I'll never forget that night
New Game
>Continue
Options
"We're above the clouds!" Pinkie Pie squealed as she gazed out with window of the flying-chariot; a large vehicle that could house a hundred ponies and fly through the air without any pegasi pulling it. She grabbed Fluttershy, pulling her to the window of she could see for herself. "This is amazing!"
"I-I don't like being this high," Fluttershy squeaked as she retreated back to her seat. "H-how much longer till we land?"
"We still got a few hours, 'Shy," Applejack answered; she wasn't feeling comfortable inside the flying-chariot either. "Just hold tight. That's what I'm doing anyway."
"You all act like it's going to fall apart at any moment," Twilight laughed. "Haven't any of you ever ridden in one of these before?" Silence was Twilight's answer, prompting a groan from Spike as Twilight opened her mouth, just waiting to lecture. "It's built by applying the principles of magic to technology like all harmotech. By harnessing spells used by unicorns and the magic found in pegasi-"
"Don't care," Applejack interrupted her, "just want to be on the ground again."
"Me too," Fluttershy agreed.
Hours passed before Twilight could finally see Canterlot coming into view. She let out a girlish squeal at the sight of her home town. "It's Canterlot! We're home at last, Spike."
"You’re home," Applejack groaned, "but I still have to walk all the way back to Apple Acres, and I know Granny Smith'll be none too happy about me up and disappearin' for so long. Bandit, I blame you."
"No problemo, A.J.!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed back.
The flying-chariot landed in Canterlot. Fluttershy welcomed the feeling of the earth underneath her hooves. She could have kissed the ground. "How far are we from the Everfree Forest?"
"If you can keep up a good pace it will be a half-day's journey," Applejack answered her before turning back to Twilight. "I guess this is where we part ways again, huh."
Twilight fidgeted uncomfortably at the thought of parting ways. "Yeah, just when we started getting along."
"Don't go bein' too friendly now: I kinda liked the arguin'," Applejack joked. "Miss Twi', you take care, and if you do pop around Apple Acres again, I'll see about Granny Smith giving you an actual discount."
"So long as I'm not paying for any more of her bar."
"Shall we get a move on then, Fluttershy?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, please."
"No!" Pinkie Pie screamed. "You don't need to go back to the dark and scary forest, Fluttershy," she pleaded, grabbing hold of the pegasus. "I'll take care of you. You can join the Dark Horns and be a trapeze artist when your wings get better!"
"W-what!" Fluttershy squeaked. "I don't want to be a trapeze artist."
"Well then, how about lion tamer? There's plenty of circus acts to try out for!" Pinkie Pie turned back to Twilight, still holding on tight to Fluttershy. "You'll be at the Summer Sun Celebration, right?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Twilight laughed.
"Then we'll see you then!" Pinkie Pie gave her good-byes as she dragged off Fluttershy, who resisted in vain against Pinkie Pie's vice hold.
"Personally," Applejack started, "I think she was safer in the forest than with that crazy mare."
"Probably," Twilight agreed.
Twilight escorted Applejack to the gates of Canterlot, Spike resting comfortably on her back. As the gates came into view, she started feeling apprehensive: she was walking a pony she could call a friend out of town, something she had never done before. This isn't like me, she laughed as the thought passed through her mind. "I guess this is it."
"Sparkle!" a familiar voice called to her, cutting off Applejack. "Sparkle, is that you!?"
"Pokey!?" Twilight answered back.
"Thank goodness you’re back!" Pokey replied with an uncharacteristically empathetic inflection in his voice, jumping down from his post on the city gate.
"Is something wrong? You're not usually... happy to see me, or anypony in general."
"Canterlot is falling apart at the seams," Pokey informed her, his expression stern and serious. "Listen, a couple days ago a chimera attacked us and nearly destroyed the outer wall."
"What!?" Twilight cried. "Is everypony all right? What happened?"
"We managed to kill it, but now we need to repair the wall, and the earthquake cutting off the roads has killed trade with the other nations, and..." Pokey's voice went low, "recently, there have been these rumors. Like, if you stay out at night, especially at midnight, you can hear these weird whisperings."
That doesn't sound good. "This is a rumor?"
"I hope it's just a rumor," Pokey answered her. "I've been patrolling this city all night. I haven't heard any whispering, but Lyra says she hears it constantly at night and can't get a lick of sleep."
"Is she okay?" Spike asked, concerned.
"She's a tad on the ornery side lately, almost hair-trigger. She's even picked a few fights now and is constantly challenging one of the Cloud Kingdom commanders who's here for the Summer Sun Celebration. She's gotten pretty violent in all, possibly from the lack of sleep."
"Thanks for the update," Twilight replied.
"No problem, Sparkle. I need to get back to my post now. Be careful."
"I always am," Twilight said lastly before Pokey disappeared behind the door to the gateway perch.
"I hope Apple Acres isn't this bad." Applejack looked past the gate to the road home, rapidly being consumed with homesickness and worry. "Well, this is where we part ways, Miss 'Twi. I got quite a ways ahead of me," she sighed.
"Take care, Applejack." A formal send-off was all Twilight could offer her. "The next time we see each other, you can just call me Twilight.".
"Until next time, Miss Twilight," Applejack joked. "Good luck with your Summer Sun Celebration."
"Later, Applejack." Spike waved one of his claws.
"You too, iguana!" Applejack started down the road to Apple Acres, slowly getting smaller in the distance.
"I guess we should head home as well now," Twilight sighed.
Spike jumped back onto Twilight. "Wonder how Night Light is doing without us."
"Probably a mess," Twilight chuckled, starting on her way back home.
Pokey's words rang true about the state of Canterlot's citizens; everyone looked shifty-eyed and nervous of one another as if their friends were going to backstab them. Most of the regular street vendors were closed amidst the atmosphere of paranoia, leaving Canterlot to feel cold and hostile. "Do you think there really is something to the rumor?" she asked Spike.
"Whisperings at night? Sounds too overdone," Spike replied with humor. "Like being in some two-bit scary story. It could just be a vampire playing a trick on the town, which would explain why Pokey hasn't heard anything but Lyra has."
Twilight was still concerned about the rumor. "I would prefer a vampire over..."
"Twilight Sparkle!" a loud and haughty voice cried out.
"W-what!?" Twilight looked up to find a blue unicorn barreling at her, bringing lightning down with her. "Woah!" Twilight threw herself to the side, barely avoiding the blow. "Trixie? What are you doing?"
"You're going to pay, Twilight Sparkle!" she cried out, concentrating lightning in her fore-hooves.
"Are you still mad?" Twilight asked in disbelief. "And crazy enough to attack me like this in broad daylight!?"
"I won't be satisfied ‘till I've seen you reduced to cinders, Twilight Sparkle!" Trixie cried out as she pointed her hooves at Twilight, forming three orbs of lightning. "Thunder Arrow!" Trixie unleashed her spell, the orbs of lightning sailing through the air and aimed at Twilight..
Twilight stomped her hooves, forming a barrier of earth to protect herself. "We're in public! Are you insane!?" Twilight cried back.
"Die, Twilight Sparkle!" Trixie began to charge another lightning spell around her hooves.
"Shoot, gotta run," Twilight sighed as she turned tail and ran as fast as she could, Spike holding onto her.
"Get back here!" Trixie cried, chasing after Twilight.
"Apple Acres," Applejack sighed, "home sweet home." The town hadn't changed a bit in the few days she was gone. She trotted over the Granny Smith's bar, readying herself for the worst her sour grandmother had to offer, but the bar was closed. Did something happen? Applejack panicked, turning and galloping back to her family orchard.
Applejack bucked open the door of her home and found her little sister, Apple Bloom, asleep by a burnt-out fireplace. "Apple Bloom." Applejack couldn't help but smile at the precious sight.
"Applejack."
Applejack turned to the voice. "Somepony call-"
Applejack flew out of the house. Big Macintosh stepped into the outside air, closing the door behind him. "You have nerve, sis."
"Granny Smith sent you to give me a licking?" Applejack grimaced as she rubbed her sore face. "Mighty nice of you to hold back."
"This is from me, not Granny Smith, and It's not in my nature to hit a pony when he's not looking."
"It's also not in your nature to hit a mare," Applejack laughed back, slowly getting back on her hooves.
"Since when were you a mare?" Big Macintosh smiled back at his sister. "You've always just been Applejack."
"I like your answer, and for that I'll be sure to not kick your flank too hard-"
"Rhomb Shoulder!" Big Macintosh charged into Applejack, knocking the wind out of her, before throwing her into the sky.
Applejack landed with a hard thud, her body ready give up on her. "You got a lousy naming scheme," she taunted him. "What happened to not hitting a pony they ain't looking!"
"You just let your guard down." Big Macintosh offered a hoof to help up Applejack.
"You ain't gonna hit me again, are you?"
"You want me to?"
"Actually, yeah," Applejack sighed. "I know I must have had the family worried sick, so this is probably the least of what I deserve." Applejack didn't take the hoof. Instead, she lay on the floor, her limbs spread out and aching, staring into the sky, slowly dimming from a setting sun. "The moon's gonna pop out soon."
"Yeah, and?" Big Macintosh forced Applejack back onto her hooves.
"You remember Miss Twi'? She went looking for these things called elements of harmony off in the Everfree Forest, where Old Canterlot is, and a crazy pink pony convinced me to join her so I could pilfer Old Canterlot for anything of value and return home, a burlap sack filled with stupid artifacts." Applejack closed her eyes, embarrassed. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I thought I could make bits for our poor farm."
"Applejack," Big Macintosh pulled up his sister and placed a hoof around her. "We'll be fine without a farm, or bits, or even apples; I told you this. We're apple family ponies, we don't go down easy, but when kin goes missing, well then we plum rot away."
"Yeah..." Applejack choked back a few tears. "I thought we would get back before mornin', but that dang earthquake went and swallowed us up. Is it true that it tore up the roads out of Canterlot?"
"Eeyup..."
"Then, I guess we really are going to lose the farm: we got nopony to trade with now."
"Actually," Big Macintosh couldn't hide his grin, "we got a job selling apples at the Summer Sun Celebration with a rather generous offer from Caballus."
"Wait, Caballus?" Those Caballus ponies tried to kidnap Spike!
"Yeah, Caballus."
"Well," Applejack sighed, "we've got a job, and a cart full of apples to sell," she laughed.
"You know you need to face Granny Smith now, right?" Big Macintosh asked her.
"Is she still awake?"
"Hasn't slept a wink since you disappeared."
"Shoot," Applejack cursed. "She inside?" Big Macintosh nodded. "Of course. Time to take the worst of it." Applejack got up, stretching her legs for what she was sure was going to be the beating of her life, the kind that made chimeras seem like little bunny rabbits.
"Granny Smith," Applejack announced as she walked into the house, again, "I'm home."
"You little brat!" Granny Smith popped out of nowhere, swinging at Applejack with her tired and old hooves. "What they hay were you thinkin'!" She slugged Applejack, sending her spiraling out of the house again. "Worrying your family like- like-" Granny Smith was interrupted by a fit of coughing. "Like... like... dang it, girl, I raised you better than this!" She coughed again, covering her mouth with her hoof.
"Granny!" Applejack rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"
"This is nothing, but you!" Granny Smith kicked Applejack into the air, jumped up and kicking her back to the ground, leaving an indention on the floor. As she landed, she placed a hoof on Applejack's chest, pushing her deeper in. "Do you know what it's like to live in a house with a couple of crybabies!? Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh wouldn't stop bawling for their darn sister! I couldn't get a wink of sleep!"
"I'm sorry, Granny Smith," Applejack coughed back, her head swimming in pain.
"You apologies to Bloom yet?"
"No, but I will when she wakes up."
"Wake her up and apologies, now!" Granny Smith yelled at her with sour breath. "I need to get some darn shut-eye." She turned back to the house, her joints creaking with every step.
With Granny Smith's beating over with, Applejack could finally relax. She struggled to pull herself out of the self-shaped hole in the ground, but she couldn't budge an inch. "Hey, Big Macintosh, can I get a little help here?"
Big Macintosh grinned to himself as he pulled Applejack up. "How you feelin'?"
"Big Macintosh, in the past few days I've been beaten up, shocked, dropped out of the sky, and almost eaten by kobolds, and I would rather go through that again than get bucked around by Granny Smith," she chuckled before turning back to Big Macintosh. "Did you really cry?"
Big Macintosh blushed despite his deep red coat. "You're my sister, and I get worried with how bull-headed you are."
"Can't blame you for that."
"Like I'm scared of you," Applejack nudged her brother in the shoulder. "Thanks for holding the fort for me."
Applejack walked back into the house for the third time. She couldn't help but wonder if Apple Bloom was going to throw her out of the house too. She would be proud of her little sister if she could, but she was in too much pain as it is. She nudged Apple Bloom awake. "Hey, Apple Bloom, wake up."
"Applejack?" Apple Bloom yawned. "Applejack!" she dove into Applejack's fore-legs. "You're back!"
"Not gonna give your sister a hard one?" Applejack teased her. "You wouldn't be the first."
"I'll have time to pummel you later!" Apple Bloom yelled back. "I just want my sister right now."
"Yeah, I just want my sister right now too."
"Hey, A.J.," Big Macintosh called to her. "We need to get ready for the Summer Sun Celebration."
"Can I come too?!" Apple Bloom begged, her wide eyes still tearing up.
Applejack ruffled her little sister’s mane. "You sure can."
Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Snips and Snails sat outside of one of lower Canterlot's modestly priced restaurants, a sparse meal spread out before them. "And then what happened!?" Snips eagerly asked Pinkie Pie, as he and Snails listened to intently to her recounting of the past few days, Fluttershy awkwardly sitting right next to her.
"Well, the guards were swooping in on us, so I pulled out my trusty party cannon and blew them away! Me, Fluttershy and Spike all took off to escape them while keeping up our announcing! Rainbow Dash and... what was the griffon's name? Gilly?"
"Gilda!" someone answered her.
"Yeah, that was it!"
"Hey, dweeb!"
"Oh, silly; I'm not a weed, I'm Pinkie Pie!" She turned around, finding herself snout to beak with Gilda, the griffon friend of Rainbow Dash. "Hi, Gilda! Where's Rainbow Dash?"
"Over here, pink pony!" Rainbow Dash called from behind Gilda. "Hey, have you seen Commander Spitfire around? She's an orange pegasus with a fiery mane and armor a lot like mine."
"Oh, I saw her yelling at a couple of pegasi who's armor I borrowed a couple days ago," Pinkie Pie excitedly answered.
"What?" Rainbow Dash scratched her head, trying to piece together what Pinkie Pie said. "Wow, you're random, but at least I know she's here. Let's go find the commander, G."
"Right behind you," Gilda replied. She shot one last dirty look at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy before catching up with Rainbow Dash.
"Wow! I've never seen a griffon before!" Snips chirped. "While you got to go out and have extra adventures, Snails and I were stuck here listening to Trixie go on and on about how she would get her revenge on that lavender pony. What was her name? Twinkle?"
"Trixie sure has been obsessed," Pinkie Pie sighed. "It's like she’s a whole other pony now."
"Did we lose her?" Twilight panted for breath, her back on the door of her home. "Is Trixie gone?"
"I think so," Spike gasped. "Wow, she sure knows how to hold a grudge. You messed with the wrong pony, Twilight."
"Oh, shut up, Spike. We're home an safe now unless she wants to break down the door and have the guards on her."
"Sparkle?" A tired Night Light threw himself off of the sofa after hearing his daughter’s voice, galloping to the doorway and staring warily at Twilight. "Oh stars, it is you!" Night Light sighed with content before refocusing his gaze. "Thank goodness you're safe."
"Yeah, it's been one wild trip," Twilight laughed.
"Heya, Night Light." Spike hopped off of Twilight's back. "You eating well?"
"All I've eaten is leftover stew. My sandwich recipe card went missing!"
Twilight managed to hide her laughter as she addressed her father again. "Summer Sun Celebration is tonight, right"
"Yes," Night Light responded weakly, holding out a couple of tickets to Twilight and Spike with his magic. "We need tickets to get in this time, so take these. It's also going to be, in part, an appeal to the nobles to help rebuild the city wall. It's a lot easier to get them to be charitable on Celestia's day. You know, supposedly celebrating harmony and what not." He paused, letting silence fill the room before addressing Twilight again in a much softer one. "So, how did your hunt for the Elements of Harmony go?"
"Actually," Twilight sighed. "I only found one element." Twilight opened her saddlebags, revealing the single element of harmony she had found. "Here it is, the one element of harmony I could find in Old Canterlot," she sighed. "It wasn't even in a castle. I found it in an old building that might have been an art exhibit at some time, so I guess the entire legend got mixed up somewhere."
"Is that really an element?" Night light touched the rock with his hoof, and instantly felt the powerful force of magic within it. He shot away from it, as if scared of being consumed by the element's powerful magic. "This is incredible, Sparkle!"
"It still just looks like just a rock," Twilight laughed, resting her body against it, "but how about we get ready for the Summer Sun Celebration?"
The time had come for the Summer Sun Celebration and ponies filed into the upper Canterlot, tickets being taken at a gateway being guarded by Pokey and Lyra for the event. Pokey had taken to doing most of the word as Lyra struggled not to nod off, leaning herself against the fence while standing on her hind legs. "Hey, Lyra," he placed a hoof on Lyra's shoulder, prompting her to flinch at his touch.
"What is it, Pokey?" Lyra slapped aside Pokey's hoof.
"Why don't you take a break? This isn't the most demanding job I've ever been stuck with."
"I'm fine, Pokey. I slept all day, so I can be up all night."
"And you're doing such a good job."
"Shut up before I play your requiem."
"Hey!" a country-laden voice interrupted the two. "We're from Apple Acres. Got an order from Caballus to serve these apples."
"You again," Pokey sighed, somewhat amused. Applejack had returned to Canterlot and brought her brother. "Yeah, I see your name on the list here: Applejack."
"What about a Big Macintosh?" Big Macintosh inquired.
"Apple Bloom," she muttered. "I ain't on the list either, am I?"
"Well," Pokey looked back at the clipboard. "Oh, here you are, and right under it Big Macintosh. I swear, the ponies who write these things have nothing better to do but make my life miserable. You three come on in."
"Thanks!" Apple Bloom replied, jumping with joy and leading her elder siblings into the celebration.
"You lied," Lyra berated him.
"I'll let you know when I care," Pokey shot back. "You want to go ahead and split up a family, be my guest. I'm not kicking out ponies because some nobles thought this should be a private celebration."
"You're just a big softy," Lyra teased.
"Hey, don't forget my prickly exterior: I have an image to maintain here!"
"Hey, Pokey!" Spitfire called to him.
"The representatives from Cloud Kingdom are here," Pokey sighed. "Normally, I would warn you about being pelted with rotten fruit, but you made quite an impression with the city during the chimera fight, so I think you're good to go." Pokey looked behind her. "Not your usual company."
"They're still on probation. This is Rainbow Dash and Gilda. They should be on the list."
Pokey turned back to the clipboard. "Yep, here they are. Enjoy the celebration."
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "It's party time! Point me to the grub!"
"Why the flock did we have to be sent?" Gilda complained. "I would rather be back at the barracks breaking in new recruits."
Spitfire lead Rainbow Dash and Gilda into the celebration, leaving Pokey and Lyra to stew once again. "Still don't like her?" Pokey asked.
"What's there to like?" Lyra spat back. "Besides, she's a pegasus and a commander in Steel Wing's army. Traits that, together, should be sounding alarms of suspicion."
"Lyra, it's the Summer Sun Celebration, the day we celebrate the longest day of the year, when Celestia would raise the sun herself and Equestria would stand united in an age of harmony."
"You really believe that Celestia could move the sun and moon?"
"Why not?" Pokey laughed. "Maybe it was the only way she got us all to behave. Be good or I'll put the sun on a time out!"
"Now you're just being terrible!" Lyra laughed. "It almost feels like old days."
"Speaking of which: Bon-Bon is coming."
"W-what!?" Lyra stuttered as she composed herself, falling onto her fore-hooves.
"Good afternoon Pokey, Lyra," Bon-Bon greeted them. "How's guard duty treating you?"
"It's nothing I've ever dreamed of," Pokey grimaced. "Think you can toss over a few bon-bons my way?"
"If I give you any more, your teeth will rot out." Bon-Bon berated him. "Just accept my ticket and let me through."
"Oh, Bon-Bon, you're so cold," Pokey cried mockingly, only to be slugged by the candy-maned mare. "Hey, that almost hurt."
"I'll make it hurt next time," Bon-Bon replied. "Honestly, Lyra, how can you stand to deal with this guy?"
"W-well," Lyra stuttered, "I-I just ignore him."
"I guess you were always better at that than I," Bon-Bon shrugged, Bon-Bon retrieving a golden ticket from within her dress. "Will you let me in now?"
"At once," Pokey replied, letting her through. "She hasn't changed a bit; still as mean and forceful as ever."
"Would you have her any other way?"
"Not for all the bits in the world!" Pokey laughed. "Look alive, we still have more guests."
A Caballun cloaked unicorn approached Pokey. "We're from Caballus," a gray unicorn with a disheveled blond mane introduced himself, behind him stood Rarity and her younger sister, a white foal with a pink and purple curly mane. "Goldlight, Rarity and Sweetie Belle."
"Gotcha on the list, right here," Pokey replied, looking past Goldlight and gazing upon Rarity. "Say, want to grab something to eat later?"
Rarity put on a catty smile for Pokey. "Sure, I think I saw a wonderful crepe shop a few blocks away, fifty bits each, and I would just love one. Are you hungry, Sweetie Belle?"
"Yep!" the little filly replied.
Pokey winced at the sudden back-lashing. "Funny, just come on in."
"Of course," Rarity replied, leading Sweetie Belle into the celebration, Goldlight dragging behind.
"Nice try," Lyra laughed at him.
Pokey glared at her, challenging her. "I'd like to see you do better..."
"She's not my type, too selfish," she joked.
To the side of the festival, in the lower district, two mares and two colts were ascending the wall that separated lower Canterlot from upper Canterlot, using a rope they had managed to hook over the wall. "Are you sure about this?" Snips asked as Pinkie Pie led him up the incline. "If we fall we're gonna be squashed!"
"Have I ever lead you guys astray?"
"Eh, lots of times," Snails answered.
"Ignore that one time!" Pinkie Pie shrieked back as she picked up her speed. "Just imagine all the ritzy ponies that will be dancing around just waiting for their bits to just wander off. We'll come back to Ponyville as heroes!"
"Eh, if we don't get caught."
"Just leave everything to your auntie Pinkie!"
"Uh, auntie Pinkie," Fluttershy called to her, "aren't we a little too high now?"
"We're almost to the top!" Pinkie Pie called back, trying to encourage her accomplices further. "The view from the top is breathtaking!"
They all finally reached the top and looked out over the top, able to see all of the Summer Sun Celebration and everyone there. "Sweeeeet," was all Snips and Snails could say.
"You're looking the wrong way!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "Behind you, sillies!"
Snips and Snails turned around, gazing out over Equestria in its nighttime splendor. "It's beautiful," Fluttershy replied.
"I bet you never see anything like this from the Everfree Forest."
"No, not at all."
"And you can see things like this all the time if you can leave it. You can travel with us! It will be like a party every day."
"I... I don't have that kind of energy."
"Please," Pinkie Pie pleaded. "We'll have so much fun. C'mon guys, put on your puppy-dog eyes."
"I still don't know."
"All right," Pinkie Pie sighed, collapsing over and gazing at the moon.
Such a sorrowful sight, my little pony…
"Who said that!?" Pinkie Pie bolted upright, her eyes shifting from side to side. "Did you guys hear that?"
"Hear what?" Snails replied.
"A voice!" Pinkie Pie replied, twitching slightly. "Something... big is about to happen."
Such a sorrowful sight, my little pony…
"Shut up!" Pinkie Pie screamed.
"We're here at last!" Twilight giddily exclaimed, surrounded on all sides by decorations for the celebration. "I can't believe I almost missed this. I could dance."
"Instead of humiliating yourself, you should point me to the buffet!" Spike exclaimed as he jumped on top of Twilight's head, using the vantage point to scout where all the food was. "Spike wants a dumpling!"
"I think they're by the western wall," Night Light replied. "Better hurry before somepony else takes them."
"Not on my watch!" Spike hopped down and took off in the direction of the buffet.
"Spike, wait!" Twilight cried as she chased after him.
At the buffet, a blue pegasus was caught up in consuming everything in sight before anyone else could. "Dang, this spread is good. You sure you don't want some, G.?" she held a couple of spinach dumpling to her friend's face. "These things are delicious!"
"I'll pass, Dash." Gilda shoved the dumplings away, trying not to gag. "I ate before we got here. I'm good."
"Suit yourself!" Rainbow Dash dove back into the bar, gorging herself.
"Out of my way!" Spike screamed as he jumped over Rainbow Dash.
"Spike!" Twilight cried, still chasing him.
"Apple Bloom!" another voice called out.
"Applejack?" Twilight looked around.
"Twilight?"
"Spike!" Spike yelled out. "What, I thought we were doing a thing."
Twilight grabbed Spike and threw him over her back. "You're not getting out of my sight again." She was afraid that, with some Caballuns around, someone might try and kidnap Spike again. "You're staying put."
"Lame," Spike groaned.
"Twilight," Applejack nudged her, "have you seen Apple Bloom, my little sister from before?"
Twilight stretched her memory back to the day she first met Applejack. "Yeah, I remember her, but I don't think I've seen her anywhere. Is she here?"
"She should be!" Applejack yelled back, worried. "Apple Bloom!"
"Let's look for her together," Twilight suggested.
On the other side of the celebration, Rarity was galloping all over the place, calling out her sister's name. "Sweetie Belle! Where are you?" She was beginning to strain her voice. "Honestly, can she stand still for just a minute?"
"Well, of all the ponies to run into," Applejack called to her. "I guess you did say you were going to be here."
"Ah, Applejack and Twilight, was it?" She offered a hoof to Twilight. "I guess we didn't get much chance to talk at our last encounter. Please believe me in that I had no part in the kidnapping of your pet."
"I am not Twilight's pet!" Spike yelled out from behind Twilight. He hopped out from behind her to address Rarity directly, and froze.
"You're not? My apologies."
"N-no problem," Spike babbled. "Say, are you looking for a master chef and live-in butler?" he asked, completely enamored with Rarity.
"Spike!" Twilight bit down on his tail and threw him over her back.
Rarity stifled a laugh. "What an interesting little fellow you are, Spike."
"Don't encourage him," Twilight sighed.
Fluttershy continued to gaze out over Equestria, Snips and Snails sitting on either side of her as Pinkie Pie sulked a few feet away. Fluttershy wasn't sure how to handle the sudden mood shift of the forceful pony. Pinkie Pie had pushed her along the entire time with a cheerful attitude that, on a certain level, grated her.
"You!" a new voice called to her. Fluttershy looked back to find a blue unicorn pointing an indignant hoof at her. "What are you doing with Trixie's assistants? The pink one usually isn't this quiet."
"O-oh," Fluttershy recoiled further into her hood, trying to hide from Trixie's anger. "S-she... just said to shut up..."
Trixie turned back to Pinkie Pie. "So she hears it too." She kicked Pinkie Pie, who kept to herself. "Yellow pegasus, have you seen Twilight Sparkle; the lavender pony that has ruined Trixie's life?!"
"N-no," Fluttershy squeaked, growing fearful of Trixie.
"Useless," Trixie groaned.
Applejack and Rarity continued to search for their younger sisters, Twilight and Spike assisting them. "Apple Bloom!" Applejack yelled out as loud as she could.
"Over here, sis!" was her answer.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack turned in the direction of the answer. Apple Bloom and two other fillies stared back at her: a white unicorn with a light pink and purple mane and an orange pegasus with a purple mane. "Uh, hi?" Applejack greeted them uncomfortably.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity cried out indignantly as she approached the filly. "Just what were you doing?"
"I made some new friends," Sweetie Belle replied. "This is Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!"
Applejack continued to stare at the fillies until she was tackled by Scootaloo. "Hi, I'm Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash's number one fan! I saw you fight her in the arena, was it as awesome as it looked?"
"Get off me," Applejack groaned. "All I know about that rainbow mare is that she's got too much ego for a pony her size."
"Anyway, sis," Apple Bloom jumped on her sister, "we're now," Sweetie Belle jumped on Applejack as well.
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" they all yelled out at once.
"Girls, you're steppin' on my lungs," Applejack winced. "I need to breathe."
"Sorry, sis." Apple Bloom and her two friends jumped off Applejack. "Anyway, we have to go do some crusading for our cutie marks! So I'll see you later!"
"What, no, get back here!" Applejack yelled out in futility. The three fillies had already run off in a cloud of dust.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity yelled out.
"Well," Applejack sighed, "what's the worst that could happen?"
SPECIAL SKIT: Tales of Cuties!
Apple Bloom: Alright, crusaders. Now that we've assembled it's time to get down to business!
Apple Bloom: Cutie Marks!
Sweetie Belle: Cutie Marks!
Scootaloo: Cutie Marks!
Apple Bloom: So how can we get a cutie mark?
Sweetie Belle: I once asked Rarity, but she said she couldn't really remember.
Apple Bloom: Then we need to find ourselves some ponies who do remember. I bet there are a bunch around here.
Scootaloo: We should start with Rainbow Dash! Where is she?
Apple Bloom: Rainbow Who?
Scootaloo: Rainbow Dash! The most awesome pony ever!
Apple Bloom: Sorry, Scoots, but the most awesome pony ever is Applejack.
Scootaloo: Rainbow Dash!
Apple Bloom: Applejack!
Sweetie Belle: Uh, girls, shouldn't we be looking for some ponies to find their cutie mark stories?
Notice: Tales of the Cuties! Coming soon!
SPECIAL SKIT: End
The time was ten minutes before midnight. With each passing minute, ponies around the celebration grew more apprehensive. The celebration would start with a keynote speech, usually delivered by a representative from Caballus.
"Greetings, everypony," Rarity addressed the audience, "I am Rarity and have come here today to lead us in the traditional prayers to Celestia." A few small cheers and clops emanated from the audience, but the apprehensive and heavy mood drowned out any festivity to be had. Rarity composed herself, and started the sermon. "We gather here, on this day, to remember the time of Celestia, when she would rule the land of Equestria in a state of harmony." Rarity closed her eyes. "Let us remember Celestia," she said as the clock struck midnight.
We will remember so much more than that.
"What?" Rarity looked around, searching or the source of the voice. "Who's there?"
"Behind you!" a pony from the crowd called out.
Rarity turned around, behind her a growing mass of star-filled mist was gathering, growing, slowly forming into the form of a tall pony. With a crack of lightning, the mist opened, revealing a haggard jet-black pony with rusting blue armor.
"W-who are you?" Rarity stuttered, backing away from the jet-black pony.
A horn stretched out from the crown of the pony's head, and wings flared up from behind her. "Oh, my little ponies, it has been such a long time since I've seen your sunny faces," she hissed at the crowd, her voice dripping with ire. "A thousand years, to be exact."
"Nightmare Moon," Twilight mouthed, frozen in fear. "This... can't be happening."
"Oh," Nightmare Moon's ears twitched, "it feels good to hear another pony say my name." She gazed at the crowd, her manic eyes examining each one with soul-rending intensity. "But, do not fear, my little ponies, for I have heard your cries from deep within my moon. The lament, the crying, the agony. These are emotions I am very familiar with, my little ponies. You will all have what you desire and more. We all will, my little ponies." She smiled, exposing her jagged teeth. "The princess of the night has returned, and as her first decree it will last forever."
