When They Come: Pt. 2

>Mrs. Cake slides a piece of peach pie across the table to you. You regard it with little appetite, but don’t push it back to her or refuse it. After hearing a a bit about what happened, the Cakes have been hovering around you, offering you every type of sweet under the sun. It must be how they deal with problems, you think. It makes sense though, considering they're caring for pinkie and are bakers by trade.
“Oh sweetheart wont you eat a little something?” Mrs. Cake says.
>Never mind that she's already stuffed you with two brownies and part of a buttercream iced cake.
>You sigh and pick up your fork. You poke at the crust and the familiar sticky sweet smell of Mrs. Cake’s cooking rises to your nostrils. Usually it makes you hungry, but right now it only makes you feel sick. Still, you spear a piece of crust and force it down, for her sake.
“It tastes nice,” you say. “Thank you.”
“Of course honey, we were worried about you last night when you didn’t come back. Pinkie said you were probably just out partying.”
>You smile a little.
“She wasn’t wrong. Kinda wish she’d come with me or we’d partied here instead though.”
>You remember Pinkie Pie catching you collecting the cider the night before, the way she’d stifled a giggle and showed you where the better stuff was. She had declined to go with you, but given you her party blessing in the way of a short song.
“Oh, well...sweetheart I’m glad she didn’t. Sounds like you had a bad night.”
“I guess that’s true,” you sigh. “I don’t know, maybe she would have handled it better.”
“Anon...” Mrs. Cake fumbles with he words uncomfortably. “We all make mistakes and all. We’ll figure out what happened, you mark my words.”
>As if on cue there is a short knock on the front door. Mrs. Cake leaps to her feet and rushes to answer it.
“Oh, coming darlings, be right there!”
>She must be uncomfortable talking to you, you realize. Poor woman, at least the new company will offer her some reprieve.
“Oh! Mayor so nice to see you!” you hear from the front door of the shop. “Won’t you come in?”
>So much for that.
>You watch as the mayor comes through the door, followed by Mrs. Cake and Twilight Sparkle. They all look concerned.
“I’ll get tea and cakes,” Mrs. Cake says quickly.
>She rushes to the kitchen and you hear the clatter of pots and pans. She’s not getting cake, you realize. She’s making it from scratch. Anything not to be privy to this conversation probably, you muse to yourself.
“Hey Anon, how is your head feeling?” Twilight asks as she spots you. "I thought I told you to lie down when you got back."
>You just shrug as response and indicate the piece of pie in front of you.
“Ah,” she says.
“Did you find the other fillies? The...Marigold’s parents?”
>You force yourself to use her name, though it rolls very uncomfortably off your tongue. Twilight nods.
“Yeah, we found the girls. They were really scared and didn’t tell anyone about that night because they were afraid of getting in trouble over the cider.” She sighs. “They don’t remember seeing the attacker, just a shadow and then screaming.”
“Yeah, I think only Marigold and I saw it.”
>The mayor clears her throat and you all stop talking.
“Young Anon,” she says slowly, and you can hear how carefully she is choosing her words. “I need you to tell me everything that happened. The fillies are quite shaken by the experience and word will spread quickly, so I think we should make an announcement about it soon.”
“Today,” Twilight corrects. “If you don’t do it today, rumors are going to go flying like crazy. We have to keep this place orderly somehow.”
“You should know,” the mayor says, fixing you with a serious look. “This is the first...murder we’ve had in Ponyville since I’ve been alive.”
>“Oh.”
>You can’t think of anything else to say. None in the last few decades? Maybe in the last half century? None at all? They probably don’t even have police to handle something like this.
“What are you going to do about it?” you ask.
“I’m inclined to try to deal with it on our own at first, just Ponyville citizens,” the mayor says. “We’ll try to get to the bottom of this and capture those responsible. If that proves difficult, we can contact the palace at Canterlot. The guards there are trained to deal with dark issues like this. They’ll know what to do.”
“Why not contact them now?”
>The mayor fidgets uncomfortably.
“I’m hoping this is just a wild animal attack,” she says. “That’s fairly easy to take care of without bothering the princess. After all, we have the ponies that make up the elements of harmony here as well as a powerful sorceress in the nearby woods. And you to help lead the investigation if you’re willing?”
“Me?”
“Well you remember the most out of the incident.”
“It’s fuzzy though.”
“Better than nothing. Will you do it?”
>You hesitate. Reliving the experience over and over doesn’t sound fun at all. But catching whatever killed that poor little pony? Now that’s something you feel obligated to do. Maybe if she hadn’t been drunk...
>You tell yourself not to think about it.
“Yes,” you say, standing from the table. “I’ll help.”
“Excellent, now tell me everything,” the mayor says. “Leave nothing out.

>You recount the event for the mayor, again omitting the part where you may have seen a face. Probably just your drunken imagination playing tricks on you. She listens, flinching at the details you give about  Marigold stumbling and the thing attacking her. Twilight doesn’t look at you once, and closes her eyes tight as you tell about the blind rush to her front door. When you finish, she lets out a low breath like she’s been holding it the whole time.
“And that’s just about all,” you say.
“I see,” the Mayor says. “Well that’s certainly a lot of information. I have a speech to write for this afternoon. Twilight? Will you start looking through books for any information on what this might be?”
“I’ll get right on it Mayor,” she says.
>The mayor walks to the door and pauses there for a moment. She glances over one shoulder at you.
“And feel better, Anon.”
>You nod at her. She exits and shuts the door behind her. Twilight shakes her head and looks up at you dolefully.
“No one’s really sure what to do right now. Nothing like this is happened in so long and everyone’s getting scared. Where you come from...does this sort of thing happen?”
>You wish you could tell her no. You wish you could say that you’ve never seen someone shot before, never seen a dead body on the news or internet, because it might not crush that hopeful look in her eye. But earth is nothing like Equestria and it might give her some comfort to know that you can deal with this emotionally. Earth isn't a bad place by your standards, just very different, and if nothing else it's made you grow a much thicker skin than any of these ponies.
“Yes,” you say dryly. “Yes it happens quite a lot back where I come from. But that just means that I can help you, teach you how to handle it.”
>She looks away.
“I just want this to be over already,” she whispers.
“We'll work in it together. I’m not going to let this keep happening, and the fear you're feeling right now will pass with time, ok? You've got to concentrate on whatever tasks we have to do and be strong about all this.”
>She nods, but the smile that crosses her face is painfully forces.
“I should get going,” she says. “See you at the announcement this afternoon?”
“Right.”
>You consider giving her a quick hug, but before you can make up your mind she’s already gone.
>Mrs. Cake bursts through the kitchen doors balancing a steaming plate of small cakes on her back and holding a tea pot in her teeth. She sets them down on the table.
“Alright I’ve got some butter cream and a little…”
>She looks around, realizing that just about everyone is gone.
“Well darn!” she says, scowling at the cakes on the platter. “And they were made with love too! Guess the two of us will have to finish it off Anon.”
>Oh goodie.

----

>People are beginning to congregate in the town square as you follow the Cakes into the heart of Ponyville. The crowd rumbles uneasily, whispering rumors and hearsay. Anything they’ve heard about what this is all about. The podium is ready and Twilight stands beside it, still nose deep in a book. You wonder if she’s found anything yet, but you doubt it.
>The mayor appears and walks briskly up to the podium. She holds up her hooves for silence and the twittering ponies begin to go silent.
“Attention everyp0ny!” she calls. “I have a very important matter to discuss with you all.”
>You move behind a shorter pony so you can easily see the mayor. She looks grim, pale, but you can see that she’s trying to put on a strong front.
“As some of you may have heard, last night there was an incident just out side of our fair city. Several young ponies were attacked and one was...killed.”
>She chokes out the word, like it’s foreign to her. The crowd rumbles and the mayor puts up her hooves for quiet again. The voices die down.
“It is suspected that this act was not an accident and that we have some creature on the loose. Perhaps even one with dark intents. However,” she ads quickly before the crowd can erupt again. “This is considered to be an isolated incident and did not happen within the city. We are forming a group to investigate this incident and bring whoever did this to swift justice.”
>Swift justice. What the hell would that even mean? Did ponies execute their prisoners? Turn them to stone? Are there pony prisons?
“Till this is all figured out, I ask that you stay inside your homes during the night and only travel in pairs during the day. School will be held as normal, businesses will remain open. Even during the day, do not travel outside the city or wander into the woods. Our concern is primarily for your safety. Together we can get through this, as a community. Please, pray for the families of those effected by this tragedy and that those responsible are found expediently. Thank you.”
>She steps away from the podium and walks briskly away from the crowd. Probably trying to avoid questions, you think. The mayor certainly knows how to give a speech, you have to give it to her, but she’s probably not at all equipped for the kinds of questions this town has.
>Ponies don’t seem to be in full on panic after this bit of news, but they are obviously unsettled. A few are hugging their children, others are already trotting back to their homes with obvious intention: not to come out till all this is over. You stand in the town center and watch them all disperse, wondering how it is ponies cope with grief. Well, besides the Cakes. You know their methods.
>Twilight Sparkle steps up to the podium and taps the microphone with her hoof.
“Pinkie, Anon, Rarity, AJ, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash.”
>Hearing your name, you look up.
“Could you all come meet me in the library in a few minutes? We have some planning to do.”
>She climbs down and gallops away from you, probably going to collect supplies or make her house more presentable. You hadn’t even considered that the others might get involved with this, but it seems to make sense.
>You catch Mrs. Cake’s eye where she stands being comforted by Mr. Cake. She nods at you to indicate that she’s heard what Twilight has said and understands where you need to go. You give her a small wave and set off for the library.

----

>You’re the first to arrive, and as you expected you find Twilight rushing from shelf to shelf in a frenzy. Spike follows her across he floor, trying his best to catch the wide array of books that come flying towards him.
“Need this one, this one, oh definitely this,” she’s muttering. “Spike, where’s that mystery novel, the one with the detective pony?”
“Um I-“ spike starts to say before being cut off again.
“Oh no, I can’t find the Medical Inspector’s Handbook! It’s got to be-“
>You clear your throat and Twilight freezes mid step. Her head snaps in your direction, and when she sees you she seems to relax, though only a little.
“Oh, Anon you’re already here,” she breathes.
“Yep, the others are probably on their way.”
“That’s good, need to get organized. Order, structure, readiness, got to be prepared for every possible scenario!”
>Well, now you know what Twilight’s coping mechanism is.
“Don’t worry, relax,” you say, trying to sound soothing.
“Can’t relax!” she’s already running to another book shelf, any relief your presence given her gone. “Too much to do.”
“Twilight.”
“Got to get the books I need, a magnifying glass, got to make a plan of action.”
“Twilight.”
“After all, thinking this through beginning to end is the best way to-"
"Twilight!”
>She goes still at your yell. She sits down raggedly on the floor and her eyes go glassy.
“I’m sorry Anon,” she says blankly. “I just want to be sure that we do the best we can.”
“We will,” you assure her. “We’ve got to.”
>There’s a soft cough by the door. You both turn to find Fluttershy there, staring down at her hooves. >Applejack peers in behind her, looking with obvious concern at Twilight.
“Were, um, here,” Fluttershy says quietly. “Should we come in?”
“Of course, come in you two,” Twilight Sparkle says. You hope she'll become considerably less neurotic now that there are others to deal with.
>Rarity trots in behind them only a moment later. She seems notably upset by this whole thing, and you can see dark puffy circles under her eyes from  where her mascara has been running. She approaches you and puts a hoof against your thigh.
“Anon, I hear you were right in the thick of things the other day,” she says, voice quavering with emotion. “I just wanted to tell you how courageous and how noble I think you are for trying to rescue that dear sweet girl. And...that I’m here for you if you need a place to have tea and just talk about things. Really dear, anything I can do for you.”
>You can tell she means it, and you manage a smile for her sake and pat her hoof where it rests on your leg.
“Thank you Rarity, I’ll remember that.”
>Rainbow Dash arrives only moments later, and then at last pinkie shows up. She’s hardly her usual bouncy self, but her hair still retains its spunky fluffy curl, so you know she’s not too depressed.
She comes straight up to you and gives you a swift hug around the waist.
“I’m just so glad you weren’t hurt, I mean my family was all worried and I was all feeling bad because I helped you get the cider. It was great cider and all but I didn’t like thinking I might have helped cause this and then I was all ‘oh no, what if he’s hurt because of me’ and then I couldn’t just stop thinking about if you-"
“Pinkie,” you cut her off. “It’s ok, I promise, this isn’t your fault either.”
“It’s nice of you to say that I just-"
“Pinkie. Really. I’m ok.”
>She gives you another quick squeeze and then goes rushing off to talk to Applejack, probably also about the cider.
“Everyp0ny, listen up,” Twilight says.
>You all turn to look at her.
“I have a plan of action for what we need to do about this.”
“Well let’s hear it sugarcube, I’m game for whatever you think is best,” Applejack says.
“That’s right, let’s find out who did this and kick some serious butt” says Rainbow Dash.
“I have jobs for all of you,” Twilight Sparkle continues. “Many of you will stay in town during the investigation to deal with Ponyville, but we all have a vital part to play. Pinkie,” she says, turning to Pinkie Pie.
“Yes Twilight ma’am sir!” she says, raising a hoof in a salute.
“You need to keep the moral up around here. Make sure everyp0ny has food on their table, and make sure you keep the foals smiling and feeling like everything is normal.”
“Okie dokie loki!”
“Applejack, you need to keep commerce going. Make sure you help any shop owners who have troubles, repairing what needs repairing. If anyone needs to travel out to the fields or hills for their work make sure that they have an escort or a ride with Big Mac, so they aren’t weighed down if they need to carry anything.
“You got it!”
“Fluttershy, talk to the animals and see if they have seen any weird creatures around. Make sure that they stay safe, but ask them to look for any sign of something in the natural world being disrupted.”
“Um, okay.”
“Rarity, I need you to make us some garments, by this afternoon, that allow us to move unseen, maybe that offer a little protection just in case we’re…” she searches for a gentler word but doesn’t find it. “Attacked while we’re out there.”
“Of course darling, but I know anon here won’t let anyone get hurt again, will you dear?”
>You nod your head, a solemn promise. It seems to cheer her up a little.
“Rainbow, you need to be patrolling the sky at all times. Get a Pegasus team up and running so that, even at night, we always have a bird’s eye view.”
“On it.”
“And anon,” she turns to you. Her face is set in a calm, focused way that is all business now. “You’ll be with me, investigating the scene of the crime and nearby areas. Can you handle that?”
>She adds the last part a little more gently, as if no is really a feasible answer right now.
“Yes,” you say decisively.
“Ok, Spike, you stay inside and keep this library tidy. Everyone have their jobs?”
>All the pony’s nod in agreement.
“Ok, let’s get to it!”
>The pony’s exit, all intent on the tasks at hand. You look back to Twilight who is slinging on a saddlebag containing tools and books.
“Are you ready to start now?” she asks. “The sooner we can resolve this, the better.”
“Yes,” you say. “And Twilight?”
“Hm?”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. No one else is going to get hurt while I’m on watch.”
She smiles a little at that, affectionately. You’ve never had a thing for Twilight, in fact you’ve fought several times before about a number of different subjects, especially when you first arrived. But right now you feel closer to her than any of the others, and you’re glad she’s the one you’ll be working with.
“Ok,” she says, straightening up. “Let’s go.”

----
End Pt. 2