Applejack walked over to Twilight's library with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. She didn't want to have this meeting, but the two girls were so persistent and worried back at the barn, so she needed to at least investigate what made the three newcomers so dangerous in the girls' eyes. She knocked on the door.
"Hey, Twilight! It's us, open up."
"Just a second!" Twilight said from the other side. The sound of shifting furniture could be heard before the purple horned girl opened the door. "Hey, girls. What brings you here?" Twilight closed the door after everyone entered the library.
"Well, Applejack has been saying that Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom think that the three new girls were pegasi," Rarity explained.
"Yeah, and they were so determined to get me to listen to them and Ah promised that Ah'd talk to you girls about it," Applejack added.
"I don't think they plan on stopping any time soon. They asked me to tell them about Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo," Pinkie Pie said.
"Hm... They also told me about how they found Scootaloo in the forest and may have gotten the idea from my story, but I never thought that they would accuse them of actually being pegasi. Especially since I told them that it was highly unlikely."
"So they got this outrageous idea from us?" Rarity asked.
"Yes, but they might have a point." Twilight looked at the ceiling thoughtfully for a moment and then looked back to the girls. "They came from the forest and were avoiding questions about where they were from and why they were in the forest."
"And I guess that they haven't seen any place like Ponyville. They were very amazed at the buildings, but a lot of them were just average looking," Pinkie added.
"Also, they were talking about how they both saw movement in Scootaloo's hoodie or something. And she ran deeper into the forest where there aren't any villages," Applejack commented.
Twilight paced around the room and pondered the details. After a few moments, she stopped and looked at the girls gravely.
"Girls, I think we have three monsters roaming around in Ponyville, and we need to deal with them."
Rainbow Dash had sent Scootaloo out to get food about an hour and a half ago. She had calmed Fluttershy and was currently hiding in a tree that was a little deep into the Everfree Forest. The thick branches and closeness of the surrounding trees had proven this to be a good hiding spot for a few days. They would be able to spot intruders without the intruders spotting them. She took her hoodie off and tied it around her waist so that her wings wouldn't be so restricted. The sun was just starting to move down. There was only about one more hour until the sun went down completely. Maybe Scootaloo got lost. This is an unfamiliar town, but they really needed some food that didn't taste like a bucket of sugar shoved into a tiny baked good. Rainbow Dash was about to go into the town to find her friend, but Fluttershy stopped her by tugging on her shirt.
"What is it, Flutters?"
"I sense someone coming."
Rainbow Dash had cursed under her breath and went back into the tree. She looked for any sign of someone moving towards them. She saw two unicorns, the farm girl, and the tour guide with too much energy. How did they know Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were there?
I thought they didn't go into the forest!
If the pegasi moved, they would be spotted for sure. They only had one option, and that was to wait.
"How are they not in town! They literally just got here! Leaving without saying goodbye to the people who have helped you- Ugh! They are just so rude!" Rarity complained about the visitors when Twilight interrupted.
"This is around the area that Pinkie and I found them. It's almost the end of the safe zone so be careful where you go."
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash glanced at each other.
"Are they after us?" Rainbow Dash mouthed to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy looked down at the searching girls and nodded to Rainbow, now afraid of being found. "What are they going to do?" She whispered.
"No idea," Rainbow Dash mouthed.
The hidden pegasi had watched the other group of girls. Fluttershy wanted to hide until they went away. Just let them be and they won't harm the pegasi. Rainbow Dash on the other hand was ready to attack. She knew that Fluttershy wouldn't agree with her decision, so she decided to attack only if they caught Scootaloo off guard. They didn't know for sure when she would be back, but those girls were not going to hurt her little sister.
~~~~
It had been about an hour and the girls had finally given up looking for clues and the pegasi themselves. The sun was starting to set and Scootaloo still wasn't back. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had gotten worried soon after the girls had started their search, but they have been stuck in the same clump of trees for a while. What seemed like a nice home for a while turned out to be the corner that they had been backed into. Rainbow Dash was restless. She needed to make these girls leave, but anything she could do would alert them and she had no idea what they could do to her.
"Ah don't understand, Twi. Why are we looking for clues here? Can't we just look around Ponyville again?" Applejack asked.
"No, we had to look here because this is the first place that we found them. If they weren't in Ponyville, there's a chance that they could be here."
"Twilight, dear. We've been searching for hours! Can't we just go back home and figure this out tomorrow? The sun is already setting, see?" Rarity pointed to Celestia's sun which was now retreating to the other side of the world.
Shit! Rainbow Dash thought as she and Fluttershy shared an alarmed look.
"We need to find Scootaloo!" Rainbow Dash mouthed.
Fluttershy whispered, "But how can we if they're still down there?"
"Uh..." Rainbow looked around for a path or distraction in a panic. "I have no idea!" she mouthed.
"Maybe we can throw a rock or branch?" Fluttershy suggested.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. She pointed to the leaves and other branches around them. They would make too much noise before they would even have the chance to get a branch.
"Then what do we do?" Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow Dash whispered, "No idea..."
"Do you girls hear something?" Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash silently cursed at herself for whispering too loudly.
"It's probably just the leaves," Twilight dismissed.
"If you say so..." Rarity said.
"So what are we going to do now?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Maybe we should investigate again tomorrow." As Twilight said this, Applejack noticed a sleeve coming from a tree nearby. She elbowed Twilight and said, "Whelp, time to get back to the farm! It sure has been a long day." They tiptoed towards the tree and Applejack got ready to push it.
"Hey! We know you're there!" she announced.
Rainbow Dash panicked and realized that she forgot to put her hoodie back on. Her wings were exposed.
Her wings were exposed.
She knew that it was too late. Her carelessness would probably cost them their life. Unicorns have magic and Earth People have strength.
But she's a pegasus.
Pegasi are demons, yet she's afraid of the weaker ones. No, that's not it. She's not afraid of them. No...She's afraid of what she could do to them. Especially since it's almost night time.
Oh no.
"Come down, now! Or else!" the purple horned unicorn threatened.
"Maybe they don't want to come down." The girls looked at Pinkie. "I mean, they're up there for a reason."
Pinkie is my new ally. The other girls could go buck off, Rainbow Dash thought.
"Get down here, now!" The purple haired unicorn asked. Rarity, right? The one to stay away from.
Twilight nodded to Applejack and the farm girl gave the tree a powerful push. Pinkie Pie's tail twitched. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash held on to the tree as tight as they could, but Fluttershy lost her grip. Rainbow Dash tried to reach for her hand, but she missed.
Fluttershy fell out of the tree and in front of the four girls, three of which were looking at her with a threatening (to Fluttershy) gaze. Rainbow Dash took the opportunity to put on her hoodie and got into a position, ready to pounce on the enemies. Fluttershy stood up and fixed her clothes. Then she hid under her hair and avoided eye contact with the girls.
"Explain yourself," Twilight commanded. Fluttershy stayed silent.
"Well?" Applejack said more than asked.
"I wasn't doing anything."
"What did you say? Speak up." Rarity asked.
Rainbow Dash was just about to jump onto the farm girl, but Fluttershy's response stopped her.
"It's none of your concern. Leave me alone." Rainbow Dash knew what this tone meant. Speaking up and not stuttering. She was not shaking or hiding fear. It was night time, and she has changed. The other girls were in danger.
"Yes it is!" Twilight persisted. Bad idea. "You've caused some suspicions and being citizens of Ponyville and the protectors of Equestria, we deserve to know!"
Fluttershy gave off an aura that felt very threatening to Pinkie Pie, but none of the other girls noticed. They were too caught up in the moment.
"Guys, maybe we should leave-" Pinkie started.
"Are you out of your mind, Pinkie Pie? We've finally caught her!" Rarity told the pink haired girl.
"No I really mean it." Fluttershy walked towards Twilight, who stood her ground. Bad idea #2. Pinkie spoke up again. "We really need to go." She tugged on Applejack's shirt.
"Pinkie, what's wrong? You aren't this scared when we fight monsters, so why are you afraid of her?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy's hair had a streak of black magically appearing and her eyes seemed to dig into Twilight's soul.
"I-I'm s-serious! We c-can defeat you i-if you t-try anything!" Twilight backed away and Applejack went to put Fluttershy into a full nelson, but a random spark of red electricity pushed her back.
Damn it, I can't hurt them! I can't let the night get to me yet! Rainbow Dash thought as she retracted her hand from aiming at Applejack.
Fluttershy held on to Twilight's neck and held her up. The unicorn struggled under the grip of the demon and gasped for air.
"Stop it!" Rarity screamed. Applejack hit Fluttershy in the head. While it didn't move her, it did make her drop Twilight.
"What the heck are you?" Twilight asked after catching her breath. Fluttershy just stared down at Twilight and looked into her eyes. "You are a pegasus, aren't you?" The demon turned around and walked deeper into the forest, leaving the four girls alone with her friend in the tree.