Started this story with a my first free-writing session in years, having been dormant for quite a while. Hoping it doesn't read as if I pounded the keyboard with my forehead.
Reviews of any kind accepted: constructive criticism, non-constructive criticism, a nice hello, a Haiku (make sure it has the right amount of syllables, let's not be ridiculous), YouTube-style comments where you call me mean names and insult my mother, etc.
She had spent the last few days holed up in her home under the guise of going on a trip to see some cousins in Ponyapolis. It was a refreshing time of peace and quiet where she could have time to herself without the noise. All the time there was noise.
Her friends had seen her off, crowding around her to say their goodbyes. It was strange when any of them would leave for a while – five was such an odd number for them and they would feel out of balance until the sixth returned. She had been given apple treats to stay sustained, a bag full of books to read, some lovely slippers for comfort away from home, a beautiful haunch-coat to stay warm, and a winged cap to be cool.
She had boarded the train, staggering under the weight of the goods and her own suitcase, and had waited until the next stop to disembark. There she had remained for a few hours until it was dark enough that she could be sure she would return to Ponyville under the cover of night, and had crept through the city back to her home.
She remained there for 3 days and nights, eating little, sleeping often, and thinking when she was awake. She didn't do anything else but think and sleep and watch the town below her window. She noticed that the town did not seem any less cheery and vibrant when she was not working to liven it up, it still seemed to function without her help just fine. It seemed that ponies could live their lives and be happy without her.
The Cakes had abandoned their bakery for a week to travel to a bake-off in New Hoof. They had taken the babes with them, now that Pumpkin and Pound were old enough to travel and had managed to regain control of their separate abilities. Baby Pegasi and Unicorns were naturally strong fliers and invokers, respectively, but their talents would wane until around the time their Cutie Marks came in.
There was still some surprise over the mastery they had each exhibited and it was widely considered in the town that Pound would give Rainbow Dash a challenge later, and Pumpkin might rival Twilight in magic. The two of them would make a formidable team for sure.
Pinkie Pie was lost in thought about the twins when the first thump occurred. It was so distant and far away that it almost failed to pull her back to the present. Her ears perked forward and she trotted to the window, curious. Her limp hair covered one eye and she flicked her head to better see. Her blinds remained drawn so she had to move her head around more to see through each break in the slats. It wasn't the best investigative method but it was preferable to being accidentally glimpsed.
Outside, not many had reacted to the strange noise. Some may have heard it but when you live in a town with all three types of Equine – especially the particularly noisy and robust Pegasi – loud thumps do not garner much attention. There were not many times in Pinkie Pie's day that she would remain quiet enough to hear something so distant, but she had been very quiet for the last three days and after hours spent listening to ponies gossiping under her window, her hearing had become more attuned.
Another crash, this time louder. Her ears twitched as she tried to register the noise. It had a familiar feel to it, and it wasn't a positive association.
Outside, ponies had stopped and stood in silence, trying to pinpoint the sound. Another crash. It sounded like a series of trees toppling, nearer each time. The crashing sound was becoming more frequent and Pinkie Pie strained to associate it with a memory she knew she had.
Something about fire, smoke, and shiny gold.
The Everfree forest was just visible from her window, and since everyone was now attentive on that being the origin of the noise, she felt it was safe to raise the blinds to get a better look.
Now the crashes had a reverberating boom that could be felt each time. She could see the treetops in the distance shaking a few seconds before each sound.
Something huge was moving very quickly towards them.
Some of the weaker spirited ponies began to buck and toss their heads. A yearling foal snuggled closer to his mother, who was tense and poised to run.
A cloud of smoke began to rise over the forest. Fluttershy, who Pinkie Pie just noticed had been huddled behind a cart of carrots since probably the first loud noise, squeaked in fear and tried to dive in with the vegetables.
The ponies who did not cower began to react defensively. Pegasi became airborne, Unicorn horns were pointed in the direction of the threat, and Earth Ponies pranced and snorted. The Pegasi and Unicorns might seem to have advantages against opponents in the form of flight and magic, but Pinkie Pie knew that Earth Ponies had warriors' hearts. If left to choice, she would never hope to win against a fellow Earth Pony in any fight.
From behind her, a whooshing boom was heard, and a flash of blue buzzed over the ponies at an incredible speed. Were it not for the distinctive arc of color left behind, she would have never been able to identify it as Rainbow Dash. The brave Pegasus shouted as she rocketed toward the unknown threat, "Wait heerreeeeeee!"
A few of the Pegasi beat their wings as if to follow, then settled down again in a hovering position after they realized that not one of them could hope to keep up. Pinkie watched the rainbow trail arc toward the shaking treetops, disappear as Rainbow Dash slowed enough to inspect the situation, then reappear as she raced back.
Rainbow Dash seemed to be coming in for a landing faster than she had taken off. She crash-landed and rolled hoof-over-wing for a few feet before coming to a stop.
The tense ponies crowded around her as quickly recovered, bounding upright and yelling in a hoarse, scared voice, "Need to—we need to run! Get out now! Get everyone out!" She gained momentum once comfortable airborne, and flashed around the sky yelling for everyone to get out, run, fly, hide.
Twilight's voice emerged through the chatter of the worried crowd and Rainbow's fervent yelling. Her projected calmness quieted the rest. She stepped forward and craned her neck up at the Pegasus. "Rainbow Dash," she said in a measured pace. "Why are you so worked up? Calm down, you're going to make everyone here panic unnecessarily. Tell me what you saw."
Rainbow Dash tried to hover in front of her but had a hard time staying still, so she weaved in front of the Unicorn, bobbing up and down and making Pinkie Pie dizzy.
"Twi, he's huge. He's the biggest dragon I've ever seen, easily four times as enormous as the one who smoked out our town a while ago. I think – I think he's Scaleback."
There was gasp from the crowd. Ponies hoofed and the ground and snorted, some tossing their heads in agitation. Pinkie Pie jerked back in surprise and almost tripped backwards over her bed. Scaleback? Scaleback was a legend, a bedtime story told to little ponies at bedtime to make them behave. Of course Rainbow Dash, with her propensity towards exaggeration, would be the one to make that association.
Twilight simply smiled and shook her head patiently. "You know there's no –"
"Rainbow Dash," interrupted Applejack, impatient with Twilight's gentle scolding. "I will have none of that nonsense, ya hear me? You can't go scarin' folks with your wild tales! You saw a dragon. Big whoop, we've seen dragons before. Fluttershy?! Where's Fluttershy?"
There was an audible shudder from the cart of carrots that brought many confused glances. Pinkie could see a strand of soft pink tail sticking out of the cart, and amongst the orange vegetables was a flash of yellow coat. Suddenly the timid Pegasus erupted out of her hiding spot and shot away in a pastel blur.
Rainbow Dash was faster. She snagged Fluttershy by the tail and pulled the whimpering Pegasus back to earth, hoofing her off to Applejack. "Fluttershy won't be any help, that dragon is at least five times the size of the last one!"
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, honestly," a prim voice spoke up. Rarity stepped forward to hold the struggling Fluttershy in place. "You're being impossible. We'll simply wait until that creature emerges and implore him sweetly to go back to his home." She raised a dainty nose. "I'm sure he'll be willing to… to…" she trailed off, ears swiveling towards the forest, which they all had just noticed had fallen silent. She narrowed her eyes at the tree-line.
From her second story height, Pinkie Pie could see something beyond the thick foliage. Something massive, red, peeking through the leaves. The trail of smoke rose densely over the area, wafting into the skies over them. Several Pegasi attempted to gain elevation but were forced back down by the smoke.
Twilight stepped forward, putting herself closest to the threat. Rarity and Applejack flanked her, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hovered above, and Pinkie Pie felt drawn to join them.
"Girls," Twilight said in a low voice Pinkie Pie could barely hear. "I have a very bad feeling about this. Rainbow: go and get the Elements of Harmony. Applejack: I need you and Pinkie –" She cut herself off. "Oh… right. Applejack, you round up those willing to fight. Fluttershy, you help the mares and foals escape, find someplace safe for them. Rarity, you stand by me and give me a little extra magical power if I need it, and I think I will."
Rainbow Dash burst upwards and a neat multicolored arc followed her path as she raced to Twilight's home.
Fluttershy gave a curt nod and sped towards the crowd of younglings and mares. In a strangely confident voice, she commanded, "Come on now, follow me, I'll take you somewhere safe." Then in a softer voice, added, "If you don't mind…" The fillies and colts drew around her and most of the mothers followed. Some of the mares left their young ones in the care of another and joined the growing crowd of defending ponies.
Applejack was rounding up any available fighters. They all cast worried glances towards the forest as a soft growl began and the column of smoke thickened. The flashes of red and orange through the foliage quickened, and Applejack worked hard to distract the fledgling warriors from the creature and to focus on their defensive pose. She got the ponies situated then planted herself firmly at the head of the makeshift army, a few feet away from Pinkie Pie's window. Her determined expression dropped for a second and with a sorrowful glance toward the east, she quietly murmured under her breath, "Pinkie Pie, I wish you were here. We could use the help… and the hope."
Pinkie's ears dropped and she hung her head. She couldn't go out there; what would they think when they realized she had been voluntarily cooped up here all this time? She had lied and could not face their judgment… or their concern. She could not bear their concern. They would want to fix her and she did not want to be fixed, just left alone. She turned her face away from the window in shame, just as it exploded in a burst of shattered glass and flame.