The 8 friends stood staring at the princess, unable to take in what she just said. Eventually, the silence what broken by Heidi, who said, "So, let me get this straight. Our great-great-great-great-great-great, however many greats, grandparents were actually ponies who had magical powers, which defeated an evil creature, who is now back, and we have to now defeat it, using the powers we inherited from them?"
The princess smiled at the blue-coated, green-maned mare and said, "If you put it that way, yes."
Adara looked at Skylar; her face was full of surprise, mixed in with disbelief. Adara knew that that was the way she was feeling too - as wonderful as knowing that your ancestors defeated evil, passing that responsiblity to you was a bit much to handle. She slowly raised her hoof. Celestia nodded at her and the unicorn began speaking.
"Your majesty...are you sure? I mean that it's us? I know these guys are special, but me, I'm nothing."
Applejack replied, "Aww sugarcube, don't say that yer nothin. Why, I didn't believe it when it turned out that we were the Elements - you just gotta believe in yerself."
"Well said Applejack," Celestia told the orange earth pony. She turned again to the 8 friends and spoke to them.
"I understand that this is a lot to take in, but you do not have to take any big decisions now. The time will come when your skills are needed, but it will not be in the near future. However, we do need to start making sure of certain things. I'm sure you have all noticed that none of you have your cutie marks; these you will have to gain in time, just like everypony does. I do not think they - or your lack of them - will have any effect on your powers. However, the powers of the Bindings of Hope have been unused for generations, and will need some practise on. Therefore, all of you will be staying with the Elements of Harmony, Twilight and her friends, here in Ponyville." She turned to Twilight. "You do not have to write anymore letters to me about the Magic of Friendship; instead I wish to hear progress reports on how these ponies are doing," she said ot her, addressing Adara and her friends.
"Of course, Princess."
Celestia bowed her head to her student and turned to Adara, Effie, Skylar, Sophie, Garnet, Liz and Lacey. "I hope you will enjoy it here in Equestria, and I now leave you in the safe hands of my most faithful student and her wonderful friends." With that, she bade them farewell and departed.
The ponies watched as they saw the princess saw into the nightsky toward the city of Canterlot. Although Adara and her friends arrived during broad daylight, the night had now arrived and the warm summer day was turning colder and colder by the second.
"I guess we should start deciding sleeping arrangements," Twilight said. She ran inside, and called for Spike.
The green baby dragon walked into the room. "Yes Twilight?"
"Spike, I need you to take a note for me."
The dragon grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill, while Twilight went over to the girls.
" I don't mind who stays with me - I have only two spare rooms though, so I can only take two."
"I can take two too, Twilight," Applejack said, walking up to her. "I reckon we've got enough space at the farm."
Twilight beamed. "That's excellent. Thank you Applejack. Now everyone else only needs to take in one. I think for obvious reasons a pegasus should stay with Rainbow - Effie, would you like to?"
The orange and blue pegasus' eyes widened with fright. "Doesn't she live in the clouds? I don't think I'm ready to fly just yet."
Skylar took her chance. "I don't mind," she said looking from Twilight to Rainbow excitedly.
"Great!" Twilight smiled. "One down - seven to go. Effie, since you don't want to go to Rainbow's, why don't you stay with Fluttershy? I'm sure she needs some help with the animals - right, Fluttershy?"
The two shy pegasi looked at each other and smiled.
It didn't take long to sort out the others; after hearing about Liz's plans for fashion, Rarity demanded that she stay with her, and Lacey and Pinkie were just made for each other. Sophie decided that she would stay at Twilight's, due to her curiousity about magic. Applejack wanted someone who could do something on the farm, and Heidi was the only one who was capable of that, due to her love of sports and running. Adara didn't mind who she stayed with, as long as she was able to see her friends, learn more about Equestria and have some shelter. It was only Garnet that had a problem.
"I don't want to stay in a barn or on a cloud or in a library - I want to go home," she said, sitting down stubbornly.
Adara started walking over to her, but Skylar stopped her. "Let me," she said. Adara nodded.
"Garnet," Skylar sat next to her friend. "I know this is pretty hard to accept - the fact that we're ponies, the fact that we have some kind of special powers, the fact that we're going to help defeat an evil being - but try to remember this. All of us are feeling the same way - well, maybe except Adara. I think she's having way too much fun out of this."
Garnet laughed, and looked over at Adara. She was walking around the library, picking up quills with her magic, then squealing with joy and dropping them.
"Yeah, she really is."
"But the rest of us are having just as bad a time as you are. I know you don't like the programme, but think of it like this - it isn't a programme now, it's our life. Whether that is temporary, or permanent, I don't know, but try to make the best of it. The odds are when we do go back home, you might miss this place."
Garnet looked up, out of the library window, towards Luna's beautiful creation. It could be exciting, she thought. She looked over at Adara, who was still full of joy knowing that she could perform magic. If she's happy, she decided, then I should be happy too.
"Ok. I'll try and make an effort."
Skylar smiled and gave the red maned pony a huge hug.
Garnet stood up and walked over to Applejack. "If it's ok with you, I would like to stay at..Sweet Apple Acres. I could probably be some use around the place somehow, and I'm willing."
"Of course, it's fine with me," Applejack told her. Adara caught Skylar's eye and smiled at her in thanks.
Adara walked towards the window and looked out. So much had changed from this morning - she had woken up 16, and had gotten a lot more than she bargained for. She thought back to home. She wondered if her parents were missing her, or if they had even noticed that she was gone. Maybe time had stopped or something, and when they went back only a minute will have passed.
She looked up at the night sky. She knew that the adventure had only just begun. The journey had only just started.
Sequel: Starting Off