Ten
Twilight Sparkle unshelved a thick book, light dust scattering as she lowered herself to the floor.
Nine
She made her way out of the library, heading to the west wing.
Eight
She ascended the stairs to the throne room, her hoofsteps echoing of the close walls of the stairway.
Seven
The throne room opened up before her, four ponies waiting inside; one with a yellow coat and pink mane; another with a pink coat and night-like mane; another with an orange coat and pink mane; and another with a pure white coat and a deep purple mane.
"Well, there she is!" The orange coated one proclaimed with a Appleloosan accent.
Six
"Thanks for your patience, everypony," Twilight Sparkle said. "As you've all heard, I brought you here for a reason of utmost importance."
Five
"But of course, darling!" the pure white mare exclaimed. "You may count on us, whatever you need."
Twilight smiled. "Thanks, Rarity." She passed the book around the circle of mares, open to a page near the middle. "This is what we're here for."
Four
Their eyes collectively widened. "Twilight..." Starlight gasped. "This is impossible, there's no way..."
"Frankly, I have to agree, Twilight," Rarity interrupted. "If this were true, then Equestria would be in deep trouble."
"Not necessarily," Twilight said. "It's true that we've had trouble before, but it's very possible that they're not the same as him."
"And if they are?" Applejack asked. "Sugar cube, Ah know you mean well, but some secrets are meant to be, well, secret."
Three
"I think it's a great idea," Fluttershy interjected. "He will be so happy when he finds out --"
"And we lose Equestria in the process?" Starlight interrupted. "Twilight, listen to me. If we attempt this, then we'll be opening Pandora's box. It could go terribly wrong. You know this."
Two
Twilight nodded. "I know. It's a huge risk. But this, this is a relic of Equestrian history, if nothing else. If we manage to find them, we can finally get the answers to the Lost Histories."
"Yer willin' to risk the fate of the world just to get answers?" Applejack fumed. "What's gotten into ya, Twilight?"
One