//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Luna's Daughter // by Baxter1984 //------------------------------// A Thousand Years Later A lavender alicorn raced through the halls of Canterlot Castle. A few minutes later, she burst through the door of Celestia’s room. The first thing she noticed was that her aunt was seated at her desk, apparently working through the petitions from that day’s court. “I’m sorry, Aunt Celestia! I was reading and just lost track of time!” Thank goodness. I would much rather focus on Twilight than all of this paperwork. Celestia smiled at her niece. “I thought that’s what happened.” Twilight lowered her head “I’m sorry.” Laughing softly, Celestia stood and stretched before walking over to nuzzle the younger alicorn. “It’s alright, Twilight. It allowed me to get some of my paperwork done.” Her smile faded as she let out a resigned sigh. “Unfortunately, this is important. I’m afraid that means I won’t be able to teach you tonight.” Twilight’s ears drooped slightly. “I understand.” Celestia nuzzled her niece again. “I never said that you wouldn’t be having your lessons.” Confused, Twilight tilted her head slightly. “What do you mean?” Celestia giggled at Twilight’s expression. “You should go find your grandmother.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Grandma’s teaching me tonight?” Celestia nodded “There’s no court tomorrow, so I’ll be teaching you all day.” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Okay!” She thought for a moment. “At this time of night, Grandma should be in the hospital wing. Thanks, Aunt Celestia!” Celestia laughed a little harder as she watched her niece run off. As soon as Twilight was out of sight, she allowed her smile to fade as she looked through the window at the moon. “You don’t need to worry about your daughter, sister. I have kept my promise. Mother and Father have as well.” Sighing, she turned back to the mountain of paperwork on her desk. In The Hospital Wing Sundance looked up at the sound of rapid hoofsteps. Who could that be? She smiled when the door opened to reveal her granddaughter. “Good evening, Twilight.” Twilight closed the door behind her before walking over to nuzzle her grandmother. “Hi, Grandma.” She looked at the scroll on the table. “Are you working on that spell again?” Sundance was unable to suppress an irritated sigh as she nodded. “I would probably make more progress if I didn’t have to wait until court was over before working on it. Unfortunately, I have trouble focusing on anything after long days in the throne room.” Twilight giggled “Isn’t that why Grandpa always goes outside to fly or train?” Sundance allowed a small smile onto her face. “Yes.” Twilight sat down next to her grandmother before clapping her forehooves in excitement. “I have a surprise for you, Grandma!” Sundance raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Twilight summoned a scroll and lay it on the table next to the spell that Sundance was working on. “See?” Curious, Sundance took a closer look at the scroll. Its a spell . . . wait a minute. I recognize this spell . . . She looked at her scroll for a moment before returning her attention to Twilight’s. Shocked, she read the spell a few times before looking up at her granddaughter. “Y-you were able to restore the spell?” Twilight nodded as well. “H-how?!” Sundance asked Twilight let out another giggle as she summoned a very old book and set it on the table in front of her. “You told me to read this, remember?” “Yes." Sundance slowly replied "What does that have to do with . . .” She trailed off when Twilight opened the book to a chapter near the end. “I read this chapter last night.” Twilight pointed at a spell. “This spell is similar to the one that you were working on, and . . .” She blushed “I was able to restore it. That’s when I remembered the spell that you were working on. I decided to see if I could restore that one as well.” Sundance gasped in surprise. “What?!” Twilight nodded again. “I haven’t told anypony else yet.” “Why not?” Sundance asked “I wanted you to be the first to know.” Twilight’s blush deepened “I know that you, Grandpa and Aunt Celestia don’t let me help with court because you want me to focus on the library, but . . .” Sundance raised an eyebrow. “But what?” Twilight looked down “I-I was hoping that you would let me help you restore other spells . . . W-we could work together!” Sundance gently nuzzled her granddaughter. “I’d love that.” Twilight’s eyes widened as her head snapped up. “R-really?!” Sundance laughed “Of course” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Grandma!” Sundance laughed again. Twilight may have just celebrated her one thousandth birthday, but there are times when she acts like she’s ten years old. Her ears drooped slightly as she suppressed a sigh. Don’t worry, Luna. Your daughter has grown into a lovely mare, both inside and out. I just wish there was a way for you to see her. Twilight instantly noticed the drop in Sundance’s mood. “Grandma?” Startled, Sundance jumped slightly before turning back to Twilight. “Y-yes?” “You were thinking about Mom, weren’t you?” Twilight quietly asked. Sighing, Sundance nodded. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I always get sad at this time of year.” Twilight nuzzled her grandmother. “I know.” She paused for a moment before hesitantly opening her mouth again. I hope this doesn’t offend her. “I read another really old book today.” Sundance raised an eyebrow. Why does she sound nervous? “Which book would that be?” Twilight summoned another book and gently set it on the table next to the first book. Sundance instantly recognized it. Eyes wide, she just stared at it for a moment before looking up at her granddaughter. “H-how did you find this?!” I know we hid that from her! Twilight’s ears drooped. “Promise you won’t think I’m crazy?” "Of course." Sundance assured her granddaughter. Twilight took a deep breath. “I had a really strange dream last night.” Sundance tilted her head in confusion. “What was so strange about it?” “I was standing on the moon.” Twilight answered Sundance’s eyes widened a little further. W-what?! “I heard two voices.” Twilight continued “Both of them belonged to mares. One of them sounded evil, but the other was really nice. The second one said that she was very happy to finally be able to speak with me. We talked for a while before she said that it was almost time. I asked her what she was talking about, but she said that I had to figure it out for myself. Instead, she told me where to find this book and said that I had to read it before bringing it to you.” She looked at her grandmother in confusion. “She also told me that you would know what she was talking about.” Sundance nodded again. “I know exactly what she was talking about.” She made sure that she had Twilight’s full attention. “I need you to tell me everything you remember about that dream. Don’t leave any detail out.” Surprised, Twilight just stared at her grandmother for a moment before nodding as well. "Okay." It took almost half an hour, but she did as her grandmother asked. Sundance turned to look out the window. Instead of saying anything, she just stared at the image of her daughter on surface of the moon. As strange as it sounds, this is actually a good thing because it means that Luna is still alive inside that thing. It also means that we have another chance to free her. However, we have to be very careful about how we do this. Perhaps we should . . . She was torn from her thoughts by Twilight’s voice. “Do you know who those mares were?” Twilight asked softly. “Yes.” Sundance turned back to her granddaughter. “The first one was Nightmare Moon.” Twilight's eyes widened. “D-does that mean the second one was . . .?” She trailed off, unwilling to finish her sentence . . . just in case she was wrong. Instead, she nervously waited for her grandmother to respond. I was wondering how long it would take her to figure that out. “Yes, Twilight.” Sundance whispered “That was your mother.” Twilight's eyes widened a little further as she let out a soft gasp of surprise. “What?!” I-I was talking to Mom?! Sundance lowered her gaze to the second book that her granddaughter had summoned. I am not surprised that Luna was able to contact her daughter in the Dream Realm. She does have the ability to Dream Walk. However, the fact that she was able to do so means that the seal keeping her on the moon is weakening. She narrowed her eyes slightly. I need to discuss this with Midnight and Celestia. Twilight looked at the book as well. “If my calculations are correct, the seal will break in roughly three days.” Sundance’s eyes widened as she turned back to her granddaughter. T-three days?! Taking a deep breath, Twilight lifted her head so that she could look her grandmother in the eye. “What are we going to do about this?” Sundance took a deep breath as well. “I need to discuss this with your grandfather and aunt.” Worried, Twilight just nodded. Noticing this, Sundance nuzzled Twilight. “It’s alright. We’ll come up with something.” Twilight took another deep breath. “A-alright.” She looked at the books on the table for a moment before turning back to Sundance. “Aunt Celestia told me that you would be teaching me tonight.” I can’t believe I forgot about that! I don’t have a lesson prepared! “I think you should chose this time.” Sundance responded “Is there anything in particular that you want to learn?” Knowing Twilight, it will probably be another ancient spell. Twilight tilted her head slightly as she considered her options. “Hmm, let's see . . . What about . . ." She slowly shook her head. "No, you’re too tired for that. What about . . ." She and Sundance looked up when Celestia and Midnight Armor walked into the hospital wing. Midnight Armor and Celestia looked around for a moment before smiling when they saw that Sundance and Twilight were looking at them. Their smiles widened as they joined their family at the table. “Are you ready for bed?” Celestia asked “It can’t be time for bed yet!” Twilight protested “We didn’t have our lesson!” Celestia raised an eyebrow as she turned to her mother. Sundance shook her head. “We were just talking.” She turned back to Twilight. “Don't worry, Twilight. Celestia and I will work together to teach you tomorrow.” Ears drooping slightly, Twilight nodded to her grandmother before silently turned towards the door. Midnight Armor’s ears drooped as well. There must be something I can do. He looked at his granddaughter thoughtfully for a moment before smiling as his horn began to glow. That might work. Levitating his granddaughter to his side, he draped a wing over her back before nuzzling her. “We’ll spend tomorrow outside. Sundance and Celestia will teach you in the morning and I’ll continue your combat training in the afternoon.” Twilight smiled “Okay.” I still don’t understand why I need combat lessons. Equestria hasn't been to war in centuries. Even so, training with Grandpa is really fun. Midnight Armor smiled as well. I’m glad that worked. “Bring Spike outside as well.” Spike doesn’t like combat training . . . and the lessons that I have with Grandma and Aunt Celestia bore him. I think I’ll give him the new comic book I bought for him today. That should keep him occupied. “Yes, Grandpa.” Twilight nuzzled her aunt and grandparents before teleporting to her room, taking the book that her mother had asked her to find with her. Sundance turned to her husband and their daughter. She opened her mouth, but paused when she heard her daughter's voice. “I finally finished all of that paperwork.” Celestia barely managed to stifle a yawn. “I don’t know about the two of you, but I am ready for bed.” “Ordinarily, I would agree.” Sundance responded “However, there is an important matter that we need to discuss.” Midnight Armor raised an eyebrow when he saw his wife’s expression. “What’s wrong?” Sundance told them about her conversation with Twilight. Midnight Armor and Celestia let out matching gasps of shock. “W-well.” Midnight Armor said slowly “I suppose it is a good thing that I am going to continue her combat training tomorrow.” “You’re right, Midnight.” Sundance replied “There is no guarantee that Twilight will face Nightmare Moon. However, she needs to be prepared . . . just in case she does.” “I knew that the seal would be breaking soon, but I thought we had another month.” Celestia sighed “Unfortunately, I can’t use the Elements of Harmony anymore.” I have a few other ideas, but the Elements of Harmony are the best way of dealing with this particular threat. Sundance reluctantly nodded. “For one thing, five of them have been turned to stone.” “Then there is the fact that the Element of Magic vanished a thousand years ago.” Midnight Armor added “We still have no idea where it went . . . or how to bring it back.” Celestia teleported the three of them to her room before casting a soundproofing spell on the room. “Good idea.” Sundance climbed onto her daughter’s bed. "This discussion is probably going to be a long one." Midnight Armor settled next to his wife. “You're right, honey.” He thought for a moment. “The first thing we need to do is decide what we’re going to do with Twilight.” Celestia lay down on her mother's other side before turning to her father. “What do you mean?” “I know that Twilight can handle herself in combat.” Midnight Armor responded I made sure of it. “However . . ." “There is no guarantee that she will be able to force herself to fight her mother.” Sundance finished “Good point.” Celestia thought for a few minutes before looking back up at her parents. “I will send her to Ponyville.” Sundance blinked “Ponyville?” Why would she send Twilight there? “They are hosting the Summer Sun Celebration this year.” Celestia reminded her mother. “We need somepony to ensure that the preparations have been completed. If they haven’t, we need somepony to make sure that everything is ready in time.” “I see.” Midnight Armor said slowly “You plan to ask her to handle that.” “Good idea.” Sundance commented “I have no doubt that she can handle the task. Additionally, it should keep her well out of harm’s way because Nightmare Moon will probably come after us.” “You mean me.” Celestia responded Sundance and Midnight Armor reluctantly nodded. Celestia looked outside for a moment before turning back to her parents. “Now that that has been settled, we need to figure out what we’re going to do when Nightmare Moon arrives.” Midnight Armor and Sundance nodded again. The three of them spent the next several hours coming up with a plan. The Next Morning Celestia woke to the pull of the sun and moon. Yawning, she slowly opened her eyes. Instead of moving, she looked outside as she lowered the moon and stars before raising the sun. Her task complete, she lifted her head and turned to her parents. Perhaps I should wake Mother and Father. She slowly shook her head before returning it to the bed. No. I will let them sleep a little longer. In fact, I will get some more sleep as well. Closing her eyes, she snuggled closer to her mother before allowing herself to fall asleep again. Three hours later Twilight quietly opened the door to her aunt’s room. The first thing she noticed was that her aunt and grandparents were still asleep. “That’s weird.” Spike commented “They never sleep this late.” Twilight glanced at the baby dragon sitting on her back. “Grandma did tell me that she, Grandpa and Aunt Celestia were going to come up with a plan. Maybe they stayed up late doing that.” “Plan?” Spike repeated “Plan for what?” “I’ll tell you later.” Twilight answered “For now, we should wake them.” Spike glanced at the three trays that Twilight had suspended in her magic before turning back to Twilight. “You’re right. They need to eat before we head outside.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “By the way, why am I going outside with you?” Twilight shrugged “Grandpa told me to bring you with me.” Spike shrugged as well. “Alright.” I guess I can't argue with that. Twilight nuzzled her aunt and grandparents. “What’s going on?” Midnight Armor mumbled “It’s time to wake up.” Twilight answered Sundance buried her face in her husband’s shoulder. “The sun isn’t even up yet.” Twilight laughed softly. “Aunt Celestia took care of that three hours ago.” That got Sundance’s attention. Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and turned to Twilight. “What?!” Twilight nodded to her grandmother. She was about to say something else, but paused when she heard Celestia’s voice. “I thought we should sleep in because we were up most of the night.” I thought so. Twilight levitated the trays onto the bed. “I brought your breakfast.” Midnight Armor smiled “Thank you.” Twilight returned the smile as she climbed onto her aunt’s bed and lay down before levitating Spike onto the bed next to her. Instead of saying anything, Twilight and Spike relaxed while the rest of their family ate their food. When they had finished eating, Celestia teleported the trays to the kitchen before teleporting all of them to the garden behind the castle. In The Garden The five of them lay down in the shade of a large tree. Twilight summoned something before levitating it to Spike. Curious, Spike grabbed it and pulled it closer. It didn’t take him long to figure out what it was. Stunned, he stared at it for a moment before looking up at Twilight. “T-this is . . .” Twilight giggled “The comic you wanted.” Eyes wide, Spike nodded. Twilight’s giggles turned to laughter. “It came out yesterday, so I decided to buy it for you. I was planning to wait until your birthday to give it to you, but didn’t want you to be bored today.” She nuzzled the dragon. “Do you think that will be enough to keep you occupied?” Spike nodded several times before snuggling closer to Twilight, opening the comic and beginning to read. Sundance, Midnight Armor, Celestia and Twilight laughed. When she was calm enough to speak, Sundance turned to Twilight. “Today’s lesson is going to be a little different. In light of your recent discovery, we’ve decided to show you exactly what happened a thousand years ago.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Y-you think I’m going to have to fight Nightmare Moon?!” Spike looked up from his comic. Nightmare Moon? Isn’t she a myth? Celestia shook her head. “A thousand years ago, she explicitly stated that she had no intention of killing you. In fact, out of all of the members of our family, I was the only one that she tried to kill.” Spike’s eyes widened as well. W-what? Twilight’s jaw dropped. “What?! Why?!” Sundance sighed as her horn began to glow. “I am going to show you what happened.” She used her magic to show everyone her memory of that evening. When the memory ended, Spike stared at Sundance in shock. “N-nightmare Moon is real?! A-and she’s Twi’s mother?!” Midnight Armor sighed as well. I am not surprised that he jumped to that conclusion. “Yes, Nightmare Moon is real.” He used his magic to show them a side-by-side comparison of Luna and Nightmare Moon. “The mare with the sapphire coat is Luna. She is Twilight’s mother. The other mare is Nightmare Moon. She may be using Luna’s body, but that is not my daughter.” “I-I understand” Spike stammered Twilight stared at the image of her mother. “T-this is the first time I’ve seen what Mom looks like . . . Dad, too.” She tilted her head slightly. "Well, other than their images on the tapestries hanging on the castle walls." Sundance gently nuzzled Twilight. “I’m sorry. That was the best that we could do because cameras hadn’t been invented at the time.” She sighed “As you know, we don’t talk about it very often because that topic is painful for your grandfather, aunt and myself.” “I understand.” Twilight said softly. Celestia used a wing to pull her niece into a tight hug. “We are developing a plan to get rid of Nightmare Moon . . . for good this time. If possible, we will rescue my sister as well.” Twilight gasped in shock as she shifted so that she could look Celestia in the eye. “I-is that possible?!” “We’re not sure.” Sundance reluctantly admitted. “Before you ask, we didn’t tell you about this because we’re didn’t want to get your hopes up.” Twilight’s logic finally overrode the sentimental part of her. “I guess that makes sense.” The five of them looked up when the head chef, a unicorn stallion named Blueberry, walked up to them with five trays suspended in his magic. Blueberry bowed “I apologize for the interruption, your highnesses. I have your lunch.” Midnight Armor forced a smile. “Thank you.” After they had eaten, they relaxed for half an hour to allow their food to settle. Then Midnight Armor turned to his granddaughter. “It’s time for your combat training.” Nodding, Twilight stood. If Nightmare Moon does try to kill Aunt Celestia again, I want to be able to stop her. Four Hours Later Midnight Armor finally called a halt to their training. That’s strange. Twilight usually asks to stop after an hour and a half. I was planning to stop at that point, but she insisted on continuing. He allowed a small smile onto his face. She must be taking the situation very seriously. Twilight and Midnight Armor landed next to Sundance. Midnight Armor lay down next to his wife. Sundance and Midnight Armor exchanged glances when they noticed that Twilight was wobbling. Sundance used a wing to gently pull her granddaughter down next to her. “Well done, Twilight.” Panting softly, Twilight lay her head on Sundance’s shoulder. “Thanks.” Celestia stared at her niece for a moment before slowly shaking her head. If Nightmare Moon does end up facing Twilight . . . well, she’ll be in for a surprise. “I think we should head back inside.” Sundance nodded “We should take a long hot bath before dinner.” Nodding as well, Midnight Armor teleported the five of them to the room that he shared with his wife. They walked into the bathroom together. Sundance used her magic to set the temperature and start the water. The five of them walked into the tub as soon as it was full. No one said anything. Instead, Sundance, Celestia and Spike allowed Twilight and Midnight Armor to rest. After relaxing for half an hour, the five of them washed the dirt off of themselves before climbing out of the tub and drying off. Naturally, their next step was to head to the dining room. All of them smiled when they saw that Blueberry had individual servings of Fettuccini Alfredo waiting for them. Sundance, Celestia and Spike laughed when Midnight Armor and Twilight immediately began to eat. After everyone had eaten their fill, Sundance teleported the five of them back to the room that she shared with her husband. Celestia waited until everyone was settled on the bed before turning to her niece. “Don’t worry about the library tomorrow.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Why?” “I need you to go to Ponyville.” Celestia answered “Ponyville?” Twilight repeated “Why do you need me to go there?” “They’re supposed to host the Summer Sun Celebration.” Celestia reminded her niece. “Unfortunately, they have a history of not being ready on time. To avoid that, I’d like someone to oversee the preparations. Mother, Father and I can’t go because we need to focus on creating our plan.” Twilight stared at her aunt. “B-but . . .” Celestia nuzzled her niece. “Don’t worry. If your theory is correct, Nightmare Moon shouldn't return until the day after tomorrow.” Twilight sighed in relief. “Alright, Aunt Celestia. I’ll travel to Ponyville tomorrow.” “I’ll go with her.” Spike added “I can help Twi with her checklists.” Sundance laughed “Good idea, Spike.” That should keep him out of harm's way as well. Celestia smiled “Thank you, Twilight." Her smile widened a little. "Tomorrow is probably going to be tiring for you . . . and that’s before the party starts. Therefore, I will arrange for the two of you to spend the night in the village’s library.” Sundance smiled “In fact, your grandfather, aunt and I will probably be joining you.” Twilight nodded Knowing that they needed to get up early, Twilight and Spike lay their heads on pillows and allowed themselves to fall asleep. Once she was sure that her granddaughter was asleep, Sundance turned to Celestia. “If Twilight finishes early enough, she’ll probably come back so she can help us create our plan.” She glanced at her granddaughter before returning her attention to her daughter. “You do know that Nightmare Moon will probably arrive around midnight tomorrow night, right? If Twilight is here when she arrives . . .” “There is no guarantee that Nightmare Moon will recognize Twilight.” Midnight Armor reluctantly remarked “If she doesn’t, she will probably try to kill her.” Celestia nuzzled Sundance. “I am aware of that, Mother.” She looked from one of her parents to the other. “I am also aware of the fact that Ponyville is nowhere near ready to host the celebration. Then there is the fact that the citizens of Ponyville are a little . . . unique.” She laughed softly. “I’m sure that Twilight will have her hooves full tomorrow.” Midnight Armor laughed softly as well. “So that’s your plan.” Celestia nodded Sundance giggled “Good idea.” The Next Morning As usual, Celestia woke to the pull of the sun and moon. She performed her celestial duties before waking the rest of her family. Yawning, Sundance slowly opened her eyes. “Good morning.” Laughing softly, Midnight Armor nuzzled his wife before smiling at everyone else. “Good morning.” “Good morning.” Celestia, Twilight and Spike responded “We should eat breakfast.” Celestia commented Nodding, everyone else followed her out of her room. They arrived in the dining room a few minutes later. The first thing they noticed was that there was a large platter of waffles for them to share. After she had finished eating, Twilight turned to her family. “I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for a response, she teleported to her room. A few minutes later, she reappeared in the dining room wearing her saddlebags. The five of them walked out the main entrance of the castle. Sundance nuzzled her granddaughter. “Have a safe flight.” Midnight Armor smiled “We’ll see you tonight.” Celestia levitated a checklist to Twilight. “I am well aware of the fact that you usually make your own checklists. However, I felt it necessary to make this one.” Twilight put it in her saddlebags as Spike jumped onto her back. “Thanks, Aunt Celestia.” She smiled at her family as she spread her wings. “We’ll see you later.” Sundance, Midnight Armor and Celestia sighed in relief as they watched Twilight fly towards Ponyville. “We should head back inside.” Midnight Armor remarked Sundance nodded “We have a lot of work to do.” Half An Hour Later Twilight and Spike landed in Ponyville and looked around. The first thing they saw was an earth pony mare with a bright pink coat. She took one look at Twilight, jumped at least three feet in the air and ran away as soon as her hooves hit the ground. Twilight blinked “That was weird.” “Which part?” Spike asked “The fact that she jumped so high, the fact that she ran away from you or the fact that she did so without bowing first?” “All of the above.” Twilight replied Shrugging, Spike reached into Twilight’s saddlebags and pulled out the checklist. "Let's see . . . It looks like the Apple Family is supposed to be providing the food.” That’s good to hear. Their food is really good. Additionally, I heard that one of the mares of the current generation is very talented. I can’t wait to meet her. Twilight smiled “Our first stop is Town Hall so that we can let Mayor Mare know that we have arrived. The Apple Family's farm will be our next stop.” Spike nodded “Good idea.” “Let’s see.” Twilight looked around again. “The library is the large tree over there, so that means the Town Hall is . . . that way.” She started walking in the aforementioned direction but, before she had taken more than two steps, a shout echoed through the town. “Look out below!” Twilight barely had time to turn towards the voice before something crashed into her. When the dust had settled, she saw a blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane hovering above her. She glared up at the mare. “Watch where you’re going!” The pegasus scratched the back of her head. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I just-” She gasped in shock when she took a closer look at who she had crashed into. “P-princess Twilight Sparkle?! Ohmygosh, I am so sorry! I was practicing a new trick and . . . I kinda crashed.” “I noticed.” Twilight grumbled The pegasus snickered. “What’s so funny?” Twilight asked “Y-your coat and wings are a mess.” The pegasus rose into the air. “Here, let me help you, princess.” “No, thank you.” Twilight responded “You’ve helped enough.” “I insist.” The mare replied “I’m the one who got you dirty, so I should be the one to clean you up.” She looked around. “I’ll be right back.” She flew off and returned a few seconds later with a rain cloud. She jumped on it a few times to get the rain started. Twilight suddenly found herself under what felt like a waterfall. Rainbow peeked over the cloud . . . and immediately stuffed a hoof in her mouth to stifle her laughter. She waited until she was certain that the danger had passed before removing her hoof and looking at Twilight again. “Oops. Let me fix that for you, princess.” Twilight struggled to keep her irritation out of her voice. “I think you’ve done enough!” “It’s cool.” The pegasus responded “I’ll have this fixed in a few seconds, or my name isn’t Rainbow Dash!” Twilight stared up at the pegasus. Did she say “Rainbow Dash”? Before she could say anything, she found herself in the center of a rainbow-colored whirlwind. When it faded, she found that she was clean and dry. Not my favorite way to get clean, but at least it worked. Twilight was torn from her thoughts by Spike’s laughter. “What’s so funny, Spike?” Spike pointed at Twilight’s mane. Curious, Twilight used her magic to examine her reflection. She barely managed to suppress an irritated sigh at what she saw. Great. Oh well. I’ll deal with that later. She looked up at the pegasus. “Did you say that your name is Rainbow Dash? I don’t believe I’ve met you before.” Rainbow Dash nodded “I heard that Ponyville needed another pegasus to join their Weather Team, so I moved here last month.” Twilight looked at the checklist. “According to this, you’re the one who is supposed to clear the skies.” She looked around at the clouds before returning her attention to Rainbow Dash. “Why are there so many clouds in the sky?” “I’ll get right on that, princess! Give me ten seconds!” Rainbow Dash flew off before Twilight could respond. Curious, Twilight timed her. Exactly ten seconds later, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Wow. She might be faster than Grandpa. “Good job. I hate to run, but I need to head to the Town Hall.” She walked off before Rainbow Dash could respond. Spike ran after Twilight. When he was close enough, he jumped onto her back. “What are you going to do about your mane?” Twilight sighed as she walked into the Town Hall. “I’ll deal with it later. Taking care of the items on Aunt Celestia’s checklist is more important right now.” Twilight and Spike turned when they heard a loud gasp. They saw a white unicorn mare staring at them in shock. “Princess Twilight! W-what in Equestria happened to your mane?!” Twilight sighed again. “Rainbow Dash happened. Regardless, I have a lot to do today, so taking care of my mane will have to wait.” The unicorn gasped in horror. “You have a royal appearance to maintain! That means we simply can’t leave your mane like that! Come with me!” Twilight found herself being pulled out of the Town Hall and into a nearby building. Are all of the ponies who live here like this? She looked around to see that they were in a boutique of some kind. Wait a minute. “Are you Rarity?” Rarity’s eyes widened. “You know my name?!” Twilight nodded “I read a newspaper article about your boutique.” She tilted her head slightly. “If I recall correctly, they were raving about your clothes and wondering why you don’t have a store in Canterlot.” Rarity fainted. “Why did you do that, Twi?!” Spike demanded as he rushed forward to lift Rarity onto a nearby couch. “I didn’t do anything wrong!” Twilight protested “All I did was tell her why I know her name.” Spike turned to Twilight but, before he could say anything, he and Twilight looked over when Rarity moaned softly. Concerned, he turned back to her. “Are you alright?” “Of course, Darling.” Rarity absently answered as she turned back to Twilight. “I had no idea that my clothes were so popular in Canterlot.” “If I understand correctly, you have one of your customers to thank for that." Twilight said slowly. "She wore one of your dresses to a party and several members of the upper nobility noticed.” Rarity's eyes widened slightly. I have to figure out who that is so I can thank her, but I’ll do that later. Right now, I need to take care of Princess Twilight’s mane. She climbed off of the couch and walked over to the desk before pulling out several brushes and a few bottles of liquid. Curious, Twilight looked on as Rarity began to spray water on her mane from every angle. Once Twilight's mane was wet enough, Rarity attacked it with a combination of combs and brushes. A few minutes later, Twilight sighed in relief when her mane was returned to normal. “Thank you, Rarity. That’s much better.” Rarity bowed “Of course, princess. If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you to Ponyville?” “Aunt Celestia asked me to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.” Twilight answered, looking at the checklist “According to this, you’re in charge of the decorations.” Aunt Celestia? That implies that Princess Celestia has a sibling. Like everypony else in Equestria, I have heard the story. However, Princess Luna as just a myth . . . right? Rarity nodded “Yes, princess.” “How are things going?” Twilight asked “The decorations aren’t finished yet.” Rarity responded “However, I assure you that things are proceeding smoothly.” “Will you be able to finish everything today?” Twilight asked “I will do my best, princess.” Rarity replied “Thank you.” Twilight replied “I’ll check back later. However, right now, I need to head back to the Town Hall.” Rarity bowed again. “I’ll see you later, princess.” Twilight nodded before noticing that Spike was staring at Rarity. “Come on, Casanova. We’re going to the Town Hall . . . again.” Spike didn’t move. Sighing, Twilight levitated the little dragon onto her back as she walked out of Rarity’s Boutique. I’d better hurry before something else happens. She sighed again, in relief this time, when she made it to the Town Hall without anything else going wrong. “Good afternoon, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Surprised, Twilight turned towards the voice to see that an elderly earth pony mare standing in front of her. It’s afternoon already?! I’m not sure which annoys me more. One, today is going much faster than I hoped it would . . . with not nearly enough results. Two, Spike and I haven’t eaten lunch yet. “Good afternoon, Mayor Mare. I’m sorry I was late. I tried to come see you as soon as I arrived, but ran into a few issues on the way.” “That’s alright, princess.” Mayor Mare responded “Princess Celestia informed me that the two of you would be coming. She also told me that you might be in need of a place to spend the night.” She pulled a key off her back. “This is the key to the town’s library.” “Thank you.” Twilight placed the key in her saddlebags “How are things going so far?” Mayor Mare asked “The skies have been cleared.” Twilight responded “Additionally, the decorations are well underway.” Mayor Mare sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.” This means that we aren't as far behind as I feared. “I’d better get going.” Twilight commented “The Apple Family is my next stop.” “Very well.” Mayor Mare responded “Please let me know if you need anything.” “I will.” Twilight walked outside before pausing and looking around again. “If I recall correctly, Sweet Apple Acres is this way.” Ten Minutes Later Twilight and Spike jumped slightly when they heard a shout. “Yee-haw!” Curious, both of them turned in time to see an orange earth pony mare run towards an apple tree. At the last moment, she turned and bucked the tree. Surprised, Twilight and Spike watched the apples fall into baskets that had been placed at the base of the tree. Twilight walked towards the house. I think Granny Smith is still in charge. I’ll see her before going to talk to the mare I saw earlier. As she got closer to the house, she saw a small filly exiting the barn. Before she could say anything, the filly gasped and ran closer. The filly skidded to a stop in front of Twilight and bowed. “Good afternoon, princess!” She’s a cute filly. Twilight giggled “What’s your name?” The filly raised her head. “Apple Bloom!” “Good afternoon, Apple Bloom.” Twilight replied “Do you know where I can find Granny Smith?” Apple Bloom nodded “She’s in the kitchen making food for the Summer Sun Celebration.” She leaned closer. “She told me not to bother her unless it’s an emergency.” Twilight giggled again. “In that case, we’d better not interrupt her.” “Can ah help ya with something else?” Apple Bloom asked Twilight nodded as well. “As I walked towards your house, I saw a mare with an orange coat. Do you know who that is?” “That’s my big sister.” Apple Bloom responded “Her name is Applejack.” “I see.” Twilight replied “Can you take me to her?” Apple Bloom nodded again. “This way, princess.” Twilight followed Apple Bloom into the orchards. Both of them stopped when they saw that Applejack was walking towards them. “What are ya doing out here, Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked “You’re supposed to be helping Big Mac in the barn.” “The princess asked me to bring her to ya.” Apple Boom answered “The princess?” Applejack repeated “Princess Celestia shouldn’t be here yet.” Her eyes widened when she noticed Twilight. “Princess Twilight?!” Twilight smiled “Thank you for your help, Apple Bloom.” Apple Bloom bowed again. “You’re welcome, princess.” Twilight watched Apple Bloom walk away before turning to Applejack. “It’s nice to meet you, Applejack.” Applejack bowed “Same here, princess.” Lifting her head, she led the way back to the house. “So, what brings ya to Sweet Apple Acres?” “Aunt Celestia asked me to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.” Twilight fell into step next to Applejack. “I have been told that your family is in charge of the food. Therefore, I came to see how everything is going.” “Ah see.” Applejack responded “If ya don’t mind me asking, why didn’t ya go into the house?” “Your sister told me that Granny Smith doesn’t want to be disturbed unless it’s an emergency.” Twilight replied “That’s why I asked her to bring me to you instead. I’d never met you before and I didn’t want to miss this chance to do so.” “That’s just silly.” Applejack responded “Ah’m glad ah got to meet ya, but Granny Smith will be upset if ah don’t bring ya to see her right away.” Twilight laughed “We don’t want to upset her. If you’re sure that it’s alright, I’d love to see her.” Nodding, Applejack lead the way into the house. Twilight waited in the hall while Applejack went into the kitchen. “Granny, there’s somepony here to see ya.” “Now, Applejack, ah know ah told ya not to interrupt me.” “Unless it was something important.” Applejack corrected “This better be important, whippersnapper. Ah still got a lot of baking to do.” “It is.” Applejack replied “Princess Twilight is here to see ya. She’s waiting in the hall.” “What? We can’t keep the princess waiting. Call her in.” Twilight laughed as she walked into the kitchen. “It’s alright, Granny Smith. Spike and I heard what you said.” The elderly earth pony mare bowed. “Ah’m terribly sorry, princess. Ah wasn’t expecting a Royal Visit.” “It’s alright.” Twilight replied “Aunt Celestia sent me to Ponyville to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.” Granny Smith smiled “Ah see. My family is responsible for the food, so ya know that it’ll be the best you’ve ever tasted.” “I can’t wait.” Twilight paused when her stomach growled. Spike’s quickly followed suit. Blushing, Twilight glanced at Spike before turning back to Granny Smith and Applejack. “I’m sorry. We ran into a few issues when we arrived in town, so we didn’t have time for lunch.” Applejack laughed “That’s perfect, princess. That means both of ya have plenty of room to sample the food that we’ll be serving at the party tonight.” Twilight smiled “We’d love to.” Two Hours Later Twilight and Spike walked back into town. “Ooh.” Twilight groaned “I ate way too much.” Spike was holding his stomach with one hand and the checklist in the other. “Me too.” He checked the checklist. “The next stop is Sugarcube Corner.” “The bakery?” Twilight asked “Why are we going there?” Spike shrugged “I’m not sure, but it’s on the list.” “Alright.” Twilight replied “I just hope they don’t ask us to eat anything.” “That makes two of us.” Spike responded They walked into the bakery a few minutes later . . . and jumped when they heard a loud boom. Thinking quickly, Twilight levitated Spike onto her back and jumped into the air as a three tier cake sailed under them. “Sorry!” Twilight and Spike looked towards the voice to see the pink earth pony mare from before. The mare bounced over to them as Twilight landed on the floor. “I was just testing my party cannon because I needed to make sure that it will work at the party tonight and decided to use the cake that I’d just baked because, if it can handle that, a bunch of cupcakes will be no problem!” Twilight just stared at her. H-how did she say all of that in a single breath? After a moment, she slowly shook her head. It's probably best if I don't ask that one out loud. She turned back to the mare in front of her. “I remember you.” “That’s right!” The pink mare replied “I saw you earlier and was so excited that I just couldn’t help myself. I mean, I’ve met Princess Celestia, but I’ve never seen you before! You’re Princess Twilight Sparkle, right?” She didn't give Twilight a chance to respond. “Of course you are. I mean, you’re famous, you know? You live in a castle . . . and it’s in Canterlot . . . and you’re an alicorn . . . and you hatched a dragon!” Spike stared at the pink mare for a moment before tapping the right side of Twilight's neck. “Does she breathe?” I haven't seen her take one yet, but has to breathe, right? I mean, she is a pony . . . He glanced at the earth pony mare again. I think. Good question. Twilight was about to respond, but the pink mare beat her to it. “Of course I breathe, silly! I mean, I have to right? I don’t want to die! I’m Pinkie Pie, by the way. This is so cool! I almost hit a princess with my party cannon! I’ve never done that before!” Twilight blinked I’m pretty sure she said her name in there somewhere. Unless I’m mistaken, it’s Pinkie Pie. Her parents definitely got the “pink” part right. “Good afternoon, Pinkie Pie.” “No need to be so formal!” Pinkie Pie chirped “Call me Pinkie. That’s what all my friends call me.” “Friends?” Twilight repeated “Of course, silly filly!” Pinkie replied, suddenly draping a foreleg around Twilight “We’re going to be best friends and have so much fun!” Spike tilted his head. “You do know that Twi is a thousand years old, right? She’s one of the last ponies that you should be calling a “filly”.” Pinkie stared at Twilight. “A thousand years old?” Twilight nodded “That’s a lot of candles!” Pinkie responded “Candles?” Twilight repeated I’m beginning to feel like a broken record. “For your birthday cake, silly!” Pinkie paused when something occurred to her. “When is your birthday, anyway?” “I-it was two weeks ago.” Twilight answered Pinkie pouted “That means I can’t make your birthday cake.” After thinking for a moment, she brightened again. “That’s okay! I’ll just have to make the cake for your next birthday!” Trying to clear her head, Twilight slowly shook it again. “I-I’m here to check on the preparations for the party tonight.” Pinkie pulled Twilight into the kitchen. “Everything’s done! All I have to do is get it to the Town Hall!” Twilight slowly looked around the room in shock. Every available surface was piled high with every kind of baked good imaginable. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before turning back to Pinkie. “You made all of this?” “Of course!" Pinkie replied "Mr. and Mrs. Cake are out buying more ingredients, so they left me here to take care of the baking.” “W-wow.” Spike responded “In that case, we’ll leave you to your work." Twilight said slowly "We have two more stops to make anyway.” “Okie Dokie!” Pinkie chirped “I’ll see you at the party!” “Y-yeah.” Twilight slowly replied. “See you there.” She and Spike walked out of the bakery. “That was interesting.” Spike remarked “You’re right.” Twilight slowly shook her head. “I am not even going to pretend that I understood all of that. What’s next on the list?” “Music.” Spike looked at Celestia’s checklist. “This says that we should look for a pegasus named Fluttershy.” “I’ve heard of her.” Twilight commented “She’s very shy, but really good with animals. According to Aunt Celestia, she trains songbirds to perform at events.” Spike listened for a moment. “I think I hear birds. Should we take a look?” Twilight looked up at the sky. “It looks like Aunt Celestia set the sun, and placed the moon in the sky, a while ago. That means she, Grandma and Grandpa should be here soon.” She glanced back at Spike. “Let’s find Fluttershy.” Spike pointed towards the edge of town. “The music is coming from that direction.” Twilight smiled “Thanks, Spike.” She began to walk in the direction that he had indicated. They found themselves at the edge of town a few minutes later. After looking around for a moment, they saw a yellow pegasus with a light pink mane. The mare was standing next to a tree that was full of songbirds. “Um, excuse me, Mr. Songbird.” She said softly “Could you maybe pay a little more attention, please? You’re a tiny bit off key. Princess Celestia is really nice, so I don’t think she’ll complain, but we want to make sure we get it right.” The bird she was looking at nodded to her before looking past her. Curious, the yellow mare turned to see Twilight. She spread her wings in shock when she immediately recognized the alicorn. “P-princess Twilight?!” Smiling, Twilight nodded as she walked closer. “Good evening, Fluttershy. It’s nice to meet you.” Fluttershy's eyes widened as she squeaked out a short sentence. “Y-you know my name?!” Twilight nodded again. “Aunt Celestia told me about you.” “S-she did?!” Fluttershy asked “A-am I in trouble?” Giggling, Twilight shook her head. “She told me that you’re very good with animals and that you trained your songbirds to sing at the last celebration she attended. She was very impressed and, after what I just heard, I am as well.” Fluttershy’s eyes became the size of dinner plates, but she was too stunned to say anything. I-I impressed Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight?! “Ordinarily, I’d ask how the music for tonight was coming along.” Twilight continued “However, I don’t believe that’s necessary.” Finally getting over her shock, Fluttershy nodded as she folded her wings. “In that case, the only thing left is to go back to the Town Hall and see if Rarity has finished the decorations.” Spike responded Twilight nodded again. Surprised, Fluttershy looked around. “W-who said that?” That was when she spotted Spike on Twilight’s back. Eyes wide, she darted closer to Twilight. “Ohmygosh, you have a baby dragon?! I heard a rumor that you had hatched a dragon, but didn’t believe it because dragon eggs are really hard to hatch. He’s so cute! What’s his name? How old is he?” Twilight blinked a couple of times. W-wow. That’s quite a change. “His name is Spike and he’s thirteen years old.” Fluttershy suddenly realized what she had done. She scrambled back several feet as her face turned bright red. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!” Twilight laughed “It’s alright. Unfortunately, we need to get going. We’ll see you at the party.” “O-okay” Fluttershy stammered Twilight walked into the Town Hall a little over ten minutes later. She looked around for a moment before noticing a light coming from a room off to her right. Curious, she walked over and opened the door. Her eyes widened slightly as she slowly looked around the room. I don’t know how Rarity did it, but everything looks great! “What do you think, princess?” Startled, Twilight jumped before turning to see that Rarity was walking towards her. She smiled at the unicorn. “It looks great. I’m sure that Aunt Celestia will love it.” Sighing in relief, Rarity pointed at the balcony. “That’s where Princess Celestia will arrive and raise the sun. The party will start as soon as she has finished.” “I see.” Twilight glanced out the window. Aunt Celestia, Grandma and Grandpa should be here soon. Twenty Minutes Later The citizens of Ponyville had gathered in the Town Hall as well. Spike was still sitting on Twilight’s back. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity had gathered around Twilight. Everyone looked up as Mayor Mare walked onto the balcony. “Good morning, citizens of Ponyville and honored guests! Here to raise the sun, and get this party started, is Princess Celestia!” Everyone turned to the door leading outside, waiting for Celestia to appear. After a couple of minutes, Mayor Mare poked her head outside. “Princess Celestia?” Everyone gasped when a cloud of stars flew in through to open balcony door before turning into a large alicorn mare with a black coat. A large sphere of magic hovered above Nightmare Moon. Sundance, Midnight Armor and Celestia were trapped inside this sphere. No one reacted to this sphere, or the fact that most of the Royal Family was trapped inside it, because Nightmare Moon was the only one who could see it. She was also the only one who could hear anything that her prisoners said. The four of them looked around the room. Celestia sighed in relief when she saw Twilight. “There she is.” “Good.” Sundance sighed in relief as well. “I was hoping that we would be able to handle this ourselves, but it seems that we have no choice but to rely on her.” Midnight Armor nodded “I have no doubt that she can do it. I just wish there was a way to inform her of the situation.” Nightmare Moon tilted her head slightly as she took a closer look at the ponies in front of her. It sounds like they are relying on one of the ponies here to stop me. She let out a sinister chuckle. As soon as I figure out who it is, I’ll make them watch me kill her. “I’m afraid your princess won’t be joining you.” Twilight gasped I-isn’t that-? She’s not supposed to be here yet! She was torn from her thoughts by a shout. “Who are you?!” Rainbow Dash demanded as she flew towards Nightmare Moon. “What have you done to our princess?!” She came to an abrupt stop when Applejack grabbed her rainbow colored tail with her teeth. “Ya don’t want to do that, Sugarcube!” Applejack managed to say. Surprised, Nightmare Moon spared a glance at Applejack before turning to Rainbow Dash. “You really don’t know who I am?” Twilight levitated Spike onto the floor before spreading her wings and rising into the air. “I do. You are Nightmare Moon.” Everyone else gasped in a combination of shock and horror. Spike fainted, falling to the floor. Nightmare Moon turned to Twilight. “Well, well, well. I see that somepony has done her homework.” She took a closer look at the mare in front of her. Wait a minute. She’s a lavender alicorn . . . That got Luna’s attention. Did she say Lavender Alicorn?! Perhaps I can . . . She managed to look out of her eyes. She gasped in shock when she saw the mare in front of her. I-is that . . . She was pulled from her thoughts by Nightmare Moon’s voice. I see that you’re finally awake, little Luna. Nightmare Moon suppressed a chuckle. It’s a shame that you missed my battle with your sister and parents. Luna gasped in horror. What have you done to them?! Nightmare Moon was about to respond, but was distracted when she heard Twilight’s voice. “Leave these ponies alone, Nightmare Moon. They have done nothing to you.” Midnight Armor glanced at his wife. “She’s doing well so far.” Sundance and Celestia nodded. Nightmare Moon stared at Twilight. So this is the pony that they’ve pinned their hopes on. If this mare is who I think she is, she might actually be able to defeat me. She glanced around the room. This isn’t the right location for our battle. I’ll have to lead her somewhere else. She turned back to Twilight. “Very well. I will do as you’ve asked . . . but only because you’re the one who asked.” Sundance, Midnight Armor, Celestia and Luna sighed in relief. Twilight raised an eyebrow, but Nightmare Moon turned into a cloud of stars and left the building the same way she came in. That was weird. Nightmare Moon hovered in the air above the Town Hall. Come on, little princess. Chase after me. Twilight levitated Spike, and her saddlebags, onto her back before flying out the open balcony door. She paused in midair and glanced around. That it. Nightmare Moon took a closer look. Wait a minute. Is that a dragon on her back? That is a good question. Luna commented Twilight flew to the library, landed in front of it, unlocked the front door and walked inside. She gently placed Spike on one of the beds and set her saddlebags on the floor next to the bed. Then she walked back outside and locked the library again. The fact that Nightmare Moon is here means that, as impossible as this sounds, she must have defeated Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Celestia. Either that, or she came here first. Regardless, I can’t let her get away. I’m not sure where she went, but she can’t have gotten far. According to the dream I had a few nights ago, the Elements of Harmony are our best chance of defeating Nightmare Moon. I know that the Element of Magic is missing and the other five have been turned to stone. Even so, I don’t want Nightmare Moon to find them because she may try to use them against us. That means I need to find them first. Twilight was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of several rapid hoofsteps. She looked towards the sound to see Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Rarity running towards her. They skidded to a stop in front of Twilight. “What are we going to do, princess?” Rarity asked Twilight glanced at the Everfree Forest before turning back to the mares in front of her. “I need to get to the old castle. That is where five of the Elements of Harmony are. I need to find them before Nightmare Moon does.” Applejack walked towards the forest. “Let’s go then.” Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie nodded as they followed her. W-what?! Twilight hurried after them. “I was planning to do this myself.” Applejack snorted “No friend of ours is going into that forest alone.” Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Rarity nodded again as they walked into the forest. Sighing, Twilight followed them. Spike will be safe in the library. Now I need to make sure that those girls don’t get into something that they can’t get themselves out of. As they walked, Twilight looked at the forest around them. “I haven’t been here in centuries. What’s the forest like now?” Rainbow Dash turned towards the group. “Nopony goes inside because it’s haunted. They say that, if you go in, you can NEVER. COME. OUT!” Fluttershy screamed so loud that everyone missed the loud crack before the ground fell out from under them. None of them noticed that a cloud of stars was watching their every move. Sundance, Midnight Armor, Celestia and Luna gasped in horror. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy instinctively spread their wings, but Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack weren’t so lucky. They slid towards a steep cliff. Rainbow Dash dove down and caught Pinkie as she fell off the edge. Pinkie giggled “Thanks, Rainbow!” Rainbow Dash grinned “No problem, Pinkie.” Applejack had grabbed a root with her teeth, but she let go of it when she heard Rarity scream. She slid towards the cliff, grabbed another root with one forehoof and one of Rarity’s forehooves with the other. Darn it! Ah’m not strong enough to pull her back up. She looked below them when she saw a flash of lavender and smiled slightly when she saw what Twilight was doing. Rarity gasped in horror when Applejack let go of her. She grabbed onto the edge of the cliff before looking up when she heard her friend’s voice. “It’s gonna be okay, Rarity. Ya just need to let go.” Rarity let out another gasp of horror. “I can’t!” Applejack smile widened a little. “Trust me.” Closing her eyes, Rarity took a deep breath before doing as she was told. She anxiously waited a couple of seconds before suddenly realizing something. That’s strange. I don’t feel anything. She opened her eyes to find that she was suspended in a field of magenta magic. What?! Twilight levitated Rarity closer to her. “Are you alright?” Sighing in relief, Rarity nodded. “Thank you, princess.” “Good.” Twilight levitated Applejack into the air as well before turning to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “Follow me.” Nodding, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy followed Twilight to the solid ground at the base of the cliff. Nightmare Moon silently followed them. Midnight Armor, Celestia and Luna sighed in relief. Sundance smiled as well. Well done, Twilight. Nightmare Moon sent several challenges to block the girls’ path. She became increasingly irritated, and impressed, when they easily passed all of them. They’re obviously heading for the castle. I’ll be waiting for them. She headed for the old castle, bringing Sundance, Midnight Armor and Celestia with her.