//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Concerning Ponyville 
// Story: Lord of the Ponies: The Fellowship of Harmony 
// by ColvaMoon5 
//------------------------------//

	Near the edge of the village of Ponyville, a young white filly, with a light purple and pink mane, was reading a book up against a tree.  She then began to hear a quiet sound of singing.

The road goes ever on and on, down from the door that we began.

Sweetie Belle, knowing what the voice belonged to, bolted for the road.  When she arrived, she saw a stallion pulling a cart, and, sitting on the cart, was a blue mare with a aqua mane.

"You're late," Sweetie Belle said, sounding quite annoyed.  The mare had the cart stopped, and then looked at her with an equally stern look.

"A wizard is never late, Sweetie Belle," the mare said, "Let alone an alicorn.  Nor is she early.  She arrives PREcisely when she means to."

The two just stared at each other for moments, keeping stern looks.  But soon the two faces were fighting the urge to laugh.  It was the alicorn who broke the stand off, and she began to laugh.  Sweetie Belle began laughing in response.

"It's wonderful to see you, Luna!" Sweetie Belle yelled as she jumped into Luna's front hooves, and the two hugged.

"You didn't think I would miss Granny Smith's birthday, did you?"

The two then continued on the path into Ponyville, where some of the residents even stopped to say hello.

"So," Sweetie Belle exclaimed, "tell me what's going on in Equestria, tell me everything."

"Everything?" Luna replied, both shocked and honored by her curiosity, "For a simple Ponyville unicorn, you are far to curious, very unusual, but a good unusual.  Well, what to tell you?  Life in this world has been much like it has been the past centuries.  Full of it's comings and goings.  Not a trouble for miles that concerned Ponyville."  Luna then sighs, "For which I am very grateful."

Luna then notices the Ponyville School.  "Shouldn't you be at school,"  She teased, already knowing why she wasn't.

"Luna," Sweetie playfully whines, "school's out for the summer!"  She then had a look of both curiosity, and concern.  "Luna?"

"Hhmm?"

"Why do are you such good friends with Granny?"

"After the incident with Nightmare Moon," Luna said, a small frown forming on her face, "as well as your sister and her friends 'curing' me, I was ridiculed by most of the ponies."

"But what about the flowers those fillies gave you when you came back?"

"They just did that out of respect, since my sister was there.  Besides Twilight and her friends, no one even wanted me around."

"How does this relate to..."

"I'm getting there.  One day I visited Sweet Apple Acres, most of the Apples just bolted at the sight of me.  Not Granny.  She yelled 'Quit your bellyaching, you yellow-belly nucklebrains!  If the princess is sorry for what she did, then you should forgive her.'"  Luna then smiled, "She became my second true friend."

"Who was the first?"

"A little, blind pegasus.  I'll tell you more about her later, but, how is the old rascal?  I hear it's gonna be a party of special magnificents."

"You know Granny.  She's got the whole place in an uproar."

"Oh, no surprise there."

"All of Ponyville's been invited, as well as half of Canterlot."

"Oh, by my sister." Luna feigned surprise.

"Granny's planning something."

"Uhhu."

"Okay then, keep your secrets.  I'll just have to ask that coltfriend of yours."  Luna then went on the defensive, "Oh, you leave him out of this, you little squirt." Luna yelled playfully.

Little children started calling out to the Night Princess as they gathered a short distance behind her cart, to see if she would talk to them.  Luna, however, just kept going, and the children began to groan in disappointment.

"Watch this," Luna whispered to Sweetie Belle.  Luna then bucked one of the three large boxes located in the back of the cart, causing it to open.  Small fireworks then bursted out, delighting the children.  Sweetie Belle could only smile as Luna gave a light chuckle.

"A gift from Trixie, since she couldn't make it to the party."  As the cart neared Carousal Boutique, Sweetie began to jump off.  "Luna," she said, jumping off, "I'm glad you're back."

"So am I, dear Sweetie, so am I,"  Luna said as she had the cart directed towards Sweet Apple Acres.