The Royal Sisters led Lauren into the grandest room of the castle; in the throne room with its marble columns, silk banners, and the soft velvet red carpet that lead to the throne itself. Lauren saw both sides of the room had a collection of several stain glass windows that depicted the sisters, some colorful ponies, a dragon and-
She stopped to look at that particular window. Below a huge, almost glowing, blue heart was a short dragon, with its arms that seemed to be expressing joy, looking up at the heart above.
“Is that Spike?” Lauren asked. The sisters stopped to see what she was looking at.
“Indeed he is,” Celestia confirmed.
Lauren took a few steps forward to get a closer look. “You sure? The Spike from the show is colored differently. The one I know was pink; this one's purple.”
“I assure you, my dear, that is truly Spike the dragon. One who had been given a huge honor some time ago.”
“For what?”
“He saved an Empire,” Luna answered. “The Crystal Empire to be exact. Over there, as well as here, he’s considered a hero for saving it.”
“Crystal Empire? I don’t think I've heard of it.”
“Well, imagine a huge city that everything is made entirely out of crystals, even some of the ponies there are made out of crystal.”
“That sounds like a weird place to live,” Lauren commented, scratching her head. “I mean, I guess it might look pretty. But why would you want to live in a place where everything is made out of crystal? It just sounds weird to me.”
Before either of the princesses could respond, a guard’s cry of “INCOMING!!” rang out. And the next thing that Lauren knew, she was tackled to the ground and being rolled over several times by a pink blur.
When it stopped, she looked up to be face to face with a very, very pink pony. A pony that said, “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie, what’s your name?” ending it with the widest smile Lauren’s ever seen.
“Uh, Lauren?”
“Funny name, I don’t think I've ever met a Lauren before, so what does it mean? And why do you walk on your hind legs? Where you’re from? Why are you wearing pajamas this time of day? And do you like chocolate?”
“What?”
Pinkie quickly answered her at the speed of light: “I asked do you like chocolate, I was just thinking that maybe since you’re new and all, and I ought to make you a dozen chocolate cupcakes just to welcome you. Which reminds me, do you want to come down to Ponyville where Sugar Cube Corner is so we can throw you a ‘Welcome-to-Equestria-Lauren-party’? I’ll get the whole town so we can have some cake, some games, a few pranks and some of that you-haven’t-lived-until-you-have-Berry-Punch’s-punch. Wanna come?”
Lauren turned to the princesses, “What did she say?”
“I believe Ms. Pie is inviting you to a party,” Luna assumed. "At least, I think she is."
“Pinkie, wait up!” Lauren turned to the huge doors to find a few more ponies plus a dragon come trotting in. Except for Applejack and Spike, she didn't recognize any four other ponies.
As soon as they came into the room, they bowed respectively, and the purple unicorn went up to the royal sisters. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, we came as soon as we could.”
Celestia smiled, “I’m glad you came, my faithful student, along with your friends.”
“Um, who are they?” Lauren asked.
“Allow me to introduce you to them. This here is my personal student, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Wait, she’s Twilight? It can’t be her.”
“And why not?” both Celestia and Twilight asked.
“The Twilight I know isn't all purple, she’s mostly pink and has striped purple and white hair, and she has three purple stars on-”
“You mean my mother?” Twilight questioned. "It kind of sounds like her, except she's gray." Suddenly a thought came to Lauren’s head, ‘What if this is actually Twilight’s daughter?’ However, that still didn't explain Applejack and Spike still looking as young as they were in the show.
“Anyway,” Celestia continued the introductions. “This here is Applejack.”
“Howdy there stranger,” the familiar orange pony greeted her with a tip of her hat.
“This here is Fluttershy,” the yellow Pegasus only made a small nod.
“This is Rarity,” the pony with an elaborate black and yellow feathery hat gave a respectful nod.
“And this is Spike the dragon.”
“Hey,” he said giving a wave.
“And this is-” Celestia was cut off when the blue pegasus with a mane and tail of a rainbow flew up to Lauren.
“Hey, name’s Rainbow.” She reached out a hoof to Lauren, in which she shook it, “Rainbow Awesome Danger Dash, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria; and you?”
“Lauren.”
“No need to introduce me, Princess,” Pinkie said now bouncing her way back to her friends.
“Um, excuse me, your majesties,” Fluttershy quietly said raising a hoof. “If neither of you minds me asking, but what kind of animal is that?” She asked, pointing towards Lauren, “I don’t think I remember ever seeing anything like it before.”
“Neither do I,” Twilight stated “and this is coming from a pony who read twenty-seven different books on zoology and cryptozoology several times. Princesses, what is it? Is this the reason why we’re here?”
“Why yes, Twilight,” Luna answered. “The arrival of this human is why.”
Fluttershy took a few steps closer towards Lauren. “She doesn't seem too dangerous. Um, a-are you dangerous?”
“No?” Lauren answered but still puzzled on why she’d ask that.
“Oh, okay.”
“You know, you kinda remind me somebody from the show. You’re kinda like Posey in a way.”
“Who?”
“Posey, she’s really shy but likes to take care of flowers. Oh, and has a little bird to help her out.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I've heard of her.”
“And you know what?” Lauren said, taking a step closer to Rainbow and Pinkie Pie. “You’re like Surprise only older, don’t have wings and you have different colors.”
“Surprise?" Pinkie questioned, "There’s somepony who’s just like me out there? If that were the case I would really like to meet a pony named Surprise!”
“And you," Lauren pointed towards the colorful pegasus, "if I didn't know it; I would say you remind me of Firefly.”
“Firefly? Never heard of Firefly, what’s the pony like?”
“She’s a pegasus like you only she’s pink and has blue hair. Oh, and she has some blue lightning marks where your mark is.”
“Hmm… Yeah, never heard of her.”
“Excuse me, darling,” Lauren turned to the white unicorn. “Don’t think of me as rude or uncivil when I ask this, but what are you wearing?”
“My pajamas.”
“Your pajamas? And this early in the evening? Dear, it looks filthy, and not to say that the design of it is not particularly flattering. Especially when you’re in front of the-”
“Rarity,” Celestia stopped her from saying anything further. Lauren turned around and for a moment, she could have sworn that she saw a fire in her eyes. “I do not mind how she looks; I understand the circumstances of how she got to be that way. Now, Lauren, if you don’t-”
“Knock-knock,” Celestia was interrupted when somebody said those words. It sounded to Lauren that it came from right behind her when she looked, she screamed.
“MONSTER!” she screeched, running over to hide behind Celestia.
“Well that’s one way of saying ‘Hello’,” it said. Lauren looked at the thing that looked like as if it was made from Dr. Frankenstein lab. The creature was made out of many parts of other animals. It had horns, a pair of wings and a tail, all of which were mitch-matched together to form what she was seeing.
“Oh, hello Discord,” Luna said dryly, “May I ask why you are here?”
“To drop by and to give Celestia this little report,” Discord pulled from behind his back a little scroll. “Just as promised by-the-way, but I couldn't help but notice this little thing.” He pointed to the only human in the room, “Oh, and that little piece of name calling was rather rude you know.”
“Forgive her, she’s very new here,” Celestia said, turning to Lauren behind her. “It’s alright, I promise you that he will not harm you, we’ll make sure of it.”
Lauren stepped out from her hiding place.
“Come now, I don’t bite very often, there's no need to be afraid of me.” Discord slithered his way over to Lauren, “In fact, why are you afraid of me? Is it because of how I look?”
“Well… Yeah,” Lauren confessed.
Discord sighed, “Why am I not surprised? Look, how about we start over? The name’s Discord, ex-Lord and reformed spirit of Chaos. And you?”
“Lauren. Lauren Faust.” As soon as those words reached Discord’s ears, he gave her a funny look. He turned to the princesses.
“Is she really…?” Discord asked.
“She is,” Celestia nodded.
“She… S-She’s here!” Discord was shaking at this point. With a snap from his lion’s paw, he was wearing an orange lifejacket. “IT’S EVERY STALLION, MARE, AND FILLY FOR THEMSELVES!!!” And jumped out of a window, swimming away in the air as quickly as it could.
“What’s gotten into him?” Lauren asked.
“He’s… unique,” Luna answered.
“Now what jus' happen?” Applejack asked, “That’s gotta be tha first time I've ever seen Discord that scared.”
“Perhaps I should explain,” Celestia said before turning to Lauren. “Excuse me Lauren, but would you and Spike please wait outside while my sister and I talk with Twilight and her friends?”
“I get to hang out with a dragon?” Lauren went over to Spike, “Do you like to draw?” She asked him.
“Eh, not that good at it,” Spike confessed.
“No, just for fun. You don’t have to be good at it.”
“Guards,” Luna got the guard's attention at the doorway. “Would you fetch some paper and something to draw with for them while they wait?”
The guards did as they were told. “Now don’t worry, Lauren; we’ll make sure we won’t take too long,” Luna ensured her.
Soon enough, Lauren and Spike stepped outside of the throne room, and the doors behind them were closed.
“So your majesties, would you explain what this is about?” Rarity asked.
Celestia told them, “All of you are going to need to sit down for this one...”