//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: For Want of a Nail: A Different Mane Six // by cornholio4 //------------------------------// In the old castle in the Everfree Forest after the Sun had returned, Princess Celestia once she was freed from Nightmare Moon's prison was graced with the sight of her faithful student Twilight who had went up to embrace her, Spike who was standing by, a pair of twin unicorn stallions who were trying to hide in fear, a zebra and a pegasus mare who were both bowing down to her and a griffon who looked trying not to be bothered. After embracing and reconciling her long lost sister Princess Luna she faced her faithful students' new friends and silently asked Twilight to make introductions. "Princess Celestia, these are my new friends: Derpy, Zecora, Gilda, Flim and Flam." Twilight told her pointing her hoove to her friends with a smile on her face. "It's such a big honour to meet you; your highness. Better than any muffin I have tasted in my entire life." Derpy greeted the alicorn with her bow to which Princess Celestia smiled at. "As the Sun is now able to shower, let me state this is such an honour." Zecora greeted and Princess Celestia always liked the rhyming talk of the Zebra race. "Yeah... I guess it's cool to meet a real princess up close..." Gilda muttered under her breath with her arms crossed. Princess Celestia then faced the final two and Flim and Flam then started begging and pleading on their knees. "Oh please, you're highness... we truly never intended for it to happen!" Flim screamed as if he was afraid for his life. "Yes, it was a dreadful mistake and we can pay for the damages... in short supplies in due time..." Flam cried and the both of them stopped as Princess Celestia silenced them with a raised hoove. "I think helping to save Equestria earns you a pardon for that little incident." Princess Celestia told them with a smile which caused them to start kissing her hoove in gratitude to her discomfort. Princess Celestia then looked down with Twilight with a frown which made her nervous. "rest assured I am glad you have made friends, even if you never made it to the Summer Sun Celebration and hadn't met with the ponies there but I mask ask my faithful student... what had happened? I got word that you and Spike were lost by the two Guards who were your escorts." Princess Celestia asked and Twilight had then sighed after clearing her breath. "You see Princess Celestia; it had all started like this..." SEVERAL HOURS AGO Twilight Sparkle grunted to herself about the situation she was now in; she had learned that Nightmare Moon would be returning from her thousand year long banishment to try and shed Equestria into eternal night again. Does Princess Celestia react to her concerns with urgency? No, she tells her not to think about old mare tales and sends her off to Ponyville to check on the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration as well as telling her to make friends. Friends? Why does she need friends? She already had enough as it is! She had Spike, Moondancer, Lyra Minuette, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine! She also had her old foalsitter Princess Cadence. Plus her big brother Shining Armor, in fact the word 'friend' was in his full title of Big Brother Best Friend Forever! So she already had plenty of friends! Well she barely sees them and just focuses on her studies but still she had friends. Then to the surprise of Twilight, Spike and the guards the sky got all cloudy and there seemed to be thunder coming from the clouds. "Wait there is not supposed to be this kind of weather here in Equestria at the moment, the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up for crying out loud..." Twilight screamed holding onto Spike as a thunderbolt had hit their carriage causing them to fall out of the carriage. The guards would land back as the clouds cleared up and bemoaned the fact that unless they find Twilight soon they will have to go back and report this to Princess Celestia. They didn't know whose reaction they feared worst, Princess Celestia or their boss Captain Shining Armor who would go ballistic if he found out they lost his little sister. Spike screamed as they plummeted to the ground and wished he was a grown dragon with wings. Twilight also wished she had wings but wait, if she was a pegasus she would not be able to use her magic? Maybe if she had both wings and her horn at the moment, why did that thought feel like an omen at the moment. Soon they reached the ground (to be more likely Spike had landed on Twilight's back) and grumbled as they had gotten up. After asking him Spike if he was alright Twilight then had a thought. "Wait a minute, strange weather happening at the moment? Do you know what this means Spike?" Twilight asked. "That a pegasus in the local weather patrol is losing his job?" Spike asked and Twilight shook her head. "No this must be an omen, that Nightmare Moon is indeed returning! I think we can see if we can make it to Ponyville there but we might not have time to check on the preparations when we get there..." Twilight muttered looking at the road and seeing a sign saying it was a couple of miles to Ponyville. "Once we get there we explain what happened and I can go back to researching Nightmare Moon, come on Spike the fate of Equestria depends on it!"Twilight muttered and before he could respond she used her magic to put him on her back as she trotted up the road. Spike sighed wondering if he can convince Twilight to lighten up about Nightmare Moon. He just hoped Princess Celestia would not be too mad about this little detour they had to make. Still, things should be fine since Nightmare Moon was just an old pony's tale... Right?