//------------------------------// // The Mysterious Books // Story: Stories for a Sleepover // by Star Plasma //------------------------------// Chapter One: The Mysterious Books This was it. The day had finally come! Twilight bounced about the library happily as she anticipated the night's upcoming sleepover. Twilight had this one planned out ever since Rarity and Applejack had slept over last time. Twilight had spent weeks searching for more books about how to make the best of a sleepover. She and her friends had arranged for Twilight's sleepover to be on a day when nopony was busy. But first, Twilight had to make it through the entire day. She pondered on what she would do the entire day while she waited for her friends to arrive. Twilight started to pace the library as she thought. After a few minutes of thoughtfulness,Twilight decided to get one of her books on how to have an awesome sleepover. As she read through the book, she realized the book pretty much contained the same material as the one from her first sleepover. Despite an additional section that depicted a game called 'Make Your Mare Friends Merrier', which more than slightly disturbed Twilight. She skipped the page. Coming across the scary story section, Twilight came to a shocking realization. The only scary story she knew of was 'The Headless Horse'. "Hey Twilight!" Spike called, interrupting Twilight's thoughts. "What?" she responded. "Where did we get this book from?" Spike asked, waving a book in his hand. Twilight levitated the book out of Spike's claws, and brought it up to her face to get a better look. "I thought about taking a look inside, but the title sounds scary." Spike shuddered at the thought. He hated scary stories. "Hmm... Twilight Sparkle thought. "The Terrifying Tale of the Twisted Tree huh?" she mused, reading the title aloud. A light bulb sparked to life in Twilight's head. She smiled. She had found something to do for the day. * * * "Ungh!" Applejack yelled as she struck the apple tree with a well practiced buck. Several thunks confirmed that the apples had landed in the apple cart. "That's the last of 'em!" Applejack said aloud, taking the cart off her back. She looked down at the cart, pleased with the amount of progress she had made for it being so early in the day. She had decided to only do two rows of trees today. Seeing as it was the day for Twilight's sleepover, Applejack didn't want to tire herself out bucking too many apples. Applejack began to haul the cart to the barn, where she would store it until Big Macintosh was finished doing... whatever he was doing. "Heya sis!" shouted Apple Bloom, poking her head out from behind a tree. This startled the hay out of Applejack, who proceeded to stumble and fall over. "Oops." Apple Bloom said, giving Applejack an innocent look. Applejack glared daggers at Apple Bloom. "Apple Bloom! What in tarnation are ya' doin hidin' behind that tree?" "Well, I wanted to wait for you to finish buckin' apples cuz' I didn't wanna bother ya." Apple Bloom replied. "Bother me 'bout what?" Applejack questioned Apple Bloom. "I was gonna see if I could go gather up the other crusaders to remain in search of our true talents!" said Apple Bloom. "Ah suppose that'll be all right." Applejack told Apple Bloom. "Great!" Apple Bloom yelled, running off towards the clubhouse. That's funny Applejack thought. She thought Apple Bloom was going to Sweetie Bell's and Scootaloo's. Applejack heard yells coming from the direction of the clubhouse. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLINGSHOT SHOOTERS, YAY!" Applejack growled. It was obvious that Apple Bloom had decided to invite her friends over before she had gotten Applejack's approval. She shook her head. If anypony knew how to get in trouble, it was those three. Applejack sighed, and picked up the cart off the ground as she proceeded to make her way towards the barn. When Applejack arrived in front of the barn door, she pushed it open and walked inside. Setting the cart down, she turned to exit the barn. That's when she noticed it; the book on the chair nearest the entrance. Applejack approached the book, wondering where it had come from. She picked it up and read the title. 'The Horrid History of the Apple Tree'. Just as she finished reading the tile, the barn door opened. Big Macintosh stepped inside. "Big Macintosh, do ya know where this here book came from?" Applejack asked. "Nope." Big Macintosh replied to his sister. "What're ya in here for anyway?" Applejack asked. "I was gonna fill up the rest of the carts." Big Macintosh replied while shifting the piece of straw he always chewed on around. "Okay, well ya'll can do that, and I'll get on down to Ponyville." Applejack responded. "Eeyup." said Big Macintosh, while picking up a cart. Applejack decided to take the book with her. On the way to Ponyville, she decided to peek inside. The look on her face quickly changed to horror as she read the first page. The look of horror quickly dropped off of her face as she smiled. If this horrified her, she couldn't even imagine the reactions from her friends at Twilight's sleepover. She laughed, and went off to sit by a tree, then continued to read. * * * "Order up!" said Pinkie Pie cheerily, as she placed a tray of cupcakes on the counter. A black stallion got to his hooves and trotted to the counter. "That'll be six bits please!" Pinkie Pie told him, beaming her famous smile the whole time. The stallion reached into his saddlebag, and pulled out six bits. He placed them on the counter. "Thanks." he mumbled through the tray in his mouth. "Pinkie!" yelled Mrs. Cake, popping her head out from the kitchen. "Yes?" asked Pinkie. "Mr. Cake and I have to go to the hospital. I think Pound Cake has the flu. He's running a high fever. Can you take care of the shop by yourself?" Mrs. Cake asked. "Yes Mrs. Cake, you can count on me!" Pinkie said, raising her left forehoof to her head in a salute. With that, Mrs. Cake and her husband rushed out of the bakery with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake. With Pinkie busy running the bakery, she wouldn't be able to take care of Pumpkin Cake as well. A green mare trotted up to the counter as Pinkie Pie went back to the register. "Can you make a super huge cupcake with lots of sprinkles please? It's for my colt's birthday." the green mare said. "Okie-dokie-loki! I'll see what I can do!" Pinkie replied to the green mare. As Pinkie ran into the kitchen, she gathered a large amount of ingredients used for making a super huge cupcake. Pinkie mixed all of the ingredients up, and poured the batter into a large cupcake tray. Pinkie Pie went back to the register, and continued taking ponies' orders until she heard the oven go off for the super huge cupcake. She carefully removed the tray with a heat resistant cloth, enchanted with magic, and made to be used by the mouth. As Pinkie put her mouth on the side of the tray, she struggled to lift the colossal cupcake out of the oven and onto the counter. She began to make her way back to the register with the green mare's cupcake, but then she realized that she had forgotten the sprinkles. Quickly turning around, Pinkie Pie placed the enormous cupcake on the counter again, and reached up to open the cupboard. As she did so, something very solid fell out, and hit Pinkie in the head. "Oof!" she exclaimed, looking down at the assailant, who now rested on the floor. Pinkie picked up the book and read the title. "The Super Special Treats of Crimson Pastry." Pinkie gasped. "How exciting! A cook book!" Pinkie opened the book eagerly, wanting to learn new recipes. She quickly realized how wrong her first assumption was. She had an idea. Pinkie walked back to the register after she had put lots of sprinkles on the cupcake. "Order up!" she yelled. The green mare spotted the gigantic cupcake, and got up to retrieve it. "That'll be ten bits please!" Pinkie told the mare. After the mare levitated the cupcake away with her magic, Pinkie rang the counter bell multiple times. After she had everyponys attention, she cleared her throat and began to speak. "Ahem, everypony listen up!" Pinkie began. "Sugarcube corner will be closing early today, due to... plans." she finished. Everypony grumbled and complained, but cleared out nonetheless. Pinkie then went back to the kitchen and picked up the book. * * * Rainbow Dash shot upright in her bed. She had been having nightmares for about a week now, causing her to sleep uncomfortably, and also to sleep in for large periods of time. Rainbow got to her hooves as she stepped down from her bed, and onto the cloud floor. Rainbow walked over to the window, and looked outside. She could tell that it was past midday. Rainbow sighed. She did like to sleep in, but definitely not till this late in the day. She walked back over to her bed. She had nothing to do until it was time to head over to Twilight's sleepover, so Rainbow Dash decided to read a Daring Do book. Rainbow got up, and walked over to her bookshelf composed solely of Daring Do books. Rainbow smiled as she wondered what book to pick. She read the spine of each one, until she came to the last book. Oddly, the last book didn't have any words on the spine. Curiously, Rainbow Dash brought the book out of the shelf, and dusted off the front cover. 'Scarlet Rain' was the title. Rainbow Dash read a few pages into the book, and looked back up, traumatized. Images of Twilight's sleepover seeped into her mind, and she grew a huge, toothy grin on her face. "So awesome!" she whispered. * * * Rarity hummed as she moved about the Carousel Boutique, picking things up and re-organizing them. She had made so many dresses the previous day, and now her boutique was in utter chaos. Fabrics were strewn about everywhere, and she had dress designs all over the floor as well. The only things that looked good in the boutique were her, and the dresses she had placed on the mareaquins. Rarity carefully gathered up all of the dress designs off of the floor, and levitated them onto her desk. Continuing to hum, she began to gather up the fabrics next. As she was putting them back in their shelves, Rarity noticed a book sitting in one of them. Rarity brought the book out with her magic, and set the fabrics down. Thinking that Sweetie Bell had put the book in the shelf to annoy her, Rarity just snorted, and flung the book across the room. Grinning smugly, Rarity turned back to the shelf... and fell right on her rump. The book was back in the shelf. Shaking, Rarity placed her hoof on top of the book, and slid it out. She read the title... rather, she tried to, but it is quite hard to read something when you are shaking so uncontrollably. She refrained from shaking long enough to read the title. 'The Sewing Machine'. She opened the book, expecting it to be a fashion book. Instead, the words she read made her cringe away. Rarity wasn't really one for enjoying scary stories, but she couldn't help but think of how the other ponies would call her a chicken at Twilight's sleepover. After all, it was tradition to tell a scary story at a sleepover. Of course Fluttershy wont, Rarity thought. Let all of the attention be directed on her. * * * A few minutes later, in Canterlot... Princess Celestia paced the Royal Chamber, pacing back and forth, impatiently waiting her sister's return. Princess Celestia did not have long to wait. A few minutes later, black smoke began to come in through Celestia's window. It could be none other than Luna. "Hey Tia!" said Luna, as she turned back into an alicorn. Celestia giggled. "Did everything go according to plan sister?" Luna began to laugh too. "Yes. You should have seen the white ones reaction; Rarity, was it?" The sisters began to roll on the floor with laughter. When they got bored of ruling all the time, sometimes they would play foul pranks on eachother, or sometimes, they even interfered in the lives of Canterlot and Ponyville citizens. Twilight had sent Celestia a letter a week prior about having a sleepover. Celestia had been pleased to know that Twilight and her friends were so close to eachother. But today, Celestia and Luna had decided to spice up the night a bit. Together, they had created the most horrifying stories that Celestia could think of. They used their magic to write them rapidly, and to bind them. Earlier in the morning, Luna had snuck into each one of the Bearer's houses, and placed the books accordingly. Fortunately for her, she had also stuck around to see their reactions. "Too bad the yellow one is too much of a chicken." said Luna. "Yes." Celestia responded. Originally, they had planned on placing the books in Fluttershy's house too, but quickly decided against it as they did not want the poor mare to have a heart attack. Hearing the stories from the other mares should be good enough to give her quite a scare though,thought Celestia. The two sisters just had to relax for a while, until it was time for Twilight's friends to head over to the library, then they would proceed with plan two: Operation scare the hay out of everypony attending Twilight's sleepover. Celestia and Luna discussed the upcoming awesomeness as they awaited the time for Celestia to do her duty in putting the sun down, and Luna to bring the moon up. The two sisters only had to wait a few hours before they got to their hooves, and walked out onto the balcony. Celestia's horn lit up as her unmatched magical power enveloped the sun in her embrace. Slowly, Celestia pushed the sun over the edge of the horizon. It was Luna's turn. Luna focused her magic on the moon, and began to coax it towards her. Finally, the sun was down and the moon was up. The Royal sisters walked back into Celestia's room, as they prepared for their leave. * * * The two royal guards outside of Celestia's chamber conversed in idle chatter. It was quite boring being on duty, as one was expected to be stock still, and alert all the time. Suddenly, the chamber doors opened. Out strolled none other than the two mighty princesses. "If anypony asks to see us, tell them we are out on royal business." Celestia commanded her guards. "Yes, very royal business." Luna put in, giggling uncontrollably. Celestia joined in the laughter as well, as the two princess sauntered down the hall, giggling the entire way. "What the hay was that all about?" one guard asked the other. The latter snickered. There was only one word to answer his comrade's question. "Mares..." he said.