//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: To Shine Alone // by emrlddrgn //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle was walking up the road to Canterlot when something slammed into her side at high speed, knocking her to the ground with enough force to drive the air from her lungs. Her head hit the cobblestones with enough force to fill her vision with stars. She tried desperately to draw a breath through the weight that had settled on her chest, fighting not to black out. Finally managing to suck in some desperately needed oxygen caused her vision to clear somewhat, revealing a huge pair of magenta eyes attached to a bluish blob which seemed to be perched on top of her. "Rainbow Dash!" she groaned. "I know we haven't seen each other in awhile, but did you have to give me a concussion to tell me you missed me?" "Heck yeah, I did!" her exuberant friend replied. "I've been away too long, Twilight; you've gotten soft! I don't know how long this thing with Luna is gonna take, so I gotta take every chance I get to whip your sorry flank back into shape!" "If that's how you talk to your recruits, I'm shocked you have any left..." grumbled Twilight as she levitated the pegasus off of her chest and regained her hooves. "So, the Princess called you up for this too, huh? You think that means she sent word to the others?" "She sure as sugar did, uh... sugarcube!” came a familiar southern drawl from behind the pair. They spun around to see Applejack trotting up the path, Fluttershy hovering behind her and to the left while Pinkie Pie bounced along to her right. AJ stopped a few feet from Twilight and Rainbow Dash, sizing up the situation with a practiced eye. “Got the drop on ya, did she, Twilight? Never thought I’d see the day the big bad Archmage of Canterlot would get taken out by one little pegasus, even if she is the Captain of the Wonderbolts.” Applejack’s chuckles were only made louder by Rainbow’s mock-injured glare. “Actually,” Twilight put in, “I thought she was Pinkie. Ever since I received the Princess’ letter, I’ve been expecting her to come out of nowhere just like that. While I’m not actually sure that my magic would even harm her, with her unique abilities, I thought it’d be better to take the hit and not find out.” “Silly Twilight! Why would I tackle you when you were expecting to be tackled? Everypony knows the Flying Hug is soooooooo much more fun when it’s a SURPRISE!” chirped Pinkie. “Can’t argue with that logic! Hey girls! Long time no see! Did you miss Equestria’s most awesome, amazing, incredible flyer ever, as decreed by Princess Celestia herself? Huh? Did you?” demanded Rainbow Dash eagerly, her face once again uncomfortably close to Twilight’s. “Ugh, Rainbow... your very presence is like shouting,” grumbled Twilight as she shoved her friend’s face away. “Um... I missed you, Rainbow Dash...” came Fluttershy’s quiet voice. “Oh, and you too, Twilight, of course...” “Oooo, and I missed you both too! And Rarity, too! Where is she?” “Right here, darlings! Fashionably late, as always!” came Rarity’s ringing voice from the direction of Canterlot. Soon the unicorn herself came into view around the bend, her perfect purple mane still curled in exactly the same way it had always been. “Rarity!” cried Twilight. “How did you know we were here already?” “Why, elementary, my dear Twilight!” explained Rarity with a roguish wink. “I simply followed the rainbow!” She gestured skyward, where a long rainbow streak could be seen running from a point high in the sky directly towards where they were all standing. “... Oh. Right.” “So! Darlings! Do tell me everything I’ve missed out on this last year! Rainbow Dash, how are you finding being the Captain? I haven’t seen you since the celebration!” "Puh-lease, Rares! I'm the officially recognized best flier in all of Equestria! Why wouldn't it be incredible? Leading the Wonderbolts! Living the dream!" “Oh my, that certainly does sound fabulous! And I really must thank you for giving Filligree Fashions the contract for the Wonderbolts’ new flight suits. Why, not a day goes by that we don’t receive orders from other, lesser teams, looking to buy from the company that supplies the best flight squad in Equestria!” “Uh, yeah... about that? I didn’t actually have any say in that decision. Like, at all. The managers just reeeaally liked your stuff. I might have been letting you think it was because of me so that you’d keep sending me those ‘Thank You’ cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner.” Dash grinned proudly, ignoring Rarity’s glare. “Well!” huffed the fashionista. “I should have known! Though... it is rather flattering to know they thought so highly of me,” she mused, her eyes shining with pride. “You’re a nationwide sensation, Rarity!” Twilight said, grinning at her friend. “I’ve been all over Equestria these last couple of months, putting out fires for the Princesses, and everywhere I go I see ponies dressed in Filligree Fashions, or a ‘Licensed Distributor of Filligree Fashions’ sign in a shop window, or something! I have to say, I’m really impressed!” “Why thank you, my dear!” beamed Rarity. “But I can hardly hold a candle to your own accomplishments! Youngest Arch-Mage in Equestrian history, wasn’t it?” Twilight blushed as her friend went on, “Why, practically every other week the papers are full of you saving a town from a rampaging manticore, or empowering a new mage’s tower, or opening a magic school for orphaned unicorns. I may be taking the fashion world by storm, but you are truly making Equestria a better place for us all!” A sheepish grin on her face, Twilight replied, “Generous as always, Rarity, with your praise as much as anything else. I think it’s great that we’ve all done so well for ourselves!” “Hold on there, sugarcube. Ya might wanna be careful with ‘all’, there. Some of us are still the same hard-working earth ponies we’ve always been,” Applejack cut in. “But Applejack!” cried Rarity, “everypony in Equestria eats Sweet Apple Acres fruit! You’ve expanded the farm, hired on some extra hooves – really, you Apples are solely responsible for putting Ponyville on the map! Of course we were all terribly sorry to hear about Granny Smith’s unfortunate passing – and Angel Bunny’s too, Fluttershy dear – but to say you haven’t accomplished anything is prevarication of the basest sort. I won’t have it, especially not from the bearer of the Element of Honesty!” “Well, shucks, Rares, I guess you have a point there. Granny’d tan my hide for false modesty, sure enough.” Applejack turned to Fluttershy and offered her a hoof. “I was plum sorry to hear about Angel, Fluttershy. I expected an invitation to the funeral, truth be told, but I suppose I can offer you my condolences just as well now as then.” “Oh, did you want to come? I’m sorry... it’s just... Angel always said he wanted a quiet ceremony, and... but I’m sure it would have been fine if you’d come, and I was so rude not to invite you, and – eep!” Her babbling was cut off with a squeak as Rainbow Dash’s wing drew her into a wordless hug. “Shoot, sugarcube, I didn’t mean nothing by it. Just surprised me is all. Ya’ll have a right to mourn any way you like, and just cause we Apples send off our dead with a big ol’ shindig don’t mean I should expect a timid little thing like you to want to make such a fuss. I expect that’s why I haven’t seen you around the farm much lately, either – been busy with your grief, don’t want us intruding none. Sorry to mention it.” Fluttershy nodded slightly, her grief-stricken face mostly obscured by her long mane, still wrapped in Rainbow’s wing. “It’s okay, Applejack. I’m sorry I haven’t seen you much lately. I really just... don’t like to go outside much anymore. I certainly haven’t accomplished anything, Twilight.” “Hey, don’t sweat it, ‘Shy!” said Rainbow, retracting her wing from around the yellow pegasus, who nearly fell over as the support was removed, then blushed furiously as she regained her hooves. “I think it’s great that you haven’t changed a bit! Well, you and Pinkie Pie, anyway. I don’t know what could possibly change her.” Pinkie stopped bouncing for a moment to stare at Rainbow Dash, then a huge grin blossomed on her face and she pulled her friends into an enormous group hug. “Ohhh, it’s so good to see you girls! This’ll be just like old times, wait and see!” --- The six ponies trotted up the steps to the Gate of the Sun, the main entrance into Canterlot Castle. As Twilight made to step through the door, however, she was stopped by the two Royal Guards stationed at either side of the door. “Archmage Sparkle?” the one on the right confirmed. At her nod, the one on the left saluted and proclaimed “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wish to meet you all in the dining hall immediately. Follow me, please.” The guard signaled a junior officer stationed just inside the door, who ran off in the direction of the throne room, then led them through the marble halls of the palace towards a small, empty dining room. Twilight recognized this room as where the Princesses shared the morning and evening meals, taking a few moments of quiet time alone together, rather than the Grand Hall which was used for the affairs of state conducted at midday and midnight. The Element bearers were instructed to enter and take seats, then left alone as the guard took up his station outside the door. Their nervous chatter about the summons which had called them here was cut short by the door opening, revealing the two Princesses of Equestria. As one, the six seated ponies rose and bowed low to the floor. At the Princesses’ answering nods, Twilight rose and trotted forward to share a joyful nuzzle with her friend and mentor, while her friends greeted Luna in a somewhat less respectful fashion. “LUNA!” came the war cry of Pinkie Pie as she launched herself from the bench at full speed, completely ignoring the fact that the acceleration should have liquified her internal organs. The Princess of the Night was caught completely flat-hooved, blasted over backward, and landed on her back with a loud thump, Pinkie Pie affixed firmly to her chest as she did her best to squeeze her into princess jelly. “Oh I’m so excited to see you! All my very bestest best friends are here and it’s all thanks to you! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Luna, recovered from the shock, chuckled and remarked, “It is a good thing my ribs are endowed with the strength of the alicorn, Pinkie. I fear you would long ago have caused any mortal pony fatal damage!” “’Sup, Lunes?” came Rainbow Dash’s brash voice from where she fluttered above the scene of attempted regicide. “Long time no see! Still nursing that ‘Princess speed’ delusion?” “Mark my words, Rainbow, I will beat you yet!” retorted the ruler of the night from her undiginified position on the floor. “You may be Captain of the Wonderbolts, but I’ve been around awhile and I still know a trick or two!” “Yeah, yeah. Bring it on! I’m ready for you any day!” “It’s a right pleasure to see you again, Princess,” put in Applejack with a tip of her hat. “Oh, um... hello, Luna...” came Fluttershy’s timid voice as she cautiously joined Pinkie in hugging the midnight blue alicorn. “Your Highness! How wonderful to see you again, my dear! I see you still refuse to wear anything with your regalia? I know basic black is always in fashion, but with your build and colouring you would look simply wonderful in my -” Luna’s very flat stare finally registered on the fashionista, who sighed. “Very well, I know a lost cause when I see one. Still.. it is wonderful to see you, darling.” She added herself to the hug, as did Rainbow and Applejack. Princess Celestia arched an eyebrow at her now very crowded sister. “Switch?” “Switch.” There was a soft glow of light from both princesses, and Twilight suddenly found herself nuzzling Luna, while the other five Element bearers discovered Celestia in their arms. “Woah, cool trick, Princesses!” opined Rainbow Dash, Pinkie nodding along enthusiastically. “Thank you, my friends,” said Luna, gently returning Twilight’s nuzzle as Celestia extracted herself from her pile of admirers. “It is truly glorious to see each of you. Now, before we begin with business...” She stomped her hoof and the doors opened, presenting a corridor filled with ponies bearing covered dishes. “We suspected you might be hungry after your long journey. So come! Let us forget affairs of state for a time, and instead eat, drink, and be merry!” --- The last of the servants carried away the last platter, only crumbs remaining of its former occupant. As the servants left through the doorway, the guards outside closed the doors. A flick of Celestia’s horn brought the bar down and a number of her guests’ eyebrows up. The Princess must be very serious about not being overheard. “So... Princesses...” began Twilight hesitantly. “Not that it’s not great to be here and all but, uh....” “You are wondering why I brought you all here,” finished Luna. “Well, I have a... project to undertake, and I would like to request your help.” “Heck, Luna, you know we’re always here if you need us!” piped Rainbow Dash, grinning broadly at her from across the table, but Luna shook her head. “Your loyalty does you credit as always, Rainbow Dash, but I would ask that you wait to hear the whole story before you commit to anything. This is no ordinary request.” Luna briefly made eye contact with each pony at the table, confirming that they were listening, before continuing. “As you know, since my return to Equestria, I have been studying many things, attempting to get a feel for this new era I find myself in. One new branch of study which immediately grabbed my attention was demography, the study of the makeup and distributions of pony populations. At first I was most pleased to discover that the three tribes are much less segregated now than when I last ruled alongside my sister. Pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns all live together, mostly in harmony. What ill will still exists between the primary pony types appear to be centered in Canterlot, where the nobles still pride themselves on being ‘pure unicorn’. However, as they haven’t had any real political clout in several centuries,” here Luna paused to nod her head to her sister, “this hardly seems worth worrying about.” “However. As my research continued, I noticed several disturbing trends. First, while it is true that inter-tribal conflict is far, far lower than it was in the old days, it is also much higher than it was only a few generations ago. Any level of disharmony is of course a tragedy, but if the present course continues I predict that things will escalate into actual racial violence within no more than forty years.” The shocked faces around the table showed Luna that the six mortal ponies understood at least as well as she how crucial it was that such violence be prevented. “But why, Princess?” asked Fluttershy, plainly upset by the topic. “Why would ponies turn on each other like that? I thought that was ancient history – um, no offense...” “The very question I asked,” replied Luna. “I immediately began looking for the cause of such tensions. An obvious correlation with resource shortages turned up immediately – when there is not enough of anything to go around, ponies look for something to blame, and too often that something is other ponies. The opulence of Canterlot, still seen as ‘the unicorn city’ by much of the populace, will understandably infuriate an earth pony forced to sell his farm in order to feed his family. But this only brought up more questions. Why were ponies concerned about resource shortages when Equestria’s total output is higher than it has ever been?” Again the nod to Celestia. To most of the Elements, it looked as though she was merely acknowledging whose policies had brought about such prosperity. To Twilight, who knew the Princesses best, it seemed more like a horn fencer acknowledging a touch – an unspoken air of ‘yes, but....’ tickled the corners of her mind. “Eventually I found the answer. Equestria’s population has continued to grow at a nearly constant rate for the last seven centuries, though with my return we may expect that rate to increase.” Rarity looked at Twilight across the table, mouthing ‘what?’, to which Twilight shrugged. “In the past, this growth was matched by an equal or greater expansion of the country’s borders, as poor ponies seeking to make a better life migrated to the frontier, where land and goods were practically free for the taking. However, in the last three centuries this expansion has been greatly slowed, and following the peace with the griffin tribes one hundred and fifty years ago it has stopped completely. Equestria is now bounded by the dragonlands in the north, griffin and zebra territories in the south, the Everfree Forest and the Shimmering Woods in the west, and the Stormwall in the east. There is simply no room for further growth, and without expansion to counterbalance population growth, Equestria is filling up.” “So, in order to reduce the population pressure before our nation bursts at the seams, I have decided that ponykind must once more look beyond its borders for new territories to tame, new lands to settle, and new resources to exploit. If we do not, the consequences are too tragic to bear thinking about,” Luna finished, looking expectantly at the Element bearers for their reactions. --- There was silence for a moment while the six ponies grappled with this new information. Twilight, being the most well-informed about foreign affairs thanks to her position as Arch-Mage, was the first to speak up. “Um... that’s a great plan and all, Princess – and I’m very impressed by the obvious depth of your research – but... where would you have us go? You just laid out a bunch of excellent reasons why there’s nowhere left to expand to.” Luna started to open her mouth, but, “Consider your history, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia broke in, her usual wry smile firmly in place. Twilight’s eyes drifted closed as she muttered to herself for a moment, then suddenly flew open. “West?” she breathed. “It must be west. Every pony migration in recorded history has been a move westward.” Celestia’s face fell and Luna’s grew stormy, but Twilight didn’t notice. “We can’t go west, Princess! That’d take us right through the Shimmering Woods! The deerfolk are ancient and powerfully magical, and they’ve lived in those woods for longer than there’s been an Equestria! For pony’s sake, the Lustrous Glade is almost due west of Ponyville – I know, I’ve been there! A war with the deerfolk would be a magical calamity to shake the planet, not to mention the loss of life, and the betrayal of our allies, and -!” Unnerved by Twilight’s obvious panic, the other Elements of Harmony began muttering concernedly among themselves. Celestia quickly began trying to explain. “Oh, no, Twilight, I didn’t mean -” “ENOUGH.” Luna’s voice cut through Twilight’s horrified rambling and Celestia’s stammered apologies alike. “Twilight Sparkle. My sister did not mean that we would expand to the west. No one is going to start a war with the deerfolk while we rule.” Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief and shot the Princess of the Night a pathetically grateful look, but Luna was too busy glaring at her sister to see it. “Honestly, Celestia! Must you turn every simple conversation into a test? This is a perfect example of why I am leaving!” The room froze. Everyone turned to look at the two Princesses. No one spoke for a long moment. Finally Twilight managed to get out, “You’re... you’re leaving Equestria, Princess Luna? Yourself?” Luna sighed. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle, I am. Since my return from the moon, I have felt rather... strange, in this new Equestria crafted by my sister’s hooves. At first I assumed it was merely a need to acclimatize myself to the culture of the times. However, thanks in no small part to your tireless efforts and unlimited patience” - here Luna bowed her head to the Element bearers in thanks - “I believe I am now sufficiently familiar with modern civilization to say that that is not the problem. I feel stifled. While Celestia’s Equestria is pleasant, safe, and prosperous, it is also scheduled, rigid, and inflexible. There is very little left to do and see, and most ponies desire only to find a comfortable routine in which to live out their lives.” “My dear sister,” she said ironically with a glance at Celestia, who had recovered from her earlier embarrassment and was now watching the darker Princess with a look of resigned frustration, “feels that my problem is simply that I have not yet grown up. It is entirely possible that she is right in saying this.” Ignoring Celestia’s startled look, she continued. “If I must indeed grow up, however, I feel certain it will be impossible for me to do so in this environment. To grow up one must be free to make one’s own mistakes, and I cannot do so while burdened with Celestia’s meddling, no matter how well-intentioned it may be.” “AND SO,” cried the Night Princess, “I, PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA, MAKE THIS DECREE! I SHALL TRAVEL TO A LAND BEYOND EQUESTRIA, THERE TO FOUND A NEW PONY NATION! I RENOUNCE ALL CLAIMS TO THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA, EFFECTIVE AT THE MOMENT MY HOOF FIRST TOUCHES DOWN ON FOREIGN SOIL!” “And I hope,” she said into the ringing silence which followed this pronouncement, “that you will all consent to join me.” --- The bearers of the Elements of Harmony looked at each other. Then, as one, they turned to their Princesses. “BWUH?” Luna chuckled awkwardly. “Oh dear... that was rather dramatic of me, wasn’t it? My sincerest apologies. Still, you should understand the main points of the situation now. I am leaving Equestria to found a new nation of ponies. As my most treasured friends, I would ask that you journey with me, at least for a time. I want to make myself clear - this is not a command, royal or otherwise. This is a request to my longtime friends. If you choose to stay behind, I will harbor no ill will towards you, and will continue to hold you as my dearest friends.” Her face hardened into a look of determination. “However, make no mistake - I am going.” The six mortal ponies glanced around at each other, plainly unsure how to take Luna's declaration. Celestia, ever the diplomat, broke in smoothly. “This is obviously a lot to consider. Why don’t you take the night to think about it, and we will meet back here and discuss it in the morning, hmm?” She sent a sidelong look towards Luna, who nodded quickly, obviously still embarrassed by her outburst. “Excellent. Rooms have been prepared for you in the west wing. The guards will show you the way, of course. Until tomorrow, my little ponies.” As they left the audience chamber, each pony saw Celestia, her perfect, practiced smile firmly in place, watching them depart. --- Twilight Sparkle couldn’t sleep. She lay, curled up on her side, back to the door, her tail pulled up into her forehooves, where she stroked it absent-mindedly. Vaguely she noted that her tail was much softer and nicer to run her hooves through when it wasn’t frazzled from excessive panicking - she really needed to do this more often. She sighed. Sadly, the subject of her silky tail was not quite fascinating enough to block out Twilight’s other thoughts. Luna’s offer had been running in circles through her mind since leaving the Princesses earlier in the evening. She barely remembered the walk to her room, following the white coat of the royal guard assigned to guide her in a numb daze. Her friends, sensing her confusion, had left well enough alone, heading off to their own rooms with nothing more than a brief ‘good night’. At the time, she had appreciated their consideration, but now she found herself wishing that one of them at least had stayed with her. She would really like to know what they thought of all this. Suddenly there came a soft knock which nonetheless echoed in the large, silent room. From her doorway there came a sliver of light on the wall, followed by a voice. “Um... Twilight? I just thought I’d come and see if you were okay... But if you’re asleep that’s fine, I just thought... Well you seemed a little upset earlier, after... oh, I’ll just go now, sorry to bother you...” “It’s all right, Fluttershy.” Twilight called, still not turning to face the door. “Come in.” “Oh, um, okay... if you’re sure...” The soft sound of wings marked Fluttershy’s progress across the room, then a louder Whumph! her landing on the bed next to Twilight. She shifted a bit to get comfortable, then sat there, apparently willing to wait until Twilight felt the need to speak. After a long moment in which she could feel her friend’s eyes on the back of her head, Twilight sighed and rolled over. “What do you think I should do, Fluttershy? I can’t just abandon Princess Celestia... but Luna is my friend too, and this plan of hers sounds so exciting! I just don’t know what to do!” Fluttershy’s face retreated behind her hair, one large blue eye peeking out. “Oh, I’d never tell you what to do, Twilight. You’re so much smarter and braver than I am, I wouldn’t dare give you advice.” A familiar cross look settled on Twilight’s face. “Fluttershy, we’ve talked about this. You have to stop putting yourself down all the time. You’re a very capable pony.” Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, sorry, Twilight. You’re right, I’m sure.” Twilight let out an exasperated huff. Fluttershy clearly didn’t believe her, and was just saying what she thought Twilight wanted to hear. However, this wasn’t really the time to get into that. There were big decisions to be made. “Well, what about you, Fluttershy? Are you going?” She shrank even further behind her mane, her normally soft voice becoming almost inaudible as she replied. “Oh, um... I don’t really know yet, I thought I’d wait and see if...” she trailed off into incoherent mumblings. “Well I’m going!” came two much louder voices from the doorway. Then, a moment later, “Wait, you want to go too?” Startled, Twilight and Fluttershy looked up to see the distinctive silhouettes of Rarity and Rainbow Dash framed in the doorway looking at each other in surprise. After a moment they turned back to the two ponies on the bed and completed their entry into the room, stopping somewhat awkwardly a few feet away. Twilight gave an indulgent smile and patted the bed with a hoof. “Oh, come on up. There’s plenty of room, the Princesses sure gave us enormous beds...” “PONY PILE!!” came a shriek from the doorway, and a pink blur slammed into Rainbow and Rarity, carrying them into Fluttershy, who toppled over onto Twilight, resulting in a pack of pastel ponies piled precariously upon the pallet. “Pinkie Pie!” came an exasperated groan from four different muzzles. The pink pony in question simply hopped off the top of the hill with a giggle, which soon infected her friends as well. Twilight’s chuckles were the last to die away. After all the stress of the day, and her exhausted deliberations, it felt good to laugh about something as silly as Pinkie Pie’s regular antics. A genuine smile on her face for the first time since dinner, she turned her attention back to Rarity and Rainbow Dash. “So, you girls said you’d already decided to go? I have to admit, that’s pretty surprising. Rarity, you want to leave Filligree Fashions? That was your dream! And for that matter, what about the Wonderbolts, Rainbow? Every letter we get from you tells us how awesome it is to be flying with the best team of stunt flyers in Equestria! Just this morning you told us you were ‘living the dream’!” Dash rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, looking anywhere but at Twilight. “Eh... hehe, yeah, about those letters... I might have been... exaggerating? A little bit? Or, um, a lot, I guess?” She sighed, finally making eye contact with her friends again. “Look. I know joining the Wonderbolts has always been my dream. But now that I’ve accomplished it... Stunt flying is awesome, but it turns out team stunt flying is this whole other thing. I have to constantly hold back, match myself to the slowest team member. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is? The whole point of flying used to be the freedom it gave me. Now it’s all about precision and restraint and falling in line with the rest and ugh! It’s driving me crazy!” Dash looked around at her friends, all of whom looked somewhat shell-shocked from the pegasus’ unexpected outburst. She returned to sheepishly scratching her neck with a hoof. “Eheh... sorry.” Pinkie Pie blinked, looking confused. “But Dashie, if you weren’t happy, why didn’t you just quit, instead of flying around Cloudsdale all sad and stuff? Grumpy pegasi are no fun for anypony! You could have come back to Ponyville, and we’d bake cakes, and prank everypony, and have sleepovers, and ohmigosh throw parties, with rainbow ice cream and rainbow marmalade and rainbow sarsaparilla and murphle murgle margle!” After waiting a few seconds for Pinkie to wind down, Rarity removed her hoof from her friend’s mouth, stared at it in disgust, then began trying to surreptitiously wipe it on Rainbow Dash’s coat. “After I’d managed to make it onto the Wonderbolts, I was finished with my dream. I guess I figured that there was nowhere else to go from there, so I should just stay, and maybe I’d get used to it or something.” She looked around at each of her friends in turn, making sure that they understood what she was saying. “But now, if I go with Luna to this new Equestria or whatever, I’m free again! I can be the first real flyer in a whole new country, all the stupid traditions will be mine to make! Plus, I know Luna’s awesome and all, but she’s definitely going to need help building an entire country from the ground up and then running it by herself. What kind of Element of Loyalty would I be if I left her hanging out to dry?” She beamed proudly, once again the Rainbow Dash of old. Then she chuckled. “And the fact that a Princess can probably get me out of my contract doesn’t hurt either.” Her friends all groaned as she laughed. “Wow,” Dash mused, looking around at all her friends. “Was I really the first one to decide? I would have figured Twilight would jump at the chance.” Twilight started to reply, but was stopped by a soft voice. “Um, actually... I’m going too... that is, if you don’t mind...” Fluttershy’s friends all looked at her expectantly, waiting for a reason, but she just retreated further behind her curtain of hair. “... Oookay... Well, now we’ve heard from Fluttershy... sort of, and Rainbow Dash. What about you, Rarity?” Twilight inquired. “Oh Twilight... I’m afraid I’m as bad as Rainbow here.” Rarity lamented, gesturing to the other mare, who puffed up her chest importantly. “I, too, have been lying through my teeth, as ‘twere,” she continued as she smoothly deflated Rainbow Dash with an elbow. “It all started when I first acquired Hoity Toity’s old boutique in Canterlot and incorporated the two stores under the banner of Filligree Fashions. Suddenly there was simply too much work for one pony, no matter how fabulous and talented, to attend to! Yet I couldn’t bear to hire others, lest they produce hideous designs using my name.” Twilight frowned. “Wait, Rarity, we already went through this. You showed up in Ponyville a wreck from going four days without sleep, you desiged a dress for Fluttershy that would have shamed a Manehattan streetwalker, we made you tell us what was bothering you, and after a minor breakdown, we helped you realize that you needed to move to design and leave production to hired seamstresses. You even wrote a letter to the Princess.” She gasped, her expression one of mounting horror. “Don’t tell me you lied in a letter to the Princess! Don’t you know those are a sacred trust?!” Rarity held up a hoof for silence. “Darling, I assure you I have never once lied to Princess Celestia, much less in one of our friendship reports. If I may be permitted to finish?” She waited for the other mare’s nod before continuing. “Thank you very much. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. A move to design rather than production did indeed keep me happy for a time. In fact, it seemed like a dream come true - all of the best parts of a fashion career, without the endless late-night drudgery of producing copies for demanding customers. However, after a time, this too spun out of my control. Ponies began expecting a certain style from Filligree Fashions, and whenever I deviated from it, they became dissatisfied. What was an Element of Generosity to do? I had to give them what they wanted, no matter that it was making me miserable to be so creatively stifled. In a way, I suppose my problem is very similar to Rainbow’s,” she mused. “And your reason to want to go with the Princess on this quest of hers?” prompted Twilight. “Well, as you know much better than I, darling,” Rarity nodded towards Twilight, “developing nations are frequently dominated by cottage industry. I think it would do me good to get back to the roots of my craft, to try and suss out exactly what would make me happy. Princess Luna is offering me an opportunity to do just that.” Twilight nodded. It made sense, in a way. Both of her friends had achieved their dreams and found them wanting. But she didn’t have that problem, did she? She loved her job, and her dreams were more ongoing, less external. And she had never found her love for knowledge to be anything other than rewarding. No, fascinating as Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s revelations had been, they didn’t really apply to Twilight. “And besides, Twilight,” Rarity added suddenly. “I don’t have to tell you, of all ponies, how dear the Princess has become to all of us over the last several years.” Twilight flicked an ear. That was true. After her return from exile, Luna had had no idea how to fit into modern Equestrian society. Twilight and the other Elements had made it a sort of unofficial mission to resocialize the Princess of the Night, and over the course of their many adventures and misadventures they had all become very close. While Princess Celestia had always been motherly, perfect, and somewhat aloof, Luna was more like a real pony. After seeing the Eternal Goddess of the Moon and Stars leap six feet straight up - without using her wings! - and run in panicked circles from the toothless alligator clamped onto her ethereal tail, not to mention laughing with her after the situation had been explained, it was hard to feel intimidated by her anymore. Twilight sat up a little straighter as her decision began to coalesce in her mind. Yes, Princess Celestia was her mentor and teacher and friend, and she owed her a great deal. But Luna, despite her enormous progress, was still somewhat fragile. In a strange new land, without her best friends, it would be all too easy for the younger Princess to give up and return in shame (or at least, she would see it that way) to Equestria. And Twilight did think that Luna needed to do this. From their private correspondence, she knew just how deeply Luna’s disagreements with her sister’s governing policies ran. In fact, she thought this plan was an elegant way to relieve the tensions that had been building up between the Celestial Matriarchs for quite some time, without open anger or, much much worse, actual violence. She gave a sharp nod, her decision finally made. “Right. I’m going too.” Pinkie’s face broke out in a face-splitting grin. Dash looked surprised but pleased. Fluttershy gave her a small but encouraging nod from behind her curtain of hair. Rarity simply smiled, as though she’d known all along. “Okay, so who does that leave?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Pinkie Pie hasn’t said anything yet,” Twilight reminded them. Pinkie opened her mouth to speak, but Dash waved a hoof dismissively and said “Oh, of course Pinkie Pie’s coming. She doesn’t have any responsibilities or anything, this will all just be one big party for her.” Pinkie’s smile may have dimmed a bit, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. “Dashie’s right! Of course I’m coming with you girls!” she cried, stretching out her arms and pulling them all into a crushing hug. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world!” “Pinkie... too... tight...” gasped Fluttershy, who, as the closest to the pink pony, was most in danger of being strangled to death. “Oops! Sorry!” giggled Pinkie Pie, essentially unrepentant, as she released her hapless victims. Twilight laughed. “Okay! So the only one we haven’t heard from is -” “I’m going too, you silly ponies!” came Appejack’s irritated voice from down the hall. “Somepony has to watch out for ya, since ya ain’t got a lick of sense between ya! Now hush your shoutin’, some of us are used to an early bedtime!” The five ponies on the bed froze for a moment, then burst out laughing twice as loudly as before. --- After her friends said goodnight and returned to their own rooms, Twilight lay back down, feeling much better and finally able to rest. As she drifted off to sleep, her fuzzy mind realized one last thing - Luna hadn’t actually told them where they were going. --- Celestia’s habitual smile widened a bit, becoming less practiced and more genuine, as she watched her faithful student and the other Elements of Harmony enter the small antechamber. She and Luna had sent the guards to summon their guests a few hours after their usual breakfast together, figuring they deserved to sleep in after a no-doubt stressful night. Breakfast had been an awkward affair, more so than at any time since shortly after Luna’s return from her banishment. Each sister had run out of things to say; Celestia, out of reasons that Luna should stay, Luna, out of reasons she had to go. Neither really understood the other, and their attempts to make the most of the short time they had left together fell flat, sounding forced and hollow. Luna had hurried to finish her waffles and rushed out of the dining hall, leaving Celestia behind with a half-finished stack of pancakes and a promise to meet in three hours to discuss their plans. The Princess of the Sun was brought back to the present by Luna, who greeted her friends in the slightly-too-loud voice she always used when excited - Celestia suspected it meant that the Royal Canterlot Voice was attempting to slip the bounds Luna had painstakingly crafted around her habit through long speech therapy sessions with Fluttershy. Mentally shaking herself, Celestia added her own greetings and leaned in to share a friendly nuzzle with her favorite student. Moving her mouth close to the unicorn’s ear, she whispered, “Let her down easy, will you, Twilight?”. Strangely, Twilight didn’t reply, just gave her a look and trotted back over to her friends. Celestia paid this little mind. She just hoped that when Luna realized that the Elements of Harmony, her closest and in some ways only friends, saw this plan for the insanity that it was, she would relent and agree to remain in her rightful place in Canterlot. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna,” began Twilight, bowing to each princess in turn, suddenly very formal. “After much consideration, my fellow bearers of the Elements of Harmony and I have decided... to accept your most gracious offer, and accompany on your journey.” “WHAT?!” came a very un-Princess-like shout from Celestia. “Uh... I mean...” she hastily tried to remedy the situation as all eyes turned towards her, “Might I have a brief word with my faithful student? Alone?” Barely waiting for Twilight’s resigned nod, she trotted quickly out the door of the antechamber and into the hallway. As the unicorn followed her, Celestia looked around. She supposed technically they weren’t ‘alone’, as the two members of the Day Guard that followed her everywhere, the two members of the Lunar Guard which performed the same service for Luna, and the member of the Day Guard assigned to protect Twilight during the day when she was in Canterlot, along with one Princess and one purple unicorn, actually made the small hallway quite crowded. However, since she knew that the Royal Guard would never reveal or comment on a discussion between the Lady of the Day and her most cherished subject, she felt no reluctance to say exactly what was on her mind. “Are you out of your mind, Twilight? You’re not only supporting my sister, my sister, who was gone from me for a thousand years, in leaving me again, but you’re actually going with her? How could you choose her over me? How could you betray me like this?” While the anger and hurt Celestia felt were both very real, a part of her was also busy congratulating her on her cleverness. Twilight could never stand to hurt me. She must just not have realized that I didn’t want Luna to go. As soon as I make my wishes clear, she’ll come over to my side and put a stop to this whole farce. But Twilight stunned her for the second time in less than ten minutes by utterly failing to collapse to her knees and beg her Princess’s forgiveness. Instead, she shook her head firmly, looked directly into Celestia’s eyes, and said, “Princess. Calm. Down.” Shock rapidly overwhelmed all other emotions, causing Celestia to freeze with her mouth hanging open. She’s standing up to me? Twilight?! “Princess. You know how much I love you. You practically raised me. This is not, not, about choosing Luna over you. Okay?” Celestia nodded dumbly. “Okay. Now. Your sister is going to do this, whatever you say. She’s clearly made up her mind, so let’s just take that as a given. If you try to force her to stay, you’ll only be confirming the very worst of her theories about you and the way you see your rule. Okay?” Nod. “I know she’s made a lot of progress in the last few years, but Luna is still... fragile. Like I said, I love you both. But... Princess, I think she needs me more than you do, at least right now. So I’m going to go with her, and that’s just the way it is. I hope this doesn’t change anything between us, and I think once you’ve thought about it and calmed down a little you’ll agree that this is the best thing for everyone.” Celestia let out a sigh of relief. “Of course, Twilight. You’re right. You should go with Luna. That way you can keep her safe.” Twilight brought out the beginnings of a relieved smile, but her teacher wasn’t finished yet. “Then when she sees this ridiculous ‘quest’ of hers for the lunacy - pardon the expression - that it is, you can bring her home to me!” Twilight’s expression was now one of worried confusion. “Uh, no Princess, I didn’t mean I thought she shouldn’t go, actually I think this will be good for you both -” Celestia wasn’t listening. “Of course, of course. I should have known you’d have my best interests in mind, Twilight, I’m so proud of you! Although...” here Celestia’s smile took a wry turn, “When did you learn to stand up to your old teacher, hmm? I don’t think you’ve ever flat-out said ‘no’ to me before. I’m impressed!” Holding her head up happily, she pranced back into the room where Luna and the other Elements waited. “That’s because, for the first time, you asked me to do something I knew was wrong...” muttered Twilight before resignedly making her own way through the door. --- The six mares waiting in the antechamber were making small talk that died out quickly when Celestia returned, followed by Twilight. Celestia immediately addressed her sister. “Luna, I apologize. You have every right to do as you wish, and I shouldn’t have tried to stand in your way.” She trotted over to embrace the smaller alicorn. When Luna looked away, embarrassed by the attention, Celestia winked at Twilight, who let out an irritated huff. Luna, surprised and pleased by her sister’s sudden support, turned to the six mortal mares. “Thank you so much, my friends! It means more to me than I can say that you would do this for me.” “Princess, please,” protested Rarity, “I think I speak for all of us when I assure you, we are doing this as much for ourselves as for you. Let us hear no more of thanks.” The other five nodded, Rainbow Dash emphatically, Fluttershy timidly, Applejack resignedly, Twilight eagerly, and Pinkie Pie spastically. The Night Princess smiled warmly. “Thank- that is, I am happy to hear that,” she chuckled. “Now, to business! Do you have any questions, before we begin detailed planning?” Twilight drew attention to herself with a small noise. “Actually, Princess... you never got around to telling us where exactly we’re going?” Luna chuckled. “Oh, yes, that would be important information, wouldn’t it?” She squared her shoulders, cleared her throat, and raised one hoof to make her announcement that much more dramatic. “We shall be travelling to... the Old Kingdoms!” Twilight let out a suitably impressed ‘Gasp!’. The others just looked varying degrees of confused. “... You don’t know of the Old Kingdoms? Yet you tell the tale of their fall each winter!” Now Luna was the one that was confused. “Ooo!” chirped Pinkie Pie. “You mean where those old-timey ponies ran away from on Hearth’s Warming Eve?” “Precisely! The Old Kingdoms is how those lands came to be known following the settling of Canterlot and the rest of what is now Equestria.” Luna looked relieved to find that everyone was now on the same page, and that she had, in fact, understood the play the little ponies put on each December. “Princess Luna? Do you know what we’ll find there? I mean, I’m not really sure how Your Highnesses fit into the story of Hearth’s Warming... but have you been to the Old Kingdoms yourself?” Twilight wanted to know. “I have indeed been to the Old Kingdoms. The tale of our involvement in the events of the time is a long one, and it may need to be told later, but for now let us simply say that I have not been back to the ancient homeland since before Discord’s reign. So, while I should be familiar with the general geography of the region - and have enlisted the help of my sister’s most excellent cartographer to produce a map based on my recollections - I do not know what conditions we will encounter. I do not even know if these lands are truly abandoned - they may in fact have been settled long ago by any manner of creature. This will truly be an adventure!” the princess declared, her eyes shining with eagerness to be off. “Hey, Princess? Where exactly are these ‘Old Kingdoms’?” asked Rainbow Dash. “I mean, before Twilight’s freakout yesterday you sort of broke down the borders for us, and it didn’t seem like there was a lot of room for an entire ancient kingdom.” Twilight, glaring at her multi-colored friend, was the one who answered. “Well, Dash, if you’ll recall my freakout, you’ll remember that I said every great pony migration has been westward. So that should answer your question - the Old Kingdoms are to the east, across the Stormwall.” “Precisely!” came Luna’s excited voice. “We shall cross the mountains to the north of the Tartaran Gates, through one of the old weather conduits. This means we will need -” “If no one needs me any further,” Celestia interrupted smoothly, “I think I shall return to court. I leave the planning in your capable hooves, and will be there to see you off when you depart in three days time.” The white alicorn favored them all with one last motherly smile, then withdrew from the room at a stately walk. Luna watched her go. Her sister’s sudden change of heart regarding the proposed journey, though welcome, was also deeply suspicious. She would have to be on the lookout for any last-ditch attempts to prevent her from leaving. Filing this away for later consideration, she turned back to Twilight and the other Elements. “Right. First thing’s first...” --- A brown earth pony wearing a beaten brown bucket hat and carrying a large collection of ropes slung across his back stood to one side of the Royal Highway where it began its long journey through the many switchbacks which carried it up to Canterlot and the Royal Palace. His gaze travelled up, up, up, up, up the sheer cliff the castle was built into, around the mountain a few degrees counterclockwise from the base of the road. It had to be at least six thousand feet, with no more than two ledges big enough for a pony and completely vertical stretches of five hundred feet or more. Cliff Hanger, mountaineer extraordinaire, took in this sight with a smile on his face. “Oh, yes. Yes, this will do nicely.” END CHAPTER ONE Author's notes located at http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/58470 if you're interested