//------------------------------// // Prologue - before the Journey // Story: The More Things Change // by Silver Butcher //------------------------------// Twilight looked over her list, she had been preparing for this journey for three months, but now that it was time to leave, she was starting to panic. all of her things had already been loaded onto the boat, along with all her friend's belongings. Starlight had packed up her room and the two had said their goodbye's that morning, Starlight had declined to go on the trip, opting to go on tour with Trixie instead. in fact, now that She was leaving, the Castle would be empty until she returned. She had managed to have all her jobs in town taken over, mostly by Amethyst Star who seemed thrilled to finally be asked to overlook things again. The only thing that had caused her trouble was getting somepony to look after Spike while she was gone, Shining had offered, but after a short talk he and Cadence had decided that if he stayed there too long he might end up getting spoiled rotten by the Empire's citizens, her Parent's schedules where so busy now they didn't have the time to look after Spike, and with Starlight going on the road with Trixie, She'd been forced to look into other options, it had taken a long time, but she finally managed to find somepony to look after Spike, and they where technically in ponyville to. "So how long am I staying with Zecora exactly?" Spike asked as Twilight walked him down the path that leads to Zecoras "Its...its gonna be a while, we don't know how long it will take to Catalog the world's Geography, learn about other countries customs and cultures, and the various other jobs we'll have to do. But I'll make sure to write to you as often as I can." Twilight stopped and the Two looked ahead to Zecora, who was waiting for them. "Twilight Picked up Spike and gave him a Hug. "I'll miss you." He said as they both cried into each other. "I'll miss you too." Twilight said, after a minute Twilight put him down, and shook his hand "Goodbye Spike, I love you." "I love you too Twilight...bye" Spike let go of her hand and walked over to Zecora who leaned down and offered him her hand. "To finally have company makes me Glad, but the circumstances also make me rather Sad," Zecora said as Spike took her hand, she looked over at Twilight. "So long my Friend, Letters you mustn't forget to Send." Twilight sniffed. "I won't." With a final wave, She turned and made her way to the Castel where she and her Friends had all agreed to meet. Zecora leads Spike to what was now their hut. "I had my hut fixed up, But I think you'll like it...yup." Spike wiped his eye's and giggled. "Hey...you...you cheated on that one." Applejack had said her fair well's to Applebloom and Granny Smith and was walking with Big Mac to Fluttershy's cottage. "Any last words of wisdom?" She asked him. "Nope." "Anything you want to get off your chest before I leave?" "Nope." I know that Braeburn is moving down here...but even he can't pick up the slack of me not being here, so are you sure you can do this and Keep up with Applebucking duty?" "Eeyup." Big Mac nodded and turned to her "I think well manage ok until you get back." Applejack looked back at Sweet Apple Acres. "I'm gonna miss you." "Me or the Farm?" "What? Oh, um you...and the Farm." Applejack replied as they continued on their way to Fluttershy's cottage. most of the conversation between them being Applejack making sure everything was taken care of before she left. "And you'll have to make sure Braeburn know's about the Fruitbat orchard." "Eeyup." "What about bats?" Fluttershy asked as she walked down the greet the two of them. "Just talking about The Vampire Fruit bats," AJ said as Fluttershy gave Big Mac a hug. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do this." She said. "Eeyup." "Alright, before we go, I need to say goodbye to all the animals." She turned to Fluttershy "Do you remember their names?" "Eeyup." "Do you remember their favorite food." "Eeyup." Big Mac said as he followed her inside. Applejack waited outside for them, after several minutes the two finally walked out, at least Big mac walked out, Fluttershy was being hugged by Harry the Bear. "I'll miss you too." She sobbed as she hugged him. Big Mac looked at Applejack and pointed to the two of them. AJ sighed and walked over the Fluttershy. "Come on Fluttershy, we're gonna be late." she said as she tried to move Fluttershy, to no avail, "I know it sucks to say goodbye, but we're gonna be coming back." "But it might take years!" Big Mac made an odd noise. "Years!? You never said you might be gone for years!" AJ sighed "I did't.want to.worry anypony," Applejack said, punctuating every other word with a tug at Fluttershy. "Were all. leaving things. behind!" She said as she finally won and pulled Fluttershy out of the crying bear's arms. "We've been planning this for months, out stuff is already packed and ready to go on the boat, it's too late to back out now." Applejack turned to Big Mac "Tell Granny and Applebloom not to worry about me, I'll be fine." Applejack helped Fluttershy stand on her hooves. "We'll be fine" she amended looking at Harry. "Goodbye Harry, don't let Angel boss Big Mac around," Harry grunted and got up, a sparkle in his eye as he set off on his quest to keep Angel in check. Big Mac shook his sister's hand once more. "So long bro." "Happy trails." Big Mac replied as he turned and walked into the Cottage. Applejack threw her arm around Fluttershy and the two made their way to the Castel. Rarity looked up at her Boutique as she locked the door, Sweetie had officially moved in with her parents the week before, and thanks to a little help from the apple's, would still be able to visit her friends regularly. Rarity sighed, she had said her tearful goodbye the week before. all her dresses and a multitude of fabrics and her mannequins had been put on the boat, she rubbers her hoof on the door when she somepony poked her, she looked over and found Pinkie right beside her, with Rainbow Dash floating overhead on a cloud. They seemed completely relaxed. "Are you ready Rarity!" Pinkie squealed in excitement "We're gonna see the world." Rarity smiled. "It's a good thing your coming, I suspect all the other's are in tears." "Applejack doesn't cry," Rainbow said bluntly. "Then I guess where three for three." Rarity smiled as she looked up at Rainbow. "Odd, you seem a little red-eyed." "Just said goodbye to the squirt, had to make it look emotional and all." Rainbow said as she lay on the cloud. "but all that aside, let's get moving, we got an awesome adventure ahead, and I got an epic book to write about it." "Ooo. Am I gonna be in it?" Pinkie asked Rainbow chucked. "uh, Duh! were all gonna be in it, and I'm gonna be the hero of the story." "Rainbow, it's a 3-week boat ride to our first destination, what pray tell are you gonna be the hero of?" "I dunno, I'll make it up as We go," she said as she got off her cloud and the three made their way to the Castel. Twilight watched as all her friends showed up, all ready and rearing to go. Twilight cleared her throat as said. "Alright, were about to do this...for real...there's no going back now, where about to expand Equestria's knowledge of the world outside its borders. Celestia has already sent a few carriages for us, once it arrives it's a twenty-minute flight to the boat, then a 3-week sail to our first destination." Twilight looked at her friends "This is gonna be a long and hard journey, but as long as we stick together, we can do this!" Twilight finished just as said carriages arrived, they all loaded up, and as they set off, they all took one last look at Ponyville, and with that their journy began.