Deep in the woods, in Silence she remained
“Whoo-hee, Sugar Cube. That sure was some bang –up party!” AppleJack sighed as she surveyed the mess in the library. “Not sure we should leave this here chaos for Spike ta clean. Don’t seem right.”
Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh don’t worry I’d never think to leave this to Spike. Part of the fun of a party is cleaning up and reusing all those wonderful streamers all over again!” The pink pony of never-ending energy and happiness quickly got up from her prone position and began leaping around to begin cleaning up the chaos. Applejack watched Pinkie until she got a headache, trying to stand up and help clean.
Rainbow Dash watched Applejack try and stand up, so she could help Pinkie straighten up the old tree house library. “Give it up AJ. Pinkie never does anything halfway, ‘sides she’ll have this place sparkling by the time you get all four hooves beneath you.”
Ignoring the sarcasm in Rainbow Dash’s voice, Applejack kept trying to stand up. Even after a few more minutes the only progress the earth pony made was to get her front hooves steady. Rainbow Dash looked on, not saying anything more, just stretching her own wings to get the blood pumping and getting the rest of her body ready to face the day.
When Applejack was fully standing, Pinkie had already cleaned up and expertly put away the party supplies.
“Sugar Cube, you work faster at cleaning up a party, than you do puttin’ everthin’ together.”
Giggling, Pinkie Pie casually replied, “Of course, I wouldn’t ever want anypony to say I wasn’t a good friend. And good friends don’t leave a mess around when we have to get going.”
“Going?” Applejack asked.
Snorting from where she was, Rainbow Dash. “Gee AJ, I think you forgot we were supposed to be in the Everfree Forest around now.” Rocking back and forth onto her front and hind legs, Rainbow Dash then stretched out her wings as well. “Going to have to lay off Pinkie’s special punch next time, AJ.”
Applejack blushed, realizing she had forgotten about the trip into the forest. The party last night wasn’t supposed to last as long as it did, but when Pinkie arrived and set everything up no one really felt like heading out to the old palace/castle, whatever Twilight called it.
“Alright I’m ready now, just got to put my pack back on.” Looking around Applejack suddenly realized that the only ponies left in the library were: Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and herself. “Huh? Where’d everypony go?”
“Oh, you mean Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight, though now that I think about it, I really should start calling her ‘Princess Twilight’ or maybe ‘Alicorn Sparkles’, hey how about-“
Applejack quickly held up a hoof to gently stop the pink powder keg. “How about we talk about where they are, maybe?”
Shrugging Pinkie answered, “They left a while or so ago. You guys were too tired to join them, so I ‘pinkie promised’ them to stay here until you were ready.”
So Applejack quickly nodded in agreement, while Pinkie pulled a cart of supplies out from seemingly nowhere while Rainbow Dash got her saddle bags on. Everyone was now ready to go so they left; Spike had drunk too much of Pinkie’s Pony-tastic pony punch and had been snoring on the table the entire time.
As Rainbow Dash was about to fly out the door, “umm, guys shouldn’t we wake up Spike?” Then pointed her cyan hoof at the sleeping dragon.
“Nah- he’ll wake up soon ‘nuff on his own,” AppleJack replied. “ ‘sides, it ain’t like he don’t know where we’re goin’.”
Rainbow Dash looked back at Spike. He kept snoring peacefully on the table. Looking back one last time, Rainbow Dash slowly closed the door after the others had left.
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Meanwhile Princess Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Fluttershy had been walking in the woods for a few hours. The journey inside the woods was surprisingly uneventful. Usually, when they crossed into the magic free zone of the Everfree Forest, the sounds timber wolves would fill the air; light would play tricks in the trees and some stranges plant would harm the unwary. Twilight thought about the previous adventures she and her friends had had there involving monster trees, wild cocatrices, and patches of Poison Joke.
Like the first time when they went after Nightmare Moon. Then there was the disaster with the cockatrice. There was also the hunt for Apple Bloom, when said filly went in search of Zecora. Even when they were attacked by Poison Joke, it seemed as if the forest was out to cause trouble for them all.
The memory of those adventures put Twilight Sparkle a little on edge, so when Zecora’s cloaked figure appeared, Twilight jumped nearly a foot into the air, at suddenly hearing the Zebra’s voice. “Hello, dear friends. What brings you to Everfree’s glens?”
Rarity was the first to recover from Zecora’s sudden entrance. “Why, hello Zecora. Princess Twilight is on a new mission for Princess Luna. Our dear Twilight is looking for answers about what happened after she was banished to the Moon. Now, it is time to go looking in the heart of the Everfree Forest.”
“Rarity, that’s not quite true!” Twilight yelled. Then blushed, “I’m sorry Zecora. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just, well with everything that’s been happening… the broken spell, the cure for the spell, becoming an alicorn, the coronation…”
Zecora smiled, “Dear Twilight, I know you do not like the limelight.” She then motioned for them to follow. “Rest in my cottage, talk of your knowledge.”
Twilight shook her head, “I’m sorry Zecora. Any other time I’d really love to sit for a while, but Rarity wasn’t completely exaggerating. You see Princess Luna decided now was a perfect time to find an old friend of her’s and Princess Celestia’s. Only it seems that Celestia doesn’t want anypony to find out what happened to her.”
“I understand, your life is far from bland.” Zecora checked the pouches she’d tied to the inside of her cloak. “However, you can be too clever. Also I seem to be at odds and end. May I deem to extend a helping hand?”
“How nice of you to make such an offer,” Fluttershy stepped forward and whispered. “Princess Twilight, I think we should let Zecora come with us.” The ducked her head and quickly looked from Zecora to Twilight. “Umm, if that’s alright with everyone, that is, if it’s not, I- I understand.”
“No, that’s a great idea Fluttershy.” Twilight nodded in agreement. “Well Zecora. If you want I think you’d be invaluable to our party. After all no one knows the flora and fauna of the Everfree forest better than you.”
Zecora quickly packed some food and potions, before joining Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Fluttershy. Just as they began walking along…
“Hey You Guys! Wait for US!” Rainbow Dash yelled out.
Upon hearing and seeing the familiar cyan pony with distinct rainbow mane, Zecora joked. “Ahh friends, the fun never ends.”
Twilight, FlutterShy, Rarity, and Zecora waited patiently for Rainbow Dash, AppleJack, and Pinkie to catch up. Then they explained about how Zecora had decided to join them on the trek into the woods to the ancient palace. It took a couple more hours but eventually the Mane 6, plus Zecora, found the one-time home of Luna and Celestia: The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.
Not much of the ruin seemed to have changed. The rickety old rope bridge was still unstable but the ropes were remained strong. The heavy fog lingered all the way to the court yard, flowing through the open portcullis and not quite reaching the main doors. The walls were still crumbling, as if silent testimony to a great and fearsome battle. Even the dust covered floors and fallen antiques did not appear to have been disturbed since Twilight’s last visit, though there didn’t appear to have as much dust accumulation as there should be.
Twilight was still silently accessing the grounds when Applejack suddenly heard whisper soft hoof steps. “Everypony… I’m not sure this place is as deserted as it appears.”
TThe gang watched in amazement as an old mare slowly pushed open the rusty old door. What little the gang could see of this mare, revealed a washed out sunny yellow coat and a short and softly curling grey mane. Her movements, despite the odd cloak, spoke of age mixed with an unconscious grace, not even Princess Celestia could imitate. This pony made the act of pushing open a door look like a slow dance.
“Amazing,” Pinkie blurted out, causing the pony to freeze in place before beginning to flee.
“Oh! Wait. We didn’t mean to scare you.” Twilight said as she ran to stop the pony. Thankfully Rainbow Dash was faster on her wings and flew in front of the pony. That was when the pony gave them another surprise. Throwing off her cloak, she began to hover and fly up into the air with large translucent wings.
The mare turned around and flew straight at Pinkie Pie, FlutterShy, Applejack, Rarity, Zecora, and Twilight.
“Who are you?” She loudly intoned. “No pony is to reside here ever again. Get Out! Get out NOW!” As the mane 6 stared, she bellowed “Leave!”
“Whoa, there.” Fearless Rainbow Dash used her speed to fly in between the strange pony and her friends. “And just who are you to tell US what to do? I say you leave! This is my best buddy, and Equestria’s most Awesome-est princess ever, Twilight Sparkle. This place, is apart of Equestria’s history, the awesome-est battle EVER took place here, and nothing, especially not a freaky old mare is gonna stop us from helping our friend, Princess Luna.”
The mare flew directly at Rainbow Dash, pinning the cyan mare to a stone column. “Never! Never! Say that name, I despise that creature. Both of them.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight tried to interject with a soothing voice. She tried to calm the angry Pegasus, while keeping an eye on the strange pony. “I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle, newest princess of Equestria and, I demand to know what you are doing here.”
Snorting, the mare released Rainbow Dash. Then slowly landed directly in front of Twilight Sparkle. Carefully angling her scarred face, the mare lifted a long fetlock to reveal a small light pink Rose cutie mark on her cheek. “It is YOU, whom do not belong. These halls are mine! Have been for nearly 366,250 moons! The crown of those fillies, has no meaning here!” She paused her rant to breathe deeply. “You are truly foolish foals. To come HERE? On behalf of the so called daughters of the Sun and the Moon,” She began slowly, carefully enunciating each word, as she stomped her front hooves at Twilight. “You can demand nothing, this regency is mine.”
Twilight Sparkle almost took a step back, before taking a deep breath. Then she half bowed to the old mare, “if you say I have no right to know. Then how do you hold power here?”
The mare smiled, shook her head so her fetlock recovered her mark. “My lit-tle po-ny, my little pony... ” She started to sing as she turned to trot out the door. “Tell me, tell me. My little pony, what great tra-ge-dy happened here? A great lesson that, ban-ished Celestia, from there and here. --”
“We don’t have to tell you anythin’.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew between Twilight and the old mare. Glaring in the mare’s eyes, Rainbow Dash backed the mare against the door. “In fact, I say we boot this floating – freak - ”
Twilight gently pushed Rainbow Dash aside, carefully eyeing the mare. Not looking anywhere else, Twilight focused on the strange pony, “I can only tell you what I learned two years ago, on the 1000th anniversary of the event, I think you’re talking about. But please, tell me, who are you? What are you doing here?” Twilight countered.
The pony continued to smile as she shook her head. Absently picking up her discarded vine and burlap cloak, she carefully concealed her entire body from head to tail. “Nothing changes and it all is new again.”
Twilight stared at the mare, unconsciously spreading her wings as she concentrated. “Once a long time ago, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled all of Equestria, one sister ruled the ponies during the day, and the other guarded the kingdom at night. But after a while Princess Luna allowed jealously to rule her heart, transforming the young alicorn into the monstrous, Nightmare Moon. Fortunately Princess Celestia was able to use the Elements of Harmony to defeat her sister and trap Luna inside the moon.”
The old pony laughed at Twilight. ”You’ve quite much of the story to learn. Jealousy, not loneliness?” She nodded in thought, then laughed again. “It could have happened, did it? Though I suppose, tis close enough to the truth.” Once again she began to hover in the air, then bowed at them all collectively, “Call me Rosedust, though who is that? Is who I am, who I was… but now dust is dust, in a memory of time.”
Brash as always Rainbow Dash spoke first. “Never heard of ya. Now not to be rude or nuthin’ but it’s way past time we got to work.”
Rosedust didn’t acknowledge the taunts or even the presumptuous comment. She landed gracefully on all four hoofs and walked away, head held regally high. Rainbow Dash began to go after the uppity pony, but Twilight clamped her mouth on the impetuous pony’s rainbow tail.
“That’s enough, Rainbow. We’ve a lot of work to do, first locating the library, and then locating any clues to help us figure out what really happened here. And we can’t forget to find the Queen. We don’t have time to go after innocent ponies.”
Reluctantly, Rainbow Dash let the self proclaimed Rosedust leave.
“Twilight’s right, as startling as it is to find another pony out here. It’s simply not our job.” Rarity said. Then she began to survey the damage that time had wrecked to the old palace. “My, my this place certainly needs a mare’s touch. I don’t think we will ever find anything under all this dust. Why, without a truly thorough cleaning it, could take weeks, if not months. No, think this castle will need A LOT of work. Darlings we simply won’t have time to do anything else.” *cough* *cough*
Zecora began helping Rarity to dust but was lost in deep thought. “Rarity be right, we must work with all our might.”
Fluttershy followed their example as well, making small comments about how her squirrel friends could maybe come and help.
“Darn tooting, this is gonna be more work, than herding ducks on a rainy day. Any ways I’m more concerned if this queen even exists. It might jus’ be more important. After all, none o’ us here ever even heard a legend ‘bout a queen ‘fore all this. All Equestria’s ever had is our beloved Princess Celestia, an’ then Princess Luna, o’ course.” AppleJack added as she began pushing large stones back into place.
Twilight nodded. “I completely agree with you AppleJack, but remember, no pony could remember Princess Luna, the legend's all referred to her as Nightmare Moon. All I had to go on, for my research, was an old story book and forgotten reference guide.
“From the first time I set hoof in Ponyville, we’ve rediscovered many amazing facts lost to history. Knowing all this, can you still say we should just restore the old castle?” Twilight paused to look Applejack and Rarity in the eye. “Besides anything or one could have been this queen. The scrolls never said what she looked like, just who she ruled. It’s possible we’re looking for a descendant or even an immortal species, possibly a dragon.
“Ohh ohh!” Pinkie screamed. “Maybe… we’re really looking for a cranky pony like the one that JUST LEFT! Which reminds me WE really ABSOULTEY have to throw her a welcome PARTY! That would probably cheer her UP and show her we’re really nice ponies. AND then she be all nice to us. Maybe show us all the cool places and neat hidy holes! I mean really wouldn’t a pony like her just be soo fun. And THEN she can show us that super cool levitating trick, I mean how’d she do it! I didn’t see a horn on her head. OHH, maybe she had invisible wires that she used. Or possibly an air vent, but I didn’t see any wind machines. So it has to be wires…”
On and on Pinkie went, taking about the pony, while jumping around the room collecting dust on her coat and mane. By the time she finished talking the cotton candy colored mare looked more like a giant dust bunny.
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Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,
My friends and I have just arrived at the castle where you and Princess Luna once resided. I recruited our friend Zecora, she was very interested in our new adventure, so I invited her along. The day has been primarily uneventful. We managed to make some repairs to the central entrance, but have come across a strange pony.
It seems you may have squatter. She appears to be a very reclusive type, (even by my standards). It appears, from the brief encounter we had, that she is around the age of Granny Smith Apple, at least she appeared old with her grey mane and faded yellow coat. She also possessed the unique ability to float in the air, using translucent wings. What’s most unique about her are not the unusual wing, but the scars and tiny pink rose mark on her cheek.
Your loyal friend,
Princess Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic
P.S. There is one other thing. She called the castle her “regency”. As far as I am aware, Equestria has no regencies. Not since before the Era of Discord, according to the history books. It becomes more confusing when I remind myself that you and Princess Luna once called this place home.