora, it's me, Rainbow Dash."

"The last one said that too, right before it tried to bite me in two."

What the happened here? What happened to her?

Rainbow Dash gulped, feeling the blade move with her throat.

"Okay, take it easy, Zecora. I'll prove I'm the real me. Remember what I said to you after you told me you liked the Wonderbolts too? 'I think you are the most awesome zebra I've ever met,'  then I whispered, 'and I've only met two.'"

The blade on the end of the staff relaxed a bit.

"And I said to you,' Of all the pegasi I have met, you are the strongest I have seen yet.' I believe you are the real Blue."

Zecora lifted the spear and let out a breath of relief. She looked visibly beaten now. She was standing on her back legs and her shoulders were slumped. Scratches and bite marks covered her body and one wound on her left leg looked particularly nasty as it bled out into the dirt. She leaned on her right hoof  for support.

"Forgive me, Blue, I wasn't sure it was really you. I think I need to lie down. When you can, bring me my saddle bags, they are in the house and are brown."

She leaned on her spear and nearly collapsed as her legs gave way underneath her. Rainbow Dash rushed to help her sit down.

"What happened here?"

Zecora drew a breath and stared out into the forest.

"Timberwolves came in the night a day ago. They almost killed me but were too slow."

She winced and exclaimed something in her native tongue. It sounded vulgar. Rainbow Dash knelt down next to her. She didn't know what to make of the situation. She was shocked and confused.

"Why would they come and attack you like this? And why did you think I was one of them?"

"My saddlebags, Blue, and I will tell you of those I slew."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip and went into the house to find her saddlebags. It was a mess; everything had been clawed apart or otherwise destroyed. She moved a broken table and raised an eyebrow. Miraculously, the bags had survived unscathed. She bent down to pick them up but stopped herself as a giant spider crawled on top of them and looked at her with eight beady eyes. It had been guarding them and no timberwolf had dared go near it for fear of death. Its venom, while hilarious in animals, was completely toxic to timberwolves and other forms of carnivorous plants.

Rainbow Dash scowled at the spider and it held up four arms in surrender and crawled away to a corner of the room, not wanting to incur the wrath of the pegasus. Rainbow Dash eyed it for a moment before picking up the bags and going back to Zecora who had since fallen onto her back. Rainbow dash saw this and rushed over to her.

"Zecora!"

"Ah, not so loud! You may attract a crowd. My things? Ah, such relief it brings."

Rainbow Dash pushed the bags over and Zecora pawed through them until pulling out a jar filled with leaves. She cracked the lid and hoofed it over to Rainbow Dash.

"If you please, put these on any wound you see."

Rainbow Dash put her lips together and her eyes traced over Zecora's body.

"Ummm."

"Now is not the time for modesty. Please, Blue. And do not worry, they will stick like glue."

Rainbow Dash shrugged and began pressing the leaves over every wound she saw, eliciting a gasp or twitch from Zecora every time.

The zebra opened another jar filled with a murky pink liquid and poured it over her leg wound. She jerked and cursed but managed to pour it all out on her leg which looked like it was healing already.

Zecora pulled out a roll of bandages and wrapped her leg. She breathed out slowly through her mouth and in through her nose.

Rainbow Dash's head was full of questions. Why had they attacked her now? She'd been living here for two years. Zecora had once told her she was one of the best spearmares in her old village, just how many wolves there been? Why weren't they here anymore? Why did she think I was one of them? Were there rainbow maned wolves running about the forest now?

"Zecora."

"Yes, blue? What is it that perplexes you?"

"What the in the name of Celestia happened to you?"

Zecora smiled and chuckled. She rose to her feet and motioned for Rainbow Dash to follow her. Zecora used the spear as a walking stick and grit her teeth every second step. This was going to be a long and arduous journey. They made their through the forest back the way Rainbow Dash had flown.

"Crude, but a valid question. I asked myself something similar when they barged down my door without discretion. I had set up many wards and protections for giving the beasts of the forest new directions. But it seems that they ignored my thorn fences and blew right through my defences. There were too many for it to be a single pack, no, something riled them all to attack. As for why I thought you were not you, a shape shifter came disguised as Rainbow Dash and tried to run me through. She asked if she could come inside, and when I opened the door she ran at me and I almost died."

Zecora gestured to her bandaged leg and Rainbow Dash broke into a sweat.

What the hell? Shape shifting timberwolves? Something isn't right with this place. More so than usual.

"We need to get to the mayor. Tell her to get some guard ponies down here and make this place safe. That was your home they just trashed! I have half a mind to fly around here to find theirs and give 'em a piece of my mind!"

"A fruitless task. Timberwolves hide in caves and besides, I do not want to give you an early death mask."

Pegasus and zebra looked at each other for a moment before continuing on their way.

They walked in silence. Every time Rainbow Dash wanted to ask another question, Zecora would hiss and tell her to ask later. It was a long walk back and the sun hung high in the sky before overbalancing and rocketing back to earth.

Suddenly, Zecora dropped to her knees and slunk under a bush.

"Huh-"

Rainbow Dash was pulled under the same bush by a white and black hoof.

"Sh."

"What-"

"SH! I heard something over there. When I tell you, take to the air."

Rainbow Dash slowly nodded.

I hope I live to regret this.

"Now!"

Rainbow Dash sprang out of the bush and shot up into the canopy. She was met with an immediate response as a dark brown form leapt out of the tree in front of her to intercept. She saw jaws, claws and sharp sticks.

"AAAAHHHH!"

She threw her hooves in front of her face to shield herself. The blows never came. She sailed right through the trees and into the air. She stayed there for a second, checking herself to make sure she still had all of her limbs.

"That was messed up, Zecora! I almost-"

Her words forced themselves back down her throat as she saw the wolf looming over Zecora, a spear jutting out of its head. She was lying on her back, a focused look on her face as she stared into its eyes until it died. She threw it off her spear to her right and jumped to her feet. She winced as she landed on the bandaged hoof but stayed upright and ready. Rainbow Dash landed beside her.

"Zecora, I think it's dead, you can relax now."

"That is not the one I am worried about. We now need a safer route."

Rainbow Dash landed next to the zebra and followed her eyes to the shapes now darting in between the trees behind them.

"The thing with wolves is that there is never only one, perhaps it would be best if we were to-"

A wolf crashed through the trees and landed next to them, mouth full of ropey sap that dripped onto the ground. It growled as its brethren joined it.

"Run."

Rainbow Dash looked at the wolves and then to Zecora.

Where the hell did they come from? Whatever, we can't fight 'em all. Need to run. No wait...

"No, fly!"

She picked Zecora up and shot into the air through the canopy. However, she was almost knocked out of the air by the now struggling zebra.

"Zecora! Stay still!"

The poor zebra, despite her interest in the air and sky, had never flown before and was in a panic. She was shouting something in her native tongue and holding onto Rainbow Dash for dear life.

Eventually she settled onto Rainbow Dash's back and they flew towards Ponyville. Zecora still tensed up at the slightest breeze and occasionally cast her eyes to the forest where she could see they were being followed but for the most part seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Wow."

Rainbow Dash smiled and waited for the rhyming couplet that Zecora would say with every sentence.

It never came. She looked at the zebra who's eyes were wide with joy.

"Zecora?"

"Wow."

"... Okay then."

Scootaloo picked her way around a patch of thorns with a glowing red flower in her bag. She was a good friend for doing this with Applebloom but in the future she would make it a point to do her good deeds in more accessible places.

Ah well, this is still fun. That two headed flytrap was pretty cool. Creepy, but in a good way.

Sweetie Bell pushed the thorns up with her magic and walked under them. Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at this.

"Someone's magic's coming in."

Sweetie Bell glanced back at her, the blue flower sitting in her saddlebags looked with her. Its pistils and stamens like a tongue and eyes.

"Who?"

Applebloom snickered and walked under the thorns Sweetie Bell was holding up to join them, a whole range of flowers tucked safely in her saddlebags.

"You, silly! I remember when lifting a quill from across the room took all you got but now you're just tossing thorn bushes aside like it's nothing!"

Sweetie Bell looked at the bush still suspended in air. She furrowed her brow and lowered it back to the ground.

"You've been doing it all day," Scootaloo chimed in, "I'm impressed."

"Yeah, but I'm kind of tired now."

Applebloom smiled and looked at her friends.

"Both of you are doing great! Why, Scootaloo, you're gonna be flying around any day now and, Sweetie Bell, with your magic, Ah'm sure you'll be getting your cutie mark soon enough."

Sweetie Bell beamed.

"Yeah, and with your..."

She frowned and looked for the words that completed that sentence. A pit formed in her stomach. None came.

Applebloom looked expectantly at her, a smile on her face.

"Yeah?"

Scootaloo looked at her wings and Sweetie Bell's horn and realized where this was going.

"Oh, um, your... legs are getting really strong! I bet you don't even feel the weight of all those flowers."

Applebloom frowned and looked at the two bouquets of flowers in her saddlebags.

Scootaloo nudged Sweetie Bell and motioned for her to continue.

"And your tail! Um, well you must be able to lasso just like your sister now!"

Applebloom suddenly looked straight ahead. She knew what was going on. She looked at her friends, Sweetie's horn and Scootaloo's wings and understood.

Oh.

"AAAAWHHHOOOOOOO."

The howl pierced the air, birds took flight from the trees and the trio could hear the ground rustle as every living thing that could move scattered.

They all gulped.

"What was tha-"

"AAAAAAAAAAWWWWHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO."

This howl was much closer and was soon joined by others, hundreds of others it seemed. What was worse was Applebloom recognized what was making it.

"Oh no," she whispered.

She could hear them rushing through the trees. Their footfalls snapping twigs and sticks. Bushes and thorns being obliterated in their path.

"Timberwolves!"

Applebloom's blood turned to ice as did Sweetie Bell's and Scootaloo's, although, her mind didn't.

"Climb trees!"

Scootaloo grabbed Sweetie Bell and half pushed half threw her at the nearest low hanging branch. She just managed to grab it and pull herself up. She hung her hoof down.

"Come on!"

Scootaloo looked at Applebloom and Applebloom at her, both intending to help the other up the tree.

"Here let me-," they both said before stopping.

Applebloom scowled picked up Scootaloo and bodily threw her into the air. Scootaloo managed to catch Sweetie Bell's hoof and as she was dragged up she looked back at Applebloom still on the ground.

"Applebloom!"

Applebloom looked up at Scootaloo in shock.

Two things happened in an instant. A dark brown shape leapt out of the bushes and into Applebloom. It was a mass of teeth and fangs and had glowing green eyes that streaked across Scootaloo's vision.

The second thing to happen was this shape was met by something golden, blue, white and very angry.

The pegasus guard caught the wolf under its jaw with a crushing armoured hoof. He used its momentum and slammed it into a tree. The wolf split, sending sticks and sap in every direction.

He turned and caught another surprised wolf in the jaw with a punishing right uppercut. It sent the wolf reeling but its pack mates had recovered from his arrival and were now closing in.

He kicked with his rear hooves in a bucking motion that sent one wolf flying but he was tackled from the side by its friend. They rolled and lashed out at each other. Another wolf clamped its jaws around his armoured ankle and tried to pry the greave off. He twisted and rolled until he was on top of the wolf he was wrestling. He kicked out again and sent the wolf that had been chewing on his leg to the ground.

He turned his attention to the still struggling wolf beneath him. He pinned its claws underneath an uncompromising armoured hoof and proceeded to beat its head in. He roared every time he hit it and the wolf howled back, first in defiance, then in pain. He finally silenced it and caved its skull in.

Another wolf growled at him but dared not approach him alone. He got up and took a defensive stance. Shoulders loose, legs apart. The wolf was joined by two more. He squinted and for a moment thought they were grinning before they charged.

They all moved moved faster then the eye could see. Cuirass drew his sword that until now had been begging to be used.

He moved like lightning.

Two of the wolves fell beside him: one in two pieces, one missing half its head.

The third one looked at him with glowing green eyes before they unfocused and it slid off his outstretched blade. His sword dripped with a dark red sap before he cleaned it on the dead wolf in front of him then, thinking better of it, cleaned it on a leaf. The wolf was dirtier then the sword anyway.

He sheathed his sword and rushed over to see if the filly he'd saved was actually saved. He started to sweat and it had nothing to do with the effort he'd exerted.

"Little Miss? Hey, you, are you okay?"

Applebloom wheezed in a breath and coughed. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell climbed down from the tree and dashed to her side, totally ignoring the guard who stood there, awestruck.

"Take a minute. Breathe, you must have been winded. Just take it slow."

Scootaloo began searching for injuries while Sweetie Bell looked for something to do. She glanced at the flowers on the ground and frowned. They'd been trampled in the scuffle. She began sorting through the good and bad ones until her search came to the red sappy hooves of the pegasus guard standing over them.

He wasn't looking at Sweetie Bell and in fact barely registered her presence at all. He was looking at Scootaloo who was performing an assessment for injuries. She came across a scrape and before he could offer assistance she'd bandaged it with a clean cloth from her saddlebag.

"Hey, look at me... alright you probably don't have a concussion but I'd still get checked out at Ponyville hospital or a clinic just in case. You don't have any broken bones and should be able to walk, but take it slow. Heh, earth pony toughness eh?"

The pegasus guard blinked. Who was this purple maned mare?

"Excuse me, Ma'am, are these your sisters?"

Scootaloo looked up at the pegasus guard with a raised eyebrow.

"Nooooo, these are my friends, Applebloom and Sweetie Bell.  Hey, thanks for saving our lives. That was amazing! You took on like, six wolves! What's your name?"

"Uhn... Cuirass and it was seven. I need to get you all out of here. Now. Pack your things, err, flowers and I'll fly us out of here."

They did as they were told and were soon soaring above the tree tops at a reasonable pace.

It was quiet going for a time until Applebloom spoke up.

"What was your name again?"

"Cuirass."

Scootaloo glanced at his armour and rolled her eyes.

Figures

"Thank you, Cuirass, for saving my life and all but do you mind me asking what you were doing out in the forest alone?"

Cuirass shifted them in his hooves and rolled his shoulders as he flew, causing Scootaloo to sway from side to side.

"I wasn't alone. I was with another pony from my unit, Victory Winds but when you meet her, just call her Vic. She hates it when you use her full name. We met a pegasus and zebra leaving the area and she should be escorting them to Ponyville Hospital by now. I opted to finish my patrol without her, and hey, it paid off. Mind you I am going to get chewed out because of it but you'll support me right?"

Applebloom furrowed her brow in thought.

"Sure, but why would we need to?"

Cuirass shifted them again and gained a little altitude.

"Technically, I'm supposed to go wherever my partner goes and splitting up was something the Major ordered us not to do under pain of latrine duty for a month."

Scootaloo sat up and smiled.

"Hey! I know Vic! She's in my brother's unit. Do you know Tempest Gale?"

Cuirass laughed.

"Gale? Ya, I know that guy. I'm kind of new to the unit but he seems like a good enough pony. A good strong lad."

They chatted as they flew. Ponyville slowly getting larger and larger in the distance.

Rarity had been frantic. She'd asked all around town if they'd seen her Sweetie Bell. And her friends of course. She'd searched the entire town and her sense of pride and shame had finally lost; she'd called the newly stationed guards to search everywhere for her sister and her friends. They'd sent teams of two to the outskirts of town and the Everfree Forest. Rarity was told to wait at the 'Command Centre' in the town hall.

Rarity had wanted to organise the rest of her friends to form their own search parties but had been stopped at the door. She'd been told that it was very inadvisable to leave town at this time and that her sister and her friends would be brought to her when they were found.

Rarity had sensed an 'if' in the Major's voice and was now waiting in the town hall with a concerned Twilight, a consoling Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and a fuming Applejack.

Rarity looked over at Applejack and the orange mare's green eyes narrowed and she snorted, pawing the ground.

"Look, Applejack, I said I was sorry! I said it at least a dozen times. I tried to get us out there and looking for Applebloom but I was stopped by Major As-... Major Swift Ascent. I want to be out there looking for them just as much as you do so would YOU STOP GIVING ME THAT LOOK!!!"

Rarity rose to her feet and Twilight jumped in between Applejack and her.

"Girls, please. All we can do is wait. It's no use fighting each other."

Rarity huffed and sat back down.

"Please, Twilight, I am not a barbarian. I was just looking to yell in her ear as she obviously can't hear me."

Applejack's dead pan expression darkened even more.

"Twilight, it's mighty kind of you to say that but in all honesty, you have no real stake in this. You don't have a sibling lost in a time of crisis."

Pinkie Pie held up a hoof as if waiting to answer a question. Applejack slowly looked over to her and nodded.

"What makes you think this is a crisis?"

Applejack drew a long and measured breath.

"They've only sent out ten teams of two out of a total garrison of five hundred, which only just arrived from Canterlot under orders from the Princess herself. They shut down the rail system on their way in and are keeping everyone in the town limits. This is as close as it's come to having martial law declared as it has in a long time. My sister and those I care deeply about are lost out there during all this and it's because Rarity didn't keep a close eye on them. Oh, and Rainbow Dash is missing too. Crisis."

They sat in silence. Fluttershy looked up at Applejack.

"Ummm, Applejack?"

Applejack stopped scowling at Rarity for a second and softened her expression as she looked at Fluttershy.

"Yes, Sugarcube?"

Fluttershy winced and hid behind her mane.

Whoops, guess I didn't soften it enough.

"Sorry, Fluttershy, what is it?"

A blue eye peered out from behind a curtain of pink.

"I just think you're wrong to blame Rarity."

Applejack snarled and her eyes darkened.

"What do you mean? You think I'm overreacting or something? What about this isn't her fault? She needed to make a couple of ugly dresses and stupid suits for some fancy-smancy ponies in Canterlot and had to throw the girls she was supposed to be taking care of out the door so her work would be a little easier. WHAT ABOUT THAT IS WRONG?!"

"EVERYTHING!"

Applejack took a step back. Fluttershy stood up and walked right up to her, her nose pressing into Applejack's.

"Listen. The reason we can't find them is because they probably went exploring in the Everfree Forest. The guards would've found them by now if they were anywhere else. Rarity needed to complete her work and as she already explained to you twice, they'd told her that they'd be going to Sweet Apple Aches. She was lied to and had no idea that they'd run off. It isn't her fault Applebloom is missing. Her sister is right beside yours and she is worrying every bit as much as you are. Sit down and shut up."

Applejack's legs buckled and she sat on her rump, staring up at the furious blue eyes.

Fluttershy held her gaze for a moment longer before squeaking and looking away.

"I'm sorry Applejack, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell."

Applejack pulled her into a hug and pondered the weirdness of her comforting the pegasus.

"Um, it's alright, Fluttershy. I don't blame you. Well, I'm not mad at you is all. Rar- Rarity?"

Rarity pursed her lips and looked back at her.

"Applejack."

"I'm mighty sorry. I was being an ass."

"I know, you do that sometimes but I've made a habit of forgiving you all the same."

She walked over and sat down next to the two and joined the hug. A tear leaked out of Applejack's eye but Rarity held her face in her hoof and smiled, her own eyes watering.

"Save them for when they show up."

The door to the hall was opened and Rainbow Dash and Zecora filed in, escorted by three guards.

"Girls!"

Rainbow Dash shot towards them and grabbed them all in a big group hug. All the guards tensed but relaxed when the Major nodded at them.

"It's the timberwolves! They're running around the Everfree Forest! Something must have them organised. They even attacked Zecora! Look!"

They all looked over to Zecora who had been leaning on her spear, still eyeing everything that moved. Twilight broke off the hug and trotted over to her.

"Oh my goodness. What happened to you?"

"They came to my house in search of prey, but they found me to their dismay."

The door opened again and the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed by two guards came running into the room. One guard almost got his sword out before the Major stopped him.

"SWEETIE BELL!"

"APPLEBLOOM!"

"I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"

Both older sisters rushed over to their respective sibling and buried them in hugs and kisses. Scootaloo was almost knocked over and stood at the sidelines, both happy and a little sad.

"Hey, kid!"

Rainbow Dash flew over and bumped her on the shoulder.

"When I heard you were missing I'll admit I got a little worried. Now I can see, totally unfounded. You survived!"

Scootaloo was pulled into a one legged hug and her hair was mussed up by a blue hoof. She looked over at the other two and beamed. She'd never felt so happy.

Twilight smiled at the sight and let out a long sigh she'd been holding in since this mess had started.

"Girls, I need to write a letter so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find out what's going on."

She walked towards the door and the pegasus guards standing at either side looked at her then the Major, as if they were looking for orders. He nodded and they relaxed and let her pass. Twilight bumped into a guard that was standing just outside the door and her vision was briefly filled with a red streaked white mane that was flowing out of the guard's helmet. The guard tensed and spun around.

"Hey, watch it! Oh, sorry, Miss Sparkle. Still, watch who you bump into like that. Could get your head taken off."

Twilight's eyes widened in shock, staring into the red coloured eyes of the guard that for moment had been a cold empty abyss.

"Just what is going on? What has everypony so anxious?"

"Princess Celestia has us on red alert. It's the highest alert we've been on since we found out the gryphons had been building forts along our border and massing troops a couple years back. Ponyfeathers, that was boring duty. Anyway, my name's Vic, and I'm assigned to your person for the duration of this whole mess. I go where you go. No exceptions."

They walked through the dark grass roadways, Vic glancing at her shining armoured hooves getting dirtier and dirtier.

"I'm all for running around meadows and whatnot but I just wish they'd have given us BDU's rather than these parade uniforms. I mean, look at this! I'm going to have to polish this later. This is enchanted gold. Weighs nothing and is enchanted to be as strong as steel. The only reason it isn't steel is to show off Equestrian wealth. Goddesses help us if something ever broke the spells, we'd all be undressing in front of the enemy just so we could move. What a cock up, eh? Where are we going by the way?"

Twilight giggled and pointed to an open door in a tree. A small purple silhouette against the orange glow of a warm fire stood in it.

"My home, the town library. I need to write a letter to Celestia to ask what is going on because normally I'm forewarned about these sort of things. Hey, what's a BDU?"

"Battle Dress Uniform, used for combat which is what I think we'll be seeing soon enough."

Twilight spun her neck to look at her so hard it popped.

"What?!"

"Yeah, wouldn't have sent the 101st Airborne to do anything else. We're just a battalion here but the rest of us are all over the Equestrian valley. Got the rest of the boys and girls on rapid response. I'm thinking Celestia figures we're gonna be hit, just doesn't know from where."

They entered the library, it was considerably more comfortable than outside and it wasn't just the warmth. With the soldiers and commotion outside, it was nice to be able to shut off from it all for a bit. Twilight glumly sat down at her writing desk and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment. The dragon grabbed a quill from the table.

"You want me to write this one? Oh, um... hi."

Vic regarded the little dragon with an air of suspicion and mild amusement.

Twilight dipped her quill in its ink well and began scratching out her letter to the Princesses, pressing down harder than necessary.

"No, thank you, Spike. I want to write this one myself."

Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,

I am writing to you to ask why there is a battalion of the 101st Airborne in

Ponyville? And why the added security measures besides? You've shut

down all travel and, from what I've gathered, mobilized the entire Equestrian

military. What is going on? Why didn't you tell me and what else aren't

you telling me?

I'm scared, Celestia, I really am and, frankly, I know you are too. None

of this makes sense unless something very big threatens Equestria. Let me

help. Let the Elements help.

Cordially,

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight rolled it up and added a wax seal. She floated it over to Spike and he let out a breath of green flame that engulfed the scroll and carried it away into the nether.

Vic raised an eyebrow at this and began wondering strongly why Twilight hadn't simply bought a radio set or sent a telegram.

Magic users are so behind the technological times. Even more so in this town. Ah well, it's cute. And probably more secure.

Vic tapped her hooves for a second before remembering what she was here for.

"Hey, are we staying here?"

"Yes, why?"

"Just need to secure this place. Won't take long."

Vic began searching the house, noting every point of entry and possible angle of attack. She locked the doors and windows.

"Hey, I'm going to be outside for a second. Just need to take a look around the tree. Be back in five."

She exited the tree and Twilight was left to her thoughts.

"SIGH."

And Spike of course.

"Twilight?"

"Yes, Spike?"

"I'm worried."

She looked down at her lifelong friend. Her steadfast companion. She picked him up and hugged him, nuzzling his cheek.

"Me too."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He then put a hand to his mouth and turned his head sideways, belching out a scroll bearing the royal seal. Twilight laid him down on her desk and picked up the scroll. She opened it up and in it was six Royal Seals. Twilight yelped as the polished gold clattered to the floor.

Oh my Celestia...

She stared at the Seals. They carried all the authority of the Princesses themselves. Those who carried them were both the most trusted ponies in all of Equestria as well as the most dangerous. They had been given to soldiers, dignitaries, bodyguards, assassin's and spies, never to just common ponies like herself.

Then again, after all my friends and I have been through, I can't keep thinking of us as normal.

She floated the heavy golden necklaces to the desk and read the letter.

Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

Forgive me if I have been silent these past couple of days. I had so

much to do and still yet more. But that is no excuse, you of all

ponies should be kept in the loop. I am sorry.

I have mobilized the full might of the Equestrian military.

Thousands of brave ponies willing to face whatever I ask them to.

I just hope they believe me when I tell them tomorrow in a national

address.

I have a captive demon in the palace. He is secure so don't worry

about me. He has proven trustworthy so far and I have enacted

the security measures you seen so far on his word. An army the likes

of which this world has never seen before is coming to Equestria. A

demon army led by a being of terrible malice and power. I do not where

it will come from. I do not know what its capabilities will be.

But I do not intend to sit idly and wait for it. I will need you and the

Elements in this fight. This fight of all fights. For I fear that not only

demons threaten our borders. I sense something stirring. A force as

old as the world is awakening and she is not pleased.

Come to Canterlot as soon as you can. Bring your friends and the

Elements of Harmony. Be safe, Twilight. Be safe.

With all of my love,

Celestia Equidae

Beware the forests. Travel by only the safest means.

Twilight read it again and again. It sounded like a speech. As if Celestia was writing the words while wanting to believe they were true. The student of the most powerful pony in the world sat back in her chair and stared at the wall until Vic came back in and said the library was safe enough.

"Get some sleep, Twilight. I'll keep watch. Gosh, and you look like you need it. I've seen that look before but I'd just come out of a meat grinder with half of my friends intact. The Sun send you a letter back?"

"Yeah."

"Eh, I don't have to hear it if it's classified or personal. Go on. Sleep on it."

Twilight mouthed a thank you to Vic and put on the tea kettle for her before trundling off to bed.