A White Stallion

"....Twi?" asked Spike as he stared at the purple mare standing in the center of the library.

"Spike....." said Twilight, tears welling up in her eyes.

Spike walked over to Twilight and then they hugged, crying into each other's shoulders.

"...Do you really have to go?" asked Spike, as he slowly regained composure.

"Spike," replied Twilight. "Take care of the girls for me...."

"Twilight..." said Spike, as he buried his face in his claws.

Several days earlier....

"Spike!" said Twilight as she nudged him with her nose. "Spike! Wake up, Spike! Wake up!"

"Yes, I would like some more gem stones, please....om nom nom..." Despite all of Twilight's efforts, Spike didn't wake up. He only stirred and mumbled in his sleep.

"Come on, Spike, Pinkie's holding another party. Don't you want to come?"

Again, Spike only stirred, but didn't wake.

"Suit yourself." Twilight walked downstairs and prepared for the day. Pinkie Pie had invited them all to yet another party, and knowing Pinkie, attending it would be the best thing to do.

As Twilight got ready to go to Pinkie's party, Twilight sensed something. She couldn't quite put her hoof on what it was, but it was something that felt a bit.....dreadful. She merely brushed it off and walked out her door, on the way to Pinkie's party.

Upon knocking on the door to Sugarcube Corner, Twilight was greeted with a massive bear hug from Pinkie, and some singing.

"Well, hello Twilight, it is time to throw a par-arty! I'm just so glad you made it without being Tar-ardy! And-"

Twilight's attention diverted from Pinkie's singing as she got another feeling of dread. This time, it felt stronger.

"......and now welcome, Twiliiiiiiggghhhttt!!!" said Pinkie as she finished up her song and released Twilight from her bear hug.

Upon being released and seeing Pinkie's reassuring smile, Twilight relaxed a bit. After all, this was a party, not to mention one that was thrown by Pinkie. What could possibly go wrong?

"Come on, Twilight!" said Pinkie in her normally bubbly, happy manner. "Let's go play some games until the girls get here!"

"Ok, Pinkie." Twilight giggled as she followed her pink friend.

"What should we play first?" asked Twilight.

"PIN THE TAIL ON THE PONY!!!" said Pinkie as she wrapped a blind fold across Twilight's eye without even a hint of a warning.

Laughing the whole time, Twilight attempted to pin the tail on the pony.....only to end up nearly poking out the eye of Apple Jack, who showed up not long after Pinkie blindfolded Twilight.

"Ah! Watch out, sugarcube!" said Apple Jack.

"Whoops! Sorry, AJ." said Twilight, removing her blindfold.

"Mah turn!" said Apple Jack as she took the blindfold and covered her own eyesight with it.

Twilight gave Apple Jack the tail and then moved to another game.

But then, without warning, the feeling of dread returned.

Pinkie must have noticed the worried look that Twilight had, so she checked up on her.

"You ok, Twilight?" asked the pink mare.

"I'm fine, Pinkie, I just...."

"Feeling troubled?"

"Yeah."

A knock on the door was heard.

"Wait here, Twilight. I'll go get it." Pinkie trotted off and greeted the visitor at the door, leaving Twilight to her thoughts, and her troubles.

What is this feeling of dread I have? thought Twilight. Such an overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding....I wonder if Princess Celestia would know about it....

Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by a soft tapping on her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." said Fluttershy in her usual shy tone of voice. "It's just that I saw you, and you looked really troubled, so I just wanted to ask what's wrong. You don't mind, do you?"

"Oh, no, not at all." Twilight reassured her timid friend. "In fact...." Twilight surprised Fluttershy by doing something that she normally didn't do. She embraced Fluttershy. Tightly, in fact.

"Uhm....I missed you too, Twilight?" Fluttershy stammered.

Twilight only giggled and said: "Sorry, Fluttershy. I just really needed that."

And then Twilight let go of Fluttershy and turned around...only to nearly run right into a stallion.

The stallion was white in colour, had a flowing mane and a tail that looked to be made of pure silver, and bore no cutie mark. Normally, Twilight would be curious about the fact that he reached such an old age and still hadn't obtained his cutie mark, however, Twilight had a different reaction.

The stallion Twilight saw tore right through whatever coolheadedness she had, and she ran right out of Sugarcube Corner in terror. The only control she had left was left in her vocal cords, as she remained completely silent the whole way home, save only for the sounds of her clattering hooves.

Upon returning home, she slammed the door shut, and then stood there, panting heavily.

"Twi?" Twilight jumped at the sound of Spike's voice, but then calmed down when she realized it was just her assistant.

"Twi, are you ok?" asked Spike. It was clear that Twilight had woken Spike up from the sound of the slamming door, as his eyes still bore their usual sleepyness, and he was still in bed.

"Yeah, Spike, I just...." Spike got out of bed and walked slowly towards Twilight. "Are you sure you're ok?" he asked.

"I-" Twilight was interrrupted by a knock on the door. Twilight gasped and took a step back. Oh no! thought Twilight. Please don't be him! Please!

"Twi, are you ok?" Spike asked her again. "Here, let me get the door for you."

Twilight only held her breath as Spike got closer and closer to the door.

The stallion terrified her. She had no idea why, or how, but he did. She couldn't really figure out why. However, she did get one good look at his face, and she remembered that it had a look of complete and utter hatred and disgust.

Twilight couldn't help but breath a deep sigh of relief as Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack stepped in through the door.

"Oh, you girls." said Twilight.

"Twi, are you ok?" asked Apple Jack. "Ya kind of ran out on us back there....care to explain?"

And then Twilight told them everything. From the feelings of dread and foreboding, to the stallion that terrified her.

"Well, gee, Twilight." Apple Jack said after a moment of thought.

"What do you think I should do, girls?" asked Twilight timidly. Usually, she wasn't this timid and unsure of herself, but this time was different. The feeling of terror and dread that the stallion gave off did not feel like some childish paranoia. It felt very real.

"Well, what do you think, Fluttershy?" asked Apple Jack.

"Oh, me? I- uh- I-"

"Well," said Pinkie Pie. "My Granny Pie said to always face your fears!"

And then Twilight's spirits were lifted. "Maybe you're right, Pinkie!"

"Of course I'm right!" replied Pinkie with great enthusiasm.

"How are you sure you're right?" asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, come now, Fluttershy! Your auntie Pinkie Pie always knows best!"

"But....I'm still a year old than you...."

"Come on, girls." said Twilight happily as she started walking towards the door. "Let's go make a new friend."

She was just about to open her door, when a knock was heard.

"Well, I wonder who that could be." said Twilight as she opened the door.

Standing outside was the White Stallion.