"So... uhm..." Spike's voice eventually penetrated the tense silence. "May I say something?"
"Uh... sure..." Rainbow coughed, glancing at Twilight. "Sure thing, Spike."
"Alright. I am... officially freaked out right now."
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Well put. Good to know that two years of being Ponyville's chief librarian has paid off in wisdom." She stifled a yawn. "Anything else?"
"Sorry," Spike said. "That just slipped out. Uhm... in truth, I have something else to say."
"And what's that?"
"There's... uh... b-barely thirty minutes of moonlight left. And... and this is it, everypony." Spike's breath shuddered. "This is where we get off."
Upon hearing that, Rarity covered her muzzle—letting loose a tiny whimper.
"Awwwwwwwwww..." Pinkie pouted. "Bummer."
"I know I've been in and out a whole lot... b-but that's because I was playing sentry. Moon sentry. And... uh... eheh... I-I couldn't help but listen in on that last part and... uhm... just how doomed are we?"
"Dear Spike..." Princess Celestia's voice took on a soothing tone. "...everything you may have heard just now was spoken in great hypothetical supposition. If there was a legitimate concern for the spiritual fabric of all Equestrian beings, you can easily expect my sister and I to address the populace on the matter."
"Hrmmmfff..." Applejack breathed out the side of her freckled face. "Yer Majesty is lyin'."
"Perhaps so." Fluttershy shuddered. "But can you really blame her, AJ?"
"I doubt there's much that the ponies back home know about Rainbow's conversations with the Princesses," Twilight Sparkle said in a somber tone.
"If they knew even half of the things..." Rarity stammered. "...why... there'd be panic in the streets!"
"Yeah... well..." Applejack huffed. "I downright hate it..." She nevertheless sighed, her frown softening. "Although... ain't much to like about it all neither, I reckon."
"Guys!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Were you foaled yesterday?! Awesome Dashie here is on an awesome quest to fly around the awesome world and return in time to bring awesomeness to all ponies!" She clenched her jaw. "Why give into despair? Seems like an awfully big party to poop in the end, don't you think?"
Rainbow Dash glanced at all her friends as they spoke in confidence. At last—following a contemplative breath—she spoke aloud: "Spike... I want you to make this crystal clear to the ponies back home. I am returning to Ponyville." Her brow furrowed. "And when I do... they'd sure as Tartarus better roll out the red carpet. Cuz I'll be debuting the return of all my awesome friends! Twilight Sparkle! Applejack! Fluttershy! Rarity! And—you guessed it—Pinkie Pie! And we'll all chillax at Sugarcube Corner with bottles of cider and catch up on all the super snazzy stories that we've missed. Oh... and I'll have restored this plane with the rest of Urohringr too... so I guess you dudes had better start preparing to greet a whole bunch of new neighbors from waaaaaay out of town." She smiled devilishly. "How's that for something exciting?"
When Spike's answer came, it was slightly distorted: "—eesh, Rainbow Dash. I on—...—wish I could transcribe your enthusiasm as much as your words!"
"Mmmmm...!" Twilight sniffled, her ears folding. "It's beginning..."
Rainbow cleared her throat. "Never mind that. Just spread the news, okay? The next time you and the rest of Ponyville hear from me?" She winked towards the lightning-embroiled sky for good measure. "I'll be on the home stretch."
"Heh... sure thing, Rainbow. I'll—...—ews with everypony!"
"Hmmm..." Rarity spoke aside. "Now who's lying?"
Applejack blew her bangs out from before her ghostly face. "T'ain't a lie if the mare believes in what she's sayin'."
"Yeah...?" Rarity glanced aside. "And does she?"
Applejack said nothing.
Rarity squinted. "You know... you're not exactly incapable of lying yourself."
Before Applejack could respond—
"Princess Celestia?" Spike's voice warbled. "Is now a good time?"
"Is now a good time for what?" Rainbow rasped.
Celestia could be heard saying: "Indeed, Spike. We have said about as many things of importance as we can afford to. I suggest we employ the time we have left to good purpose. Sister?"
"Agreed, Celestia. Spike?"
"Cool! Uhm... Rainbow?"
"What's going on, Spike?"
"Look, we—...—n't have much time."
"Yeah." Rainbow nodded. "You're just now starting to break up."
"Whoah, really?"
"Just a bit."
"Okay. Then... uhm... I-I guess there isn't enough time to get any responses. We gotta do this one way."
"Spike... do what one way?" Rainbow moaned.
"There are... uhm... some ponies here who want to say 'hi'... and 'good-bye,' I guess. Since it'll be their last time and all. They've been waiting outside the sarcophagus and... and I promised I'd get as many of them a chance as we could—"
"Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh!" Pinkie Pie spun in circles, beaming. "Our families'n'friends'alligators'n'stuff!"
"Land's sakes!" Applejack sat up straight, tipping her hat back. "Can we even make it happen?"
"Rainbow? You there?"
Rainbow coughed, then fluttered her wings, attracting attention from Enix and her flock from several meters ahead. "What are you waiting for, Spike?!? Roll 'em through, ya melon fudge!"