//------------------------------// // Book 1 - Chapter IV // Story: The Sunset Trilogy // by ocalhoun //------------------------------// Book 1: Equestria Burning Chapter 4 She wasn't precisely running away from the problem, but Twilight knew that none of her books would give her a cure. Still, she read the days away, vague feelings of guilt growing about her faux action... but what else was there to do? “Twi-Light,” She heard Spike calling from the next room, “Would you put down that book already? You've been reading all day and you haven't eaten anything! ... And when's the last time you slept?” Twilight sighed. It was true. Even though she knew this marathon study session wouldn't be curing any diseases, she couldn't stop. To stop would be to admit defeat... and be forced to think of something else to do... and what else was there? So, she continued to study, at least finding a little comfort in the familiarity. Shocking her out of her reverie, the page she had been looking at was suddenly blocked by a plate of – admittedly delicious looking – waffles. “I made waffles Twilight, don't you want some?” Twilight looked up to see Spike proffering the plate as enticingly as he could manage. She was finally about to break down and accept when an odd look came over the baby dragon's face. Having spent quite some time around him, she sprung into action, grabbing the plate with her magic and ducking out of the way... Not a moment too soon, as a burst of green flame came flying out of his mouth. Waffles momentarily forgotten, Twilight opened the letter: another from Princess Celestia, but no kingdom-wide decree this time. This was a personal note. Twilight's eyes grew wide as she rapidly read the contents of the letter. Rolling it up and shoving it into a hastily donned saddlebag, she turned to Spike. “Quick spike, I need AJ, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity at Sugarcube Corner as soon as possible! The princess needs us!” With that, she rushed out the door. Spike gave a longing backward glance at his magnificent waffles now getting cold on the floor – he had spent all morning getting them just right... But he knew the futility of ever getting Twilight to put the princess on hold, even if it was just for a minute to eat. With a sigh, he followed Twilight, running out the door to round up her friends. * * * Twilight's face began to burn with rage as she yelled once again at the locked door. “PINKIE you HAVE to come out! It's an order directly from Princess Celestia for pony's sake!” “You don't want me to come out!” Came the reply from inside. “It won't end well, Twilight.” “PINKIE! I. DON'T. CARE!” Twilight screamed back, “You are coming out of that room RIGHT NOW!” As Twilight prepared to blast the door away with magic, her friends came trotting up the stairs. Rarity stopped Twilight's preparation with a simple “Darling, you can't possibly be serious. Blasting that door would just be unforgivably rude.” Rainbow leaned in close to Twilight, whispering conspiratorially. “We've been working on a 'plan B' ... Just watch.” Unsure what her friends were up to, Twilight did as asked, though still keeping the blast-the-door plan in reserve as 'plan C'. She watched Rainbow take a high, hovering position above the door, while Applejack readied her rope. Once they were in position, Rarity began her part, “Oh Pinkie Pie, won't you come down, we have just a lovely party ready, It would be simply dreadful if you missed it.” Taking the silence from inside as encouragement, she continued, “Oh, and there's just ever too much cake, what ever shall we do with it all?” That seemed to do the trick: the poor pony had been locked up in there without food for days now. Rainbow and Applejack passed a look as they heard locks being undone on the other side of the door. Slowly, the door opened with just a blue eye and a sliver of pink face peeking out... which was all the opportunity the plan needed. Quickly, Rainbow rammed the door at full power, sending it flying open, and sending Pinkie flying back into the room. As Pinkie and Rainbow flew together towards the far wall, Applejack's rope whipped out, catching the pink pony before she even hit the floor. By the time Rainbow recovered from her crash, Pinkie was hog-tied and ready for kidnapping. * * * Pinkie Pie had been positioned as comfortably as could be arranged while still tied, and she now 'sat' around one of Sugarcube Corner's tables with the rest of the group. The Cakes looked on, a little bewildered, but being used to Pinkie's antics – and a little peeved at not having her help in the shop for the last several days – they weren't asking any awkward questions about the restraints. “Now why did y'all round us all up here in the first place, Twi?” Applejack asked, which brought nods from around the table, though Pinkie – with hair now hanging straight down – just sat and gave Twilight a pleading look. “The princess has requested our help,” she answered. “immediately,” she added, with a peeved glance at Pinkie. With a tug of magic, the scroll she received earlier floated out of her saddlebag, and she began to read, “My dear Twilight, my sister and I have exhausted all avenues of inquiry about this illness. All save one. However, this last is not to be taken lightly. We need you and your friends in Canterlot as soon as possible. The trains have stopped running because of the quarantine, so I've dispatched a chariot. It should arrive shortly. Please come to the castle with all haste. – Princess Celestia.” Fluttershy and Rarity looked a little worried, Applejack and Rainbow Dash resolute, but Pinkie just looked resigned to her fate... which Twilight found more than a little disturbing. “Y'all know more than yer tellin' us, dontcha, sugarcube?” Applejack prodded. Pinkie just looked Applejack's way and nodded, shedding a tear before going back to her morose fascination with staring at the floor. Twilight would have pressed the issue had it been any other pony... but despite Pinkie's inclination toward being a blabbermouth, if she got it in her head to keep something a secret, it would be a secret 'FOREVER', as the pink party pony herself would put it. A loud clatter came from outside, and through the window, Twilight could see their ride arriving, one of the biggest sky chariots she had ever seen, drawn by a team of ten pegasus guards. Wow... the princess must have really meant it when she said 'with all haste,' huh? Turning to her friends, she called out, “Okay, grab Pinkie and let's go.” Rarity looked panic stricken for a moment. “To Canterlot? Now? Without packing a single thing to wear?” More than one stern backwards glance came her way, and with a nervously forced laugh she followed the others out to the chariot. * * * Twilight couldn't help but to be impressed at the raw power of their transport – the wind was whipping by despite the heavy load... but it also left her a little worried. What could have happened to make the princess so desperate? What is this last 'avenue of inquiry'? She looked around at her friends – the elements of harmony – seated around her. Whatever it is, it must be big... so big the princesses don't think they could handle it on their own... What? Twilight's mind continued to chase itself in circles as the countryside passed by underneath and Ponyville receded into the background. * * *