First Movement: Part 1- Friendship's Fugue
Friendship’s Fugue
“Are you sure you've got them alright, miss?”
Twilight Sparkle’s knees buckled beneath the weight of her two overflowing saddlebags. “Erm… Yes! I’m absolutely fine, I've got this.” She took one shaky step forward before tripping over her own four hooves. Her face flew towards the ground in a downwards arc, stopping mere inches from the train station’s hardwood floor. Her entire body glowed with purple magic as she swiftly set herself back on her feet. Heh, self-levitation, she mused. I’m finding more practical applications for that all the time.
She looked up to see the baggage-stallion frozen in the process of leaping to her rescue, his eyes wide at the display of magic he had just witnessed. “Honestly,” she said again, “I’ve got this.”
The stallion unfroze, mumbled something about “crazy magic,” and went back to his duties. Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes; self-levitation was a very rare spell to see.
She walked out of the train station, skipping to a happy tune as she reentered Ponyville. Her overflowing saddlebags now encased in a familiar purple glow, she trotted through Mane Street without so much as a bead of sweat.
"My home is such a wondrous place
It’s like a dream come true
Since I moved down to Ponyville
And became friends with all of you!"
As she continued towards the marketplace, several ponies waved in greeting. "Heyah, Twilight!" Twilight smiled and waved back, her heart light and her gait bouncy.
"My life is filled with light and joy
I owe it all to thee
The ponies who I most adore
And share with happily!"
Twilight found herself the focus of a blue pegasus flapping her way down the road. “Hey, Twilight! Are those the new books?”
The purple unicorn raised a book out of her saddlebags. “Yup! Imported all the way from the Crystal Empire, express delivery, and they just arrived by train this morning.”
Rainbow Dash zipped down to ground-level and grabbed the book out of her friend’s telekinetic grip. She clutched the book to her chest in anticipation. “Eee! I’ve been wanting to read up on their jousting techniques! Can I borrow it now!?” She looked at the unicorn with shining eyes.
Twilight shook her head. “Sorry Rainbow, I haven’t even had time to add it into the system.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Aw, come on, Sparkle,” she said with a frown. “Can’t I have it for just a couple days?”
Twilight smiled. “Tell you what, I’ll enter this book into the system first” - She snuck the jousting encyclopedia back into her overflowing bag - “Then I’ll bring it to our weekend meet tonight.”
“Oh, all right,” Rainbow Dash brushed her many-colored mane out of her eyes. “Don’t forget that it’s at my place tonight! See you then!”
“You got it!”
Rainbow Dash soared into the sky, orbiting clouds and spinning them into fantastical shapes. She fashioned herself a lance out of a small puff of cirrus. Her head filled with images of hooves pounding, hearts racing and crowds cheering.
"Daring speed, soaring high
This is what makes my heart fly
No matter how great the dangers rise
I’ll never leave my friends behind"
Picking out one cloud in particular as her honorable opponent, she charged full-speed towards it. Keep my head down, my lance steady, and my eyes on where I want to hit the target.
She struck straight and true, obliterating both the target and her lance in a single stroke.
"But more than that, I’ve learned that there’s
Much more to be achieved
Our friendship grows, keeps me on my toes
I’ve never felt more freeeee!"
Twilight clomped her way past Applejack’s stand, greeting a small, yellow filly standing guard. “Hey, Applebloom! How’s business?”
“It’d be a might better if’n you’d buy an apple or five!” the redheaded little gal replied.
“Applebloom!” An orange mare trotted over from the apple cart she was hitching to the stand. “You should be a mite bit more polite.” She turned her gaze to her studious friend and grinned. “B’sides, you look like you want at least six apples.”
Twilight chuckled at the antics. “Thanks for the offer, but I just wanted to stop by and cast a cloud-walking spell on you for our weekend get-together.”
Applejack turned her head to the side, remembering the details of their meet. “Tha's right, Rainbow Dash wanted to show off a little.” A small smirk found its way onto her features. “Nothin’ new about that, is there?”
Twilight shrugged and began to cast her spell. Applejack looked on in apprehension as glowing purple magic crawled its way up her horseshoes, onto her hooves, and up to her fetlocks before finally fading. “Ah’m never gonna get used to that one.”
The spell-caster frowned a bit at that comment. “It’s a pretty simple spell, actually, nothing weird about it.”
Applejack swung a hoof over her friend’s neck, “Twilight, this is me we’re talking about.” She gestured with her other hoof at the ground. “In a choice between clouds and dirt, dirt wins every time. Just nerves is all.”
“If you say so,” Twilight said with a smile. “I’ll see you tonight!”
Applejack called after her lavender friend, “See you then, Twilight!”
Applejack took up residence at her stand, sending her sister away to school so that she could open up shop for the day. Nerves, and a whole lot of bad experience with flying. She remembered her last brush with gravity and shuddered. Taking a deep breath, she produced her patented retail-smile. It ain’t the fall what kills you, though.
"Come one, come all, to my apple stall
Where the price is always right
Fresh produce is my goal in life
Fresh vittles everywhere in sight"
Ponies collected around the stand, and the bits began to fly. Within no time at all, the Apple family stand was bustling with buying, selling, bartering, and sampling.
"My apple farm is the best around
But in all honesty
These apples wouldn't taste near as good
If y’all weren't friends with me"
Twilight made her way up to a large gingerbread-like house sitting in the middle of the city. Said gingerbread house had a large swing-door, and the smell of numerous baked goods drifting along the breeze. Overburdened saddlebags neatly squeezing through the doorway, the unicorn mare walked up to the counter and spoke to the appropriately-shaped bakery’s proprietor. “Good morning, Mr. Cake! Is Pinkie Pie working today?”
The stallion shook his square-jawed head. “’Fraid not, Twilight. We gave her the day off so that she could help Fluttershy with something.”
“Alright, I’ll have to head over there next. Thanks!” Twilight trotted out of Sugarcube Corner and back into the busy street.
As she continued, however, she realized that she should make one more stop along the way. Carousel Boutique is on the way to Fluttershy’s cabin, I’ll see if Rarity’s opened yet.
Taking a quick detour, she found the purple place of business and knocked lightly on the door. A voice that could be accurately described as “sparkling” came from inside. “Come in, we’re open!”
Twilight walked through the doors to find Rarity working hard, as usual. It seemed to be yet another Summer Ensemble for the high-paying ponies of Canterlot. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where the every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique!” Turning around, the white pony saw that it was not a potential customer, but rather a good friend come to visit. “My dear Twilight, how are you? Can I get you anything?”
The purple unicorn shook her head at the white unicorn. “Not today, Rarity. Today I get to do something for you.” She gestured to the pristine white hooves still working the magic-powered sewing machine and explained about the cloud-walking spell.
“Oh, thank you Twilight. I really should learn to do that spell myself one of these days.” There was a glint in Rarity’s eye as she continued. “Especially if the commission from Captain Spitfire pans out.”
Twilight leaned forwards eagerly, “Ooh, have the Wonderbolts commissioned new uniforms?”
Rarity gestured to the negative. “Merely a personal outfit, I’m afraid, something about a ‘hot date.’ Still, it’s good business if it gets the word out in Cloudsdale.”
She removed the cloth and began attaching it to her ponnequin. “I’m most certainly going to be very busy in the near future.”
“Not too busy for your friends, I hope?” Twilight arched her eyebrows slightly.
The curly-maned unicorn smiled back. “Never.”
With the spell cast and Twilight on her way, Rarity put on her red glasses and turned back to the dress. Carefully selecting gems to attach at strategic intervals, she hummed as she worked.
"There’s joy to be had, it needs to be said
In the love of giving gifts
Friend’s smiles glad, as robustly clad
They’re putting on the ritz"
Stitch by stitch, a marvelous red dress took shape on Rarity's model. Sleek curves, wavy lines, and dazzling gems merged into a single outfit, straight from the unicorn's imagination.
" As I seek to spread the word about my
Lovely, sparkling outfits
I hold fast, unto the last
To those with whom my heart lifts"
Twilight made her way down the path to the edge of what could legally be called “Ponyville.” The buildings were much thinner than downtown, though said location was just barely bustling as it was. In the thickest part of the trees before Whitetail Woods started, over a bridge spanning a trickling stream, there stood a cozy little cottage. Waving to a gardener enthusiastically watering some petunias, the magically-inclined mare crossed over onto Fluttershy’s property.
“Piiinkiiiie! Fluuuutershyyy!” Twilight could find neither hide nor hair of her two friends. She checked the chicken pen behind the cottage, then peeked through the open windows of the cottage, and still found no sign of them. Sighing, the purple pony was about to see if the gardener knew where they had gone, when a strange sound rose over the hills beyond.
"Around and around the wheels they go
But where we’re going? I don’t know!
Does the destination really have to mean
More than the journey’s fantastic scenes?"
A sight which could only loosely be described as a parade came over the nearest hill. The aforementioned parade contained no less than five bouncing bunnies, four trundling tortoises, three thrashing thrushes, two perspiring ponies, and one partridge desperately in need of a pear tree.
"When traveling the world abroad
It’s fun, though some might think us odd
To journey with the friends you know
And spread laughter wherever you go!"
The two ponies who led the troop of woodland creatures came to a stop before Twilight Sparkle, who had not moved an inch since the group came into view. The unicorn of the group stared at her two friends unflinchingly for a moment, but then tilted her head to the side. “What?”
One of the ponies, the one with a pink mane, pink coat, and pink disposition, leaped forwards and embraced Twilight with all the force of a sugar-hyped boa constrictor. “Hiyah, Twilight! Fluttershy and I were just finishing our celebration of the first day of summer with our annual hike through the forest!”
The other pony, a pegasus with a pink mane of her own, also moved to embrace Twilight, though a bit more gently. “It’s such a joy to observe the changing seasons,” Fluttershy intoned. “Bringing memories of the past and producing hope for the future.”
The various critters parted along their separate ways, save for a lone bunny who hopped his way onto Fluttershy’s butter-yellow back. He moved to kick back and relax after the long trek through the tame woods beside the town. Fluttershy briefly nuzzled him before turning back to Twilight. “What brings you to this side of town?”
“Pinkie Pie does, I need to cast a cloud walking spell so that she can hang out with us tonight at Rainbow’s house.” Twilight looked at the bouncing bundle of laughter that was Pinkamena Diane Pie. “Ready, Pinkie?”
When the monochromatic earth pony nodded in agreement, Twilight let her magic do the walking, literally. “Ooooh… It tingles!”
“Thank you for helping me keep track of the animals, Pinkie,” Fluttershy spoke up. “Even just Angel by himself can be a bit of a hoof-full.” The white bunny rabbit perched on her back gave her a nasty little stink-face.
“Any timey-wimey, Fluttershy!” Pinkie hopped, skipped, and jumped her way down the path, headed back to Ponyville and more fun.
Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle stood beside the chicken’s pen, conversing for a moment about the weather and the changing seasons. Stating that she would see the Pegasus later that day, Twilight made her way back towards the library, where she could finally deliver her stack of books. Fluttershy waved goodbye, and went about her job as caretaker.
"The simple life is what I lead
No prancing frills or fancy needs
Out here where nature grows the best
And I can find my heart at rest"
Fluttershy tended to her friends; feeding the otters, cleaning the chicken coop, and playing with any creature that happened to stop by. The smiles that lit up their faces brought sureness and warmth to the yellow pegasus.
"I seek shelter from the rain
And food to sustain my body’s strain
But kindness holds much greater girth
Your friendship brings out my full worth"
Twilight knocked on the door to the library, a large tree growing in the middle of town. “Spike! Spiiiiike! Open up!” The door opened and Twilight pushed through.
Bookshelf upon bookshelf spanned the walls of the library, reaching nearly twenty hoof-widths into the air. Ancient tomes, the Encyclopedia Equestria, history, science, magic theory, children’s literature… The library shelves were filled to the brim with all sorts of books.
Save one shelf.
Rather than books, this shelf contained only one occupant, a small baby dragon hanging upside-down from a ladder. “Uh, a little help, Twilight?”
Twilight looked at his precarious predicament and frowned. “Huh? Then who got the door for me?”
“Hiyah!”
“Waaah!”
Twilight vanished beneath a pile of Crystal Empire knowledge as her spell was broken by sheer surprise. Before her stood a minty-green unicorn that she had certainly seen around Ponyville a few times, but had never formally met. She poked her head out of the pile to greet the newcomer. “Umph. Ah, hello, welcome to the Ponyville Library! Is there anything I can help you find?”
The other unicorn’s grin, which was already ear-to-ear, seemed to grow even wider. Her gaze darted around the library, taking in the sight. “Has your new Crystal Empire section arrived yet?”
Twilight glanced at her number-one assistant, still hanging from his toes, and quickly set him on the ground. She lifted herself out of the pile of books and went to work getting them sorted. “The books just arrived, but I’m afraid that they’re not quite ready to be lent out yet.”
The other unicorn gave a small “oh” as her smile vanished. She stood there for a moment, looking around the library, before speaking. “So, are they ready now?”
Twilight didn’t look up from what she was doing, “They still need to be sorted by genre, subject, author, date, page count, and-”
“So, how long is that gonna take?” The unicorn had another smile ready, though this time is was slightly uneasy.
Twilight sighed, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“Oh, sure! I’m Lyra, Lyra Heartstrings!” Lyra pointed to the golden lyre Cutie Mark on her behind.
“Nice to meet you, Lyra,” Twilight said. “ Cataloging all of these books will take a few days at the least. They need to be carefully sorted so that they’ll be easy to find later.”
Lyra sighed, finally defeated. “Alright then, I’ll just have to come back in a few days.”
Twilight’s heart went out to the mint unicorn, she knew exactly how it felt to really, really want to read a book. “Was there a specific subject you wanted to read about?”
“Well, I’ve always been interested in old-timey instruments, the kind nobody really plays anymore. Like my lyre.” The corners of the enthusiastic pony’s mouth turned upwards. “I’d heard about some of the Crystal Empire’s lost instruments from Pinkie Pie, and wanted to go a little more in-depth.”
Twilight put a hoof to her lips, considering. “Well, I do know of one book… It’s not ready to check out yet, but you could stay around the library and read it here.”
Lyra jumped for joy, clicking her horseshoes together at the apex of each leap. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”
Twilight hurriedly shoved a large book into the waiting unicorn’s grasp, “Crystal Flugelhorns and Other Classical Instruments.” Lyra quickly found a reading chair and sat down to peruse the literature.
Twilight turned to Spike, who was quietly stacking the scattered books, and spoke, “So, how’d you manage that little circus act?”
Spike‘s lidded eyebrows spoke volumes of how much he really didn't want to talk about it. “Years of practice, good balance, and a steady claw.”
“Oooh, you have got to teach me a trick or two sometime!” Twilight couldn’t help but rib her Number One Assistant a little.
Said dragon resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at her. “I almost fell off of the ladder just a sec before you came back.” He went back to stacking books, speaking loudly enough to be heard across the library, “Some unicorn busted through the door and scared the heebie-jeebies outta me, shouting about some book that was supposed to come in.”
Twilight looked over to the green mare, still thoroughly entranced in her book. “Good manners cost nothing, you know.”
Spike rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. I just wish I could buy them from other folks sometimes.”
The magical pony hid a grin by opening a book that lacked a dust-jacket. Inside the cover, it read: “Crystal Ewes and Their Ways, by Count Shep.” She filed it under agriculture.
“Kinda funny how fast gossip travels in this town,” Twilight stated as she filed the next book in the pile. “Rainbow Dash sees me leaving the train station with the books, and before I can get home, I’ve already got ponies wanting to check them out.”
Spike glanced in her direction, eyes unsure. “Don’t you mean ‘News?’ It’s not really gossip…”
Twilight flinched at a sudden onrush of memories. “Remember when I had dinner with the Apples last month?”
“Yeah?”
“By the time I got home, I had simultaneously been adopted by the Apples, discovered that Apple Bloom was my long-lost sister, strangled Granny Smith over an overdue library book, and been six months into the pregnancy of Big Mac’s child.”
Spike said nothing for a moment. “Okay, maybe ‘gossip’ is a pretty good word for it.”
They continued sorting for an hour or so, Twilight stopping every few minutes to add another book to the library cataloguing system. Lyra was quiet, for the most part, occasionally letting out a sigh of contentment or an “ooh!” of delight. It was a pleasant, if monotonous, day at the library.
Spike got a strained look in his eye, and his chubby little cheeks bulged out. He looked like he was trying to hold a burp in, but the magical force was too much for his clawed hands to hold back. His mouth opened, and a belch of green flame burst forth. Swirling and shining, the green flame transfigured itself into a small scroll of parchment, landing neatly in the purple-and-green dragon’s fist.
Twilight turned to him. “Is it a letter from Princess Celestia?” She leaned forward eagerly, tipping her entire weight onto her front hooves and letting the back ones hang in the air. A letter from the sovereign ruler of Equestria was no small matter.
Spike removed the seal and opened the scroll, “'Dear Twilight Sparkle…'”
Twilight blinked, “Huh? That’s not how she usually addresses her letters…”
Spike looked at her like a huffy professor might look at a grade-school foal. “Perhaps the lady would like me to read the entire letter, before making any assumptions?”
Twilight might have scolded him if he hadn’t been making such good use of his vocabulary skills. “Oh, all right. Carry on.”
Spike “ahemed” before continuing his reading. “'Dear Twilight Sparkle, we know that you are busy with the library, as well as thine friendship studies…'” Spike raised an eyebrow. “’Thine?’”
“Spike…”
“Right! Anyway…
“'But a new discovery has been made in the former frozen wastes of Northern Equestria. Ancient Ruins predating even the Royal Pony Sisters have been found on the outskirts of the protective bubble around…'” Spike looked up, pupils dilated. “'The Crystal Empire!'”
Lyra had noticed the commotion by now, and had decided to take a closer look. “Wait, wasn’t that place in magical limbo, like, last month? How can the Crystal Empire have ancient ruins?”
Spike’s temper was getting harder and harder to control. “Maybe if I read more, we could find out?” He exhaled through his nostrils, little trails of smoke wafting out.
Lyra seemed oblivious to his frustration. “Yeah, that makes sense…”
Spike continued uninhibited, “'It seems that these ruins escaped the curse that caused the Crystal Empire to disappear for one thousand years, and so have remained in existence to be weathered and lost to the cold. Though the griffons already have an archeological team in place, they require someone with magical expertise to get past a locked door in the heart of the temple.'” Spike looked at Twilight to make a remark, “The emphasis on ‘temple’ is the princess’.
“'Specifically, they require one who has had experience with the dark magic of King Sombra.'”
Twilight Sparkle’s eyes grew large; that magic was very, very dangerous, and she had only used it in the direst of circumstances. And as of yet, only once.
“'Because Princess Celestia has her hooves full running the country, we would ask you to journey to the Crystal Empire as an ambassador for the crown. There you will gather news of the goings-on in the Empire, and join the expedition into the Crystal Ruins.
“'We ask for your prompt reply to this message. Sincerely, Princess Luna of the Night Court.'” Spike rolled the scroll up and produced a new one, quill in hand to write Twilight’s diction.
Twilight was nervous, to say the least, she had barely spoken with the Princess of the Night after their meeting at the Nightmare Night Celebration. Most ponies hadn’t even seen her since that night. It felt sort of like writing to that uncle you’ve seen at least once a year, but never really took the time to get to know. Except that the uncle used to be an evil overlord planning on bringing Everlasting Night to the world.
“Uh…” Twilight began. “'Dear Princess Luna?'”
Spike wrote her opening line, a gentle “scritch, scritch,” coinciding with each pen stroke. He turned back to her with expectant eyes.
Twilight’s mouth moved without forming words. She hemmed and hawed a little, trying to think of something, anything, to say. She was about to start again when she was interrupted by a loud, girlish squeal.
“You’re going to the Crystal Empire!? That’s so awesome!” Lyra Heartstrings grabbed Luna’s letter in her golden telekinetic grip. She ran her eyes down the request, taking in the details. “So, what are you gonna write back?”
Spike snatched the scrap of parchment back from the exuberant unicorn. “We were just getting to that part.”
Twilight took a deep breath and began again, “'Dear Princess Luna, I would be happy to journey to the Crystal Empire and join the expedition. I just need a few days to prepare and find a substitute librarian. I look forwards to, um, joining the expedition?'” She raised an inquisitive brow at Spike, who shrugged.
“Good enough for me, I guess.”
“Fair enough. 'Yours Truly, Twilight Sparkle,'” Twilight finished.
Lyra looked from Spike, to Twilight, and then back to Spike. She couldn’t help but notice that neither of them seemed to be batting an eye at the news they’d just been told. “So, you guys just… periodically go on epic adventures?”
Spike rolled the new letter up and sealed it. “Pretty much.” He let loose a green, magical flame and the scroll was eaten up in the blaze. The enchanted fire flew out of the window and off into the sky towards Canterlot, a heck of a lot faster than it would have traveled by carrier.
Lyra’s mouth practically dropped to the floor. “No way.”
Twilight had her own quill and parchment out, jotting down supplies that she would need to gather for her trip. “Way.”
“Wow.” Lyra stared out into the middle distance. “It’d be amazing to go on that kinda journey.”
The two librarians began packing for the trip, with Lyra hanging around the edges. She soon spoke up again. “You know, I have several skills that could be very useful when traveling.”
“Oh?” Twilight spoke without much care. “Like what?” She lowered a few scarves into her suitcase, not wanting to be caught unawares in the middle of the frozen tundra once more.
“Weeeellll, since you asked…” Lyra’s smile returned with the full luster of her pearly-whites. “I’m a pretty good cook, thanks to rooming with Sweetie Drops; i’ve got decent wilderness explorer skills, thanks to Brownies…”
“That’s nice,” Twilight said without looking up. Her attention was closely focused on comparing her checklist with what actually made its way into her bag.
“And, really, every team of adventurers needs a bard companion, wouldn’t you say?”
“Huh? Of course.” Twilight checked off the final box on her checklist, handing it off to Spike, before unrolling a Double-Check List. She ran down the line once more, making doubly, no, triply sure that she had everything.
“Wouldn’t you say that you need a bard to come with you on your adventure?” Lyra leaned in close to Twilight, who had just finished marking off her new list.
“Hmm? Probably.” Twilight zipped the suitcase closed and carried it to the front door, so that it would be easy to get to when she left. It always paid to pack early.
“You know a bard that’s very, very available?” Lyra was mere inches away from Twilight, it spoke magnitudes about the purple unicorn’s focus that she didn’t even notice.
“Nope.” Twilight walked at a steady pace back to Spike. Spike had a sort-of-kind-of “what is this mare getting at?” face on, simultaneously perplexed and curious about where the minty unicorn was going with this.
“Would you say that, if you found a bard, you would ask her on the spot to join you on your epic quest?”
Ah, that’s the hitch, thought Spike. Too bad Twilight’s too sharp to-
“Sure, why not?” Twilight began to sort the Crystal Empire books once more, stacking and preparing to shelve the ones she had already marked.
“I ACCEPT!” Lyra soared through the air and landed right on top of a thoroughly confused Twilight Sparkle. “Look, I know we just met and all but I promise I won’t let you down!” She got off of the utterly squashed pony and continued breathlessly, “So, when are we leaving?”
Twilight refilled her lungs a few times before speaking. “I, *huff-puff*, was, *puff-huff*, planning on leaving, *gasp*, next week Monday, but…”
“Great! I’ll see you then!” Lyra ran out the door for all she was worth. “Wait until my friends hear about this! I’m going on an adventuuuuuuuuure!!!”
Spike’s mouth hung open so far he could have caught some decent-sized flies. “What just happened?”
Twilight’s hair was mussed up beyond what a mere comb could get out. She walked up behind her assistant and sighed. “I think I just got a tag-along.”
“And you’re letting her come along?” Pinkie’s eyes twinkled with delight. “Hehehe! That’s so funny!”
“Suckered y’all right into it, didn’t she?” Applejack grinned cheekily. “Ah kinda figured you were quicker on the uptake, Twi.”
Twilight stuck her tongue out at her friends, pouting mightily. “I was busy.”
“Too busy to notice that a neon-green unicorn was invitin’ herself along for the ride?” Applejack was shaking with the giggles.
“She’s not neon, she’s just bright,” Twilight corrected her friend automatically, not choosing her words too carefully.
“Brighter than y’all, ah guess.”
“Probably a few shades…” The purple unicorn’s horn sparked with realization that she had just been zinged. “You think you’re awfully funny, don’t you Applejack?”
“Eeyup.” Applejack’s swished her blond mane back and trotted forwards happily.
The three ponies were walking up the path to Rainbow Dash’s cloud house, a floating house made entirely out of, you guessed it, clouds.
Not to say that it wasn’t magnificent.
Pegasus architecture was still very traditional; sweeping lines, ornamental columns, and one very stylish liquid-rainbow waterfall graced the homestead. Twilight was amazed every time she saw it. “Did she build it herself?”
Applejack’s mane waved back and forth as she shook her head. “Can’t rightly say, she blew it in on the winds the day she moved here from Cloudsdale.”
Pinkie Pie added her two bits, “Well, we could always ask her about it.”
Twilight smiled. Leave it to Pinkie to go for the obvious answer when everypony else misses it.
Rainbow stuck her head out of the front door and waved. “Hey guys! Wait’ll you see the new additions to the house!” The color-streaked mare flew down from her house to carry her earth-bound friends up to the entrance.
Pinkie went first, a “Weeee!” of delight on her lips. Applejack was next, clinging to her hat and trying her best not to scream on the way up. Twilight was the last of the three.
“I’m kinda surprised you didn’t want to show off a little, just levitate yourself up there.” Rainbow had one hoof under each of Twilight’s front legs.
“Yeah, maybe next time. I’m really tired from using my magic at the library all day.” The studious pony sighed. “I’m just ready to relax.”
“Fair enough,” Rainbow shrugged. “It’s just freaky awesome to see a unicorn flying by herself.”
“It’s freaky awesome to be able to fly by myself.” Twilight Sparkle giggled. “I just gotta think of a way to move faster. I’ll bet I could give you a run for your money in a contest.”
Rainbow grinned mischievously. “Careful, Sparkle, I race to win.”
Twilight smirked. “Running of the Leaves.”
Rainbow Dash crossed over her threshold with a groan, “Yeah, like I’m gonna let that happen again.” The blue-coated pegasus let go of Twilight and let her fall to the floor.
This was the point where Twilight Sparkle realized that she had yet to perform the cloud-walking spell on herself.
To her merit, she kept the surprised swearing to a minimum: one count of “Horseapples,” two counts of “Shucks,” and one slightly unhinged “Deep-fried Rainboom!”
When the purple pony stopped flailing her hooves around, she noticed that she had not, in fact, fell to the unforgiving ground below, as most ponies will do when asked to stand on a cloud. Rather, she found herself sitting on an enchanted linoleum floor, just inside of Rainbow Dash’s door. Rainbow Dash grinned cheekily at her, “Like the ‘new addition?’”
“Lovely.”
The entire house, it seemed, had been carpeted with various styles of flooring. There was linoleum in the entryway, hardwood in the kitchen, and a nice, soft shag rug in the living room. “I wanted my house to be safe to visit, even for my more… forgetful friends.”
“Rainbow Dash, you’re a saint.” Twilight rubbed at her rump where it had hit the floor.
“Yeah, I know.”
Rarity and Fluttershy arrived separately, each bringing some snack food to share. Six different ponies, plus six different snack-foods equaled a lot of munching, talking, and good times galore. Pinkie Pie took center stage more than once. “And then NeeeEEEEeeerrrrRRRRoooooowwwww!” She waved a hoof around like a pegasus in flight. “The eagle zoomed in, narrowly escaping the falling tree branch!”
The other five stared across the table in rapt attention, regaled with the story of the pretty pink pony’s week. It’s not very often that you see an eagle save a tree full of sparrows from a forest fire.
“Wow,” Twilight gasped. “Did you ever find out how the fire started?”
“No,” Fluttershy whimpered a bit. “It wasn’t very hot that day, and Rainbow Dash scheduled a down-pour just a few days before.” She hid within her mane. “I think it was on purpose.”
Rarity poked at her plate with a hoof, appetite suddenly gone. “That’s right around where Spike and I hunt for gems.” She looked at Applejack. “Do you suppose the Diamond Dogs had something to do with this?”
Applejack grimaced. “I don’t think so, Rare.” She pondered a moment before speaking. “Ah’ve sold them apples a few times, they’re pretty decent folks once you make sure they know you ain’t taking any horseapples from them.”
“Well, i’m just glad nobody got hurt.” Fluttershy munched on an asparagus. “Thanks to Mr. Eagle, Pinkie and I were able to evacuate that part of the forest before… before…” Tears appeared in her kind eyes. “I just don’t want to think about it!”
Pinkie, for once, was actually clam as she tried to cheer up her timid friend. “Easy there, Fluttershy, we got them all out, and the weather patrol put out the fire.” She hugged the pegasus close. “No real harm done, it’s a happy ending! We even had a song!”
Fluttershy nodded, but didn’t say anything.
Rarity’s determined expression captured everypony’s attention. “I will look into it when Spike and I gem hunt next week.” She stomped her hoof down on the table. “The ponies who did this must be held responsible!”
Twilight raised a hoof. “Actually, I was planning on bringing Spike to the Crystal Empire with me.”
While Pinkie and Applejack understood Twilight’s remark; Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had no idea what she meant.
“Don’t tell me you’re moving again!” Rainbow Dash moaned. “It feels like you just got here!”
“No, no,” Twilight Sparkle waved her hooves around explanatorily. “I’m being sent on a mission by Princess Luna…” She related the entire story to her friends, from the letter arriving to Lyra’s self-invitation.
Rainbow Dash couldn’t have kept the smile off of her face if she tried. “An archeological expedition!?”
“Yeah,” Twilight nodded at the cyan pegasus. “They've had a team of griffons there for a few months, seems they’re the ones who rediscovered it.”
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, ohmygosh!” Rainbow squealed with joy. “This is so awesome!”
“Ah get that ancient ruins are great an’ all,” Applejack shrugged. “But what’s got you so excited all of a sudden, Rainbow Dash?”
“Twilight, you’re the genius here,” Rainbow pointed. “Tell everypony what’s the most awesome thing ever!”
“Uuhh… Sonic Rainbooms?”
Rainbow slumped. “Ok, true. But what’s the second most awesome thing ever?”
“Eeeaahhh… The Wonderbolts?”
Rainbow's hoof met her face in exasperation. “Points for sucking up, Sparkle, but I’m thinking of something a little more cross-over-y as far as our interests go…”
Twilight pursed her lips together. “Friendship?”
“Daring Do!” Rainbow grabbed the purple unicorn’s face in both of her front hooves. “The most awesome, action-y bookworm who ever dared to cross paths with Ahuizotl!”
Rainbow got a dreamy look in her eyes as she continued. “Imagine walking through a creepy temple; spiders, cobwebs and booby traps around every corner…” She gave Twilight an evil glare. “And the ancient relics of a long-lost age just waiting for some unsuspecting adventurer to come along and take them.
“But wait!” She buried Twilight’s face in her chest and looked off to the side, invisible dangers lurking just beyond the glow of candlelight. “What’s this? A darkness approaches; its evil, clawed hands grasping for pony flesh!”
“Winbw drsh!” Twilight’s voice could barely make its way out of her covered mouth.
“We run as fast as our hooves can take us, the forgotten creature from another time snapping at our fetlocks!” Rainbow pointed ahead into the inky blackness. “There comes a gaping hole in the ground, we have to jump it to escape the terror from Tartarus!”
Pinkie was entranced. “Do you make it?”
Rainbow Dash dropped Twilight back into her chair. “Naw, we fall down the hole and die.”
Rarity was busy trying to move a shivering Fluttershy, who had taken up residence underneath the white unicorn’s chair for safety. “I say, Rainbow Dash, you usually give us some warning before launching into one of your ghost stories.”
The rainbow-maned pegasus leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes. “The line between a horror story and an adventure story can get kinda blurry sometimes.”
She looked over to Twilight and grinned. Twilight gave a smile back, but it wasn’t a very warm one. “So, whadda yah say, Sparkle...” Rainbow leaned on the table with her front legs. “Care for a fourth member of the party?”
Twilight gave a crooked smile. “Couldn’t hurt.”
Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof up and down. “Yes!”
The unicorn looked around the table. “Anypony else want to come?”
“Sorry, darling, but business calls,” Rarity shook her head.
“Can’t leave the Apple Family without their prized apple-bucker,” Applejack smirked.
“No thank you,” Fluttershy squeaked.
“Well, you need somepony to plan the ‘Welcome Home from Your Expedition’ party, don’t you?” Pinkie giggled.
“I suppose.” Twilight’s smile warmed up a bit.
Rarity nudged her purple friend, “Do you suppose Spike could stay? It would solve your ‘temporary librarian’ problem.”
“I guess. It would make communication a bit slower, but…” Twilight tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, he’s such a marvelous helper,” Rarity explained. “I do need to collect gems next week, and it goes by much faster when he can dig the holes.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “Two birds with one stone?”
And with that remark, Fluttershy finally fainted, her courage utterly failing her after the night’s events. Rarity blushed a deep red as she went to revive her timid pegasus friend. Twilight thought about Spike for the rest of the evening. When I get home, i’ll have to ask him what he wants to do.
Some time later, when the night had grown full, and the moon had risen to its place as guardian of the heavens, the six friends gathered around for one last goodbye. Standing in a circle, they sang of their love of their friends. Gentle voices filled the night sky as each note was punctuated with smiles and laughter.
"I hold fast, unto the last
To those with whom my heart lifts"
"These apples wouldn’t taste near as good
If y’all weren’t friends with me"
"To journey with the friends you know
And spread laughter wherever you go"
"The ponies who I most adore
And share with happily"
"But kindness holds much greater girth
Your friendship brings out my full worth"
"Our friendship grows, keeps me on my toes
I’ve never felt more free"
Twilight made her way to the door, waving goodnight.
"My home is such a wondrous place
I know it in my heart
Though we might walk down darker roads
We'll never truly be apart..."
The night came to the outskirts of the Crystal Empire some hours later than in ponyville. The last of the sun’s rays were just starting to disappear beyond the horizon when a lone griffon scout made his way into the camp. He marched his way up to the largest tent and coughed at the entrance.
“Yes, Martial?” A voice came from inside the lit tent. “What is it?”
Martial Paw dug through the bag strapped to his side and pulled out a rolled-up scroll. “It’s a message from the equestrian princesses, sir.”
“Bring it to me, please.”
Martial pushed the tent door open with one of his talons and peeked inside. The tent was about 25% sleeping area, and 75% research laboratory. Tables lined two of the four “walls,” each laden with Crystal Empire trinkets from a bygone age. At the leftmost table stood a large griffon, who was examining a chalice closely. “I think somepony chose poorly….”
“Sir?”
The large griffon looked up, a magnifying glass strapped to his head. He held the chalice up to show Martial Paw the large crack running down its side. “The crystal used for this chalice was a poor choice; the craftspony who cut it went against the grain and weakened it.” He set it down carefully. “The years have not been kind to it.”
He then removed the magnifying glass and extended his talon to receive the scroll. “The letter, if you will.”
“Yes, sir.”
The expedition’s lead griffon stood a head above the height of Martial Paw, making his mere presence slightly intimidating. The griffon noticed his subordinate’s nervousness and granted him his leave. Martial gratefully left the tent to perform duties elsewhere.
With a swift slice of his beak, the golden-winged archeologist undid the seal. He began to read the princess-penned words therein.
“Lord Gilded Wing,
“Good news, the unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle will be en-route to your camp on the first day of next week. She has been practicing diligently, and will no doubt be able to solve your door conundrum.
“It is with great anticipation that I await news of what lies behind said seal, and I hope that we can all find what we’re looking for.
“Sincerely,
“Luna, Princess of the Night Court and Second Half of the Royal Diarchy of Equestria”
Gilded Wing’s beak turned upwards at the corners, forming a smile. Everything we’ve worked towards is finally coming to light, He mused. He rolled up the letter and filed it under “reports and progress.” Everything we’ve done has all led up to what lies beyond that door.
He dimmed his lantern for the night and strode out of his tent, all thoughts of cataloging his findings discarded in light of the excellent news. He spread his large, golden wings, giving them a few flaps to stretch his muscles. With his routine complete, he took to the air and soared. He could still see the ‘temple’ as he flew, wreathed in the setting sun’s rays. When Twilight Sparkle arrives, nothing will ever be the same.
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Twiligth saprkle, TWiligth sparkle TWIligth saprkle, TWILIGTH SAPAAARRRKLE, why i am thinking of sponge bob i don't even know.