It is a late autumn afternoon and there is an unusual chill in the air. All of Ponyville is preparing for an upcoming festival, to celebrate the wonderful reign of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It is an important event; everypony from Canterlot will be there. Several important delegates from the surrounding kingdoms: the Chrystal Kingdom, Saddle Arabia, the Yakut Tundra, and the Gypsy Woods will also be there. In her usual fashion, Twilight Sparkle is being a little overzealous in the preparations, much to the dismay of her friends.
"Twilight, dear, the festival isn't even for another ten days, perhaps you should—"
"No. Every must be perfect, Rarity. This is a very important event and it helps maintain harmony between our kingdoms. I can't afford to just laze about. There is a lot that can go wrong." Twilight interrupts her friend, sounding quite exhausted.
"Now, Twilight, yer clearly tired. Why don't you go take a nap, we can handle this for a couple hours." Applejack tries to reassure her friend. "You can't stay like this until after the festival. You said so yerself, if it's so important you need to be in tip-top shape for it." She nudges Twilight in the direction of her library.
Twilight frowns at her friends, but ultimately concedes. "I suppose you're right." She manages to spill out her instructions through a deep yawn, "Just keep following the plan, I'll be back in an hour or so." She turns and tiredly stumbles towards her abode.
"She's not going to go crazy on us again is she?" Rainbow Dash blurts out as soon as Twilight is out of ear-shot.
"Oh I hope not." Fluttershy responds. "But I can see why she might be stressed. It sounds like a super important day."
"I'm sure, but there's a limit, you know." Rainbow Dash dismisses her friends observation.
"Hush you two, we're supposed to be helpin' Twilight, not discussin' her sanity." Applejack interrupts their conversation in an attempt to get productive. "We still have a lot to do."
"Isn't it a little weird that we're doing this ten days before hand?" Rainbow Dash retorts. "Well whatever, let me see that list." She quickly swoops up the list, trying to find something to do.
"Yer welcome...." Applejack says flatly. "Why don't ya corral some of them special clouds that the Gypsies are accustomed to?"
"Special clouds huh. Yeah I suppose that could be interesting. Come on, Fluttershy. Let's do this!" Rainbow Dash exclaims in an attempt to recruit Fluttershy.
"Um...actually...I." Fluttershy stutters out. "I still have to train the birds some cultural tunes. So...um...I'm sorry."
"What?! You can do that in like ten minutes!" Rainbow Dash scowls at her friend and pouts.
"Sorry...really I am." Fluttershy nervously shuffles off towards her cottage, glancing back every so often.
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Pinkie Pie clammers, bursting from excitement. "I could help you, Dashie!"
"How? You can't fly...or corral clouds." Rainbow Dash responds, unamused.
"Oh! But I can point out clouds! I'm splederific at cloud spotting! Sometimes I do it all day long." She responds without missing a beat. "Also, I know which clouds you need." She calms down, satisfied at winning this round.
"So!" Rainbow Dash shouts back. "How do you know what the clouds look like when I don't." She growls to her friend after realizing she doesn't know what clouds they need.
"Because, I asked Twilight." Pinkie Pie simply replies before bouncing off. "You coming, Dashie?"
"Wha...when?" Rainbow Dash zips off towards her friend.
"Well, I should get back to Carousel Boutique." Rarity smiles at Applejack. "I hear you're working on a new...cider, was it? Good luck with that." She turns and saunters towards her workshop.
"Wha...what?" Applejack mutters back, but her friend is already gone. "How could anypony know that...?" She ponders this as she heads back to Sweet Apple Acres. "Oh well, ah hope Twilight is gettin' some sleep."
A cold wind ruffles the leaves at Twilight's Library. Inside lies Twilight, tossing and turning, plagued by some dream. She cries out in the dark silence, interrupting the solemn chorus of the wind and leaves.
"What's going on here?" Twilight walks about in an open field. The sky is an odd color of red and there are several bright stars. "No that's not right, they're much too close to be stars? Maybe—" The ground quakes and several loud explosions interrupt her thought. The field is suddenly ablaze and the sky now filled with smoke and debris. Everywhere she tries to run is filled with screams and horror. "Wait!" She shouts, spotting a pony off in the distance. "What an odd pony. It looks like it's wearing some armor." She keeps running towards this mysterious pony but never gets any closer. She slows down, and falls to her knees, exhausted and unable to run anymore. The mysterious pony turns and slowly walks towards her. Between her gasps for air, Twilight tries to ask who this pony is, but she is ignored. The pony stops only feet away from her. After gaining more control over her breath, Twilight looks up. The pony was wore deep metallic purple armor, and was pitch black. "Or maybe...." Twilight thought, "there's nopony there at all." When her eye reach the pony's face, she's met with incandescent purple lights where the eyes should be. "What...are...you?" He voice quavering.
M A G I C
"What!" Twilight yelps instantly awake. "It...it was just a dream." She emits a nervous chuckle. "Just a dream, maybe I am running myself a little hard." She glance out the window. "Dusk already? Oh~. I overslept!" She whines to herself and quickly hops out of bed. "Maybe I can grab a quick bite from Pinkie." She whispers to herself wishfully as she rushes out the door. "Still, what an odd dream. And the pony. Was it a pony?" She thinks upon her dream as shes running through the streets.
"Twilight?"
"What?" She skids to a halt and looks for who called out to her; it's not long before she sees Rarity. "Oh, hi Rarity."
"You look...dreadful! Are you sure you actually went to...you know...sleep?" Rarity looks at her friend, a little worried.
"I do? I mean I did sleep, but I had some bad dreams." Twilight responds. She tries to fix herself up some now that she's aware she looks like a mess. "Oh. Do you know where Pinkie is? I thought she'd have some food I could nibble on?"
"Pinkie?" Rarity pauses a second. "I believe she is still out with Rainbow Dash. But if you're hungry, Fluttershy and I were just preparing for some tea and sweets. You are most welcome to join us." She smiles at her friend. "You should come. I'm curious about this bad dream."
"Yeah, I'd love to."
"Excellent!" Rarity exclaims and heads towards Fluttershy's cottage, with her friend on her heels. "Fluttershy. I brought Twilight with me I hope that isn't too inconvenient?"
"Oh, no, of course not." Fluttershy quickly fetches another cup and plate. "I made extras today, I guess its a good thing too."
"This looks delicious! Thank you Fluttershy." Twilight thanks her friend, but can't keep her hunger at bay and quickly eats all her sweets.
"Oh my."
"Wow, you were hungry weren't you, dear? Now what about this bad dream?" Rarity looks at her sympathetically.
"Oh I don't know. There was fire and screaming." Twilight trails off.
"That sounds awful." Fluttershy responds.
"There was this pony." She starts.
"Pony?" Rarity asks.
"Yeah, but it wasn't...right." Her friends give her a confused look. "It was wearing armor, but the more I think about it...I'm pretty sure there was no pony, only armor. It had these bright glowing eyes though."
"Did this...er...pony say anything?" Rarity asks.
"It did, but there was no voice."
"No voice? How did it say something?" Rarity presses her friend.
"I don't know. It's more like, I knew what it wanted to say." She gives Rarity an unsure look.
"Well...what did the pony say?" Fluttershy asks.
"It said...." Twilight pauses for a moment, trying to remember. "Magic."
"Magic?" Rarity responds. "Could it be any more vague?"
"Do...do you think it...means...something?" Fluttershy whispers out nervously.
"If it does, it doesn't bode well." Twilight responds. She lifts her tea cup and takes her first sip. "This is amazing!"
"Thank you." Fluttershy blushes.
"Well how about a new topic then?" Rarity's eye glow with excitement. "Tell me about this new cider!"
"Rarity!" Twilight frowns at her.
"What?"
"It's supposed to be a secret! Ugh, why did I tell you in the first place?" Twilight sighs to herself.
"But, Twi~light." She whines to Twilight.
"What cider?" Fluttershy asks.
"Applejack is working on a new cider...." Twilight glares at Rarity, who nervously smiles in return. "But it's a secret."
"Oh." Fluttershy responds. "I wonder how she can make a new one?"
"Not you too?" Twilight swings her head to Fluttershy wearing a frown. Rarity and Fluttershy burst out giggling. "Have either of you seen Spike? He's supposed to give me a letter from, Princess Celestia today."
"I'm afraid not." Rarity answers and looks to Fluttershy who shakes her head.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Twilight gets up. "I guess I'll go search for him." Twilight frowns for a second, and then turns to her friends and smiles. "Thanks girls!"
"Don't mention it." Fluttershy smiles back.
"Twilight, don't forget to talk to us when you need help." Rarity gives her friend a worried look.
"I won't, Rarity." She walks out the door. "Keep up the good work girls."
Twilight heads out into Ponyville. "Now where can Spike be?" She ponders until a loud shout interrupts her.
"TWILIGHT!" A pink blur zips towards Twilight, knocking her over.
"Ouch! You gotta be more careful, Pinkie." Twilight coughs a little standing up. "I think you winded me."
"Oh! Oh! I'm sorry! I just thought I'd say hi." Pinkie blurts out, still full of energy. "What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for Spike. Have you seen him?" She asks her friend.
"Yep!" She responds affirmatively. Twilight waits for a few seconds.
"Well? Where is he?" There's a hint of irritation in her voice.
"He's at the town hall." She responds cheerily.
"Town hall...?" Twilight thinks for a moment. "Probably getting the musicians. Thanks Pinkie." She turns and runs off.
"No problem!" Pinkie shouts back, still bouncing.
"Wa...was Twilight here?" A tired voice comes from around the corner.
"Yep, you just missed her, Dashie!"
"Argh!" Rainbow Dash collapses on the ground.
The cold winds pick up as the sky gets darker. The ponies that are outside are shivering from the sudden unseasonable weather. And in the back of her head, the ominous dream eats away at Twilight's mind. Since it was getting pretty late the only sounds in Ponyville were Twilight's hooves on the ground and the pre-winter wind. Twilight can't help but smile as the town hall comes into view.
"I'm glad, it's a little creepy out." She sighs in relief. The door opens just as she arrives.
"Goodbye, Mayor Mare. Thanks for helping me out." Spike turns to leave. "Oh! Hi Twilight."
"Hello, Spike. I've been looking all over for you." She shivers a little.
"Why?" He questions at first, but remembers, "Oh Princess Celestia's Letter." He pulls the letter out of a small pile. "Here ya go, Twilight. Maybe we should go home first though, I'm pretty chilly."
"Yeah, I don't know why it got so cold so quickly." She frowns. Spike climbs on top of her. "So did you get, Octavia's letter written?"
"Yeah, we have one written for DJ P0N-3."
"Why don't you just call her Vinyl?" She rolls her eyes at Spike.
"Because it's cooler." He responds. "Hurry up, it's hard to think in this cold."
"We're almost there." She shivers again. "I'm just gonna hide under my blanket."
"Maybe some tea or hot chocolate?" Spike looks a little dreamy at the thought of the warm drinks.
"I'm too tired for a drink." Twilight yawned. "Probably shouldn't have ran all over Ponyville looking for you."
"I can see the Library, I'm so cold I can't feel my tail."
The two enter the dark library and Spike hops off and speeds into the kitchen. Twilight yawns again and heads up to her bed. She slumps down and sighs.
"Twilight, I brought your letter." Spike opens the door. "You left it with the others." He puts it on her night stand. "Good night, Twilight." He turns around and closes her door.
"Thanks, Spike." She picks up the letter with her magic and strips it of its envelope. "I guess I should read this before I fall asleep." She yawns again and quickly skims the letter. As she does her eyes widen and she bites her lower lip. "No, no no no, not good! I'm not prepared for this!" She quickly hops out of bed and starts packing some supplies. The ruckus attracts Spike.
"Twilight, what are you doing? He mumbles tiredly.
"Packing!" She hurriedly replies.
"What? Why?" He asks quite confused.
"Princess Celestia's letter." She barks out quickly. Spike looks over at her bed.
"What could be so important?" He waddles over to the letter and picks it up. "Let's see...."