“Pinkie, you sure you're alright? You been in there for the past hour now.”

“Yep! I’m fine Twilight, just getting squeaky clean!” Pinkie called out behind the bathroom door.

Twilight wasn’t so sure about that considering that she swore that she heard Pinkie crying in there and talking to some other pony this morning, but she didn’t want to push it. Besides, after last night’s nightmare, she wasn’t sure if she was in her right mind in the first place and maybe it was just her brain playing tricks on her, making her hear things that weren’t really there.

“Well, alright then,” she said reluctantly,” I’m going downstairs for breakfast so I’ll see you down there alright?”

“Yeah! I’ll be down lickity split!”

Twilight left Pinkie to her business and went over to their bed so she can fix it up. Just because they didn’t live in Ponyville and in her beloved tree home anymore didn’t mean she was going to deviate from her tidy nature. Her horn lit up and lifted the blanket into the air, straightening out and laying it back down onto the bed. There was no wrinkle or blemish on it; it was perfection.

She then began her next order of business and went over to her desk that was placed right next to their window. Books, parchment, quills, and even spilled ink littered the desk from her tedious research from past days. Twilight reached over her neck and took hold of the chain that was wrapped around her neck and lifted it, taking the black gem off. She held it out in front of her and stared into its swirling black cloud. Something entranced her about this artifact, but it also frustrated her. For weeks she had studied every text on ancient artifacts, rituals, and relics of magic, but there was none about Rebris. To put it simply, she was no closer to finding how to bring her friends back then she was when Pinkie gave it to her.

Twilight set the necklace down atop the mess she had and stared at it. She didn’t want to wear it today. It was Sweetie Belle’s birthday and she didn’t want anything reminding her or anypony else about the hell they currently live in and the looming shadow that was Princess Luna; waiting for them to reveal themselves and kill them all. She just wanted today to be normal, something she hadn’t had for such a long time. Something that none of them had for so long.

You should probably get downstairs Twilight. Staring at that won’t get you any closer to figuring it out.

Twilight sighed, ripping her gaze away from the trinket.

I know. Just I have to figure this out soon. I don’t know how much longer we can hide. Luna’s going to eventually find us and everypony’s life is depending on me getting our friend’s back.

Well, don’t ponder on it for now Twilight. It’s been awhile since you actually took a break and you need it. Besides, I believe you and Pinkie have a lot of party preparations to make.

She couldn’t agree more but could she afford a break? Was Luna taking a break from finding them? Her mind was tired and she really didn’t want to think about such things. They just had to go day by day and hope for the best and if Luna did find them, she knew she would do anything to protect her loved ones, but she wasn’t sure if she would do it for the right reason.

“Hey Twilight!”

The mare heard the boyish voice and knew it was her one and only assistant calling from downstairs for her. She quickly made her way out the bedroom door and went to the top of the stairs and looked down to meet a set of green eyes. Spike was much taller now than her, especially after his sudden growth spurt over the past few weeks. His wings were tucked into his body and he was much more defined and toned, a quality she was sure that Sweetie Belle had no objection to.

“Good morning Spike. How did you and Sweetie Belle sleep last night?” Twilight said with a smirk, knowing the reaction she would get out of him.

As expected, his purple face turned a dark crimson and he gave a very coy smile.

“Oh, heh, yeah she slept fine... I guess.”

“Oh, I’m sure she did Spike,” Twilight replied slyly. It was amusing seeing her lifelong friend this way. It was no secret that him and Sweetie Belle were smitten with each other and have definitely taken their relationship quite far but he always seemed so nervous every time somepony brought their relationship up.

Spike scratched the back of his head, shifting his eyes around and finally brought them up to meet hers.

“Okay, um well, Cadence wanted me to tell you that she has breakfast ready for you and Pinkie Pie.”

“Okay. Pinkie is cleaning herself up and I’ll be down in just a few moments anyways,” she replied.

“Alright.”

Spike left and Twilight went back to her room and went over to a chest with a mirror attached to it. She opened a drawer and pulled out a brush with her magic and began combing her unruly mane. Looking into the mirror at her own visage, she studied herself. Her mane was a bit longer than she usually liked it to be but other than that, she still looked like the same Twilight Sparkle, but inside she was far from that. She didn’t feel like Twilight Sparkle, not the one from so long ago. She didn’t know what she was and looking at her own image only reminded her of what she used to be.

What am I now?

You are Twilight Sparkle, a unicorn. Have you forgotten your own name and race now?

“Ugh,” she said quietly as she finished grooming her mane.

That was rhetorical and no I didn’t forget my name or race, thank you.

Oh. Why ask yourself such a question then?

Forget it.

Twilight put the brush back in the drawer and looked back at the mirror. Her purple eyes stared back at her, almost as if she was looking back into her own soul. She stood up on her hind legs and looked at her underbelly. There was a small faint scar that was present right in the center of her stomach. The mark that Luna had left on Twilight by impaling her with a blade; a mark that would have never been there without Celestia’s help. Her heart ached once again at the thought of Celestia. She didn’t understand why she was subjecting herself to this torture but something inside her told her she had to, like some type of punishment for her failure.

She set herself back down onto her hooves and made her way out of the room. She refused to dwell on such things. That was all the past and she had to worry about the present, regardless of the constant reminders. Twilight wanted to be happy or at least fake being happy for Sweetie Belle’s sake. She wanted her to have a good birthday, as hard as that was when they all knew that her one and only sister wouldn’t be there, just like her past birthdays.

But this time was different.

Never had Twilight actually held a party for her nor did Sweetie Belle want one. Of course, she didn’t know she was actually getting one but Twilight had decided that now would probably be the best time to do so, especially now that they had Pinkie Pie back. That pink mare could make anypony happy with her parties.

The lavender mare left the room and began to descend the stairs. The smell of oats and something sweet like syrup filled her nostrils, making her stomach ache for it. She was surprised by how hungry she was feeling now. Maybe last night’s episode took more out of her than just mentally. She passed the living room and went inside the kitchen, welcomed by the image of Sweetie Belle and Spike sitting at the table together, gobbling their breakfast down. Cadence stood, feeding Daisy Song who didn’t feel like cooperating and turning her head when her mother tried to put the spoon to her mouth. Twilight looked over to the end of the table where her brother, Shining Armor, sat. He had a glass of milk beside him and reading what looked like a newspaper.

“Well, about time you got up Twily,” Shining Armor said with a grin, being the first one to take notice of her.

Sweetie Belle and Spike began to snicker hearing her brother call her that but she disregarded it.

“Hey Shining. I would have been down here earlier but I was checking on Pinkie Pie. She’ll be down soon hopefully.”

Shining Armor cocked his brow, wondering what happened to his sister’s marefriend.

“Did something happen last night? Did she-,” he paused, trying to think of how he was going to word his question to her, “Well, you know?”

Twilight knew what he was referring to and was grateful that he was trying to be discreet, especially in the presence of Spike and Sweetie Belle. They had no clue about the series of nightmares that Pinkie would sometimes have about their deceased friends, and Twilight didn’t want them to know. Pinkie made her promise that she wouldn’t tell anypony, at least until Shining Armor found her one night in the living room crying her eyes out. Of course Cadence knew; her brother was not one to hide things from his wife and Cadence swore she would never say anything directly to Pinkie about it.

“No, at least that I know of. Pinkie is just in the restroom cleaning herself up.”

“What are you two talking about? Is something wrong with Pinkie?” Spike asked, now finally taking note of their conversation.

“It’s nothing Spike, just eat your oats,” Twilight quickly said, diverting the question.

“Oh speaking of oats,” Cadence interjected, “Here are your oats Twilight.” A bowl floated over to the table and set itself gently down before Twilight. She looked into the bowl of the hot substance. She could smell the sweet scent of what she thought to be brown sugar with a mix of a variety of berries. Her stomach began to twist from hunger and she couldn’t blame it. Ever since she was a small filly and Cadence was her foal-sitter, the alicorn had an affinity for the culinary arts.

Twilight looked up to give Cadence her thanks, but she stopped. Spectral vein-like structures appeared within her brother’s wife. It was the side-effect of Celestia’s magic appearing once again. Twilight wasn’t really surprised by this, as this was now becoming a bit more frequent but yet sporadic. She knew these vein-like structures she saw weren’t natural, seeing that there was no blood flowing through them but something else. There was a glowing pink substance flowing through them at a constant speed, but she still didn’t know what it was, nor had the time to really study it. There was one thing she had noticed about it over the past few weeks though. The phenomena that flowed through these spectral veins were a different color for everypony and some flowed faster than others. She had determined that in unicorns, the flow was faster while earth ponies and pegasi were much slower. For what reason, she didn’t know yet.

“Twilight, are you okay?” Cadence now said, taking notice of her staring right at her.

She closed her eyes for a moment and opened them. The spectral veins were now gone and now everypony and a dragon were staring at her.

“Uh, yeah sorry. I didn’t even notice I was staring, guess I’m still a bit tired from last night,” she lied.

Why do you not tell them about what you see?

They wouldn’t understand and they would only worry. We all have enough to worry about and I just want everything to be somewhat normal today.

Do you know that for sure?

Yes, now please leave me alone for now.

“Did you have trouble sleeping last night?” her brother now asked.

She did, more than he could know but he didn’t need to know that.

“No, just stayed up too late was all. So, what time do you guys have to go for Daisy’s checkup?” Twilight asked, wanting to avoid any more questions about last night.

“We’re going to be leaving here in a few-” Cadence began but was quickly interrupted by a bubbly voice that they all knew.

“Goooooood morning everypony!” Pinkie exclaimed, hopping right into the kitchen. She plopped her rump right on the chair next to Twilight and gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Morning,” they all said in unison.

“So what’s for breakfast?” Pinkie asked, not wasting time in letting her hunger be known. She turned her gaze to Twilight’s bowl of oats. “Oh yummy! Oats!” Pinkie opened her mouth and her tongue rolled out and she gobbled the whole bowl and its contents.

“Pinkie!” Twilight exclaimed, “That was mine!”

Everyone else was just staring in bafflement except for Daisy who was laughing at such a feat.

Pinkie popped out the bowl out of her mouth back onto the table.

“Oh sorry Twilight, I was super hungry and it looked sooooo good!” Pinkie said apologetically.

Twilight shook her head but she couldn’t really be upset at her. Pinkie Pie was being Pinkie Pie and she wouldn’t have it any other way. For her not to act weird wouldn’t be normal, especially with her suspicions about her this morning. She guessed that she was just really hearing things because if something was wrong with her, it would definitely show and Pinkie would tell her.

“It’s okay. I wasn’t hungry anyways.”

She was ravenous but it’s not like she had went without food anyways before. The ten years she searched for Pinkie proved that she didn’t need food that much, as during the time, searching for Pinkie was the only thing she did.

“So, what were you saying? You’re leaving in a few what?” Twilight continued, going back to what Cadence was saying before Pinkie interrupted her.

“We’re going to be leaving in a few minutes,” she said, now pulling Daisy out of her high chair. “She has to get a few shots unfortunately so we’re probably going to be there for most of the day.”

Perfect.

That was more than plenty time to get the small party set up and with Pinkie’s abilities, it should take minimal time. She might even have some free time to do some research on Rebris.

“Wait, were leaving like right now? I thought the appointment wasn’t until noon?” Shining Armor questioned, looking over to his wife.

“No honey, I re-scheduled for early this morning so we’re not caught in Manehattan rush. We’re going to be in the waiting room for a good period of time so it’s best we just get this done as early as possible,” she said, lifting Daisy out of her high chair.

“Oh...alright. Well, if that’s the case...” he now looked over to everyone else, “Guys, I need to speak to Twilight alone if that’s okay.”

What?

Twilight looked over to her brother, wondering what he had to tell her that everypony had to leave for.

“Wait, why? Does it have something to do with Luna?” Spike questioned.

Twilight felt a sharp surge of anger hearing that name but she quickly quelled it.

“It’s not about her Spike. Don’t worry about it okay? I only need a few minutes with my sister. Besides, I think you should probably be helping your marefriend here get ready to leave,” Shining said with a smirk.

“Yeah Spike, I sure do need your help,” Sweetie Belle said slyly, making the dragon blush heavily.

“Yeah, let’s get the birthday girl ready!”

Pinkie Pie hopped out of her chair and grabbed the two in a blinding quickness, leaving her and her brother alone. Twilight turned her attention to him, curious to what he wanted to say to her.

“I’m going to get Daisy ready. We will meet you at the hospital alright?” Cadence said, holding Daisy as the foal played with her mother’s mane.

“I shouldn’t be that long but sure.”

They both gave each other a small kiss and Cadence left, taking her foal upstairs.

Letting curiosity now take hold of her, Twilight asked the question.

“Why did everypony have to leave? What’s wrong?”

Shining Armor looked down at the paper he was reading earlier and handed it to her.

“Look at page eight, section six.”

She obeyed and went straight to the excerpt and read what her brother instructed her to.

Last night, four families were found dead with one stallion missing in Trottingham this morning, mangled and some almost beyond recognition. The Lunar Guard has investigated the deaths and has determined that they were caused by an enraged Manticore that has now been put down. They suspect no foul play in these horrendous deaths.

The families are as follows:

The Hammer family: Husband, wife, and two foals deceased.

The Lerit Family: Husband, wife, and filly deceased.

The Shield Family: Husband, wife, and colt deceased.

The Brass Family: Husband missing, wife and two filly’s deceased.

* Specific names will not be given out until investigation is complete and relatives had been contacted*

Twilight finished the small article and knew exactly why Shining Armor was showing her this. She knew that this was no manticore attack, especially in Trottingham. Thanks to her studies of wildlife migrations when she was younger, she knew that a Manticore’s migration path didn’t even come near the town. No, this was foul play and it was Luna who killed these unfortunate families.

"She's searching for us."

Twilight brought her gaze back upon her brother. His face was expressionless but she could see through the mask; he showed signs of sorrow.

“I know... but there’s something more to this, isn’t there Shining?”

By the look in his face, she knew there was something more, but she didn’t know what. Luna was making it very clear that she was coming for them and this was her way of sending that message.

“I know those families Twilight,” he said, resting his head on his hoof against the table, “They were soldiers in the Solar Guard before we disbanded. I knew their wives and kids...”

She knows? She knows who were parts of the Solar Guard? How?

Why don’t you ask him?

As much as she didn’t want to, especially seeing that he was obviously in distress about this news, she needed to know how Luna knows what pony’s served Celestia.

“Do you think she knows who was part of the guard?”

Shining Armor looked up at her and swallowed hard. She could see he was holding back tears, but his training as a soldier wouldn’t let him.

“I suspect so but I don’t know how she does. All four of those stallions served the guard and that bitch killed not just them but their whole families.” He slammed his hoof onto the table, making even Twilight jerk a bit, “She killed them all, even small foals.”

Twilight looked back down at the paper. She didn’t have any words that could comfort her brother but she knew the pain.

...Husband missing...

She read it again.

Brass Family...husband missing.

It seems Luna is taking prisoners?

The inner voice’s suggestion was right. That could be the only reason why Luna would let this stallion live, but why? Why kill the others and yet take him alive?

“Well, what about this one who’s missing? The stallion from the Brass family?”

“Yeah, his name is Golden Brass. He was a corporal and specialized in defensive magic and communications,” her brother answered.

“Do you know why she would take him and not the other?”

Twilight didn’t see what Luna would want with a stallion like that. She expected some high ranking officer that held maybe sensitive information and such. This stallion was just a corporal with talents that didn’t seem to be in any way shape or form beneficial to Luna.

“I have no idea Twilight, and what’s worse, there’s nothing I can do about it. There’s nothing none of us or the other guards in hiding can do.”

He was distressed but there was nothing Twilight could do for him. She had hoped to just have a normal day without any mention of Luna, but it seems even small wishes couldn’t even be granted. Hearing her brother and reading the article only told her one thing: time was running out and she needed to get her friend’s back soon, very soon. If Luna inexplicably knew who served Celestia before, it was only a matter of time before she came to their door and made a bloody mess out of them.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

She didn’t know what to say other than that. She was sorry that these poor families had more than likely suffered horrible, drawn out deaths. She knew Luna loved to draw out pain; she was not in the business of mercy. She was sorry that her brother now probably felt more than responsible for this but she was mostly sorry that she wasn’t faster. She should have her friend’s by now and Luna buried six feet underground. So now, it wasn’t just their lives on the line, but anypony that was still loyal to the late Celestia. If pressure wasn’t on her before, it definitely was now.

“I’m sorry Twilight... I just didn’t want to ruin everypony else’s day with this. I mean, I didn’t want to ruin yours but I just thought that you would like to know because you're my sister and all.”

She knew her brother meant well and he was not one to hide things from her, though she couldn’t say the same for herself, but she appreciated that he would come to her with this.

“I understand and don’t worry. I’m going to get my friend’s back and Luna will be stopped from all this...I promise.”

Shining Armor nodded.

“I know you will Twily. You're not one to break promises,” he said with a small smile.

I hope you’re right...

She didn’t say anything and returned a hollow smile. She wasn’t sure if she could keep this promise but if it provided her brother momentary pause from his hidden grief, so be it.

“Shining, are you and Twilight still talking because Sweetie Belle and I are ready? If not, we will meet you at the hospital,” Cadence called out from the other room.

“I’ll be right there! Gimme a few seconds!”

Shining Armor took the paper back and quickly got up and stuck it in the trash. Twilight scooted out of her chair, seeing that there was nothing left to say about the matter nor did she want to. Her mind ran with too many questions and the image of Luna looking for them pressed her inner eye.

“Well, I better get going so you three can get started on your arrangements,” her brother said with a wink.

He could act normal all he wanted, but Twilight knew better. His mind was consumed with guilt and hate for Luna, but his skills as a soldier proved well enough to hide his true feelings from everypony else.

“Yeah, I suppose we should, and you better get going.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later then.”

Twilight nodded and her brother left the kitchen. She stood still, listening for the door that led to the outside close. She heard the door click and knew that Cadence, her brother, and Sweetie Belle were now gone.

That bitch... she has to make others suffer...

Twilight began to shake as she thought more about Luna and what she did to these poor families. What Luna was doing to her brother. What Luna was doing to her.

Damn her...

Her anger was filling her to the brim. Flashes of images of her friend’s screaming in pain and Luna smiling filled her mind, and she could only imagine the screams of those unfortunate children she killed.

She killed foals... defenseless, innocent...

“Damn her!” she yelled, slamming both her hooves on the table.

Calm yourself Twilight.

She wanted to kill her more than ever. She wanted to rip her body apart, limb by limb.

Why is she doing all this!? Why does she make others suffer?! How can I be calm with the hell she is putting us through?!

Because there is nothing you can do about it Twilight. Your goal is to get your friends back and nothing more. Get them back and kill Luna. That’s all that matters. You should expect ponies to die but you getting angry doesn't help the issue. You will only get yourself killed, just like you almost did last time. If you fail, many more will die.

It was harsh but it did have a point. There was nothing she could do about it and she knew the dangers of her getting angry would bring. She took a deep breath and calmed herself as best she could.

Good. Just focus on today Twilight and don’t worry about the outside for now. I think the last thing anypony needs here is for you to get angry. Go get this birthday set up.

Yeah... yeah okay... thanks.

Anytime.

Twilight rubbed her forehead and waited a few more moments longer before she would make her way upstairs to see what Pinkie and Spike were up to. She couldn’t focus on things she couldn’t control, but Luna remained in her brain.

Luna was hunting for them and she was going to kill anypony that was in her way until she found them. Families, mares, stallions, colts, fillies, foals, it didn’t matter. Luna now made that clear to her and she would have to stand by and watch while she worked to unlock Rebris.

They were sitting ducks and the hunter was coming for them.

Next: Part 3
The Hunter