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// Lost in the Pages of a Book 
// Story: A Storm of Pages: A Game of Friendship 
// by JTHailstorm 
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	“It always goes wrong.” Twilight Sparkle said. The sound of hoofsteps resonated as Rainbow Dash slowly became aware.
Rainbow Dash could barely make those words out as she groggily sat up. Her surroundings were different the only sight that wasn’t different was the sight of Twilight anxiously pacing. Slowly regaining her faculties she trotted over to Twilight.
“So…it backfired?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Yes it did.” Twilight Sparkle said. The worry on her face was so conspicuous that one didn’t need to ask if something was wrong. “This is bad.” She turned from Rainbow and continued along the path she worn down in her worried state. “This is so bad.”
“Bad? Why don’cha just use your magic to get us out of here?” Rainbow Dash suggested.
“I would if the others were here.” Twilight Sparkle sighed. Her head hung in shame. “This is really bad.” 
“How is it bad? We just have to find the others and get out of here.” Rainbow Dash said. She smiled but it quickly dwindled after Twilight glared at her. “Lemme guess, it’s not going to be easy.”
“It’s definitely not going to be easy.”  Twilight Sparkle said.
“So what do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“First we need to evaluate our surroundings and figure out where we’re at.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Right!” Rainbow Dash said. She instantly took off and smashed into the ceiling. Once again she found her way to the ground. “Ow.” Rubbing her head with her forehoof she looked around at the room around her. 
The ceiling was low, there was a large opening to the outside, and they were in cold castle-like place. There was a large mahogany table in the center of the room with a map of the world and little figurines. 
“My head hurts…” Rainbow Dash said. She fell to the ground and lay there still holding her hoof to her head. “I’m just gonna lay here.”
Twilight trotted over to the table and started looking over the map and then she spotted a few books on the table.
“Interesting.”
“I don’t feel good.” 
“You’ll be fine.” Twilight started fumbling through the pages of a book titled: The Legends of Equesteros. Rainbow Dash remained on the floor groaning about the pain. “Hmm, I think I know where we’re at.” 
“Is there a hospital nearby?” 
“Stop whining. I think we are in the book I was reading as a break from studying.” 
“Wait, you read a book to take a break from another book?” 
“Don’t question my logic…” Twilight used her magic and placed the book next to Rainbow. “Anyway, if I am correct we are in a war room.” She trotted around and looked at the banners. Rainbow slowly got up and looked at the book. 
She noticed a letter marking a page and she pulled it out and looked it over. The seal was broken and it appeared as though it was once crumpled up.
“Lord Stoic Burning Heart, it is requested by the king that you return to the Red Roost immediately.” Rainbow Dash read aloud. Twilight excitedly ran over to Dash, pushing her aside to look at the letter.
“Stoic! He’s the brother of the king.” 
“Brother?” 
“We are in the book, A Tune of Snow and Flames!” 
“Lame, why couldn’t we be stuck in a Daring Do book?” 
“Just think about it. We are in the epic book written by Gale R.R. Martingale.” There was a twinkle in Twilight’s eyes.
“I still think we should’ve been in a Daring Do book.” Rainbow looked down at her own hooves and noticed she was dressed in clothes. “Oh hey, we are wearing clothes.”
“Indeed we are. Interesting, why didn’t I notice that?” She looked at Rainbow who messed around with the sleeves of her jerkin. “Wait that can’t be right?” 
“What?”
“I should be…no…what?” Twilight looked at her jerkin. “Rainbow what’s the symbol on my collar?”
“An onion.” 
“WHY?” Twilight fell to the ground and started rocking back and forth.
“I’m so confused.” Rainbow Dash shrugged it off and made her way to the table. She started moving the figurines around while Twilight had a mini-meltdown. After several minutes Twilight composed herself enough to stand next to Rainbow Dash.
“I still don’t know why I have to be Sir Onion.”
“Because you are here to help me take on the ponies that oppose me…or whatever they are.” She pointed to a figure of an apple on the map. “I have a feeling they are up to no good.”
“I guess I can help you…and I think we need to unite the kingdoms with friendship.”
“Yes friendship.” She moved a storm cloud over a spot on the map.
“I wonder where the others are.” Twilight looked down at the map and noticed the cloud was over The Stormy Keep. There was an Apple over Salt Pike, a diamond over the Red Roost, a butterfly over a place called Snowstorm, a balloon over Canterstone, a purple alicorn next to the storm cloud, and a dragon next to the storm cloud. “Rainbow, do you want to know what I think?”
“We are forever trapped in a non-Daring Do book?”
“No, I think the pieces on this map represent each of us.”
“There’s seven pieces…and there are six of us.”
“Seven if you include Spike.” 
“I was wondering what the dragon figurine was.”  She picked up the dragon and tossed it aside but it magically found it’s way back to the side of the storm cloud. “What the what? I thought…wait what?”
“It seems as though we are attached to the pieces just like I…”
“You planned this?” 
“No.”
“Well I guess we have to find Spike then?” 
“Yes.” 
“TWILIGHT!” Spike cried out. He ran into the room and closed the door behind him. “I swear I didn’t fall asleep when you were talking about what you were doing. I swear. Don’t throw me in the dungeon.” The purple dragon groveled at Twilight’s hooves as he begged for mercy. Twilight took a step back but Spike clung to her like glue. She rolled her eyes then used her magic to pry the crying dragon off of her. 
“Hey look it’s Spike.” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight placed the crying Spike next to Rainbow Dash where he instantly grabbed a hold of her. “Spike, get off.” Once he realized that he was clinging to Rainbow Dash he backed away and started cowering.
“Oh…sorry Rainbow Dash.” Spike said.
“Well we found one…now we have to find the others.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Looks like we have to go to Snowstorm, Canterstone, Salt Pike, and the Red Roost.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Hmm…I wonder.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“You wonder why I’m Lord what’s-his-face and why you are an onion?” Rainbow Dash said.
“Wouldn’t that make you a lady?” Spike asked.
“No, I wonder if we can get a letter to the others explaining things.” Twilight Sparkle said. She looked down at the cowering dragon. “Spike.”
“Let me guess…you want me to take a letter.” Spike said. 
“Yes.” Twilight Sparkle said. 
“Fine.” Spike said. 
They began work on a letter to send to the others or at least attempt to send letters. Rainbow Dash found a comfortable spot on the floor underneath the table and fell asleep. 


A few rewrites and letter send offs later.


“There that should do it.” Twilight Sparkle said as Spike sent the last letter off. Rainbow Dash woke up hitting her head and thus knocking her out.
“That was hard work.” Spike said.
“We should really get Rainbow Dash out from underneath the table.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“I’d help but my claw is kinda cramping up.” Spike said. Twilight rolled her eyes and used her magic to drag Rainbow Dash out from under the table. “Do you think the letters will get to them?”
“Hopefully, if not, Princess Celestia is going to be reading letters that won’t make sense to her.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“So do we have to wait for Rainbow Dash to wake up?” Spike asked.
“Yes, yes we do.” Twilight Sparkle said. With a sigh both sat down by Rainbow Dash and waited.

Meanwhile Applejack wakes up in the captain’s cabin. With no recollection of how she got there she began searching for her hat. She searched high and low but there was no hat to be found. 
With a sigh she resigned her search and fell into the bed. When she blinked a letter materialized before her eyes.
“What in tarnation?” Applejack exclaimed. She opened the letter and started reading it. Everything made no sense to her whatsoever.
“Well this looks like it’s gonna be messier than a pie eatin’ contest at Appleloosa.” She said. She started looking at letters and trying to figure out who she’s supposed to be. “Well Twilight said Ah’d be somepony other than me…”
After reading several letters between two ponies she established that she replaced a pony by the name of Black Wind Grey Feather. 
“Sounds like a pegasus name…well this is gonna be a problem.” She got up and found a captain’s hat then placed it on her head. “However Ah’ll be the best darn seapony anypony’s known.” She ran out on deck and the crew stopped what they were doing.
“Uh…milady?” The first mate said.
“Ahem. Well crew, let’s git sailin’.” Applejack ordered.
“Yeah!” The crew cheered. They started working harder and the sail was hoisted. 
“Yeehaw!” Applejack cheered. The kraken on her collar glowed and so did her eyes. “We be a plunderin’ too.” She grinned maliciously.

Back to The Stormy Keep, Rainbow Dash woke up once more in the strange room. She glanced around and Twilight was sitting beside her reading a book. Twilight’s wing was draped over her in a warm embrace.
“Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked. 
“Oh you’re awake.” Twilight Sparkle said, quickly pulling her wing away and blushing. “How…is…we got letters back from the others. Well except Applejack.” 
“So…something happened to Applejack?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Maybe but her figure departed from Salt Pike and is currently at sea.” Twilight Sparkle said. Rainbow Dash got up and walked over to the table and watched the apple move slowly. 
“Well I guess we have to go look for Applejack.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Yes.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Wait what?” Rainbow Dash asked. At that moment the snot bubble coming out of Spike’s nose popped. He woke up in a puddle of drool and also discovered he was all the way across the room.
“Huh? Oh hey, Rainbow’s awake.” Spike said. He rubbed his eyes then made his way over to the two ponies. 
“So…do they know what they are to do? And how did they send return letters to you?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Apparently this world has this special spell that can send letters instantaneously.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“So they have something that makes Spike useless.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Hey!” Spike exclaimed.
“He can do other things.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“That servants in this world can do.” Rainbow Dash said.
“I can fight.” Spike said.
“I think he’s supposed to be your squire or something like that.” Twilight Sparkle said. Spike started posing but Rainbow Dash ignored him.
“We need to get to the others.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Notice me, Dashie senpai.” Spike said. He tugged on Rainbow Dash’s jerkin but she pushed him away with her wing.
“Yes we need to gather the others and get out of here before something bad happens.” Twilight Sparkle said. 
“Well shouldn’t we start gathering more information on this place?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I’ve been doing that and I just have to figure out what point of the book we’re at.” Twilight Sparkle said. 
“Wait, are we supposed to go with the storyline?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I think so…it would be too convenient. To just show up in the world and just mess around.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Well what do I do?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“You are gathering evidence to force the Golden Arbors to step away from the throne, or at least that’s what I got out of it.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Golden Arbors?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“A member of the Golden Arbor family is married to your older brother, Robust Burning Heart. Your brother is the king and there’s this whole conspiracy about the Golden Arbors killing the former hoof of the king because of his knowledge of the fact that your brother did not father any of the princes or princess.” Twilight Sparkle explained. Rainbow Dash shot a confused look at her friend. The Stag on her collar lit up along with her eyes.
“I understand now. They are not to be trusted, but I need evidence to prove my claim.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Wow that was quick.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Uh…Twilight, something is wrong about this whole thing.” Spike said.
“There’s nothing to worry about, we’ll get to a point where we’ll all meet and then we can get out of here.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“I hope you’re right.” Spike said.
“I hope so too…for friendship’s sake.” Twilight Sparkle said. She watched as the apple continued to scoot along the ocean. “Hopefully friendship can keep us all strong.”