//------------------------------// // What To Expect When You're Expecting the End of the World // Story: Thirty Minute Express Train to Story Town // by Predhack //------------------------------// My Faithful Student and Agent, Twilight Sparkle, I’m sorry to send this letter on such short notice, but Luna and I have been quite busy preparing for the end of Equestria as we know it. We would appreciate it if you would get everyone ready to help in the wake of the upcoming apocalypse as we try to ease ponykind through Equestria’s destruction as gently as possible. Your skills and expertise in particular will be most helpful. Please expect another letter from me later today, for now I have several other letters to write before we begin saving ponykind. Your loving teacher, Princess Celestia Twilight reread the letter held in her magical grip again before turning to her friends, who had lined up in a military fashion. They were all equipped with saddlebags full of all the things they’d need to make use of their special talents, and they tried to keep an appropriately stiff upper lip with differing degrees of success. Pinkie Pie in familiar kept snorting and giggling about how silly the whole thing was. “Alright girls,” Twilight said forcefully, cutting off the giggles in the ranks, “Princess Celestia’s letter says that today Equestria will be destroyed.” Twilight paused to give her friends a moment to express their distress at this most untimely news, “She goes on to say that she’ll need our help to prevent it. She wants us all on our hooves and ready to go as soon as she sends word of what we need to do.” “Wait a sec, sugarcube,” Applejack cut in, “How exactly did she say the world was gonna end?” “Um,” Twilight hedged, “She wasn’t really clear on that part, it must have been really sudden because she wrote the letter like she was in a big hurry.” “So how did she ask us to prepare,” Rainbow asked. “She wasn’t really clear on that either… She just said she wanted ‘everyone ready to help.’ She didn’t say exactly how but since she didn’t mention the elements of harmony I assumed this is probably going to be something like the time we had to deal with that dragon.” “But… what if it’s not a dragon or a horrible monster this time,” Fluttershy interjected. “I DON’T KNOW,” Twilight shouted, cutting off the yellow pegasus who fell back in line with a flinch, “I’m sorry Fluttershy, I just don’t know. The princess’s letter didn’t say anything about what’s coming and all my books on surviving the world being destroyed described the world ending in an obvious and easy to see coming way. I’m just doing the best I can with the information I have.” “OH! We should have a world ending party,” Pinkie jumped in, literally, “Then everyone in Ponyville will know what’s coming and we can get their help if we need it!” “Pinkie Pie, I don’t know if that’s a party would help. I don’t think the princess would want us worrying everyone unnecessarily until we’re sure nothing can be done. Since the way the world is ending isn’t obvious she probably wants to keep it low profile until we’re sure it can’t be saved.” “What? But parties always help,” Pinkie replied, “The very idea that they aren’t goes against everything that I know! Seriously, Twilight, we need to throw a big party for the whole town!” “No parties Pinkie. We’ve got to take this seriously, the princess is counting on us.” Twilight what turned to look at Rarity expectantly, who stared back blankly. “What?” Rarity asked, a little warily. “Don’t you have anything to interrupt with?” Twilight asked incredulously. “No. I think you’ve explained everything quite succinctly.” “Ugh, thank you! Now if there are no more interruptions-“ “Uh, Twi?” Spike interjected from where he sat looking out the window. “WHAT?! What is it? Do you have something to add to this little pick-on-Twilight party?!” Twilight immediately thrust a hoof in the direction of the pink pony who had already produced her party cannon from parts unknown and stopped her with a glare. “NOT THAT KIND OF PARTY!” Everypony stood in silence for a moment while Twlight panted and glared at them. “Um, I was just wondering. Does the end of the world look like a wall of purple light that’s erasing everything in its path as it grows closer?” “Ugh, I don’t know Spike. It could look like any number of things,” Twilight answered, exasperated. “Oh. Alright then.” “Wait… Why do you ask?” “Um, there’s a wall of purple light heading toward Ponyville that looks like its erasing everything on the other side of it.” “WHAT?” the mares cried, running to the window and nearly trampling Spike. Outside the library a wave of purple light rushed toward Ponyville, on the far side of it the landscape was barren and wiped clean of life. The mountains and Canterlot in the distance were gone. “What is that?” somepony asked. “I… I don’t know… It looks a lot like my-“ Twilight started to answer, before the wave put on a burst of speed and suddenly rand across the library. The world disappeared in a flash of purple white light, then rumbled as everything in it but the pegasi dropped three feet. Books and assorted instruments fell from their places and the four wingless ponies, plus one dragon all landed in a heap next to the window. Outside the world appeared much the same except that the sun had jumped ahead by what looked like several hours and the library appeared to be sunken into the ground lower than most of other buildings around Ponyville. In the distance the hills appeared to have deformed slightly but all stayed in relatively the same position. The ponies groaned as they disentangled themselves and got back on their hooves. Outside ponies were leaving their homes and looking around confused, trying to understand what had just happened. Spike groaned as the last pony got off him and looked like he was going to throw up. “Oh dear, is everyone alright?” Fluttershy asked looking down at her friends. “My teleportation spell,” Twilight finished. Further discussion was curtailed as Spike belched loudly producing a scroll. Twilight wasted no time opening it up and reading it, her friends peaking over her shoulder to read along. Dear Twilight, I’m afraid this will have to be a quick letter as I’m still watching to make sure the rest of Old Equestria made it through the teleport. I just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you for alerting Ponyville to the change. Luna and I were very busy finding a planet that we could plop down most of Equestria’s crust onto and didn’t have time to send out a proper warning. We appreciate your diligence in this matter and hope you’re ready to help the Royal Cartographers society as they start a nationwide survey to acquaint ourselves with any changes in geography between New and Old Equestria. I’ll look forward to your report on your actions through this incident. Yours, Princess Celestia PS: Luna would like you to let everyone know that we didn’t have time to grab the moon before we left but we will have it back in time for tomorrow night. She’s very excited as New Equestria already came with a new moon and she wants to see what she can do with two. Twilight gulped and looked at her friends’ flat stares from her friends. “Well, now what?” Rainbow Dash rudely asked. Twilight sighed. “Now you guys go help Pinkie Pie throw a we-just-survived-the-end-of-the-world-let-me-tell-you-all-about-it party.” “I told you a party would help,” Pinkie Pie chirped. “What are you gonna do, Twi?” Applejack asked. “I think I’m going to stay here and write a new book about this weird situation so nothing like this ever happens to me again,” Twilight said in an aggravated tone. “What’ll you call it?” “I don’t know I’ll think of something.”