//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Alicorns of Harmony // by Dracoliat //------------------------------// The Alicorns of Harmony Prologue By: Dracoliat "Spiiiike!" the lavender unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle yelled into the air. The sound echoed around the library slightly before an answer came ringing back. "One minute!" Spike yelled back as he ran towards Twilight, two large bags in tow. "To think how fast things can change..." Twilight said as her eyes became unfocused. A mind numbing pattern of hoofsteps she didn't realize she was making led her outside. === That morning Twilight was levitating the brush lightly as it went over her unruly mane. Every few seconds a yelp would emerge from her as the brush got stuck again and again. Not long after, Spike ran in. He was holding a letter from Princess Celestia that simply said, "Dear my faith full student, Twilight Sparkle. Please go to Canterlot immediately and bring your friends, this is urgent." Immediately afterward Twilight's horn stopped glowing. An audible thunk was heard as she and spike headed in opposite directions to tell the others of the letter, leaving the hairbrush on the floor. It took some convincing to cause Applejack to stop bucking and come with her, but other than that everypony was easily convinced. === "Twilight?" Rarity asked as the purple unicorn stared off into the distance. The calling of her name caused her to wake up from her recollection. "W... what?" Twilight stuttered, her eyelids blinking a few times as her eyes refocused on Rarity. "I'm sorry for interupting, but are you ready?" Rarity asked kindly before her voice cracked ever so slightly at the end. Twilight looked around quickly at the assembled ponies, Pinkie was practically skipping with excitement. Rainbow Dash was on the ground at the moment but her feathers rustled as if with some invisible wind. Applejack's reaction was perhaps the strangest of all, she stood there her eyes looking of in the distance. "Ya, let's go!" Twilight said, deciding not to delay any further as she jumped into the magnificent carriage with her friends. === The trip to Canterlot went by in silence, except for Pinkie Pie's occasional burst-out's about something she saw in the distance. The carriage itself was very comfy, the seats had just enough support. It felt like the carriage had been made specifically for them. There were six seats exactly, and above each seat was an engraving. Above Twilights a shining stone, above Applejack's a pony bucking apples, above Pinkie's some balloons. And it went on like that for everypony. As Twilight surveyed her friends, each in their respective seats she noticed that Fluttershy was staring at her wing. Every few seconds her eyelids would droop slightly. Rainbow was busy plucking out lose feathers, her eyes almost constantly darting to the windows. Pinkie Pie's legs kept shaking slightly, and Twilight could have sworn she saw a bead of sweat come down Pinkie's back leg. Rarity was busy sketching a new dress and not paying anypony anymind. The other ponies seemed in similar trivial pursuits. The purple unicorn remembered the last visit, her birthday party. They were happy even though they knew they would might be seeing Princess Celestia, yet the mood was so different now. No, it wasn't seeing Celestia Twilight quickly determined as she looked around the carriage once more. It wasn't the letter because when Celestia had sent a similar letter to inform them of Discord they had laughed the whole way there. But something was off, something in the back of her mind kept telling her something wasn't right. The armor of the 15 strong pegasi infront of the carriage did nothing to ease Twilights worries. The magnificent sun reflected brilliantly of the golden armor that hugged the pegasi, on each suit of armor were the same symbols as above their chairs. === After about half an hour, Twilight bounced slightly as the wheels touched the floor. Outside of the carriage they saw a smallsea of faces gathered as if waiting for something. Extremely self conscious Twilight took a step out of the carriage and began walking up the stone path towards the castle. As soon as the group had gotten out of their carriage, the crowd seemed disappointed, whispers began in the crowd. No matter how hard Twilight tried she couldn't make out much of the conversations except for a few disjointed words and phrases like, "can't be them," and, "but why?" "I guess word got around that we're the Elements of Harmony," Fluttershy's soft and tender voice said lowly, so the dispersing crowd couldn't hear. "But how can they be disappointed? We're awesome," Dash asked. "Maybe they expected something more..." Twilight stopped as she searched for the right word. "Regal?" Rarity interjected. "Exactly, thank you Rarity," Twilight said smiling at her friend. "Don't mention it darling," Rarity said before they continued their way inside. === The elegant doors loomed over them to Celestia's chamber, before they could ask to go inside, the two unicorn guards nearby used magic to swing the doors outwards allowing them to enter before the doors closed behind them. The sight they saw was an unusual one, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both standing, not sitting as they usually did. As Twilight and her friends approached Celestia and Luna did the strangest thing, they bowed. Twilight contemplated this before she saw Fluttershy fall unconscious, Pinkie Pie came next. Rarity's fall was more violent, afraid, Rarity tried to run and half stride she fell and an audible smack could be heard as she struck the floor. Rainbow Dash was just as confused and scared as the rest as her eyes rolled back and she fell down like the rest. Applejack soon joined the others as she fell onto her stomach. Twilight looked at Celestia as she felt something strange inside of her, something trying to get out, a strange power threatening to overtake her. Celestia smiled and said before Twilight fell, "Don't worry, Princess."