Equestria was in danger. The chaos had come one week earlier, and since then, Celestia, Luna, and a variety of other ponies had been scouring Equestria since, to find the source of the problem. Now, in the Everfree Forest, the Mane Six were pretty sure they had found the answer.
“Are you sure this is it?” Twilight asked for the millionth time. “We don’t even know what we’re looking for…”
“Oh, Ah think this is it, Twi,” Applejack murmured, staring down at the massive pool in the center of the forest. It was surrounded by thorny briars on all sides, and the girls’ coats were covered with scratches from pushing through them, with the exception of Rarity, who had bathed her body with her blue glow so that her coat wouldn’t be marred. “An’ Ah don’t know about you all,” Applejack continued, “but ah fer one do not like the looks of that.”
“You saying you’re scared?” Rainbow Dash taunted. “Cause… cause I kinda am… Although not that scared!” She curled her hooves into fists and stared menacingly at the pool.
“Oh, darlings,” Rarity crooned. “There’s nothing to be afraid of! I just hope we will not have to go into that mess. It looks… it looks like it could have been in the sewers at one point. Ghastly!” She backed away, flinching from the sticky cerulean sludge filling the deep hole in the ground.
“Hmm,” Twilight mused. “We should contact Princess Celestia about this! I’m sure she would have an idea of what to do. Spike? A piece of parchment and a feathered quill, perhaps?”
The small, spiky green and purple dragon bounded into sight, right next to Twilight. “Never travel without them!” he said cheerfully, pulling a red-feathered quill from Pinkie Pie’s bouncing mane and a piece of clean parchment from his bag. Poised to write, he said, “Do you want to know the other things I never travel without? You know, when I have my bag, that is. Granola bars, soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, water, a scale polisher…”
“Spike,” Twilight said warningly.
“Okay, okay!” The dragon gripped the quill a bit tighter. “Ready when you are.”
Twilight began to pace in the small space surrounded by the dome of spiky bushes. “Dear Princess Celestia. My friends and I have found a strange, murky pool in the midst of the Everfree Forest that, in all our time in the Forest in past times, we have never seen before. It’s the image at the bottom of the page. We were wondering if it had anything to do with what’s going on in Equestria right now. Thank you and please reply soon. Your faithful student, Twilight Lavender Sparkle.”
“Lavender?” Spike asked. “Never heard that before.”
A furious crimson blush bloomed on Twilight’s cheeks, and she gritted her teeth, saying, “Just send it off, all right?”
“Right, right,” Spike sang as he blew the letter away with a burst of crackling green flames.
About a second after Spike sent the letter away, Princess Celestia appeared on top of one of the briars, panting heavily. With an “Aaah!” she fell forwards into the clearing, and Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack rushed to help her up. With their help, she stood up on her four hooves a bit shakily, saying, “I am sorry, my little ponies. Because of the vast danger that Equestria is currently facing, I came as quickly as I could. Now, is this the pool you were talking about?”
“Yes, your majesty,” Twilight said hurriedly.
Celestia cast an amused look at her student and told Twilight, “Remember, I am your teacher.
Please, you mustn’t address me in such… formal talk. You know neither of us can stand for it.”
“Oh. Of course. And, we just found this pool. Do you think it could be the source?”
“I do.” Celestia furrowed her brows and stared closer at the blue-green, crystal clear water, tapping a hoof to her muzzle. “But… Ah, of course!”
“What?” Rainbow asked eagerly.
“This is not an ordinary pool. It is something of a portal,” Celestia explained. “Twilight, do you remember when you took that potion of Zecora’s to see into the past, when the Tree of Harmony was sick?” Seeing a nod from her student, Celestia continued. “This is very much the same. I’m sure that if somepony dives into this pool, they will go into the past.”
“But… but that doesn’t make sense,” Rarity said, pursing her lips. “Wouldn’t that change history in a way you wouldn’t want to happen?”
“Very good question, my little pony. I think that whoever went in would appear as a spirit. They would be able to see what was going on, but other ponies in that part of the past would not see you,” Celestia explained. “And now we must decide who will go.”
“Maybe... I... would be all right either way,” Fluttershy whispered.
Rarity nodded. "I'm with Fluttershy. On the bright side, I may find some inspiration for my fashion designs wherever it is. However, I would like to spend more time with Sweetie Belle, so..."
The other mares smiled and agreed with the two politely, except Twilight and Pinkie Pie, the latter of which grabbed her party cannon and sent a spray of confetti over the whole area.
"Actually... I think I'm more on the no side? I'm never one to back out on an adventure, I know, but this is kinda sudden. I had a visit to Canterlot to see my parents scheduled." Twilight brushed aside her bangs and looked up at Celestia. "Do you think that's all right?"
"Of course, my dear student. And anyway, I'd like to go." The pink-tinged alicorn smiled warmly. "I shall fly back to Canterlot now to tell Luna I will be gone for a bit, and to get Philomena.” With that, Celestia unfurled her wings and flew high up until she was only a pinprick in the sky. She flew over the tall wall of briars and back to Canterlot.
“Okay, then,” Twilight said. “We should probably wait here, so that we can-”
“Girls! Look at the pool!” Applejack exclaimed. Rarity craned her head to see the water clear and a beautiful vision appear. “It-it’s the Crystal Empire!” she gasped.
“But before King Sombra,” Twilight mused. “This must be the part of the past Celestia is going to! It just makes sense!”
“Um, for us who don’t know much history, why does it make so much sense?” Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the pool.
“Because, before King Sombra shrouded the Empire in darkness, a beautiful princess ruled, Princess Amore. Whenever I read about her, I think of Celestia. They’re a lot alike, except Amore isn’t an alicorn, she’s a unicorn. But they’re both super powerful-I bet the pool chose Celestia to meet Amore! Even though Celestia said ponies in the past wouldn’t be able to see her, I think Amore would, and maybe she could help us,” Twilight finished triumphantly.
“Well, then-” Fluttershy started, before she was interrupted by Celestia flying back in, Philomena perched on her shoulder and saddlebags emblazoned with her sun symbol over her back.
“All right. Everything is taken care of. I told Luna what’s happening, I’ve got Philomena,” Celestia stroked her pet phoenix, “and I’m all packed. Anything I’m forgetting?”
“Nopey dopey!” Pinkie Pie shouted.
“Great. I’ll be going now, then,” Celestia said, looking around. The girls all nodded, and Twilight told her teacher, “We’re guessing you’re going to meet Princess Amore in the Crystal Empire. Right after you left, the pool started to clear.”
“All right, then. I shall be prepared.” With that, Celestia dove into the pool, and the Mane Six watched as she disappeared and the image became murky once again.