"Make sure you take care of your sister out there Celestia" Venrra said as she placed the two saddlebags on both Luna and Celestia
"Don't worry i will" Celestia said in a cheerful voice
"Hey! Luna debated " i can look after my self too ya know"
Celestia chuckled as she thought of how brave her sister was, even though their parents were missing she still had hope in her eyes and Celestia admired that foalish beauty "And who was the one who got her head stuck in the sweet jar, and cried until mother helped you get it off?"
Luna nervously giggled at the thought knowing she couldn't escape from this. Venrra laughed at the two "Now iv packed you some food for the journey, and a map of the everfree so you can find your way to the north, there should be more ponies there to help you. Tell me again why did you two decide to go off on your own adventure"
Celestia had told her a fib, the two zebra were too nice and would have not let them go if they told them they were missing and try to help. The couple were nice enough to let the fillies stay for the night and give them supper and Celestia did not want to impose anymore.
"Well we wanted to show them we can look after ourselves" Luna piped out startling Celestia as she was about to answer. Luna was also in on the lie but didn't really like to, to such nice zebra.
Venrra looked at the two fillies, both shifting from one hoof to the other grinning from ear to ear. She knew there was something wrong but didn't want to say anything. Venrra knew about the war between the alicorns and the Chaos bringers but couldn't bring her self to tell the poor little fillies, Her husband knew this too but he also didn't want to hurt their already crumbling hearts.
"Right..." she said spreading out the word as if suspisious
The door connecting the bedrooms to the living room swung open and Zeran walked out, Venrra focused her attention on him as he walked out. The two sisters were relived that she stopped questioning them. Zerran walked up to them with a small brown box decorated with small rubies on the rim "For a journey as perilous as yours" Zerran said "you may want to take this, while your outdoors"
Celestia and Luna looked at the box in awe wondering what secrets it holds "whats inside it" Celestia said still looking at the box
"you will know when the time is right, but only use it in times of fight." Zerran said proudly "for as long as you have hope, there would be no reason to mope"
Celestia and Luna looked at the Zebra in confusion, both wondering what he meant. "so we can't open it until we really need to?" Luna said still a little confused.
"That is right my dear, but it is time for you two to get out of here"
"Oh yes" Celestia said realizing she and her sister needed to leave "Thank you both for your hospitality"
"Thank you for the soup it was really tasty" Luna said as she smiled
The two Alicorns bowed to the couple and walked out our the door " It was our pleasure, you were very nice guests" Venrra said pulling them into a hug
"Don't worry about us" luna said nicely "once we find our parents we will come visit you again and have more fun"
Celestia cringed a little once she heard that, although she had in her heart that her parents were just missing and forget their way home. Another part of her was saying that wasn't true. Luna walked up to Zerran and hugged his leg "Thanks again Zerran, are you two going to be allright"
Zerran looked down and hugged her back "The pleasure is all mine, but don't worry about us we will be just fine"
Luna giggled at his words "Zerran you never told us why your always rhyming all the time"
"do not make too much of a fuss, but mabey for the next time you see us" Zerran said smiling at her
Venrra looked at Celestia and whispered "i think hes just showing off" Celestia and Venrra giggled while luna and Zerran looked in confusion.
~~~~
As they made their goodbyes Zerran placed the box into Lunas saddlebag and waved them off, Luna and Celestia waving and shouting goodbyes in the distance with the little phoenix resting in Luna's mane. Venrra looked at Zerran and said "Do you think we should have told them, about their parents and the war i mean"
Zerran looked back at Venrra "I believe this is something they must learn on their own" Zerran said " soon enough they wont bear to be alone"
Venrra placed her head on Zerran's shoulder "I hope your right dear, i really do"
~~~~
Luna was looking at the box intently, holding it up with her magic. "So tia what do you think is inside this thing" Luna said cautiously. Celestia looked around from her point in front and stopped, making Luna crash into Celestias flank.
"Lulu Zerran said not to open it until the time is right" Celestia said factually
Luna pressed lifted her hoof to her head and sat down "ow, i know, i know don't nag me about it" Luna looked up to see Celestia looking around her and quickly checking the map, holding it up with her magic. The two ponies walked themselves into a clearing, the trees around them were circling then in an oval pattern, there was a small clear blue lake in the middle of it all. The sun was shinning down brightly onto it giving it a small silver glimmer. The two fillies admired the scenery around them in awe.
"Wow!" is the only thing that left there lips as they saw what was before them. Celestia walked up to the lake slowly, once looking at her reflection she smiled at it softly. Soon Luna followed looking into the reflection and smiling at Celestia's own reflection and then hers. Celestia placed her foreleg around Luna, Luna simultaneously placing her head on Celestias's shoulder. Both sighed in content
Philimena flew out of Luna's mane and landed on the ground letting out a small tried chirp, with eyes still a little closed. The two alicorn's looked at her "Aw did you have a nice sleep" Celestia said smiling. The phoenix looked at them and gave a small nod, before waking up properly by shaking her head which caused Luna to give off a slight giggle. Phililmena waddled over to the lake the two were looking at and looked at her own reflection, cocking her head. The fillies followed suit giggling at the little birds confusion.
Suddenly the water erupted and something green jumped out onto Celestias face, causing the two to fall on their backs and squeal a little. Celestia looked in horror as she opened her eyes to see a small green slimy creature cling to her face, She let out a terrified scream, which caused Luna to wince and cover her ears. Celestia got up and started running around repetitively screaming "get it off, get it off" as she did.
Luna soon came to her senses and stood up, looking at Celestia who was running around screaming. She then saw there was a small creature hanging on for dear life onto her sisters face, it was a frog. Luna just stood there watching until she let succumbed her laughter, falling on the ground unable to control her laughter.
Celestia ran around scared until she triped over a small rock landing face first onto the grass, The frog was still clinging on and celestia was still whimpering "get it off" but quieter. Luna quickly stopped laughing and came to her sisters aid, lifting the little frog off her head and placing it down on the floor. Celestia looked up to see Luna grinning at her, she frowned and slowly got up wiping the dirt of her self "It wasn't funny" Celestia said girlishly.
"you scared that poor frog half to death" Luna said petting the little thing in her foreleg, shaking a little "he said he wasn't very happy about that"
"Well he shouldn't have scared me so-" Celestia paused as she took in most of what Luna said "Wait said? its a frog it cant talk" Celestia said factually and confused
"I can talk to most animals if they let me" Luna said nicely petting the calmed frog in her hooves
Celestia felt even more confused, Since when did her little sister learn to talk to animals? She then remembered that luna was still a little filly and was probably imagined it until luna said
"Untamed Darkness taught me how to do it, but it only works if the animal allows me to talk to it"
Fathers friend Celestia thought, He could speak to all animals mabey it wasn't her sisters imagination.
"Well tell him that it wasn't nice to scare me like that" Celestia said crossing her forelegs and looking away
Luna focused on the frog intently, Her horn sparked for a moment and then stopped "He says that hes sorry about that, he didn't see us because of the sun light and is very sorry"
The frog put its head down and nodded weakly, Celestia looked around to see this and nodded back "Oh i guess its fine" she said
the frog perked up and looked at luna communicating with her via her magic, luna soon answered "it was very nice to meet you too" Luna placed the frog down and it hopped gleefully back into the water, Luna waving goodbye as it vanished into the water.
"Wow Luna you surprise me all the time" Celestia said looking at the confused philamena who was still looking at the water, completely oblivious to what just happened
"Thanks tia" Luna siad giggling
The two suddenly stopped as they heard a noise in the bushes that surround the area, It was a grumble noise like what somepony would make if they were angry but it was a louder deeper sound
"Tia What was that" Luna said looking around trying to figure where it was coming from. Celestia was also searching for the source.
Another louder grumble noise came from the bushes right in front of them, Both fillies could now tell where the sound came from and started walking towards it "Hello is anypony there" Celestia asked but got no answer.
The two were now inches away from the bush and the noise grew even louder, Celestia placed her wing in front of her sister to stop her walking any closer. Which caused a small confused face from her, then realizing her sister was protecting her she nodded. Celestia moved closer to the bush nearly able to touch it with her hoof, she was sweating as she did so almost afraid to do so. Thinking if she did move the bush to take a look at the source, the creature behind it could attack.
Celestia shook her head and drowned out the thoughts, hoping it would be just a wounded animal in need of help. She then found the courage to quickly push the bush out of the way, she cringed and closed one eye as she did. Realizing the noise had gone she looked to see nothing but grass and branches around her. "thats odd" she thought, still rummaging through the bush.
Luna was watching her sister looking through the bush, also a little curious into why her sister could not find the source of the nose. Luna sat her down and cocked her head "Tia it was probably the wind" she shouted to her sister. Luna suddenly felt a tingle in her muzzle but shrugged it off, still looking at her sisters rump peeking out of the foliage
"Boo" a voice whispered right into Luna's ear which caused her to make her eyes go wide and jump flaring her wings, squealing a little and facing what was behind her. It was nothing except philimena catching up to her, flying into her mane once again.
"Lulu" Celestia shouted worryingly pushing her self out of the bush as fast as she could and turning around, horn lit in case of trouble. Her horn went back to normal and saw Luna looking away from her "Luna whats wrong" she asked confused, still bits of branch in her mane.
Luna turned around and faced Celestia "i dont know" luna said her voice nasally "i thought i heard something"
Celestia then grew a massive grin on her face at what she saw and broke down in laughter
"What" luna said cocking her head "whats so-" Luna trailed off as she began to realize what her voice was off, she then felt her muzzle and felt a round object there. Luna panicked, her sister still laughing. She quickly ran to the lake and looked at her reflection, there she saw a large red object on the end of her nose, she gaped her mouth open in shock. She then began to try and pull it off but to no avail, The red nose was stuck on her.
Luna faced Celestia angrily who was still laughing "its not funny" she said "its stuck on i cant get it off" this made Celestia laugh even more, which made Luna even more angry. Making her face go a deeper shade of blue than it normally was. Before Luna could reply however Celestia's laughter was joined by another, it sounded like a colt. The laughter was coming from behind Luna, this caused Celestia to stop and look behind Luna. Luna too turned around slowly and a little scared, but once she did the two fillies set eyes on a strange creature on its back and laughing hysterically.