//------------------------------// // She's Back // Story: Lost Harmony // by Cafe Ponies //------------------------------// "T-This can't be possible! We defeated her several moons ago!" Twilight protested. "She still had some of her greed and desire in her, and it has grown over time to the point where it has formed a manifestation of Princess Luna's own bitterness and jealousy, which was Nightmare Moon," Princess Celestia explained. "So Princess Luna's still herself, but now there's another pony that's made of her cruelty, instead of Princess Luna just being corrupted by her own greed and jealousy?" Spike asked. "Yes," Princess Celestia answered Spike. "But can't we just defeat her with the Elements of Harmony again?" Twilight pointed out. "Unfortunately, she has gotten even stronger and more clever than before, and she has corrupted the Elements of Harmony, so they are now unusable and we must find another way to defeat her," the white alicorn explained darkly. "This is terrible! Now we're definitely doomed!" Spike yelled, panicking. "Do not worry, Spike. I am certain Twilight and her friends will find out how to defeat Nightmare Moon soon," Princess Celestia reassured the purple dragon. "Does this mean we have to return to Ponyville?" Twilight asked. Princess Celestia nodded. "Hurry," she said, then she left the room, closing the doors. Twilight immediately started packing up and put her saddlebags on. "Come on, Spike!" Twilight said hastily. Spike quickly grabbed the "Myths of Equestria" book before Twilight put him on her back. The purple dragon slid the book into Twilight's saddlebags and closed them. Twilight raced out of the castle and instantly took flight. She flew as fast as she could to Ponyville. Eventually, she landed in front of Town Hall. "My...friends..." she panted, looking around. "Maybe they're at the library," Spike guessed. "Right," Twilight agreed, taking off again. She reached the library quickly and landed, then she ran inside. Spike was right; her friends were in the library. "Twi! Yer okay!" Applejack cried happily. "Of course I am! ...Why wouldn't I be?" Twilight asked. "Well...we heard about...N-Nightmare Moon," Fluttershy whispered. "Nightmare Moon? We were just gonna tell you about that!" Spike stated. "We're looking for a way to defeat Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony, darling," Rarity explained, pushing a book away. "That book doesn't have any ways..." she added quietly. The librarian walked to the back of the room. The princess turned and looked at her friends with a questioning look on her face. "Who told you all of this?" Twilight asked, surprised. "Princess Celestia sent us a letter! It told us all about it!" Pinkie Pie answered Twilight as she jumped up to the highest shelf, pulled a book out of it, then fell. "Twilight, I brought this!" Spike pointed out as he pulled the "Myths of Equestria" book out of Twilight's saddlebags. Twilight took off her saddlebags and dropped them onto the floor. "Spike! That book probably doesn't have any ways," the purple pony doubted. "Twilight, didn't you already learn not to judge a book by its cover?" Pinkie Pie asked, giggling afterwards. "Yeah, that's the lesson Zecora gave you," Rainbow Dash stated, laughing with Pinkie Pie. "Don't act like that towards the Princess!" Rarity lectured them. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, while Pinkie Pie just proceeded to laugh even more. Rarity sighed in annoyance, and looked at Applejack. "Rarity's right. Everypony fergets things," Applejack agreed. "Fine, fine," Rainbow Dash replied. "Nevermind that! We have to figure out how to defeat Nightmare Moon," Twilight reminded her friends. "W-Well...umm...t-there's a way in this book..." Fluttershy whispered. Twilight and her friends raced up to Fluttershy. "Really? Where?" Rarity demanded eagerly. "I-It's...on the...bottom of the page...eek!" Fluttershy explained softly. "Let me see," Twilight said. Fluttershy gave the book to Twilight, then Fluttershy and the rest of Twilight's friends stepped back to give the Princess some room. "The key to victory against this evil presence lies farther than the treacherous forest and the dangerous mountains," Twilight read out loud to her friends. "That barely helps us!" Rainbow Dash groaned. "Actually, it d-does..." Fluttershy argued. "Fluttershy's right, Rainbow. That just told us where the thing we can use to defeat Nightmare Moon is...ah guess," Applejack said. The blue pegasus glared at Applejack. "Yeah, but that doesn't tell us where the "key to victory" is specifically, AJ!" the angry pegasus shouted. Pinkie Pie pushed the two furious mares away from each other. "This is a time for happiness, not fighting! ...Or is it?" Pinkie Pie said. "Whatever!" Rainbow Dash yelled, leaving the library. "R-Rainbow Dash! Wait, darling!" Rarity called, then ran out of the library. "Oh no ya don't!" Applejack shouted. The orange mare left the library, then it grew silent. "I guess it's only us, then!" Pinkie Pie said, breaking the short silence. She bounced around Twilight. "So, what are we gonna do? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Pinkie Pie asked Twilight excitedly. "We don't have time to stop those three. We'll find victory ourselves," Twilight declared. "Y-Yay..." Fluttershy cheered quietly. "Spike, you stay here and make sure nothing bad happens to Ponyville," Twilight commanded her assistant. "Right!" Spike said, jumping off of Twilight's back. "Come on, girls," the alicorn said, then the three mares charged out of the library. "T-Twilight, what do you think the "treacherous forest and the dangerous mountains" meant in the book?" Fluttershy asked. "I think the treacherous forest is the Everfree Forest, and the dangerous mountains could be the same mountain that we went to when you convinced that sleeping dragon to go sleep somewhere else," Twilight replied confidently. Pinkie Pie, who was running backwards, suddenly appeared beside Twilight. "Do you think it's a long way away? Maybe it's a short way away! Did it take us a long time to get to those two places before, or a short time? I think it was pretty long time!" Pinkie Pie rambled. "Pinkie...I bet it's a long way," Twilight sighed in annoyance. "Oh, okie dokie lokie! That makes sense! You know, alot of things you say makes sense! That's probably because you're so smart!" Pinkie Pie complimented her friend. Twilight felt more confident when Pinkie Pie praised her intelligence. Eventually, they reached the entrance of the Everfree Forest. "It looks...scary..." Fluttershy murmured. Pinkie Pie bounced past Fluttershy. "Don't worry, Fluttershy! You can just laugh at the scary things!" the party pony reassured the shy pegasus. "I...guess I c-can..." Fluttershy agreed nervously, following Pinkie Pie into the forest. Twilight was alone at the entrance of the large forest now. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "You've still got the other two, Twilight," she said to herself. The princess trotted into the Everfree Forest. She quickly broke into a run after a few steps, and caught up to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. "Wowie! This adventure's gonna be funny! Or fun! Maybe both! I hope it's funny and fun!" the pink pony said cheerfully. She let out a laugh. Fluttershy was extremely intimidated by the shadows of the tall trees looming over the three ponies. Twilight noticed her friend shivering in fear. "Don't worry, Fluttershy. Trees can't hurt us," Twilight reassured Fluttershy. "O-Okay..." the yellow pegasus replied softly. Twilight sighed. It was going to be a long journey without Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity.