The Bond of Three

Red Quill hopped off the train at the Ponyville train station, only to be greeted face-to-face with a pair of moderately violet overexcited eyes. The eyes belonged to a purple unicorn, with a dark blue mane, bearing violet and rose streaks. Red Quill slicked back her ears nervously, and sweat began to drip down her forehead.

“Um, hello!” Red Quill broke the tense and just plain awkward silence with a nervous voice. The purple unicorn made a fan girl squeal.

“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!” The unicorn exclaimed, and she bounced up and down excitedly. “I can’t believe I’m seeing Red Quill! THE Red Quill! I’m your biggest fan!” Red Quill relaxed her frown, and a look a relief replaced it.

“Oh! So you’re Twilight Sparkle, I presume?” Red Quill asked, and put on a lady-like posture and voice pattern. The unicorn stopped bouncing and relaxed her excitement level from one hundred down to five.

“Ahem, sorry about that outburst. My name is Twilight Sparkle. But, you’ve probably already figured that out.” The unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, introduced herself. “Now, your letter, you know, that asked if you could move here, said you haven’t been here since before I arrived?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, Red Quill, I’ll lead you to your house.” She faltered. “Is that all you packed?” Red Quill sensed her confusion, and then remembered that she put everything in the saddlebag.

“Oh, I just used a shrinking spell.”

“A SHRINKING SPELL!? Where in Equestria did you learn it? It’s not in any of the books at the library. Who taught you?” Twilight just had to butt in, and ask so many questions. Red Quill cleared her throat.

“Can we get to the house now?” She asked politely. Twilight realized she was rambling again, and blushed in embarrassment.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Follow me please.” With that, Twilight set to trotting towards the Everfree forest, and Red Quill followed in step. She then took the moment to gaze at her new surroundings. Ponyville had changed a lot since Red Quill’s last temporary visit. There were a lot less buildings then last time, and the place had a friendlier feel to it. Red Quill also thought about her mother. Would mum have changed much if she hadn’t visited for two years? Well, Red Quill had changed a lot since her last visit. She had earned more money; she had gotten a decent job, and had earned many fans. Perhaps the same wouldn’t have happened to mum. After all, mum was a stickler for tradition, and mum’s tradition never changes. All these thoughts rolled in Red Quill’s head.

“We’re here!” Twilight’s voice interrupted her thoughts, and she found herself upon a fair home. It looked almost identical to the other houses in Ponyville, with its plain straw roof and wooden walls, but this one had three significant differences to the others; and that was its size. It was at least three meters larger then every other house; both in size and length. The second difference; was that it had a lovely backyard, populated with plants and flowers and trees of all kinds. The third was that the house had a second floor. Red Quill was glad she had a proper roof to sleep under now. Although her mum would’ve argued. At least the house was close to the Everfree. That would be useful for gathering some of the plants so that Red Quill could replicate mum’s famous soup.

“Well, I’m going to leave you to settle in now.” Twilight said in a calm voice, interrupting Red Quill’s thoughts, yet there was a big goofy grin spread across her face. She then dashed away, leaving Red Quill to cough in the dust Twilight had disturbed while she ran away. Red Quill shrugged, opened the door to the house with the key she got from Twilight’s letter, and stepped inside. Big mistake. As soon as she stepped in, she was mobbed by the sound of party horns. The lights turned on by themselves, and the scene revealed, made Red Quill’s jaw drop. She was greeted by all the ponies of Ponyville, all cramped into her house. HER house.

“Sur-priiiiise!” Came a happy voice. The first pony she could actually see properly popped right in her face, making her scrunch up her nose in surprise. The pony had cerulean eyes, a pink coat, and a raspberry mane.

“Face. Needs. Personal. Space.” Red Quill ordered. The pony backed up and bounced up and down like a pogo-stick.

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, and my friends and I threw this party just for you!” She said, and Red Quill wondered if this “Pinkie Pie” had a huge amount of sweet foods, or just always hyper. “Twilight told me that you were coming, so I had to bring out the Party Cannon to get this party set up, because you came sooner than expected.” Pinkie Pie gestured to Twilight, and a couple other ponies.

“Ok, let me introduce you to my friends. This is Applejack, she’s Rainbow Dash, call her Rarity, and her name is Fluttershy! Welcome to Ponyville!” Pinkie Pie introduced all of her friends, but fast enough for Red Quill to actually comprehend. She was sure she knew who everypony who Pinkie had introduced. Ok, there was Applejack, the orange earth pony with a blonde mane topped with a hat, and three apples for a Cutie Mark. Rainbow Dash was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow colored mane, and a cloud with rainbow lightning coming out of it. Rarity was the “marshmallow” type unicorn, with a nice purple mane and all, and she had three diamonds for a Cutie Mark. Now Fluttershy was a yellow pegasus, with a soft pink mane, and three butterflies for a Cutie Mark. That probably just about covered it.

“Ok! We’re going to leave you to mingle now!” Pinkie Pie announced, and bounded off to attack a huge cake. Red Quill sighed, she didn’t really like being in crowded area. Might as well make some friends, and get used to the house. Red Quill walked over to the living room, and spotted a sight to behold. It was an elegant violet pegasus, with a grass green and light green mane, done up in several small braid-like ponytails, green eyes, and a Japanese nightingale as a Cutie Mark. She was beside a grey pegasus stallion, with a light blue, square-like mane, and a skylark for a Cutie Mark. Red Quill quickly grabbed a hoof mirror from her satchel, straightened up her mane, sighed, and went to go make a friend. She cleared her throat once she was behind the mare. The mare didn’t appear to hear her, neither the stallion. Red Quill let out an irritated sigh, and jabbed the mare in the belly to get her attention. The mare’s eyes dilated and she squealed. Red Quill pulled away her hoof in confusion as the mare recovered from the squeal. The stallion glanced in fear at the unlucky Red Quill. She would very soon learn the consequence of what she’d done.

“WHO DID THAT???” A voice with a Welsh accent screamed. It was the mare, who was standing in the middle of the room, the flame of rage in her eyes. Everypony else in the room had backed against the walls, all except the puzzled Red Quill.

“Pssst!” Hissed a voice among the many ponies against the walls. Suddenly, a hoof grabbed Red Quill by the tail, and dragged her into the silence of the ponies against the walls. The hoof belonged to a light blue pony with a pinkish mane, resembling Fluttershy’s in a way, only there were two locks of her mane that were draped over her withers. Her Cutie Mark was that of three petals of a cherry blossom.

“Hi, my name is Cherry Blossom,” She said with a hushed whisper, and a Spanish accent boasting her words. “What were you thinking!? Everypony knows not to touch Nightingale! Who are you anyways!?” She scolded the still puzzled Red Quill, who lifted a hoof for a chance to speak.

“My name is Red Quill. This is my house you’re all in.” She answered, calm in most of her voice, although a slight tremor of terror in the end of her words. Cherry Blossom’s questioning gaze softened.

“So, you’re the guest of honor? Sorry about the scolding, but, you can’t just jab ponies in the sides!” She replied. “I have no idea what she’ll do to you. Those who did touch her, never come back the same.” Red Quill swallowed.

“You there!” The Welsh accent of the mare was directed at Red Quill, and all the ponies backed away from her, including Cherry Blossom.

“You’re on your own bud! Good luck.” She hissed as she backed away.

“Some help you are.” Red Quill replied with a sharp jab in her tone. She quivered as the mare and the stallion drew near her.

“Are you the one who touched me?” She snarled at the poor Red Quill.

“Well, I didn’t know you were so picky about being touched!” Red Quill sneered back.

“Speak your name now, or else!”

“I’m Red Quill!” The mare’s gaze still held, but her pupils slightly enlarged.

“Don’t you know why she doesn’t like being touched?” This time the stallion spoke, with a Welsh accent as well. Red Quill shook her head, and the stallion leaned in.

“It’s because my girlfriend here is the most ticklish pony in the universe, and hates to be reminded of it.” He whispered in Red Quill’s ear, obvious humor in his voice, and she snickered, earning her a fierce glance from the mare.

“And what do you have to say about it?” The mare snapped.

“Well, I think it’s not bad to be like that. My name’s Red Quill. What’s your name?” Red Quill asked and held out her hoof. The mare’s fiery gaze dimmed and she smiled and took Red Quills hoof, shaking it.

“I’m Nightingale Songlark. And this is my boyfriend Skylark Swanheart.” She then jabbed the stallion with her hind leg, who then gained a respective posture. “Hey everypony, I think this calls for a song!” Nightingale then flew into the center of the room, and everypony tensed against the walls relaxed and sat at the back of the living room. Cherry Blossom joined Red Quill, and Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Pinkie Pie came to join them. Nightingale and Skylark then flew to the front of the room, and Nightingale cleared her throat.

“Alright everypony, this is a little song I like to call, the Skylark and the Nightingale.” Skylark said, and nuzzled Nightingale. Red Quill smiled, and for the first time since she left mother, she felt happy.

~~~~~

Ulv, Vlk, Varu, all stood restlessly outside the cave of their banished brother, Dākuurufu. He was banished by their mother Varg for his taste for pony flesh. That was strictly forbidden, since the ponies were their allies. But the ponies were no longer their allies. Not those traitors.

“Are you sure, that we can trust him?” Ulv asked nervously.

“Of course we can trust our own brother.” Vlk spat back.

“Our brother who killed an entire group of Canterlot Royal Guards by eating them alive?”

“We only have so much power with just a couple of fledglings, Dākuurufu is the eldest, and the most powerful, with his Ōshū no kengen. Now will you two quit bickering?” Varu snarled, and the other two sisters fell silent. The three sisters turned to the cave.

“Dākuurufu, we have come to request your assistance.” They all called out into the cave in unison. Their voices echoed in the cave. There was a deep growl within the cave.

“Have you brought Varg?” A deep harsh snarl crept into the sisters’ wolf-like ears.

“We come alone; our mother has left to hunt, for we are in a state of famine.” Vlk replied. There was a stirring within the darkness of the cave, and a frightening sight crawled out. It was a jet black wolfpony, same wolf-like ears like other wolfponies, same sharp teeth like other wolfponies, same long face like other wolfponies, same horn and wings like the sisters; yet, he had a blood red mane, a different color combination from most other wolfponies, which would be grey to amber, and golden to silver. His eyes were a threatening and intense shade of red, causing the three sisters to look away nervously. Yet odd enough for a banished wolfpony, he had the posture of an alpha wolfpony, which was another broken rule.

“Hello girls.” He said.

“Dākuurufu, we need your help. The ponies didn’t keep their promise. They kept almost all the Sky Apples they promised, leaving only enough for the foalpups. We can’t let those traitors hog all the food and leave us to starve without paying the price.” The three sisters explained all at once. The intensity in Dākuurufu’s eyes grew greater, and a little bit of insanity came in his stare, causing the sisters’ eyes to dilate in fear.

“So, you share the same hatred for them as I?” He asked, joy in his voice. The sisters nodded.

“Well then, the first thing we need is their attention.” He began, but suddenly, he lifted his nose to the air, and sniffed. He turned his head sharply, and out of the shadows of the forest, they spotted a spying zebra. Zecora laid her ears back in fear as the four wolfponies ran towards her, and her legs locked, as the biggest wolfpony loomed above her. Suddenly, a black mass surged from his horn, and gripped Zecora’s mind.

“Let’s see what you know.” The biggest wolfpony snarled as shadows took over Zecora’s mind, and her eyes started to turn black.