//------------------------------//
// Symphony No. 6 ('Pastoral') Op. 68: Feels like Home 
// Story: The Disney Chronicles III: Fantasia 
// by Dinodisneylover1 
//------------------------------//

Equestria
Canterlot Theater
Many hours later

Following the intermission, Twilight looks upon the audience with a smile filled with fondness of this next number and announces the next piece.

"Our next number is a wonderful symphony that's called the Pastoral by Beethoven, his sixth to be exact, which is one of the few pieces of music he ever created that tells something like a definite story. He was a great nature lover, and in this symphony, he paints a musical picture of a day in the country. Now, of course, the country that Beethoven described was the countryside with which he was familiar. But his music covers a much wider field than that thanks to Walt Disney giving the Pastoral Symphony a beautiful and wondrous mythological setting, and that setting is of Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods. It is a landscape filled with beauty that is quite similar to Equestria's own only without the buildings, castles stuck on the mountain side, no cities on clouds, not even shimmering empires to be seen. It's here, first of all, where we meet a group of fabulous and very friendly creatures of the realm and the forest, some that you would recognize like the unicorns, fauns, Pegasus the winged horse and his entire family, and the centaurs, those strange creatures that are half-man and half-horse. And don't worry, these centaurs are nothing like Tirek. And their girlfriends, the centaurettes. Later on, we meet our old friend, Bacchus, the god of wine and parties, presiding over a bacchanal. However the party is sadly interrupted by a storm, we'll see Vulcan forging many thunderbolts and handing them over to the king of the gods, Zeus, who plays a twisted game of darts with them, with me, my friends and any other creature as the targets to hit. You'll see our brave actions in distracting Zeus from further harming others. As the storm clears and moves away once Zeus has his fill of his 'fun', we see Iris, the goddess of the rainbow. And Apollo, driving his sun chariot across the sky. And then Morpheus, the god of sleep, covers everything with his cloak of night and dreams, as Diana, using the new moon as a bow, shoots an arrow of fire that spangles the sky full of stars like diamonds. So without further adue, I give you, the Pastoral Symphony."





Symphony of Sorcery
The Orchestra Stand
Present Time

After their special meeting with the Soundtrack, our heroes were prepped for the next mission. Deems led them in front of a songbook with a pink glow. Pinkie had a good feeling about this one.

“Ooh, pink! My favorite color!” She said, feeling her back itch. “My back is getting itchy. You know what that means?”

“It’s your lucky day?” Jiminy asked, to be sure.

“Correct! You’ve been paying good attention in Pinkie Pie class. You’ve earned yourself a gold star.”

Pinkie gives Jiminy a gold star. The cricket was surprised, as he faces Pinkie who smiles.

“Uh… Thanks, Pinkie,” He said, putting the star in his pocket.

“I have a feeling you might like the next realm,” Deems said. “You’ll need to search for a sheet music with a symphony written by Ludwig van Beethoven.”

When Jiminy hears his name, his eyes widen with wonder.

“Beethoven? We’re going to find sheet music with a symphony written by the Beethoven?”

“Uh oh,” Rainbow teased. “Jiminy’s going in Twilight mode.”

“You know who that is?” Twilight asked.

“Do I know him?” Jiminy asked, with a smile. “He’s one of the greatest composers and pianists that ever existed!”

“Really?” Octavia asked, intrigued. “What else can you tell us about him?”

“At a very young age,” Jiminy began. “Beethoven had a talent for music and became a child prodigy.”

“How young exactly?” Twilight asked, curious.

“About five years,” Jiminy answered.

“FIVE?!” Twilight said, surprised.

“Yeah, didn't you know it’s possible for a child to have talent for something?”

“Well, of course I do, but five? I began to study magic at six!”

“Then you wouldn’t be surprised that, before Beethoven became famous, there was another composer who was a child prodigy as well. His name was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who learned music at the age of three.”

The moment Twilight heard a 3-year-old child learned music perfectly, her eye began to twitch.

“Ah think that became a little too much for her,” Applejack said, waving a hoof in front of her.

“Yeah, it’s almost like she thinks she’s not special anymore,” Pinkie said. “Would have been worse if Beethoven was a dog.”

Every pony, except Twilight, looked at her in confusion.

“Beethoven must have written some beautiful music,” Octavia said.

“He did,” Deems confirmed. “But it wasn’t easy for a child who was poor and had a drunk father who woke him up early each night to play piano for him.”

“That’s awful!” Fluttershy said. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he wanted his son to be as talented as Mozart,” Deems answered.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rainbow interrupted. “Let me get this straight: When that Beethoven guy was a kid, his dad wakes him up to play music for him without any sleep? Not even to have fun?”

“Yes, he never had a pleasant childhood,” Deems explained further. “To make it worse, by his late 20s, his hearing began to deteriorate and by the last decade of his life he was almost completely deaf.”

Everypony gasped at that.

“That’s dreadful!” Rarity said.

“That’s the saddest story I’ve heard today,” Pinkie said, teary-eyed. “How much bad luck can one person have?”

Octavia and Vinyl couldn’t help but feel bad for the composer.

“But…” Deems said, drawing every pony’s attention. “Despite all that, he still managed to keep a smile on his face and write beautiful music on his piano.”

“How can you play piano if you’re deaf?” Applejack asked, confused.

“He wasn’t completely deaf when he wrote and composed,” Deems answered. “It just became very difficult for him.”

“So, how did he do it?” Octavia asked.

“When he plays the piano, he’d lay his head on it or put a pencil in his mouth and touch the other end to the soundboard to feel the notes’ vibrations. Sometimes he cut off the legs to feel the vibrations on the floor.”

“That’s actually pretty clever,” Vinyl said, impressed.

“It was still devastating for him,” Deems continued. “He could no longer hear voices or the sounds of his beloved country. The cause of his deafness was unknown. He even wrecked a few pianos by banging them so hard to hear the notes.”

They grit their teeth in shock hearing that.

“How dreadful,” Rarity said. “I wouldn’t last a day not hearing a thing, especially the voices of my friends and my own.”

“Despite his bad luck and temper, he still had luck that the people loved the symphonies he created,” Deems said.

“That’s true,” Jiminy nodded. “Too bad he couldn’t hear them.”

“And during the summer of 1812,” Deems told further. “He wrote several mysterious love letters for a woman he seems to love very much. They were written with a hopeful, joyful tone, although with some words. It has never been confirmed who the woman was, as he called her his ‘Immortal Beloved’.”

“That’s so romantic,” Rarity swooned, a bit. “I wish somepony could write beautiful letters for me.”

“He always played his music on the piano before conducting them with a live orchestra,” Deems continued, touching the songbook. “Some of his famous works include Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, Ode to Joy and his well-known Fifth Symphony. There’s one hidden in the next musical realm here, it’s called the ‘Pastoral Symphony’, his sixth, and one of his few pieces of music that tells something like a definite story.”

“Like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, Twilight,” Deems answered. “Beethoven was a great nature lover. In this symphony, he painted a musical picture about a day in the country.”

“That sounds lovely,” Fluttershy said, appreciating Beethoven as a nature lover.

“And in the country, peasants were celebrating and dancing until it got interrupted by a storm that didn’t last very long.”

“There’s always something to ruin everything, is there?” Octavia said, bluntly.

“Storms can be real party poopers,” Pinkie said. “I should know.”

“The country that Beethoven described was the countryside which he was familiar, which lies in Vienna, Austria,” Leopold said, joining in. “The composer moved there to study composition with Joseph Haydn, another famous composer, and it’s also where he gained his reputation as a virtuoso pianist.”

“That Beethoven sure must love his country,” Applejack said, smiling. “Just like ah love Ponyville.”

“It did inspire him,” Deems replied. “But Walt Disney saw an even bigger picture for the Pastoral Symphony, so he decided to put it in a mythological setting. Have you ever heard of Mount Olympus?”

The Equestrians looked at each other, silently.

“No?” Twilight spoke.

“Well, that’s where you need to find the sheet music,” Deems said.

“Mount Olympus?” Jiminy asked, amazed. “The home of the Greek gods?”

“Gods?” Twilight asked, confused.

“Supernatural beings with great power,” Jiminy explained. “Some people consider them divine or sacred. They’re also immortal.”

“Wow!” Spike said, eyes widen.

The Equestrians never heard of gods before, but they were interested to know.

“What do these gods look like?” Twilight asked.

“They’re like humans but usually bigger,” Jiminy explained. “They can do amazing things like creating storms and raising the sun.”

“Just like Princess Celestia and Luna,” Rainbow said, with a smile.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Jiminy nodded. “Each of them has a special power that fits him or her just like you ponies and your cutie marks.”

The ponies looked upon their cutie marks while Jiminy continues.

“But gods usually exist in myths. You see, long ago, people believed that their existence and many natural phenomena, like storms, are caused by these beings.”

“Then it’s best to tell you the ones in the Pastoral Symphony are real,” Deems said.

“They are?” Jiminy asked, surprised.

“Along with other creatures,” Deems told further.

“What kind of creatures?” Fluttershy asked, curious.

“I think there might be creatures you recognize,” Deems said. “That’s why one of the violinists thought you came from that realm. They’re very friendly as long as they’re in a good mood.”

“Ah suppose we have to travel to this realm to find out?” Applejack asked.

“Precisely,” Deems nodded.

“Well then, let’s go!” Pinkie said, who couldn’t hide her excitement. “I can’t wait to see what we’re going to deal with this time. Besides those gods, of course.”

“Alright, alright,” Twilight agreed.

“I wish you good luck once more,” Deems said. “Watch yourselves just in case.”

“We will, Mister Taylor,” Twilight said.

With her friends beside her, Twilight approaches the front of the book with the musical score. Focusing hard, she charges her horn and shoots a beam of magic straight at it. It didn’t take long for the book to glow, as a portal to the realm opens. Once again, our heroes are surrounded not only by music notes, but also by pink flower petals before a bright light at the end blinds their sight. While the light fades, the Equestrians rub their eyes.

“Urgh,” Rainbow groans. “Do lights always have to be so bright?”

“I hope we don’t go blind,” Spike said.

“If anypony wants sunglasses,” Pinkie offered. “I got a few in my mane.”

“And this is why I always wear sunglasses,” Vinyl said, pointing out.

As soon as Twilight got a clear view, her eyes went big and mouth hung open. She gasps at what lay before her, as her friends did the same.

“My…” Rarity said, at a loss for words.

“Holy guacamole!” Spike gasped.

“Whoa!” Rainbow said, amazed.

“Incredible!” Applejack said.

“Beautiful!” Octavia added.

“No, magnificent!” Vinyl said.

What lay in front of them is the most beautiful view they’ve seen so far. A wondrous landscape of fields, open-air temples and colorful forests. The most noticeable is a huge mountain that reached the clouds, maybe higher. To make it better, the sun shined as they walked through the new realm.





“Is this a dream?” Applejack asked.

“No, but it sure feels that way,” Jiminy said.

“What a divine landscape,” Rarity said, looking around.

“It looks almost like Equestria,” Applejack said.

“But without houses,” Rainbow added.

Twilight realized they had a point. The realm looked much like their homeworld, except no buildings indeed. No castles stuck on mountain walls, no cities on clouds, not even shimmering empires. Still, it’s a beautiful sight to watch. Much quieter and less violent than the last realm they visited.

Yet she couldn’t help but think back to the Rite of Spring realm: The dangers they’ve faced, the near-death experiences, not to mention the many dinosaurs they’ve befriended and lost. The purple unicorn/alicorn still wished she and her friends could save them from those disastrous events, even though the realm is an endless time loop. Despite all that, they managed to save seven baby dinosaurs from the clutches of death, and they’ll get a new home in Equestria after finding all the sheet music. Twilight could only hope something like that won’t happen again.

In all this, Fluttershy smiled with joy the moment they entered this new land. As if she felt at peace for the first time all day.

“This must be the most peaceful, beautiful world I’ve ever seen,” She said. “The sun shining bright on my face, the soft sounds of nature and no evil beings or life-threatening monsters. I could live here.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Fluttershy,” Jiminy warned. “Even the most peaceful places have danger lurking in every corner.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy sadly frowned.

“Jiminy’s right, looks can be deceiving,” Twilight said.

“If what Deems said earlier is true and there are real gods in this realm,” Jiminy continued. “I’m sure it’ll be very difficult to find that sheet music.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked, slightly frightened.

“I’ve read about gods and other creatures in books about mythology and folklore, especially the Greek Ones,” Jiminy explained. “They’re very powerful and most gods I’ve read about are friendly and gentle, but not all of them. Some can be vengeful, mischievous, even pure evil!”

The Equestrians look at each other, worried. All, except Rainbow Dash.

“Pfft! Is that supposed to scare us?” Rainbow bragged. “Please, we fight evil beings ALL the time. Those evil gods are nothing compared to what we’ve dealt with.”

“Take it easy now, Rainbow,” Jiminy said. “It’s not smart to jump to conclusions.”

“Come on, Jiminy. You saw us beat the Coachman and Monstro.”

“You mean the Coachman who grabbed you from the air with his whip?” Rarity remarked, raising an eyebrow. “And the whale that stopped your Sonic Rainboom and slapped you toward the other side of the world?”

"Touché." Rainbow replied.

“Not to mention the Evil Queen who almost fried you with a thunderbolt,” Pinkie added, smiling. “Course it fried me instead. Then the T-Rex that almost swallowed you…”

“Alright, alright!” Rainbow said, irritated. “I get it!”

“You really fought a giant whale?” Vinyl asked, raising her sunglasses and turns to Octavia. “We should hang out with them more often, Tavi.”

Octavia’s eyes widen with worry the moment her best friend said that.

“Trust me, Vinyl,” Twilight advised. “Fighting villains is no walk in the park.”

“Most fights give you quite a pain in the back,” Applejack said, showing her ‘literal’ scars. “See these? Ah’ve got the scars to prove it.”

Both Octavia and Vinyl were shocked by the proof.

“A villain did that to you?” Octavia asked, staring at Applejack’s back in horror.

“Yeah, the Coachman,” Applejack answered. “Lashed me multiple times in a row. Sometimes ah still feel them. Like being stung by angry scorpions on a hot summer day in the desert.”

“It’s always hot in a desert, Applejack,” Pinkie points out.

“It’s a countryism, Pinkie,” Applejack clarified.

“Oh, right,” Pinkie said, understanding.

“If it weren’t for mah baby sister, I wouldn’t be here no more.”

“He even hit me in the cheek,” Twilight added, showing the scar.

Octavia and Vinyl hiss in shock.

“It really hurt,” Twilight continued. “Princess Celestia was shocked too.”

“Yeah… Maybe I’ll give it a little more thought,” Vinyl said, cringing.

“No, would you?” Octavia asked, sarcastically.

“You should listen to Jiminy, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “He is an official conscience now. He can keep us on the straight and narrow path.”

“You got that right,” Jiminy said.

“Only foals,” Rainbow said.

“Not only foals,” Twilight said. “Any one of us can be easily tricked and fall into a trap. Didn’t you pay any attention to what Master Yen Sid said?”

“Of course, I did,” Rainbow argued. “But we fought a ton of power-crazed maniacs and we won every time!”

“Never underestimate your enemies, Rainbow,” Twilight emphasized. “Don’t ever forget that lesson! Or have you forgotten the time Chrysalis caught us by surprise and Starlight had to save us? Or the time Tempest caught me unexpectedly?”

“She’s got a point,” Spike agreed. “I saw the whole thing.”

“I get it, Twi,” Rainbow said. “But you need to stop freaking out over everything and learn to relax. Maybe think more positively, for once.”

“I’m not freaking out about everything,” Twilight denied.

“Uh, yes, you are,” Rainbow protested.

“No, I’m not,” Twilight defended herself.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you are!” Everypony, except Jiminy, Vinyl and Octavia said, agreeing with the blue Pegasus.

“She is?” Jiminy asked.

“You have no idea,” Spike replied.

“Her freakouts are so epic, she sings whole freakout arias about freaking out,” Rainbow added.

“Especially about tests,” Spike added.

Twilight folds her arms, giving both Rainbow and Spike a disapproving look. But eventually sighs in defeat.

“Fine, I admit. I act very serious when it comes to things that are important and could threaten our lives. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful and not accept advice from others. Ever since Master Yen Sid warned us about the book and the unknown danger, I’m still thinking about it now. It frightens me!”

The others couldn’t help but remember what Master Yen Sid told them, his words making them a little anxious.

“In the short time since we found the book, we’ve lost many friends in the previous musical realm and almost lost Applejack, Apple Bloom, Snow White and Pinocchio!” Twilight said. “I don’t want to lose more friends, especially you! Or else… Or else…”

Thinking about the thought made her quiver with fear, filling her heart with sorrow. A single tear falls from her cheek.

“I won’t know what to do,” Twilight softly said, crying.

Rainbow understood what Twilight meant, her lips forming a small smile. She walks toward her best friend, placing a hoof along her shoulder.

“Hey, you need to stop looking at the bad side of things, Twi. There’s no way we’re letting that happen.”

“Ah’m with Dash on this one,” Applejack agreed. “No bad guy or monster will ever beat us, as long as we’re together.”

“Yes indeedy!” Pinkie jumped in.

“We can face anything, no matter how hard, scary or hopeless it’ll be,” Spike assured.

“Oh Spike…” Twilight whispered softly, shaking her head.

Even though Twilight was listening, she didn’t believe everything would be fine this time. Seems the extinction of the dinosaurs in the Rite of Spring clouded her mind in doubt. But her friends wouldn’t let her give in, they would not allow their greatest friend in the world, the entire universe even, to lose faith in everything that’s good.

“Twilight, I know you’re trying to keep everyone safe,” Jiminy said. “But maybe you should take some advice from your friends time to time. Believe me, if you think more positive, you’ll feel much better.”

“We’ll be with you all the way, darling,” Rarity assured.

“Yay,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight looked on all her friends surrounding her, giving her smiles of confidence and determination. A small sparkle of hope appears in her eyes, just like during the time she defeated Nightmare Moon. It’s one thing to be realistic with everything that’s happening, but she had to admit her friends are right. She must learn to look on the bright side of things. As she thought, it didn’t take long for her to smile too.

“Thank you, I’m so glad to have you as friends,” Twilight said. “I truly don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”

“Spend your whole life studying?” Spike asked.

This caused every pony to glare at him, as the little dragon smiled sheepishly.

“Heh-heh, just kidding.”

“Come on, let’s find that sheet music!” Pinkie said, jumping happily.

“We can find it faster if I scan the ground from the air,” Rainbow suggests.

“That’s an excellent idea,” Twilight approved. “Rainbow can easily monitor and memorize things while flying.”

“She can?” Jiminy asked.

“I found the dinosaurs in that desert, didn’t I?” Rainbow bragged, preparing herself to take off.

“Hold on, I’m coming with you,” Jiminy said, hopping on Rainbow’s head. “After all, four eyes are better than two.”

“First time flying?” Rainbow asked, looking at the tiny cricket.

“You bet,” Jiminy answered.

“Stand back, everypony,” Rainbow instructs. “I’m going up!”

Everypony stepped back while she flapped her wings a few times.

“I’d hold on tight if I were you,” Rainbow informs Jiminy.

The Little Cricket grabs some of her hair and holds on tightly. Suddenly, she takes off into the air at a rapid pace. Jiminy screams while holding on to her mane with one hand and keeping his top hat from flying off his head with the other.

“You still with me, little buddy?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah!” Jiminy yelled. “But could you go a little slower?! I’m not used to this yet!”

“Okay, but not too slow!” Rainbow shouts back. “I’ve got a reputation to maintain!”

So Rainbow flew fast, but not too much for Jiminy, high over the vast fields and forest that make up most of the realm. Jiminy took the chance to look down, while trying not to let go of his equine friend. The height made him a little scared, but he couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the world from above.

“My, my. We’ve got quite a view from up here.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Enjoy it? I love it!”

It was then Jiminy noticed a big mountain looming in front of them.

“That mountain is, without a doubt, Mount Olympus,” Jiminy points out. “At the top of those clouds, that’s where the gods live.”

“They live on clouds, too?” Rainbow asked, while looking at the ground. “Awesome!”

“Twilight said you could monitor anything while flying?”

“Yep! An experienced flier like me knows how to multitask.”

“How?”

“In order to stay safe in the sky, I’ve got to hear and see everything down to the tiniest details. It’s how we notice if ponies are in trouble or not.”

“That’s magnificent!”

“Do you see anything interesting or important?”

“Not yet… Wait!” Jiminy said, spotting something on the ground. “I see something colorful moving.”

“Yeah, I see them, too!” Rainbow said. “Ohmigosh! I can’t believe what I’m seeing. We gotta tell Twilight and the others posthaste!”

“Wait, not so FAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSST!!!" Jiminy screamed.

Rainbow flew so fast toward her friends, Jiminy had to squeeze her mane tighter so as not to fall. It didn’t take long to reach the group, about ten seconds flat. The blue Pegasus landed softly on two hooves before walking on all fours. Jiminy had to catch his breath after the trip.

“Did you find anything?” Twilight asked.

“We haven’t found the sheet music,” Jiminy said. “But we found something you definitely need to see.”

“What is it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Follow me,” Rainbow ushered. “I’ll show ya.”





Rainbow lead her friends as they ran through the flower fields and past a few trees. Suddenly, Rainbow stops upon a small hill and points with her hoof.

“Over there!”

As the other Equestrians stopped and faced Rainbow’s direction, they were totally surprised by what they saw. A herd of colorful unicorns running and prancing across the fields. They had the classic look: Hairy fetlocks, spiraled horn, a lion tail and cloven hooves. Another different thing, compared to Equestria’s ponies, is that their coats and manes don’t have a variety in color. They’re either white with pink manes or blue, sometimes pink with white manes, but they all have golden horns. Despite the color difference, they all looked the same, making it a bit difficult to determine their gender. They even had a few foals with them.

Twilight and her friends could hardly believe their eyes. They’ve travelled to other worlds through the book but haven’t seen or met other equines besides the big horses.

“Are those what I think they are?” Jiminy asked.

“Unicorns!” Twilight said, with a smile.

“Well, ah’ll be!” Applejack chuckled.

“How lovely,” Rarity said.

“To think Equestria is the only place with unicorns,” Vinyl said.

“I wonder if they use magic too,” Spike thought.

“They probably do,” Jiminy said. “Unicorns are known to have magical powers.”

“Can we say ‘hello’ to them?” Fluttershy asked.

“I guess so,” Twilight said. “They do look friendly.”

“Then let’s do it!” Pinkie said.

The party pony skipped merrily toward the unicorn herd; it didn’t take long for the others to follow her. As the unicorns frolic in the fields, one of them saw the new visitors approach. The unicorn whinnied to the rest of the herd, drawing their attention. Both the herd and visited stood face-to-face.

“Hello,” Twilight greeted.

“Oh, hello,” A male unicorn aid. “I don’t remember seeing any of you here, before.”

“That’s because we’re not from here,” Applejack explained. “Allow us to introduce ourselves. Ah’m Applejack, and these are Fluttershy, Octavia Melody, Vinyl Scratch, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Jiminy Cricket and Twilight Sparkle. We’re visitors from Equestria.”

“Equestria?” A female unicorn asked.

“It’s a land far away from here,” Pinkie answered. “I mean really far away.”

The unicorns examine the alien equines curiously, one of the males regarded Twilight’s horn and wings while she ruffles with them a bit.

“Wow, a horn and wings!” The male said, impressed. “Are you a goddess?”

“Huh?” Twilight said. “Oh no, I’m an alicorn.”

“Technically, alicorns have much in common with gods from what I’ve heard,” Jiminy said.

“She’s actually a princess,” Rarity said.

The unicorns gasp in amazement hearing that.

“A princess?” One asked, as they all bowed.

Twilight was surprised, though she was expecting this.

“Please, no need to be formal,” Twilight smiled. “Just call me Twilight.”

One unicorn raised his head and stood up.

“It’s a pleasure to meet a princess,” The male unicorn said. “My name is Paris, and this is my herd. To what do we owe you this visit, Your Ma… I mean, Twilight?”

“We’re looking for missing sheet music,” Twilight explained. “Some friends of ours lost them and says one is in this realm. It’s very important we find it. I don’t suppose you’ve seen one, have you?”

“Hmm…” Paris taped his chin. “Sheet music? Sheet music… No, I don’t think so.”

Then Paris turns to his fellow unicorns.

“Have you guys seen any?”

Most of the herd either said ‘no’ or shook their heads.

“Sorry Twilight, looks like none of us have,” Paris shrugged.

The Equestrians sighed in defeat but appreciated their help.

“But…” Paris spoke up. “Maybe we can help you find it.”

“Yeah, we were just going to meet with some of our friends across the fields,” A female unicorn explains. “Wanna come along?”

“Ah think that’s a good idea,” Applejack said. “We could use all the help we can get if we wanna find that sheet music.”

“You’re right, Applejack,” Twilight agreed. “If the unicorns help us, we may find the sheet music faster than in the previous realms.”

“Yeah, maybe faster than Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie added.

“Yea… Hey!” Rainbow said, offended.

“And… There’s no harm having a bit of fun while we search,” Twilight added.

“Now there’s the Twilight we know!” Rainbow said.

“So, what do you think?” Another male unicorn asked. “Want to join?”

“We’d love to,” Fluttershy smiled, cutely.

“Great!” Paris said. “Allow us to show you our beautiful land.”

Paris pranced adorably down the fields, leading the herd and the Equestrians passed the open-air temples.

“Come on, everypony!” Twilight said.

Twilight and her friends ran after the unicorns for a few minutes, until they stopped at the top of a hill. The reason being was something that caught their eye. While it wasn’t the sheet music, it was something that made our heroes stare with surprise. A group of little boys, only with tiny horns on their heads and hind legs resembling a goat’s. They even had pointy ears and a little goat’s tail. They all danced happily while playing the pan flute.

“Wow, what are those?” Rainbow asked.

“Don’t you know?” Jiminy asked. “They’re satyrs. Male nature spirits that love to have fun. They’re known for their goat horns and legs.”

“We usually refer to them as fauns,” Paris said.

“Isn’t there a difference between fauns and satyrs?” Jiminy asked.

“Kind of, yes,” One of the unicorns said.

“They sure look fun!” Pinkie said.

“I know, right?” Paris asked. “They’re good friends of ours. Come, I’ll introduce you to them.”

The Equestrians ran alongside Paris and the other fauns. It didn’t take long for the fauns to notice the herd. They smile and ran towards them too. Paris hugged one particular faun.

“Paris, my friend!” The faun spoke, with a child-like voice. “How are you?”

“Fine as usual, Tim,” Paris smiled.

The Equestrians watch how the unicorns and the fauns greet each other and couldn’t help but smile.

“They sure get along with each other quite well,” Applejack said.

“It’s fascinating to see two creatures so different getting along,” Jiminy said, standing on Twilight’s head.

“I know,” Twilight nodded. “Back in Equestria, we’re trying the same thing with other creatures. It’s not been easy, but it works.”

“I’d like to introduce you to some new friends of mine,” Paris introduced the newcomers. “These are Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, Jiminy Cricket, Octavia Melody, Pinkie Pie, Vinyl Scratch and Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

The faun faced the dragon, the cricket and the pony group with interest while Pinkie waved at him.

“A princess?” Tim asked. “Here?”

“I know, isn’t that great?” Paris asked, as they approached the small band of heroes. “Guys, meet my best friend, Tim.”

Tim looked at the Equestrians before turning his attention to Twilight.

“Are you sure she’s not a goddess?” He asked Paris. “She has the look for one despite being a pony.”

“Oh no, no, no,” Twilight chuckled, blushing a bit. “As much as I’m flattered, I’m no goddess. Just call me Twilight.”

“What have you come here to do?” Tim asked.

“We’re looking for missing sheet music somewhere in this realm,” Octavia answered.

“We’re helping them find it,” Paris explains. “Have you seen one?”

“Nope,” Tim answered. “I’d tell you if I did. But I would like to help with your search though.”

“Thank you, Tim,” Twilight said. “We appreciate it!”

“And I’m sure the other inhabitants would love to help too,” Paris added.

“There are other creatures?” Twilight asked.

“You bet,” Tim replied. “You really should meet them while searching for this sheet music.”

“Speaking of which, we’re organizing a festival to honor Bacchus,” Paris informs. “Everyone will be there.”

“Bacchus?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The god of wine and parties,” Jiminy explained. “He’s named ‘Dionysus’ in Greek.”

Pinkie couldn’t help but smile hearing that.

“Sounds like my kind of god.”

“We’d be honored to have new friends join the celebration,” Tim offered. “Would you like to come?”

The Equestrians look at each other, each smiling and nodding.

“We’d be glad to,” Twilight said.

With that said, Paris and Tim smiled.

“That’s great!” Tim said. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction when a princess attends our festival.”

“Me too!” Paris said.

“Come along, I’ll introduce you to the rest,” Tim said.

Tim walks along with the Equestrians, as his fellow fauns play with the unicorns. They see one faun and a blue unicorn playing tag. The unicorn was chasing the faun hiding behind a tree. Then the unicorn chased him with his horn pointed at him. The faun covered his behind while running and quickly hid behind a small column. The unicorn searched for him but couldn’t find him. Unknown to the unicorn, his faun friend was atop the column smiling. He blew a few notes on his instrument and quickly posed on one leg like a statue. The unicorn heard the note and looked on top of the column. But he mistook the faun for a statue, so he sniffed the flowers to track his scent. The faun blew a few notes again, causing the unicorn to tuck his tail underneath him. He began to realize his friend was right behind him, posing like a statue. He quickly turns just as the faun blew a few more notes and they both met eye-to-eye. The unicorn gave his pal a lick on the face, causing the Equestrians to smile.

“Ah bet the CMC would love it here,” Applejack said.

Tim walked toward a few fauns playing a different game with some of the unicorns.

“Hey, guys!” Tim called out. “Paris brought some new friends and one of them is a princess!”

“A princess?!” One faun said.

That drew all the fauns’ attention as they came close and encircled our heroes.

“My, this is quite a welcome!” Jiminy said.

“I haven’t had this much attention since my last visit to Mount Aris,” Twilight said.

The fauns stare in amazement, but mostly toward Twilight.

“Wow, a real princess,” One faun said.

“She’s so pretty!” Another faun replied.

Hearing all these compliments and praise made Twilight blush.

“I guess they’ve never met a princess before,” Fluttershy replied.

“What about the rest of us?” Rainbow asked, feeling left out.

“Are you two Pegasi?” One faun asked, walking towards Rainbow and Fluttershy.

“Yes, we are,” Fluttershy said, kindly.

“I never expected you to be…” The faun began.

“Great? Good-looking? Totally and amazingly awesome?” Rainbow bragged, eager for the answer while posing.

“Small,” The faun finally said.

The blue Pegasus’ eyes turned small as pinpricks.

“Huh?”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, confused. “This is our normal size.”

“You’re not from here?” The faun asked.

“Nope, we’re from Equestria,” Rainbow answered. “It’s a place that’s kind of far away from here.”

“I see,” The faun said, intrigued.

“Are there Pegasi here?” Fluttershy asked, smiling.

“Yes, but they’re different,” The faun replied.

“How different?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Like…”

But before the faun could answer, a shadow flew over their heads. They look up and see a black horse with red eyes and wings. It was, without a doubt, a Pegasus stallion, roughly the same size as Princess Celestia herself.

“…That!” The faun pointed.

“Whoa, that’s a big Pegasus!” Rainbow said, slightly intimidated.

“Oh my!” Fluttershy said, surprised.

But there wasn’t just one Pegasus in the sky, for a few colorful foals flew beside the black stallion in different directions. The other Equestrians saw them too, staring in awe. They’ve never seen a Pegasus that big before.

“Wow, other Pegasi!” Vinyl gasped.

“Now it truly feels like home,” Twilight smiled.

The winged equines flew toward a tree, when Rainbow noticed something strange.

“There’s another Pegasus,” Rainbow said. “In a nest.”

“A nest?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Up in that tree,” Rainbow pointed.

Twilight looks up and sees there was indeed a snow-white Pegasus lying in a nest.

“That’s peculiar,” Twilight replied.

“I know,” Rainbow said. “These Pegasi live like birds.”

“I don’t think it’s very strange,” Jiminy disagreed. “Don’t Equestrian Pegasi live on clouds like Spike showed me before coming here?”

“We live in houses on clouds,” Rainbow answered. “That’s completely different.”

“I live in a cottage,” Fluttershy said, shyly.

“Well, everyone has a different living space,” Jiminy remarked.

“They look absolutely stunning,” Rarity replied, giggling. “Hmm… Especially the stallion with the nice flank.”

“What?” Spike asked.

“Oh nothing, Spikey darling,” Rarity reassured, acting fast.

“They must be a family,” Fluttershy said. “I’d like to meet them.”

“You can go ahead if you want,” Tim offered. “The parents are protective, but they’re very friendly.”

“Say, do you guys want to play a game with us?” One faun asked.

“Ooh, I love games!” Pinkie said, nudging Twilight’s chest with her hooves. “Can we play with them, Twilight? Can we, can we, can we, can we?”

“Okay, okay,” Twilight laughed. “I suppose we can play one game before we keep looking.”

“Yippee!” Pinkie cried, enthusiastically. “Let’s play ‘tag’!”

“That’s my favorite!” One faun said.

“I’ll play along,” Applejack offered.

“Me too!” Spike said. “Rarity?”

“Hmm…” Rarity thought. “Well, if you insist.”

“Tag, you’re it!” Pinkie tagged Rarity, running as fast as she could. “Try to catch me!”

“It is so on!” Rarity laughed and pranced.

As Rarity began chasing Pinkie Pie around, it didn’t take long for the unicorns, the fauns and rest of the group, except Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy to join the fun.

“Aren’t you gonna play with us?” A unicorn foal asked.

“I would love to,” Fluttershy said. “But I’d like to meet those Pegasi first.”

“I better go with you to make sure your safe,” Rainbow offered. “Plus, I’d like to meet those big Pegasi too.”

“Thank you, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said.

“The rest of us will spend some time with the unicorns and fauns,” Twilight informs. “We’ll catch up with you later."

“See ya later, Twi,” Rainbow said.

Twilight watched Rainbow and Fluttershy take off into the air toward the tree, when the voices of her other friends drew her attention.

“Come on, Twilight!” Pinkie yelled. “Applejack’s it!”

Twilight ran towards her friends, while she laughed. It’s been quite a while since she had fun.

Up in the tree, the white Pegasus, a gorgeous mare with blue eyes, nestled peacefully while enjoying the day. Suddenly, four colorful foals, a blue one, a pink one, a yellow one and an orange one flew towards her. The blue perched along a branch while the others flew.

“Did you see me, mama?” The yellow one asked. “Did you see how good I flew?”

“You did amazing,” The mother replied, with a silky voice. “All of you did.”

“Will Peter fly too?” The pink one asked.

“He’ll need some practice,” The mother said, confident in her son. “I’m very sure he’s going to touch the sky.”

It didn’t take long for her to notice two Pegasi, a yellow and blue one, each one who’s mane was in a different style and color, flying toward her. She had never seen Pegasi like them before, nor did she see them as a threat. The foals noticed them too.

“Mama, what are those?” The orange one asked.

“I think they’re visitors, dear,” The mother replied.

Rainbow and Fluttershy hovered before the family until Fluttershy stopped.

“Oh, are we bothering you? I’m sorry.”

“Oh no, not at all,” The white mare smiled. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Nope,” Rainbow shook her head. “We just came from another world. Name’s Rainbow Dash, by the way. Fastest flier that ever existed.”

“And I’m Fluttershy,” The shy Pegasus greeted. “Lovely to meet you.”

“Oh, how sweet,” The white Pegasus smiled. “I’m Helen. These are my children Dennis, Anjelica, Lindy, Eugene…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she lifts her right wing which draped over something revealing a black Pegasus with a white mane and tail. His bottom was up in the air while he wagged his tail. Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle.

“… And my youngest son, Peter,” Helen said, giving her son a gentle nudge. “Peter, we have visitors.”

The little black Pegasus’ head appeared, as he began to yawn.

“Aww, he’s so cute,” Fluttershy cooed.

Even Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile too. When the colt sees the two newcomers, he got scared and quickly backed off.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Rainbow Dash assured. “We won’t hurt you.”

Suddenly, something big landed on the tree branch next to the blue one, Eugene. It was the black stallion they saw earlier, he looked very intimidating given his size and red eyes.

“Uh, hello?” Rainbow said, trying to muster her courage.

“Don’t worry, this is my husband, Hector,” Helen said, seeing the two ponies intimidated. “My husband doesn’t bite. We both keep our family safe, but he’s a real sweetheart despite his rough appearance. Sweetie, these are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. They’re from another world."

The stallion took a good look at the winged ponies until he felt they could be trusted.

“Pleased to meet you,” He spoke, gently.

“Likewise,” Fluttershy bowed.

“To what do we owe you this visit?” Helen asked.

“We were just wondering if you or your husband seen any sheet music around here,” Fluttershy explained, kindly. “Some friends of ours lost it and we want to bring it back.”

Helen and Hector looked at each other, wondering if either of them seen it.

“Sorry dearies,” Helen said. “We haven’t seen anything like that. At least, not since this morning.”

Rainbow groaned in annoyance.

“Well, at least we asked,” Fluttershy said.

Meanwhile, Hector was in deep thought, pondering until he perks his head up.

“Actually, now that I think of it, a few of our brethren mentioned seeing something like that on his morning flight.”

“Really?!” Rainbow asked, eagerly. “Where?”

“Just at a lake nearby,” Hector answered. “It’s where all the Pegasi go to meet up. It’s not too far, in fact, we were just planning to go there today.”

“Why don’t you join us?” Helen offered. “Maybe we can help you find this sheet of music you’re looking for.”

Rainbow immediately spread her wings eagerly, excited to go.

“What’ve we got to lose?” She asked, rhetorically. “Let’s fly!”

“But mama,” The yellow one, Dennis, spoke up. “Peter doesn’t know how to fly yet.”

The little black Pegasus, Peter, felt shy and small when his brother mentioned that. While the mother had faith in her son, she couldn’t help but feel worried too.

“He wants to be a great flier like his dad,” Helen explained. “But he feels very insecure.”

Rainbow’s eyes went wide hearing that. Peter reminded her of a certain filly who idolizes her. A filly who may possibly never fly, but that doesn’t mean Dash will never care about her anymore. This little Pegasus needed help as much as Scootaloo and Rainbow could be the answer.

“I can help,” Rainbow offered, smiling.

“What?” Helen asked.

“I can help Peter with his problem,” Rainbow clarified, flying close to the black colt. “You wanna fly, little buddy?”

Peter was still taken aback by the ponies, but it began to fade. He slowly nods ‘yes’ to her question.

“All you have to do is listen and do exactly as I say,” Rainbow instructs.

“Are you sure, Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked.

“If this goes well, he’ll be flying in ten seconds flat,” Rainbow said, confidently. “Besides, I taught Twilight how to fly, didn’t I? Even though she can’t fly as good as me or… Any Pegasus.”

Rainbow turns left then right and leans toward Fluttershy.

“Good thing she didn’t hear that, or she’ll give me the stink-eye again,” Rainbow whispered.

“Thank you, Miss Rainbow Dash,” Hector said.

“It’s no biggie,” Rainbow shrugged, turning to Peter. “You know, you remind me of this little squirt back home who wants to be a flier too. I mean, she may never be able to fly, but that doesn’t mean I won’t love her anymore. She… Well, she’s like the little sister I never had, and I can’t imagine a life without her.”

Peter had listened intently as Rainbow spoke, every word coming from her heart. Suddenly, rumbling and growling made the others turn to the four other foals. Their stomachs growling very loud.

“Mama, I’m hungry,” The pink one, Anjelica, said.

“There are flowers and berries in the trees,” Helen points out.

“You can have one of my apples if you want,” Fluttershy said, offering a few from her bag.

“Yummy!” The foals said, each taking an apple.

They ate the apples, enjoying the juicy, crisp taste. Fluttershy even gave one to Peter, who smiles gratefully.

“Now what do you say, children?” Helen asked.

“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy,” The foals said, in unison.

“You’re welcome, little ones,” Fluttershy said, blushing.

Even after finishing their apples, the foals were still hungry. They flew toward the branches to eat the flowers and berries. Hector takes to the air to watch over the rest of his children.

“Now, let’s begin,” Rainbow said to Peter. “The first thing to know about flying is that it’s not just staying in the air and flapping your wings. It’s freedom, it’s art, and it’s part of your life.”

“Wow, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said, in awe. “I’ve never heard you say words like that before. That’s so unlike you.”

“Hey, if I wanna teach the kid to fly, I have to do it right.”

“I’m not sure I can, Miss Dash,” Peter said, nervously.

“First, call me Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow Dash said. “Secondly, of course you can. You just have to believe in yourself. Look, I know it’s not always easy in the beginning, kid. I was a bit nervous when I was your age. But now you have to put that fear aside if you want to make your parents proud, right?”

“Um… Right?” Peter said, uncertain.

“Exactly! Now come on, I know you can do it. Your family supports you, just like how my friends supported me. And right now, ‘I’ believe in you.”

With every word, Peter slowly gets a boost of confidence. He faces his mother, who nods with a smile, as he leant upon the edge of the nest watching his brothers and sisters fly while eating flowers and berries.

“What do you say, kid?” Rainbow asked. “Wanna give it a shot?”

Peter nodded, confidently.

“Great! Now, take a deep breath, think positive and just take a leap of faith.”

The foal did exactly as she said. Shaking his bottom to prepare himself, Peter galloped bravely into the air. But he forgot something, something Rainbow and Fluttershy noticed.

“Hey, you still gotta flap your wings!” Rainbow yelled.

The black colt realized it immediately and flailed his legs. But he fell onto another tree branch; fortunately, it was a short fall and he didn’t get a scratch or a bump. Rainbow and Fluttershy, with Helen close behind, flew down as the mother looked at the colt in concern.

“Oh!” Helen gasped. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

The colt gave a determined snort.

“Not a bad move,” Rainbow said. “But you forgot to flap your wings.”

“Rainbow’s right,” Fluttershy agreed. “You need to use them, or you won’t stay in the air.”

“Try again,” Rainbow said.

The little colt quickly got back on his hooves and kicks his legs into gear trotting off the root. He leaps into the air, spreading his wings.

“You got it!” Rainbow cheered, encouragingly. “You got it! You got it! There you go!”

But like before, the little colt came to an abrupt stop in mid-air, losing altitude. The little colt desperately flaps his wings, scrambling his legs together as he struggles to climb back into the air.

“Whoa! I got you kid!” Rainbow yelled.

Rainbow reached her hoofs to catch Peter. But the little colt slips right through her hooves and lands in a bed of flowers. The ponies gasp in shock.

“Oh goodness!” Fluttershy whimpered.

The yellow Pegasus and Helen flew out of the nest, gliding with gentle grace toward the colt.

“Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

With a whinny, the little colt pokes his head up from the flowerbed and greets his mother with an affectionate nose rub.

“You need to be more careful, sweetie,” Helen said.

Helen dips her head into the flowers and pulls her son out, by the tail. With a gentle shake, all the petals were shaken off of the colt.

“You’re lucky those flowers softened the landing,” Fluttershy said. “Can’t have you break your wing.”

“Yeah, or you’ll spend the next few days in a hospital,” Rainbow added, then whispers. “Unless you have a Daring Do book, which I totally recommend reading.”

Peter and Helen face Rainbow, both very confused.

“Hospital?” Helen asked.

“Daring… Do?” Peter asked.

“Um, Rainbow?” Fluttershy whispered. “They don’t know what those are.”

“Oh… Never mind,” Rainbow said. “Okay, let’s do this one more time.”

“Guess I have to go back in the tree to do that,” Peter said.

“Nah, just flap those wings little buddy,” Rainbow encouraged.

Peter flailed with his legs, flapping his wings heavily.

“You can do it, little guy,” Rainbow Dash encouraged further.

Rainbow and Fluttershy flapped their wings together, ascending beside Helen and her son, watching the little colt gain altitude as his mother holds onto his tail to keep him airborne. With the three Pegasus mares’ encouragement, the colt flaps higher and higher, until at last, his mother releases his tail and watches him fly on his own.

“Yeah, little buddy!” Rainbow Dash whooped, doing a loop mid-cheer. “That’s the way to do it!”

“You rock!” Flutttershy cheered, softly. “Whoo-hoo!”

“I did it?” Peter asked, smiling hopefully. “I can fly?”

“You can fly!” Rainbow and Fluttershy yelled, joyfully.

The other foals finished eating and watched in amazement as their little brother flew on his own.

“Hey, look!” Dennis points out. “Peter’s flying!”

They flew toward their brother, cheering while flying circles around him. Helen smiles proudly toward her son, before turning her attention to the two ponies.

“My son can fly on his own, all thanks to you,” Helen said. “How can we ever repay you?”

“It was nothing,” Rainbow said. “Helping others is what we do.”

“By Zeus’ lightning bolt!” Hector said, noticing the scene. “That’s my boy!”

Hector smiles proudly, nuzzling the foal’s head. He too soon took notice of the ponies.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash, and to you as well, Fluttershy. To show our appreciation, we will help you find the sheet music. We’ll scan the ground from the air on our way to the lake.”

“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Hector,” Fluttershy said.

“Just call me Hector,” Hector suggests.

“Oh, of course,” Fluttershy replied.

“Then let’s go!” Rainbow said, excited.

“Come along, children,” Helen called out. “You too, Peter.”

Helen gave Peter a nudge on the bottom to fly along, the little colt smiles proudly as he flies on. His rear end starts to droop down, prompting him to pull his own tail to get his lower half on the same level as the upper in the air.

“Follow us,” Helen tells the ponies.

Helen and her husband fly in front, followed by the ponies and the foals, soaring over a cliff.

In the meantime, the other Equestrians play a game of hide-and-seek with the unicorns and fauns. One pony in particular was very good at the game and it was her turn to search.

“3… 2… 1! Come out, wherever you are!” Pinkie yelled, beginning her search.

Surprisingly, she found each one of them with frightening success.

“Found you! Found ya! I see you behind the tree, Applejack! Found ya! You’re in the bushes, Spike and Paris! Found ya! Found ya! Aaaaaaaaaaaaand found ya."

Everyone found emerged from their hiding spots.

“Wow, you found all of us in less than ten seconds!” Jiminy said. “You’re scary good at this, Pinkie Pie.”

“How do you do that?” Tim asked.

“Back when I lived on the Rock Farm, me, my sister Maud and Boulder played tons of hide-and-seek!” Pinkie explained. “I won a few times, but Maud won a lot. I asked her how she did it and she said she uses her Maud sense to find me, sometimes she’d find me out of luck. So, I thought ‘Hmm… Maybe I could use my Pinkie Sense during this game’ and the rest is history!”

“Isn’t that cheating?” Applejack asked.

“Hmm…?” Pinkie thought. “I don’t know; I’ll have to ask.”

“Who’s Boulder?” Jiminy asked.

“It’s Maud’s pet,” Twilight explained. “Who looks a little bit like…”

“It’s a rock,” Applejack finishes, bluntly.

Jiminy and Octavia had a weird expression on their face. Suddenly, Vinyl looks up in the air and noticed something.

“Hey, isn’t that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy up there?” Vinyl points out.

They turn to the sky and saw their two friends flying with the Pegasus family.

“Where are they going?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe they found something,” Spike suggests.

“Let’s go after them,” Jiminy said, atop Twilight’s head.

“Alright,” Twilight said, facing Paris and Tim. “We’d like to play some more, but we need to follow our other friends first.”

“It be easier if Tim and I go along,” Paris offered. “Don’t want you getting lost.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Twilight said, politely. “We really appreciate it.”

“Anything to help you and your friends, Prince… I mean, Twilight,” Tim bowed.

The ponies watch the Pegasi fly further away.

“We better move along,” Octavia suggests. “We’re losing them.”

“They must be going to the lake,” Paris said. “All the Pegasi go there.”

“Maybe the sheet music is there too,” Rarity suggests.

“Follow us,” Tim said. “It’s not that far.”

They all trotted toward the lake, while the other unicorns and fauns wave to them.

“Hope we see you at the festival!” One faun called out.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be there!” Pinkie shouts back. “Pinkie Promise!”

(Pause at 2:26)

Meanwhile, up in the air, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and the Pegasus family were on their way to the lake. Helen and her husband Hector flew in a graceful way, while the rest flew normally. Fluttershy had to keep up for a certain reason, but Rainbow took care of that by keeping close to her and often giving her a small push.

“Just keep moving forward, Flutters,” Rainbow said. “Don’t look down.”

“Please don’t say ‘don’t look down’,” Fluttershy whimpered. “It makes me wanna look down for sure.”

Helen turns back, seeing what was going on with the two ponies as they came closer.

“Everything alright?” Helen asked.

“Fluttershy’s just having some trouble with heights,” Rainbow said. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t freak out.”

“That’s unusual,” Helen replied, confused. “How can a Pegasus be afraid of heights?”

"It’s kind of a long story,” Fluttershy answered.

Helen came closer to the shy Pegasus and gave her a smile, letting her know she’s all ears. Fluttershy sighs and decides to tell her.





“When I was a filly, I went to summer flight camp,” Fluttershy explained. “I was very shy and a very weak flier.”

“You’re still very shy,” Rainbow calls out.

Fluttershy quietly glares at her friend before she continues.

“I tried to fly through a cloud hoop, but I lost my balance and fell down. Because I couldn’t fly well, other ponies would bully and humiliate me every day. Even my teachers laugh at me.”

“That’s awful,” Helen said, feeling sympathy.

“But then Rainbow Dash stood up for me one day and challenged those bullies to a race. But when I started, I was knocked off the clouds by accident and fell toward the ground. I wouldn’t be here anymore if those butterflies didn’t catch me. It was the first time I saw many different creatures and stayed mostly on the ground ever since. True, I fly more than before, but my acrophobia has always been a burden.”

“What happened to Miss Rainbow Dash?” Anjelica asked, listening.

“Rainbow won the race by using her Sonic Rainboom for the very first time,” Fluttershy explained. “It also caused me and my other friends to have our cutie marks at the same time."

“Whooooaaaaa!” All the foals exclaim.

“Cutie marks?” Hector asked. “You mean the symbol on your flank?”

“Yes, mine represents my ability to communicate with animals on a different level,” Fluttershy said. “Rainbow’s symbolizes her love for flying and speed.”

“What is the Sonic Rainboom you spoke about earlier?” Hector asked.

“Thought you’d never ask,” Rainbow said, preparing herself. “Let me show ya!”

"Wait, Rainbow!” Fluttershy said. “Wouldn’t it be better to look around and show your Rainboom later?”

“Fine,” Rainbow frowned, then whispers to the foals. “But I promise I’ll show you later today.”

The foals smile in excitement.

“In case you feel uncomfortable again,” Helen reassured. “I’ll be with you.”

“Thanks, Helen,” Fluttershy smiled. “I feel lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be.”

“Just keep your eyes on us,” Helen advised. “It’s not far.”

(Continue previous music at 2:26)

They all begin to fly over clouds, Hector and Helen gracefully flew down and up over another while the rest did the same. Peter, however, hit a bit of the cloud with his hind leg, dragging it along. They all flew down again and emerged through a big cloud. The parents strut, while the ponies and some of the foals just flew through it. Peter strutted in a cute but funny way, trying to imitate his parents. It wasn’t long before they reached their destination.

“We have arrived,” Hector said.



They all began to descent toward the lake, which was quite a sight to behold. It was huge and small islands with open-air temples and trees were everywhere. Rainbow and Fluttershy couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy gasped. “It’s so lovely.”

“This is the perfect place to ‘chillax’,” Rainbow replied.

Hector, Helen and all the foals, except Peter who dove, land on the water and float along like swans. Their wings even turn backwards like swans do. Peter emerged from the water and shook his head dry. The ponies paused in mid-air for a moment.

“How did you do that?” Rainbow asked.

“What? Floating on the water?” Helen asked. “All Pegasi can do that. Can’t you?”

“We know how to swim,” Fluttershy answered. “But we’ve never floated on the water before.”

“It’s not so hard,” Helen said. “Try it.”

The ponies approached the water, hesitating a little. They both landed softly along the water, trying to use their legs to keep most of their bodies afloat.

“Just take it easy,” Helen advised.

In an unexplainable way, the ponies are able to float on the water, much to the ponies questions running through their minds.

“See? You did it,” Helen said.

“How is this possible?” Rainbow said. “We’ve never even tried floating on water back in Equestria.”

“Maybe in this world we can,” Fluttershy thought.

“Well, are you coming?” Helen asked, keeping an eye out. “We’re almost there.”

“Yeah, hold on,” Rainbow said.

The blue Pegasus used her legs to swim forward, while Fluttershy followed close behind. It was an experience they had to get used to, but otherwise it went well.

“This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever done,” Rainbow observed. “But I kinda like it!”

“Me too,” Fluttershy smiled.

They swam close to the Pegasus parents, following them through stone pillars that reached from the water and a beautiful flower tree.

“Stay close, children,” Helen said, keeping watch.

The foals stayed as close as possible with their parents, while the ponies did the same. Eugene swims between his mother and father, while the other foals check to ensure neither one are left behind. It didn’t take long for all to reach the spot the parents searched for.

“It’s so nice and peaceful here,” Fluttershy observed.

“It is something,” Rainbow nodded. “The others will probably like it too.”

Suddenly, the foals saw something in the sky and quickly hid under their mother’s wing. Rainbow and Fluttershy noticed and looked up. A big herd of Pegasi consisting of black stallions like Hector and white mares like Helen approached. All of them came to the lake to be together and spend time with others. Each one lands softly or slid along the water before floating.

“I’ve never seen so many before,” Rainbow said.

“Me neither,” Fluttershy said.

As all the Pegasi land, Helen turns her attention to her foals.

“Dennis, why don’t you take your brothers and sisters to play? Mommy and daddy need to talk with the grown-ups.”

“Okay, mama,” Dennis said, turning to the foals. “Come on, guys. Let’s play over there!”

The foals float toward a roofless temple with stone columns, big flowerpots and a small staircase leading toward the water.

“Be safe!” Hector said, before turning his attention to the two ponies. “Would you like to meet some of our friends? I bet they would like to meet you.”

“Oh, I would love to,” Fluttershy said.

“Sounds fine to me,” Rainbow said.

Both ponies follow the parents toward the other Pegasi. One mare noticed the couple and swam toward them.

“Helen, dear,” The mare greeted. “It’s so nice to see you. How are you and the family?”

“We’re doing great,” Helen said, proudly. “Amazing news has happened: My son Peter can fly!”

“He can?” Another mare asked. “How did he overcome his insecurity?”

“With a little help from our new friends,” Helen said, showing the two ponies. “Everyone, this is Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. They’re from somewhere far away.”

Many of the Pegasi, stallion and mare, came close to the tiny equines with interest. While Fluttershy is still sometimes nervous in crowds, she has both Rainbow and Helen to calm her.

In the meantime, Twilight and the others, along with Tim and Paris, arrive at the lake and the group couldn’t help but take in the wondrous sight. Rarity’s eyes went even wider.

“My stars, this place is full of inspiration and beauty,” She said.

“It sure is,” Applejack agreed.

“But where are…?” Twilight began, looking around.

“Found them!” Pinkie finished, pointing.

“Do I ever get to finish my sentences today?” Twilight sighed.

The unicorn/alicorn looked across the lake and found Rainbow and Fluttershy surrounded by a herd of big Pegasi.

“Look at all those big Pegasi!” Octavia points out.

“Now that is rad!” Vinyl said, tilting her glasses.

“Looks like your friends became famous,” Paris observed. “They must have done something special to get their attention.”

“We better let them know we’re here,” Jiminy advised.

“Alright,” Twilight nods. “Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy!”

Meanwhile, the Pegasi were growing quite fond of the newcomers. Sometimes they’d ask a question and the ponies gladly answered.

“I adore your mane,” A mare said to Rainbow Dash.

“It is pretty awesome, isn’t it?” Rainbow said, flicking her hair.

Suddenly, loud voices drew the Pegasi’s attention.

“Who’s yelling?” A stallion asked.

Helen found the source, listening very closely.

“Someone’s calling for you,” She said to the ponies.

The two ponies also listen and saw who was calling their names.

“Hey, it’s Twilight and the others!” Rainbow said.

“They’re our friends,” Fluttershy explains to Helen and Hector. “Would you like to meet them?”

“We’d love to,” Helen replied.

Together, the Pegasi followed the ponies as they swam toward the edge of the lake. Vinyl and Rarity were overlooking the lake when they see them.

“Here they come,” Vinyl said.

“And they’re bringing two of those Pegasi with them,” Rarity observed.

Once close enough, the Equestrians were finally able to meet the big-winged equines.

“Hiya, guys,” Rainbow greeted. “Had fun?”

“We sure have,” Applejack said, turning to Pinkie. “Though a certain ‘somepony’ beat all of us at hide-and-seek.”

“Really, who?” Pinkie said, looking around. “Oh right, that was me!”

Pinkie smiled innocently as Applejack rolled her eyes but smiled too.

“How are you two floating on water?” Vinyl asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know,” Rainbow answered. “We’ve been wondering the same thing.”

“Leave it to the Writer to add something new for us,” Pinkie replied.

Oh, come on!

“Everypony, these are friends: Hector and Helen,” Fluttershy introduced. “These are our friends Octavia, Vinyl, Spike, Jiminy Cricket, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Twilight. You can count Tim and Paris as friends too.”

“Ah, good morning, Paris,” Helen greeted, smiling. “Same to you, Tim.”

“Wait! You already know them?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh sure, we know everyone here,” Tim replied. “Well, except you of course.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Helen,” Paris bowed. “How are the children?”

“They’re doing fine, thanks for asking,” Helen replied, turning to the ponies. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

“Nice to meet you too, ma’am and sir,” Jiminy said, tipping his hat.

“My, you two have such gorgeous physique and colors,” Rarity complimented.

“Why thank you, dear,” Helen said. “You have great looks too.”

Hector silently examines all the ponies, specifically Twilight.

“You have wings and a horn. Could it be… Are you a…?”

“Oh no, as flattering as it might be, I’m not a goddess,” Twilight shook her head. “I am a princess though, but no need for formalities. Just call me Twilight.”

“Very well, Twilight,” Hector nodded. “You should be proud to have great friends like Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. They helped my son Peter fly.”

“They did?” Twilight asked.

Both parents nodded, as Twilight turns to the ponies with a smile.

“That’s so sweet of what you two did.”

“What can I say?” Rainbow said. “The kid needed help and I offered.”

“The poor dear felt very insecure,” Fluttershy added.

“Ah never thought you had it in ya to teach young’uns to fly,” Applejack said to Rainbow. “Especially with your lack of patience.”

“Hey!” Rainbow scowled, as her eyes widen. “What do you mean lack of patience?”

Applejack gives her a raised eyebrow, as if saying ‘seriously?’.

“Where is your son, anyway?” Twilight asked, looking around.

“He’s playing with his brothers and sisters, over there,” Helen pointed.

Atop of one of the stone columns, each one of the Pegasi foals jump and fall into the water. First, Anjelica, then Dennis followed by Eugene and Lindy. Last, but certainly not least, Peter slowly and gracefully descended toward the water surrounded by his siblings.

“Aw, they’re adorable,” Rarity said.

“They sure know how to amuse themselves,” Applejack added.

“Yeah, I can totally see the CMC play with them in this realm,” Rainbow said.

“Hmm…” Twilight thought. “If we do decide to come back here, I’ll be sure to ask them.”

“You know, I haven’t been to the lake for a while,” Time said. “I think I’ll relax for a few minutes and enjoy the sun.”

“I think so too,” Paris said. “By the look of it, Apollo must be in a good mood today.”

“Apollo?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The god of the sun, music and healing,” Jiminy explained. “According to Greek mythology, he uses a chariot to raise and lower the sun.”

“Just like Princess Celestia,” Spike said. “Only she uses a chariot for transport.”

“Cool!” Tim said. “Well, see you all at the festival!”

Tim hops toward a small island and sits on top. He grabs his pan flute and plays a few notes while a flower falls from a tree landing on the water. The music is very soothing for the Equestrians.

“Did you find the sheet music?” Twilight asked Rainbow and Fluttershy.

“We thought we could find it at the lake,” Rainbow said. “But still nothing.”

Suddenly, without anyone noticing, a pink piece of paper floats in the air. Spike was the first to see it.

“Well, it was worth a try,” Fluttershy said.

“Uh, Twilight?” The little dragon said, trying to get her attention.

“Maybe you’re not lookin’ hard enough,” Applejack said. “It could be hidden somewhere. In a tree or on one of those islands or somethin’.”

“You got a point,” Twilight agreed.

“Twilight?” Spike said again.

“The unicorns, fauns and Pegasi don’t seem to have a clue either,” Twilight continued, not listening. “But, at least, they’re helping us, making the search a little easier…”

“TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled.

Spike grabs her head, making her look at the sky. Only then did she see the pink piece of paper, as it flew away from them.

“Is that…?”

“The sheet music!” Rainbow shouts. “I’ll get it!”

In a flash, Rainbow flew straight toward the sheet music. But suddenly, the sheet music dodged and flew away from her, much to her surprise.

“Oh, here we go again.”

She quickly flew after it, desperate to catch it.

“Guess that one has a mind of its own,” Spike said. “Just like the first one.”

“We have to go after her,” Twilight said.

“Do you need help?” Helen asked.

“Oh, we don’t want to bother you,” Twilight said. “Don’t worry, we can handle it.”

“Are you sure?” Helen asked again.

“Yeah, we’re used to these things. But thanks anyway.”

“If you ever need help, all you have to do is ask.”

“We will. Thank you, Helen.”

“Come on, everypony!” Applejack calls. “After it!”

Together, the ponies pursue Rainbow Dash while Paris, on the other hoof, stayed behind.

“Guess I’ll see you at the festival!” Paris waved them off.

“We will!” Pinkie yelled, gleefully.

Rainbow kept trying to catch the sheet music. But each time she did, it slips out of her hooves as if it was blown away by the wind.

“Come on, you stupid piece of paper. Will you cooperate, for once?”

The sheet music flew down very fast, then quickly goes up. Rainbow is too late to stop and crashed headfirst into the water. Rainbow’s head appeared out of the water, spitting some out of her mouth, looking toward the sheet music that appear to toy with her.

“Don’t let it escape, Rainbow!” Twilight shouts, from the edge of the lake.

“It won’t!” Rainbow said, determined.

Rainbow flew out of the water, shook herself dry and paused to think of a plan. Suddenly, she had an idea. She flew quickly between the trees, until she flew right in front of the sheet music.

“Ha! Now I got ya!”

But when she reached for it, the sheet music dodged her again and stood still a moment. Rainbow tried again and again, but no matter what she did, the sheet music dodged her. Then it stood still again, floating in the air. It was definitely playing with her, but she refused to be tricked again. She closed her eyes, whistling calmly and nonchalantly with her back to the paper. She took a step backwards toward it, but the sheet music took a small step back too. The Pegasus opened her eyes for a moment before shutting them until she quickly tried to grab it while flying circles, the sheet music doing the same. She became exhausted and then the sheet music twirled around her body, making her spin. By the time she stopped, she held her head while her eyes rolled in circles. She shakes her head vigorously and snorts wildly.

“That’s the last straw!” She yelled.

As she takes to the air, she sees the sheet music seemingly stopped above a waterfall. Positioning on the edge, Rainbow was about to fly when the wheels began turning in her head.

“Oh no! No, no, no. Don’t even think I’m falling for your tricks again. I see what you’re trying to do. But it won’t work… Great, I’m talking to a piece of paper… Again!”

“Don’t worry, Rainbow!” A voice yelled behind her. “I got this!”

Rainbow quickly turned around as Applejack uses her lasso to catch a tree branch and swing toward the sheet music.

“AJ, WAIT!” Rainbow shouts.

But it was too late. Applejack did catch the sheet music in her mouth, but then she looked down as her eyes widen in realization. She made a big gulp and imagined herself as a donkey with a goofy grin. She was about to fall as the sheet music escaped, but Rainbow quickly caught her.

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Applejack sighed. “I didn’t think this through.”

“You think?!” Rainbow said.

It didn’t take long for the others to appear, quickly stopping at the edge of the waterfall.

“Look out!” Pinkie shouts.

The party pony tried to stop, but accidentally bumps against every pony. They all fall toward the waterfall, screaming. Rainbow quickly went after them while holding Applejack. They all kept screaming, while Pinkie slid along the waterfall on her back.

"Wheeeeee!" she yelled.

Fluttershy looks down, seeing the end of the waterfall.

“I can’t look!” She cried, folding her wings over her eyes.

Twilight reacts quickly, casting a magic bubble over every pony, including Rainbow and Applejack, stopping them in midair before they hit the small rocks. They hover away from the rocks until the shield disappears and they fall in a creek. They peek out the water, gasping for air and swam for shore. Once out of the water, they shook themselves dry like dogs. Rarity’s wet mane hung over her face.



“Oh, now I have to comb it again,” Rarity complained.

“Can’t you be more careful, Pinkie?” Twilight said, angrily. “We’d be goners if I didn’t cast that magic barrier.”

“I tried, but I couldn’t,” Pinkie said, in defense. “I did warn you.”

Jiminy coughed a bit, slapping against his head to get the water out. He even removed his hat, that was filled with water, which splashed on his head.

“Did you manage to get the sheet music?” He asked.

“No,” Rainbow said. “This one’s trickier than the one in the Toccata and Fugue realm. Each time I try to grab it, it manages to get away.”

“There it is again!” Vinyl yelled, pointing at the sky.

Sure enough, the sheet music floated away above a forested glen nearby.

“I’ll catch it this time!” Rainbow said, preparing herself.

“Hold on, Rainbow,” Twilight stopped her. “Maybe there’s a reason you couldn’t catch it.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Remember how hard it was to catch the first sheet music?” Twilight asked. “That we had to travel through the entire realm to get it?”

“That was something alright,” Applejack said.

“I think the sheet music doesn’t want to be caught yet,” Twilight said. “There must be more to explore in this realm; maybe, there could be creatures that need help.”

“It’s like with the dinosaurs,” Jiminy said.

“Right! We only caught the others after we finished traveling through the realms. I guess we have to take our time to find them. After all, we came here to help and making friends in the first place just like the previous worlds. Right?”

Everypony began to think, but they knew Twilight made sense.

“Ya know, I guess y’er right!” Applejack said.

“What should we do now?” Octavia asked. “I don’t think the festival they spoke of started yet.”

“The sheet music flew over that glen,” Twilight points out. “We could search in there.”

“Can I comb my mane first?” Rarity asked.

Everypony sighed in annoyance, as they proceed to walk into the glen.