The trio made their way out of Everfree Forest, and started heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. There were no apples on the trees because of the season. Winter in Ponyville was kind of bipolar. There would be snow one day, no snow the next, and then snow the day after that. There was no snow today, so Twilight expected that there would be snow the next day; not only because she made an educated guess, but also because Rainbow Dash had told her that the weather ponies had scheduled a blizzard for tomorrow. Great, thought Twilight, at the rate this is going, we will most likely be having to wait until tomorrow to leave.
"Well howdy, y'all! If y'all told me you'd be headin' over, I would have fixed us all up some nice apple pies!" This came from Applejack, whom Twilight hadn't noticed until her greeting.
"Nice one, Twilight. If you let her know, we would have been eating apple pie!" Rainbow Dash really liked Applejack's signature pie, but not as much as she loved the apple cider that Applejack's family produced every year.
"The only problem is that she would never know if we're coming over, unless we send her a letter that says we are. But who knows how long it would take that mail-pony to deliver it? Besides, we just decided to come here not too long ago, and what would be the point of having a letter be delivered telling her we're coming over if we would just show up right after she's done reading it? How would it even be possible for-"
"Okay, okay. I get it," Rainbow Dash interrupted, "I just really want some delicious apple pie!"
"But, Rainbow Dash, we wouldn't want Applejack to stray away from her chores around the farm, would we? I just couldn't imagine what would happen if she didn't do anything for the farm." Fluttershy always thought of the worst-case scenarios for almost anything. She was the one who caused Twilight to be afraid of rigged envelopes.
"I don't have anythin' to do right now. I could make a few apple pies for y'all; it'd be no trouble for me, honest." Applejack sure did make some killer apple pies.
"Sure, that'd be nice. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the adventure anyway, so why not?" Twilight didn't like the idea of having to begin travelling during a blizzard. Too much time had been wasted today looking for her friends that when she finally found all of them, it would be too late in the day to leave.
"An adventure, you say? What are you talkin' about, Twi?" Applejack looked at Twilight with a slightly confused expression, but there were hints of excitement in her face as well.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot, the reason that we're here is to see if you would want to come on a journey with us."
"Well, of course I would! Who d'ya think I am? A no-good, adventure-hatin' pony?" Applejack seemed a little offended for some reason.
"Of course not! Why do you seem offended? I only asked if you would be willing to be gong on a journey, not if you'd be more willing to go on a journey than you were last time." Twilight put her hoof over her mouth. She had just tried to explain how unoffensive the request was and ended up making it offensive. Great.
"Well I would have been more willing if I wasn't mad at somepony for redecorating the barn without my permission! Don't worry, I'm not mad at her anymore. Where is that pony anyway?" Applejack was referring to Rarity. Rarity almost passed out the last time she entered the barn. The barn was apparently lacking in style and needed a proper makeover. What happened after that, well, it may be told in another story.
"We have no idea where she is-"
"Um, excuse me..." Fluttershy was always a little too quiet when she wanted to get somepony's attention.
"-We thought that you might know, but it appears as though you don't. Has Pinkie Pie-"
"Excuse me..."
"-come around here lately? I saw her this morning, but she ran off. I thought that maybe she-"
"LISTEN TO ME!!!!" Fluttershy hadn't forgotten some of the lessons she had learned from Iron Will. "Oh, um, sorry. It's just that, um, I know where Rarity is. She's back at my house."
"Why didn't you say that before we came all the way here?" asked Twilight.
"I kind of forgot after I got carried away with following that duck and getting lost. Sorry."
"It's okay, Fluttershy. Applejack, make enough pies for all of us including Rarity and Pinkie Pie. We should be back by the time they're done." Twilight sure hoped that they were back at that time. She wanted to eat apple pie just as much as Rainbow Dash did, and it sure wouldn't be as good if it were cold.
"Sure can do, Twi." Applejack responded with a smile.
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy headed back to the cottage. As they headed inside, they heard a cat hissing and doing other scary cat noises. They also heard Rarity talking. "Now Opal, that is not a proper way to treat Fluttershy's couch. How in Equestria did you even scratch it that much?" Twilight saw a look of horror on Fluttershy's face as they entered the upstairs guest room.
"Oh, Rarity, sorry to keep you waiting for so long. I got carried away outside and didn't have time to come back until now." Fluttershy had a way of being able to keep her cool when some other ponies would be angered.
Rainbow Dash looked a little confused. "I thought you told us that you forg- hrmph!" Twilight elbowed Rainbow Dash before the rest of the word could be formed.
Fluttershy began to speak again. "I would also like to tell you that there is nothing wrong with Opalescence's behavior."
Twilight looked at Rarity. "You thought there was something wrong with your cat because it was scratching things like a cat? Have you forgotten what cats do? They scratch things. Go return Opal to your house and come with us to find Pinkie Pie."
"I suppose that would be the next thing I should do. Why are you and Rainbow Dash here anyway? And why search for Pinkie? Wouldn't she just appear out of nowhere eventually?" Rarity had a point, but Pinkie sure did have something very important to do.
"I don't think she'd do that today. The last time I saw her, she wouldn't even stop to say hello to anypony, let alone one of her best-"
"Well heya!" Twilight almost jumped out of her skin, she was so startled. Pinkie Pie just literally appeared out of nowhere. "Did you know that Applejack is making pies for all of us? I really enjoy her pies, and I think that we should all go and eat them soon! Why do you look so weird, Twilight? It's almost as if you just saw a ghost, haha. Unless you actually did just see a ghost! Where is it!?!? It's behind isn't it!?? Just tell me already!"
"No, I didn't see a ghost. Trust me. And yes, I agree that we should all go and eat the pies that have been made for us. I can explain everything there regarding the adventure."
"Adventure!??!!" Rarity and Pinkie Pie both said in unison. Rarity wasn't as excited as Pinkie Pie.
"Like I said, I'll explain everything there." Twilight had finally gotten all of her friends. Step one of the journey was complete! The five ponies all went to Sweet Apple Acres. Sure enough, when they got there, the apple pies were done baking. They all had a good time eating and talking with each other. Twilight promised an explanation, and so she gave one.
"I want to go on an adventure to find a pony. This pony has sent me a letter that asked me to come and see him or her."
"Him or her? How do you not know? And where does this pony live?" asked Rarity.
"They didn't properly end the letter and left out their name. And for your second question: I have no idea."
"Ooh! I love guessing games!" said Pinkie.