The tow chain clattered loudly on the track as the car of princesses slowly ascended the first drop of Las Pegasus’ newest coaster.
“How did I let you talk me into this?” whimpered Fluttershy, covering her eyes.
Rainbow Dash turned her head to look back at her. “C'mon, Fluttershy. Make a brave war face for the ride photo ‘cuz I'm totally buying it.”
“I can't right now,” she quivered.
“It won’t be that scary. It's just like flying.”
“Maybe fer you,” scoffed Applejack. “Ah don't go doin’ suicide dives an’ triple loop-the-loops when Ah fly.”
“And I especially don't do them,” added Fluttershy.
“I don't think the rest of us would be on the ride if it were ‘just like flying,’ darling.”
Rainbow shrugged. “I was trying to be supportive… sort of.
Fluttershy hazarded a glance between her hooves and squealed in terror when she saw the end of the track approaching.
“Forelegs up everypony,” laughed Twilight, raising her hooves in the air.
A wide-eyed Pinkie Pie was the first to let out an ear splitting scream of excitement as the clatter ended and the nose of the coaster dipped over the hill. They picked up speed and soon the rest of the princesses joined her wail just in time for the camera's flashbulb. - - -
A hooful of fluttering magic flames shown their light across the rough hewn stone of the old Two Sister's dungeon, their glow scattered by a multitude of mirrors of every shape and size.
Tattered, worm-eaten pages ruffled in the deafening silence kept by the tomb-like bottom of a castle lost to time. There, a lone alicorn, vanished from the world, hunched over a rotting desk from long before her time. Somewhere in these mountains of forgotten tomes had to be a piece of the puzzle, an answer to a question no one but her could hear. One of these mirrors. One of these books. One of these nights…
She looked with weary, wild eyes to the stone in front of her and ran a hoof delicately across a stolen ancient photo of the other her and the friends she refused to let go of. The next wonderful thing…