//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: The Whooves Collection Episode One: In the Other's Place 
// by Perceptive Key 
//------------------------------//


The Whooves Collection: Episode 1
In the Other's Place
Introduction


Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle; Princess Celestia's Private Chambers; 297 C.E.

The sun filtered through the windows of Canterlot Castle, reflecting off of the pure white, marble floors, walls, and pillars. Celestia was alone in her room, standing in front of a large mirror. She had received it as a gift from a traveling merchant who was passing through the city. He said that it could show you anything you wished to see, except for the future. Celestia had agreed, for there was only one thing that she had wished for.

For a moment, she saw her sister's reflection. One that was filled with care and love, one without the hate or anger of Nightmare Moon. Celestia lowered her head, a single tear falling to the floor.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly to herself, "you gave me no choice."

"It's alright, I understand."

Celestia looked around, "Who's there?!"

"It is I, sister."

She turned towards the mirror, and Luna's reflection was still there. 'No,' Celestia looked away, 'it's only an image. I must be imagining it.'

"Why do you doubt what is real?" said the image.

Celestia now saw that the image really did speak. "Who are you?" Celestia asked.

The image of Luna appeared shocked, "Why, it's me, Luna. Your sister."

The image of her sister was painful for Celestia to see, and hearing her was even worse. She began to feel tears welling up inside her eyes once more.

"I'm so sorry, Luna," she began crying, "I did what I had to do. I miss you so much."

"I know," the image's voice replied kindly, "I know."

Celestia was too involved in her sadness to notice her own reflection act on it's own. It lifted its head and blinked, and it's eyes changed from pink to a dark, almost blood-like, red. Slowly, it stepped through the mirror...

Gaia; Equestria; Ponyville; Twilight's Library; 1002 C.E.

The Ponyville library was enjoying a normal afternoon. This mainly consisted of Twilight's fevered search for different research books. Spike dodged as books flew at him, thrown by Twilight's magic. The books suddenly stopped and fell to the floor, Twilight's ears perking up upon finding the ancient tome.

"'Spells and Magic for the Advanced Unicorn: Master's Edition,'" Twilight read aloud. "This is exactly what I need!"

"Ya know," Spike said, picking himself up from under a book, "you don't have to try to become a 'master unicorn' so soon, Twilight. You should just take this one step at a time."

Twilight simply ignored him, "Oh, Spike! Don't worry about it."

She began flipping through the pages. Page after page went by without a single hint of what she was trying to find. "No, no, no! It has to be in here!"

Suddenly, a strong wind began blowing and the pages of her book started to flap and turn, interrupting her reading.

"What?"

"Uh, Twilight?" Spike called, "Can you stop that? It's freaking me out!"

Twilight was just as freaked out as Spike, "I'm not doing anything!"

Small bolts of lightning shot out of the center of the room and the wind began to reach gale force speeds.

VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP!

Twilight and Spike cowered in a far corner of the library, both watching in bewilderment as a large blue box began to appear in the center of the library with each blast of noise. When the box was fully formed, the wind died down, the lightning stopped, and the noise subsided. Papers were now scattered all around the library, some of them sticking to Spike and Twilight.

"'Police public call box,'" Twilight read aloud.

Suddenly, the door creaked opened slowly, and an earth pony stallion with a chestnut coat, dark brown mane, and wearing a brown suit stepped out.

"Well," said the strange stallion, looking around the room, "that was a little unexpected." Then he noticed Twilight and Spike, staring at him in shock, "Oh, my. Horses. Well... this is new."