"You sure you want to go to the library?" Applejack asked. "I mean it's no problem to take you, but I don't see what you could find there that you couldn't find back in Canterlot."
"It's not about where we can find it... I hope," Twilight responded. "It's more about the fact that, if we're right, we kind of have to find out about it before the celebration. The whole of Equestria could possibly depend on it."
"Heh," Applejack let out a nervous chuckle. "No pressure or nothing then." She shifted. "Out of curiosity... what exactly do you expect to happen?"
"The King of Shadows is going to return," Twilight answered, getting a burst of laughter from Applejack.
"You mean that ol' story about a king that could turn to smoke and wanted to make ponies his slaves? You actually believe that silly old bedtime story?"
"Applejack," Fluttershy scolded, getting a look from the mare. The earth pony looked over toward Twilight, who had her ears pinned down and was looking at the ground.
"Aw, shoot," Applejack mutter. "I'm sorry sugar cube. I don't mean nothing."
"It's fine," Twilight said with a sigh. "Pretty much the same reaction I've gotten from nearly everypony that I've told... except Fluttershy and Luna."
"So, you three known each other fer long?"
"Actually... we just met last night."
Applejack stopped and turned, looking at Fluttershy and Twilight.
"Seriously?"
"Yes," Fluttershy replied with a nod.
"Huh." Applejack started walking again. "Way you two were actin' I figured ya knew each other fer quite a while."
Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle looked at each other for a moment, but said nothing.
"Alright," Applejack announced. "Here it is: The Golden Oak Library."
There in front of them was what looked like a large tree. It had windows, a door, even an observation deck built up in its branches. Out in front of it was a sign with an open book on it.
"Yes!" Twilight called out, running toward the door. Her horn glowed as she ran toward door. "Now's my chance to-"
The rest of her sentence was lost as she slammed into the door.
"What?" the unicorn cried out. She grabbed the nob and twisted in both directions. She pulled on it. She pushed on it. She shook it. She even gave the door a good swift kick.
"Why is it locked?!" she shouted, glaring at the door.
"I guess that nopony unlocked it this morning," Applejack said.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "Isn't that what the librarian is supposed to do?"
"We don't have a librarian."
"WHAT?!" Twilight grabbed Applejack, looking her in the eye. "How can you not have a librarian?"
"The old one retired a couple months ago and nopony has taken the job since."
"You mean," Twilight's eyes went wide, "the library has been closed? For months?" One of her eyes twitched.
"N-no," Applejack replied. "I didn't say that. Normally somepony comes by in the morning to unlock the place and in the evening to lock it back up. I guess that nopony did it this morning."
Slowly, Fluttershy moved and placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.
"It's okay, Twilight. We can go get the key and-"
"No," Twilight snapped. "We don't need to do that." She started to grin and run around.
"I just need to take a look inside and see how it looks. Then I can teleport inside and unlock the door to let you ponies in."
"No," Fluttershy said.
"What?" Twilight asked, her voice squeaking.
"I said 'no,'" Fluttershy repeated. "I am not letting you break into the library. It's wrong. Especially since we have an impressionable young filly with us."
"But...but...but..." Twilight sputtered.
"Do you really want to have to explain why you were arrested for breaking into a library."
Twilight thought about it a moment before letting out a sigh as her shoulders sagged.
"No," she admitted. "But come on. What are the chances of us getting caught?"
"Pretty good if you ask me," a voice called out behind them, causing Twilight to tense with her eyes going wide. She turned around, grinning nervously.
Rainbow Dash stood there, without her armor.
"How...how long have you been there?" Twilight asked.
"Long enough to hear you talk about teleporting into the library," Rainbow replied. "I just finished my shift and came to see if I could find you." She took a step forward. "Imagine my surprise when I overhear you talking about committing unlawful entry." Her eyes narrowed as she pointed a hoof at the unicorn.
"Oh...about that... Well.... you see...uh..."
"Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said as she took a step forward, "could you help us get into the library? You do work for the town guard after all."
"Well..." Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin as she thought for a moment. "I suppose that since you are representatives of the princess and the library is public property, I could give you permission as a guard to enter provided you don't damage anything. It would be my responsibility after all."
"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean, we don't want to get you into any trouble."
"I'll have to fill some paperwork out later," Rainbow Dash groaned, rolling her eyes, "but it should hold up. Besides, the Mayor's office is closed for the day. So otherwise you won't be able to get in until after the celebration."
"I'll take it," Twilight called out before vanishing in a puff of magic.
Less than a minute later, the door opened.
"Okay," Twilight said as the others came in, "we need to find a book about The Elements of Harmony. It was supposed to be how The Princess of Time was able to defeat The King of Shadows a thousand years ago."
"King of Shadows?" Rainbow asked. "That's what this is about?" She let out a groan and moved to look at one of the shelves. The others moved to shelves as well, searching through the books to see what they could find. Several minutes passed as the four mares -- and eventually a filly -- continued to look at the titles of the books and sometimes pulling one out to scan through the pages.
"'Elements of Harmony,'" Luna read from the spine of one book.
"You found it?" Twilight called out, running over. She pulled the book from the shelf and started flipping the pages.
"Yes I did," Luna said with a grin, puffing up with pride.
"And we're very proud," Fluttershy added, nuzzling the filly.
Twilight Sparkle continued to flip through the book, scanning the pages.
"Here we go," she said as she stopped on a page. She began to read. "'There are six Elements of Harmony. Five of them are known: Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Laughter. It is said that when a spark is introduced, the five Elements will reveal the sixth one."
"Spark?" Rainbow Dash repeated. "What does that mean?"
"We still need to know where they are," Fluttershy replied.
"Hold on." Twilight flipped through a couple pages. "Ah, here we go. 'The last known location of The Elements is in the remains of The Castle of Time, located in... The Everfree Forest?'"
"No," Rainbow Dash called out. "No way. No how. This is where I draw the line."
"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. "You know where The Everfree Forest is?"
"Yes I know where it is," Rainbow replied. "We live right beside it. And you are not going in there on this wild goose chase. That place is dangerous. The only one even close to a pony I know that has been able to come out of there alive is Zecora, and that's because she is actually crazy enough to live out there. There is no way I am letting you go out there."
"But it might be the only way to stop The King of Shadows," Twilight said, moving closer to Rainbow Dash.
"Fine," Rainbow yelled back. "If -- IF -- The King of Shadows actually does return, then I will escort you into The Everfree Forest so you can try to look for The Elements of Harmony. But only -- and I mean only -- if it turns out that he is real."
"Really?" Twilight asked.
"Really," Dash repeated.
"Swear on your cutie mark."
"What?"
"I said 'swear on your cutie mark.'" Twilight pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash's flank.
Rainbow looked at it. There on her side was a comet. The dot that made the comet proper was a white spot. Behind it was a red, yellow and blue contrail following. The entire mark had a slight curve to it.
"Seriously?" Rainbow looked at Twilight again. "I thought only foals did something like that."
"Do it."
"Ugh. Fine." She placed a hoof on her cutie mark. "I, Rainbow Dash, do hereby swear on my cutie mark that should The King of Shadows return, I will escort you, Twilight Sparkle, and any other pony who wishes to go, into The Everfree Forest to seek out The Castle of Time and The Elements of Harmony."
"Deal." Twilight grabbed Rainbow's hoof and shook it. Rainbow Dash tilted her head and looked at Twilight Sparkle as they shook hooves.
"What makes you so sure this going to happen, anyways?"
"... I don't know..." Twilight finally admitted. "It's.... It's hard to explain. Sometimes it just seems like my mind is having all these thoughts and making all these connections without my realizing it. It could be something helpful, like how a spell is supposed to work, or something that I can't understand myself, like this. I just... I know it's true."
Twilight shifted, shuffling her hooves and looking down at them. Her ear gave a twitch as she felt like everypony was staring at her.
"Alright," Rainbow Dash said. "I believe you."
"What?" Twilight asked, looking at the pegasus in confusion.
"I said I believe you. I hope to Tartarus and back that you are wrong though."
"I..." Twilgiht blinked, her mind still reeling. "Thank you?"
"Don't thank me yet." Rainbow Dash got up and started for the door. "Thank me after the celebration is over, one way or the other. Now if you'll excuse me." She rubbed at her forehead. "I think I need to take a nap."