The mare in the moon was visible in the evening sky. Her milky glow brightened the scarcely lit roads for the travelers walking home from work, or to work. The scent of rain from half-light brought the autumn aroma to life with the smell of drought and decay. As the evening dwellers scurry to and fro through the river of moonlight, four ponies chose to stay in the shadows.

And I followed them.

They didn't know I was following him. I was using every trick up my ass to keep it that way. Very few ponies knew how to morph the winds to muffle sound and shape water particles around their body to refract light away from prying eyes. I was not this clever. Instead, I had to use one of my earrings to stay hidden. The enchanted earring allowed me to create an illusion around my body as camouflage.

It was a little cumbersome. My mana reserves were not as strong as it used to be. I couldn't do some of the things that I was capable of many years ago. I can still blink, but only ten times at a max range of a hundred meters per blink. I can still throw Airblades, but I can't use AirKinesis anymore. In a fight, however. I still have one way of refilling my mana reserves, but I don't think living up to my title as—The Winter Siren—Was a good idea. At the end of the day, only one of my enchanted earrings mattered. They were written in a language not native to this universe, making me the only one in the world capable of reading the old tongue, but my fifth earring? I hope that I wouldn't have to use an Aether Bolt again.

Now, where was I? Oh, yes. I was stalking a few ponies from afar that were acting odd.

There were four of them, two of which I've had the pleasure of talk to a few days ago. The two that I talked to were Unicorns that had difficulty with magic. It was as if they have never used magic before. Sierra Maverick and Phoenix Scribe were their names. Nothing stood out about them at first other than their difficulty with basic Telekinesis, however. They talked fast, straight and without rhythm or harmony.

Most Ponies and Griffins talk with a beautiful sing-song accent in their voice. Each word flowed to the next without missing a beat. Those that sang on a regular basis made talking in of itself an endless song meant for the ears of all that applaud them. Sierra and Phoenix didn't have this accent.

Now, as a former Human, I shouldn't have this accent at all either, but after growing up in Equestria since birth. I've developed most of it. To most, it sounded like a tomcoltish purr with a hint of seductive lust mixed in. Hence the reason why most mares call me a Vixen. Not because I'm a mare-slut, but because of how I speak.

Sierra and Phoenix? They were clearly off with their words, but so are Zebras. I first thought that they grew up in one of the Frontier Forts in Zebraca. It would explain the lack of musical fluidity of their words since Zebras aren't the musical type, however, when they started to ask questions about Equestria. My alarm bells went berzerk.

It was a boring day at the Bounding Bunny Cafe. Ponies came in to drink expensive coffee, eat breakfast, and flirt with the waitresses. I did my rounds with gusto, made sure no stallion or mare got too touchy-feely with servants and did my share of causing a few virgins to blush redder than a tomato.

The Boundy Bunny Cafe, or at least the main floor, was a themed Cafe. Every mare that worked here wore a scandalous bunny suit while the stallions were kept out of sight making the meals. The pay was good if you shook your tail for the guests. Tips are what most mares want when they work here. On a good day, a waitress could make a few hundred bits from Tips alone. On a bad day, they were stuck with minimum wage. Of course, there are rates for talking to one of the "Bunnies" since we have tables to manage. For just a Bit a minute, you can have one of us listen to all your problems and give a damn, which is how I make most of my money while working at the Cafe. Ponies just wanted to have me all to themselves.

Speaking of work and ponies wanting to talk to me....

Two ponies, both Unicorns, waved my way. The bigger one of the two was a light brown stallion with a chestnut colored mane; his Cutie Mark was a scroll with a red quill and blue inkwell. The smaller of the two was a silver mare with a dark gray mane; her Cutie Mark was a silver lightning bolt coming out of a black thunderhead. The table that they sat at was near the back of the room. It was one of our smaller tables, usually meant for a group of four or less. It had a nice view of the Cafe though.

I've seen them around town the past few days. They've mostly kept to themselves in their apartment down on 2nd Street when they weren't working. Sierra, in particular, held my interest since she was the only mare currently in town that I haven't slithered my hoof along her flank. 'Trust me when I say that I've tried fucking every mare within my date-range.' She was on the average side when it comes to looks, but I know I can change that in a few months. The stallion I could care less about unless he was interesting. If not, then I'll take a quickie with Sierra. Faust knows she looks like she needs to relieve some stress, and a six-inch tongue can do just that.

Walking up to the pair, I noticed that one of them was nursing one of our least popular brews. Which was strange since it was eight in the morning and Rum wasn't a good morning drink to mix with coffee. I should know, I've tried it myself. Odd tastes aside, when they realized that I was approaching their table to see what they wanted, both of them tensed up, which was strange since most relaxed when I chose to indulge them. Oddities aside, I greeted the pair with grace.

"Welcome to the Bounding Bunny! How may this Bunny serve my masters?" I purred towards the pair, earning a delightful reaction of coughing and choking on their beverages.

"E-Excuse me?!" the Phoenix wheezed in pain from having scolding hot water fill his lungs.

"Sorry, was I a little forward?" I continued the act with a little quiver of my lips. Without missing a beat, I flattened my ears and hung my head low, pawing at the ground as I did so. "Most ponies like it when I'm forward."

"A-Ahh..." Sierra spoke nervously. "...It's not that....Erm....It's just....Odd."

'Really? Odd? Have these ponies never went to a themed Cafe before? Yeesh, I have to pick up my game.'

"Odd? You don't find me attractive? Or cute? Most mares practically beg for my company!" I sniffled with fake tears dripping down onto the floor in false rejection. Earning me a worrisome glance from the stallion sweating bullets from the stares he's receiving from the other Bunnies. "Am I not worthy of my masters time? If not, then I shall go," I finished with a sigh while letting my wings drop to the floor like a lost puppy.

"Oh, please, Rose. You are scaring them!" shouted Tavi with an over the top roll of her eyes from a few tables down, causing the two that I was entertaining to look at us in confusion. "If they wanted some acting, then I would have put them in the request area!"

"Erm, what's going on?" the ponies said in unison.

"You have killed the mood, Buzzkillington!" I shouted back with a huff. Tavi just stuck her tongue out at me and went back to whatever she was doing, leaving me to deal with the confused mess that was Sierra and Phoenix.

"Now that everything was murdered by the Mood Serial Killer of Ponyville. How may I help you two?" I asked with a groan. The ponies in question quickly snapped back to reality and gave me their full attention, but kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Well, as ordinary you can get in a themed Cafe.

"W-We just.... we are n-new to Pony, and we thought we should learn a few things that have been bugging us since we've moved here," Phoenix said with a gulp as I gave him my more passive stare when I talk to new ponies. It was also the look I gave when ponies wanted to learn the latest gossip floating around town. After all, going to a bar, cafe or club to learn about town easily lead to misunderstandings.

"Learning stuff from a mare wearing a Bunny Suit in the busiest Cafe in town is not the best choice to figure out those kinds of problems," I replied calmly as I checked the time on my Scroll. "Plus, we cost a Bit a minute to talk to. So make it fast before you leave penniless and ashamed."

That earned some attention.

"Well, um, take a seat I suppose?" Phoenix gulped at the sight of my not so modest stretch of my wings. Sierra didn't have a clue why her friend was blushing at the sight of my body stretching in ways that an average mare couldn't. She chose to instead smack him upside the head for staring. After all, my Bunny Suit only emphasized my athletic curves rather than hide them. It was both a blessing and a curse.

"So what is it that you two want to talk about?" I asked as I took the empty seat in front of them. They both shuffled nervously at the question.

"W-Well, we just wanted to know a few things like that device that you have in your shoulder pouch a bit of gossip of a few ponies and, um... about you?"

"I...See..." I responded slowly. It wasn't every day that a couple of Unicorns asked what a Scroll is or why I have it. It was a Smart Phone, plain and simple. The only difference was that it ran on magic, works with hooves, and anyone that worked or had a social life had one. Some Scrolls, like mine, could access the SpiderNet like a Chapter—A much larger version of a Scroll... sorta like a Tablet Computer—But not as useful unless you wanted to carry a Library around all the time. I can think of three ponies that would find a Chapter useful, but I don't want to meet them anytime soon, however. If these two didn't know what a Scroll was, then they must be from one of the Frontier Forts of Equestria. None of them currently have the ability to house the more mundane technology that us ponies of the Heartland take for granted every day. Unless...

"It's a Scroll," I answered calmly with a hint of suspicion. "It basically does everything you can imagine what a miniature computation machine does, minus the raw processing power, of course."

"Does everyone-pony have one?" Sierra inquired. My left wing twitched.

"They are expensive, but most do."

"I-I see."

'Odd... why did she correct her wording? Most ponies that come to town know to use inclusive nouns and verbs because of the Griffin population,' I thought while they took a collective sip from their mugs. 'Why did she correct herself for something so trivial, and why did she do it in such a way like she was hiding something?'

"I-I hear that Applejack is a bit sour around certain topics," Phoenix said while looking everywhere but the pony he was talking too. A clear sign that he was afraid of what he was about to say next. I checked the time, and let him continue despite I should have calmed his nerves with honeyed words. It was bad for business for a stallion to leave the Cafe a nervous wreck, but I have a feeling that Phoenix won't be a regular. "Topics like; Zebra's, Griffins, and a mare named Hawkfire. W-Why is that?"

I couldn't help but raise a brow at the odd question. It was the kind of question that got the Militia involved to deal with the kind of problem that the Guard don't handle. It was the kind of problem that needed a few ponies to disappear and never "appear" again. I better watch what I say, or else these two will end up on the Black List.

"The Apple Family have always hated meat-eaters because we are as dangerous as the Everfree that they live next to," I said without a hint of disdain. "Zebra's, well, you will have to ask Zecora when she pops into town, that is if she is willing to tell you. As for me? Well, she doesn't like me because I rub her the wrong way and because of the Zebra question and the Griffin question."

"Wait, what happened to Zecora?" Sierra blurted with a little more concern than most ponies would care to give, and as much as I want to talk about Zonya. I don't trust them with that story. If they wanted to know what happened on our first day of school, then they will have to pry it from Applejacks bloody hooves.

"Go ask Applejack," I hissed. "She's the reason why Zecora lives in the Everfree and not the cottage that Fluttershy lives in now." They were taken aback from my sudden venom, causing the pair quickly shift away from the topic to their final one after getting a refill of their beverages, which I supplied since I was waiting on them now. It also gave me time to cool off from remembering the first day of school and what Applejack and her friends did too little Zonya.

My first real friend in Equestria.

I shook myself from the memories. I had work to do and think about that particular year of my past only made me angry. The only good think that came from that year was when I made a new friend during one of my trips to Canterlot with Mom, but those also had pain attached to them. Once I was back tending to their table. Phoenix was quick to ask his final question.

"I've never heard of you before Hawkfire. Where did you come from and how is Spitfire your mother?" he asked curiously.

"Mom adopted me when she was sixteen while living in Manehatten. Don't ask why. All I ever got was that she need something in her life other than parties and Wonderbolt training," I replied truthfully. Even though I knew about the letter and who sent me to Mom, but they didn't need to know that. Nor did Mom need to know. She just wasn't ready for that kind of information....yet.

"As for my reputation?" I hummed thoughtfully. "I'm surprised that you don't know who I am. After all, being the daughter of a celebrity that sometimes goes to major parties like the Wonderbolt Prep Rally this weekend. I tend to be on everyone's radar. Then again, I am one of the fastest recorded fliers in Equestria. So there's that."

"Anything else you want to know?" I asked the pair who shared the same look of deep thought. Sierra was the one that spoke.

"We're good. Thank you for your time."

Of course, they did ask more questions after that, but with the other Bunnies. I listened in on them from time to time during their stay at the Cafe. There were a few questions that made everyone look at them in confusion like; What's up with all the Frontier Forts? Why are there so many Griffins in Equestria? Who is Aria Dreamer? How do hooves work? And, where is Twilight Sparkle?

The first few question weren't all that concerning, it was their last one that earned a few glares there way. Every Unicorn in the Cafe that went to Canterlots School for Unicorns knew who Twilight was and her status at the Academy. No one would talk to me about her personality or how she acted around others when I asked around town that knew her. So I figured she was the same Twilight that I knew from the show, and my second life, but from what I've gathered. This Twilight rubbed a few ponies at the school the wrong way with her private lessons with Princess Celestia, that, and there were a few "older" guards that wanted her hoof in marriage, but they struck out.

Now, the question wasn't all that alarming, it was the reaction to the answer that was. Sierra and Phoenix didn't like what they learned. It was as if there were in complete disbelief at the notion that Twilight wasn't the adorkable person that we all love, however. At this point in my life, I'm fairly certain that there might be something different about this Twilight. In any case, the duo left rather unhappy with the information that they received.

'Well, I did tell them that going to a Cafe to learn about the town was a bad idea,' I mused to myself while following the four to the outskirts of town. 'But where are they going?' In silence, I followed them in the darkness to one of the abandon houses located in the outer limits of the town. The poor decrepit place was on the verge of collapse from misuse and abandonment, yet it still stood tall thanks to Earth Pony craftsmanship. The four walked into the place from the back while I watched them from the air completely unseen.

'Smart, but the Militia or my Wolves would have noticed you by now,' I thought as my eyes spotted three ponies in Militia Armor walk right passed the house like nothing was out of the ordinary, however. Their eyes and ears quickly honed in on the house like a pack of dogs, and in the air with me to the north was on of my Silver Wolves—A group of individuals that I formed a while ago that were good at fighting, and needed a good cause to do so—Hovering in place in black Ranger Armor that covered his body completely. He noticed me and gave a nod before flying back from whence he came.

'Huh? I should have realized that my Clan in True Apocalypse might actually take me seriously in the real world as the leader of the Silver Wolves. I hope they figure out that it was a joke. Otherwise, I might have to erase the warrior cult I created. Though, if the Thestral knew something was up with those four, then I need to get closer and have a chat with him later.' Once the Militia squad was out of sight, I glided to the back of the house and began the rest of my snooping, but when I got close. I heard voices come from the cellar located in the back.

"I'm telling you that something is wrong with them!" Shouted someone from within the cellar.

'Sounds interesting,' I thought as I pressed my ear against the not-so-sound-proof cellar door.

"Quiet Raven!," shouted the voice that I knew belonged to Phoenix. "This place isn't all that sound-proof. Do you want to attract the attention of those Militia Spooks?!"

"No!" a new female voice shouted back. "But there is something seriously wrong here!"

"I agree," replied the voice that belonged to Sierra. "Something has ruined the timeline, and it could have doomed Equestria to complete destruction."

"What do you mean?" asked the fourth and very male member of the quartet.

'Yes, what do you mean?' I wondered as I listened more closely.

"Well for starters; Fluttershy is a Cam Girl Pornstar. Apple Jack is a paranoid Country Hick. Pinkie Pie is Mellow. Rainbow Dash is an average workaholic, and Rarity is a Mage Blade wielding smith that slaughters Manticores on a daily basis. Oh, and let's not forget that Princess Celestia is at war with the Griffin Empire which is the main reason why there are so many Griffins living in Equestria, and not to mention that Equestria is in the computer revolution right now?!"

'What's that got to do with anything?' I pondered. Everyone knows about The Griffin War. It has been going on for the past hundred years and hasn't gotten anywhere. It's more-less the cold war at this point. As for the other things? I don't see the problem. This Equestria was different from day one, and I know that not all versions of a universe would share the same traits. The Elements of Harmony are just regular ponies at the end of the day. Then again, I am the one to blame for Fluttershy ramming a dildo up her pussy on camera. I shouldn't have told her how most mares pay for university nowadays. On camera, she isn't shy, but off she is. It's really strange, but thank Faust she is only a solo artist.

"The Elements of Harmony are broken and we must fix them before it's too late!" shouted Raven.

"Oh, that's what they meant," I let out a sigh of relief, but it was brief. It took a few more seconds of more rambling before I realized what she just said, and it filled my heart with worry and rage. They knew about the Elements of Harmony and who wielded them. They were trying to get close to them for some strange reason that couldn't be good, but like the Nightmare Moon cultists, who had come into town a few years ago.

I won't let them.

Author's Notes:

Sorry, this took so long. I was busy with school.

Being a full-time student sucks. Anyways.

If you see something out of place, let me know. With love.

-Solsitce