Twilight Sparkle carefully studied the sky, mentally checking off every star in view against a list. Some were faint and took a little work to locate, but since she knew what she was looking for, it didn't take too long.
“Isn't it a little early?” Spike muttered groggily.
“Oh, Spike, sorry if I woke you,” Twilight said, not moving her eye from the telescope as she continued to check off stars. “This particular constellation is clearest in late summer just before dawn, and I wanted to make sure to get it. Owlowiscious was taking care of things for me.”
“Who,” the mostly nocturnal bird observed sagely.
“No, you didn't wake me, and I didn't mean that,” Spike replied, rolling his eyes at the owl. “I meant isn't this a little early?” He held a scroll up.
She moved back from the telescope, and settled the scroll and quill on the nearby table. She blinked a couple times to let her eyes adjust to the light level in the room. “Spike!” she gasped, “that's from Princess Luna!” The “L” etched into the seal was an older, calligraphic style instead of the usual “C.” Twilight hesitated for a moment before opening the scroll. She hadn't heard anything from Princess Celesta since her last missive, which was a couple months ago. She pushed the uneasy feeling away and broke the seal.
“I should have noticed that,” Spike apologized. “I wonder what she wants,” he prompted, trying to get Twilight to read it aloud. She was too concerned to hear him.
To Twilight Sparkle,
We consider thee a friend, and thou hast aided us more than once.
We believe that our sister has need of thy service, but for a number various reasons, she is unwilling to call upon thee.
We... no, I, call upon thee, not as a subject but as a friend, come at once, for the sake of Equestria.
May the light of the moon watch over thee in dark times,
Yours,
Princess Luna de Canterlot.
PS – Thou wouldst best fare to bring the elements.
She let the scroll fall atop the star chart and the checklist, one star unchecked and circled with a “?” by it.
“Twilight?” Spike said, the growing concern in his eyes providing a mirror for how concerned she must look.
“Spike, we have to pack, we're off to Canterlot,” she called over her shoulder as galloped to her room and opened the top drawer of her vanity.
“On it,” he nodded, yawning. “What scrolls and books are we bringing along?” He grabbed her quill from the table and a blank parchment, yawning again.
“Skip them, there's no time,” she lifted the box from the drawer simply adorned with a monogram of her cutie mark, and carefully lifted the element of magic atop her head. Since the wedding, they all kept their elements close.
Spike mouth stuck open mid-yawn in incredulity. He exchanged glances with Owlowiscious, and finally said, “No books? This is more serious than I thought.”
Twilight Sparkle arrived at sweet apple acres full gallop only a few minutes later. Applejack was looking out of the barn while Big Macintosh was gathering empty buckets, so she spotted them coming. “Something's got her in a hurry,” Applejack observed, squinting to see Twilight Sparkle among the dust she was kicking up, then her eyes widened. “Big Brother?”
“Eeyup?” Big Macintosh replied
“Looks like I might have to leave off. Think ya'll can get Applebloom and her friends to help out?”
Big Macintosh gave a dubious expression, but then Applejack nodded towards the rapidly approaching unicorn. His expression softened as he, too, noticed the tiara she wore. “Eeyup,” he said nodding, with an expression of determination. “Be careful, sis,” he added.
“Nothin' ta worry about,” she countered opening the cellar door, “probably be back by dinnertime.” She smiled weakly as she descended. She pushed aside a few of Granny Smith's Zap Apple Jam jars and retrieved a small box adorned with three red apples.
“Big Macintosh, I know it's early, but is Applejack up yet?” Applejack could hear Twilight inquiring.
“Hold yer horses, sugarcube,” Applejack said, reascending from the cellar, the Element of Honesty already hanging from her neck. “Saw ya comin'. What do we got? Changelings? Discord? Something new?” She grabbed her best ropes from hooks on the barn wall and stuffed them in her saddlebags while she asked.
“I'm... not sure,” Twilight Sparkle admitted. “And I think that worries me more. I just want to get to Canterlot fast and find out.”
“Well, sun's not quite up yet,” Applejack considered.
“I know, but the message was from Luna.” Twilight didn't stop to give Applejack time to consider that before continuing. “Fluttershy is sometimes up early to get breakfast for her animals. I'll go get her, have her get the Dashes. If you can head back to Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie should be up making the first batch of baked goods for the day.”
“What about Rarity?”
“Spike's taking care of that.”
Applejack rolled her eyes briefly, then put a hoof on Twilight's flank. “On it. It'll be all right, Twi.” she added reassuringly, before running full speed on a straight line towards town, not bothering with the gate, instead leaping the fence as she went.
Twilight smiled at her feat briefly, before putting on a determined expression and charging to the edge of town. She approached the Fluttershy's cottage quickly, reared up, then at the last moment slowed down and gently tapped the front door. No reason to start with her startled.
The door opened just a crack and the pink-maned yellow pegasus peeked out. “Oh, Twilight! I wasn't expecting you, would you like to come in for breakfast?” As she offered, her eyes moved up to the tiara. “Oh.. uhm... it's not anything too scary is it?”
“I don't think so,” Twilight smiled reassuringly.
“W-well, I'll need to put some food out for the animals, and Angel bunny will want his breakfast...” As she said this, the bunny came to the door, looked from one pony to the other briefly, then walked into the kitchen. He emerged from dragging a carrot behind him, then walked right towards the door, forcing Twilight to step aside as he passed. He went out to his bunny house, where there was the sound of him rummaging through some things. He emerged with the element of kindness, which he fastened around Fluttershy's neck before giving her a nudge forward, then gesturing dismissively. “Oh.. okay... well, then...” she started off, half galloping, half gliding on her wings.
“Thanks, Angel,” Twilight said before following, getting a smart salute from him before he went inside the house and closed the door.
It didn't take them long to get to the Dashes' house. Fluttershy flew up and called gently in. Twilight tried her hardest to resist pacing while she waited for them, but she found the only thing should could think of then was good pacing patterns based on the terrain, so eventually she gave in. The three of them flew down. Iris and Rainbow were holding the element of Loyalty with one hoof each.
“We aren't sure how this works with us,” Rainbow Dash explained. “Does it work for one, and not the other, or was the ability split between us, or what?”
“We figured if we're both holding it, it'll do its thing, day saved, no problem!” Iris Dash concluded.
“I'd not thought about that,” Twilight admitted. “Well, come on, we'll sort it out later.”
They arrived at Sugarcube Corner to witness Pinkie Pie jumping circles merrily around Applejack, and Rarity and Spike arriving from the other direction.
“How the hay did you ever get her up before sunrise?” Applejack called to Spike.
“How could I resist when my widdle Spikey-Wikey made moi a perfectly lovely breakfast in bed?” Rarity answered for him, while Spike blushed. “Such a shame, Sweetie Belle got to enjoy most of it, since this was on the tray as well,” she nudged the Element of Generosity with one hoof as she glared at Applejack meaningfully.
“We're all here!” Pinkie Pie announced. “To the Friendship Express!” She pointed dramatically in the direction of the station.
“No time,” Twilight countered, and they all stopped two hoofbeats into their run. She nodded at the horizon, where the crescent moon was just about to vanish behind the hills. The sky was already growing lighter.
“Are ya sure you can take everypony that far?” Applejack asked with concern.
“That's why I ran to get you,” Twilight explained. “I saved all my energy for this.” Her horn began to glow, and she focused on the castle in Canterlot. She debated where she should target. Luna had called her, so perhaps she should talk to her first. On the other hoof, it felt wrong to teleport in behind her beloved teacher's flank. She realized the best thing to do with a spell this challenging would be to go to the spot she knew best, so she locked firmly onto the memory of the Canterlot library.
She coalesced more magic, and her horn increased in intensity. Her friends shifted their gaze away slightly from the brightness, but Element of Magic or not, she could feel it wasn't enough. She was just about to drop the spell and consider another plan, when the moon finished disappearing in the distance.
Suddenly, it was like she had been playing tug of war with the magic, and it let go of the rope. She was suffused with so much power, it felt like the air around her had suddenly become charged, and her mane was standing on end. It felt like she would burst with it, so she recalled the spell she was attempting and channeled all the energy into that. Her field of vision was suddenly overwhelmed with a bright flash.
“Woah, nelly!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Did I do it?” Twilight Sparkle said, as her sight slowly returned. They were all hovering slightly above the floor of the Canterlot library. Rarity was trying to smooth down her mane, which was slightly rebellious from static of the magic overflow. The three pegasi were trying to get their wings to respond to their airborne state in vain, Rainbow and Iris for once looking as uncomfortable in the air as Fluttershy. Pinkie just kept turning circles apparently unperturbed, and Applejack was lightly flailing her hooves in attempt to make contact with anything. Spike alone sat midair motionless. “Sorry, everypony,” She glanced out of the library window to see the sun begin its ascent into view. “I'll-” Her grip on the spell slipped, and they all fell, not far, but suddenly, into a heap.
“What a way to travel!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing rhythmically in place..
“Yes, let's never do it again,” Rarity commented.
“Come on, everypony, I want to get to Luna before she goes to sleep for the day,” Twilight urged.
“That won't be necessary, Twilight Sparkle,” the familiar voice of the princess of the night came slightly ahead of her form ascending the staircase.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight exclaimed. “How did you know I had arrived?”
“After that spell?” Luna queried, raising one eyebrow. “Surely every unicorn in Canterlot felt that arrival, though few would know what is was they felt. Those most familiar with thy magic would know it unmistakably as thee, so my sister will surely arrive once the sun is fully in the sky.” She walked slowly past them as she spoke, and out to the rising sun beyond. “I must admit I am pleased that you responded to my missive so quickly.” She turned and smiled gently, and from where Twilight was standing, Luna's dark form was silhouetted by the sun in a very strange juxtaposition.
“Of.. of course. I'm not sure why Princess Celestia would avoid asking for our help, but we're here to do what we can.” Her friends all nodded agreement.
“Change is difficult, even for those who have lived for an age... maybe even more so.” She turned to the sun as she spoke, and her words were so soft, Twilight Sparkle wasn't sure if it was meant to be a response or if Luna was speaking to herself. “Come, you should see the reports for yourself,” Luna said, descending the staircase to the room where Twilght had lived during her studies in Canterlot, and beyond to the exit, expecting them to follow. They descended the stairs around the outside of the tower. As they reached the ground, she began galloping to Celestia's throne room, the others close behind. She charged right through the familiar room and into a side room off to the left of the throne.
Inside, light in the room was subdued to two stained glass windows on one side. One of them depicted a center panel in the shape of a heart. Inside were two unicorns, two pegasi, and two earth ponies in a tight outward facing circle, half obscured, with expressions of defiance. Outside the heart, several ephemeral creatures seemed to chase each other's tails, their eyes still seemingly aglow from the way the light caught the cut of the glass. The other one showed ponies around a round table, one signing a parchment and all of them looking happy. Driving off the Wendigos and the founding of Equestria, Twilight noted to herself. The latter window had the wendigos in the upper part of the window, still watching the scene. The eyes on this one seemed to be looking right into the room in a way that made her feel uneasy, and the flag on the wall behind the scene was an unfamiliar one, but the very same flag was hanging on the wall opposite the windows, barely recognizable under layers of dust. The table in the center of the room was littered with various scrolls surrounding a large map of Equestria, which had markers of various colors set upon it. On the other side of the table was a single bookcase, dozens of books and several large scrolls, none of which seemed to hold even a little dust.
Twilight Sparkle resisted the urge to go peruse the bookcase, and was likewise prevented from doing so as Luna physically placed herself between Twilight and the books as she lifted a scroll off the table and moved it towards the ponies following her.
“Best to start with this one,” Luna began. “We received this a couple months ago.”
“Changeling attack?” Twilight said as she read it quickly, then passed it magically to Rarity, who held it for the rest of them to skim. “I remember that night, you gave us an excellent view of the Horsehead Nebula that night by keeping the moon northerly, and it was overshadowed slightly by some lights to the south. That was a signal beacon?”
“Yes. Tia suspected we hadn't seen the last of Chrysalis, so she had outposts established in Dodge Junction, Appleoosa, and Baltimare.” Luna paused suddenly, turning from the table. “Thou... you noticed our display?”
Twilight nodded, still reading the next report. “After your return, Princess Celestia wrote me to keep an eye on the night sky, that you could do amazing things that she couldn't. I've held viewings for your meteor showers.” She handed off the report and turned for the next one to find Luna smiling warmly, a distant look in her eyes. “Princess Luna?”
“S-Sorry,” the dark alicorn stammered, a nearby scroll glowing and moving towards her, “W- I've waited a long time to have my work appreciated again like this. My thanks.” She moved the scroll to Twilight as she spoke.
“Thank you for the chance to see-” Twilight paused as she read. “I think this might be the wrong scroll, Princess. This one from Appleoosa doesn't have anything to do with changelings. It's just a census report.”
“Looks like Braeburn'll hafta get that orchard expanded,” Applejack noted, skimming the numbers over Twilight's shoulder. “That's a might more than were there when we visited.”
“Indeed,” Luna replied. “Yet, the census from other communities in Equestria show almost no change.” Luna presented several scrolls at once for their inspection.
“I know I haven't had any going away parties in Ponyville,” Pinkie Pie confirmed.
“So, you think the increase in numbers in a changeling invasion, then,” Rarity concluded.
“But, it doesn't make any sense,” Twilight shook her head. “Why alert the outposts with an attack they described as direct and easily repelled, putting us back on guard, then try sneaking in? I'll admit Queen Chrysalis made some logical mistakes, but her planning was elaborate.”
“You assume that both parts of the plan come from the same source, my faithful student,” came the response from behind Twilight Sparkle. She turned to see her teacher silhouetted in the doorway by the greater light.