//------------------------------// // The Letter // Story: Darkrim And The Elements Of Harmony // by Lunaexcelsior //------------------------------// While big plans were going down at Tartarus, Twilight was relaxing in her castle. The cutie map was surprisingly peaceful today. No weird cult like leaders trying to impose their philosophy onto their small town. No annoying yaks that threaten to start a war unless their requests have been met. Just her and ‘Starswirl’s advance astronomy’. Just as Twilight was relaxed, Spike came rushing in. “Urgent message from Princess Celestia,” Spike yelled as he carried the golden sealed letter. “I guess the constellations will have to wait.” Twilight sighed “What’s the urgent message, Spike?” “I don’t know,” Spike shrugged “I just got the letter. It seemed very important, so I didn’t want to open it.” Twilight smiled. “What would I do without you, Spike?” she said with a smile as she removed the seal from the letter. She gasped as she read the letter. “What’s wrong Twilight? Is there another creature attacking Equestria?” Spike asked worryingly. “No, nothing like that,” Twilight said “Here listen to the letter”, she said as she read the following text: “My dearest Princess Twilight, I am hereby inviting you and your friends to come to Canterlot Castle tonight at nine. I have a very special guest to introduce you to, and he has expressed his wish to meet you and the rest of the Elements of Harmony. He is a very crucial part in keeping Equestria’s diplomatic relationships with Tartarus and has been wrongfully dethroned. I hope that you and your friends can help my sister and I in guiding this wrongfully accused pony back to his rightful place. Sincerely, Princess Celestia” As she finished the letter, Spike felt his jaw drop to the floor. “Wait a sec,” he said while picking his jaw up from the floor “Did she say dethroned? As in ex royalty?” Twilight nodded. “This is big, Spike!” Twilight began to pace around the castle “What if I mess up? What if this prince doesn’t like me? What if the yak scenario repeats itself? I cannot take another Rutherford!” Twilight panicked. She began to hyperventilate as sweat beads were pouring out of her forehead. Spike knew something like this would happen. He walked up to Twilight and shook her shoulders. Twilight’s head banged back and forth, causing her eyes to roll inside her skull and her mane to become ruffled as Spike stopped. “Spike!" she yelled at the young drake as she blew out a strand of her mane “Why the hay would you do that for?” “Because you were going all ‘crazy Twilight’ again. I just wanted to snap you out,” Spike said “Now have you calmed down?” “A bit”, Twilight replied as she fixed up her mane. “Good,” Spike responded “You don’t know for sure how this prince will react and panicking about it won’t help you in the slightest. Just calm down and get the rest of your friends to visit this prince character. I am sure it will all work out just fine,” Spike said kindly, attempting to calm the lavender unicorn. Twilight smiled and hugged the baby drake as he finished. “This why you are my number one assistant, Spike,” she said to him. “Aww shucks Twi!” Spike blushed a bit at the compliment “Now come on! You gotta tell the others about this!” “You’re right!” Twilight replied “Celestia did say that he requested a meeting with other Elements as well.” As Twilight got ready something clicked in her mind. “Oh, I almost forgot to ask,” she said “Would you like to come with us?” “Nah.” Spike replied “I have a fresh stack of comic books with my name on them.” “Those things will just rot your brain,” Twilight said motherly. “Hey, you’re the one that always tell me I should read more,” Spike said as he went back to his room. Twilight rolled her eyes and exited her crystallized palace. She walked around Ponyville in search of her friends. First up on her list was Rainbow Dash. Twilight knew she could find her rainbow maned friend clearing up the clouds. It was a post-rain day, and a lot of those clouds still needed some good hoofing to make them go away. As she flew up, she could see Rainbow Dash was clearing out the sky. “Hey Twi, what’s up?” Rainbow greeted her friend. “Well we are, but that’s aside the point," Twilight joked “Princess Celestia has requested a meeting with us.” “And by us you mean…” Rainbow asked for confirmation. “The Elements of Harmony,” Twilight confirmed. “Oh cool!” Rainbow said “Hang on for a sec while I get rid of these pesky clouds and we’ll be good to go.” “Great!” Twilight clicked. Rainbow zoomed across the sky, kicking and rushing pass the clouds with less density, in order to destabilize them. In just a few seconds the entire sky was clear as if they never were there. “Wow, fifteen seconds,” Twilight said “Not bad, Dash.” “Yeah, well, there were a few sturdier ones,” Rainbow said defensively. “Sure,” Twilight rolled her eyes, “Now come on! We have to get the others as quick as we can, if we plan to get there in time!” “Alright, don’t get your tail in a twist, Twi,” Rainbow said as they descended from the skies and trotted through Ponyville “Why does the princess even want to meet us right now? Is there another monster? Because if there is,” Rainbow said, slamming her hoofs together. “No, no monster,” Twilight replied. “At least I hope so,” Twilight trailed off in her thoughts. “So if it’s not a monster, then what?” Rainbow asked her. “She wants us to meet a member of the Tartarus royal family,” Twilight said. “Wait a sec,” Rainbow interjected “There is royalty in Tartarus?” “Actually they have an entire culture down there!” Twilight began “It is a culture built around the principles of war and conquest. In fact the peaceful reign in Tartarus is around the same time as Celestia and Luna rose to power in Equestria, which was during the rule of Tartarian dragon ruler Terragon.” “How do you know so much about Tartarus?” Rainbow cocked a brow at Twilight. “I read about it while I was in Canterlot,” Twilight explained. “Of course,” Rainbow smirked as they entered Sugarcube Corner. “Oh hi dearies,” Mrs. Cake greeted the two ponies as they entered “Pinkie’s in the kitchen baking pies. Would you like me to get her for you?” “We’d appreciate it,” Twilight nodded her head, as Mrs. Cake went in to the kitchen. In just a few moments Pinkie Pie popped out of the kitchen with batter all over her face. “Pinkie what happened to your face?” Rainbow said, barely holding in her laughter. “Oh just a little baking accident that’s all,” Pinkie smiled as she licked her head clean in one, fairly impressive, lick. "What brings you here?” Pinkie asked “Do you need some cakes? Or pies? Or cupcakes? Or some Gummy cakes?” she laughed as she pulled out her pet alligator covered in cake frosting. “No thanks Pinkie,” Twilight chuckled “We just came to tell you that Princess Celestia has requested a meeting with the Elements of Harmony.” “Really?” Pinkie said surprised “What’s the occasion? Do we have to go in some land very very VERY far away to save some ponies? Or is another villain coming after a thousand year slumber and we have to defeat it? Or…” Pinkie began, but Rainbow just put a hoof on her mouth. “Actually, we are going to meet a prince from Tartarus,” Twilight said. Rainbow Dash removed her hoof from Pinkie’s mouth as she noticed that the pink party pony began to tremble and shake. Suddenly a loud, high pitched gasp flew out of Pinkie’s mouth. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” she began nervously shaking “I am going to meet a new pony! And he is from Tartarus! Oh, I have to start on the party planning right away. What do Tartarus pony like in a party? Come to think of it, I don’t know much about Tartarus other than it’s a big scary place where all the baddies go...” Pinkie began to ponder, but she quickly shook it off “But he must not be such a mean baddie if Celestia is vouching for him! Ahh this so exciting!!!” Pinkie hyperventilated. “I am glad you’re excited, Pinkie,” Twilight said, “but you have to calm down.” “You’re right, Twilight,” Pinkie said as she began to calm down, “But I just get so super extra excited when I meet new ponies from such weird places! It just makes me all super giddy,” Pinkie laughed “So, when are we leaving?” “Well,” Twilight began “Celestia said we should be there around nine.” “Then we have to get to the seven thirty train,” Pinkie began as she looked at the clock “And it’s already five! Come on guys we have to get the others!” Pinkie yelled as she almost rushed out, “I almost forgot! Mrs. Cake!” she called out “Yes Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake replied. “Is it alright if I take the rest of the day off? The princess has asked me to meet a new pony…” she began to make an excuse, but Mrs. Cake stopped her. “Say no more, Pinkie. If it’s for the Princess, you’re excused,” the blue pony smiled at her. “Thank you!” Pinkie said and hugged Mrs. Cake. She then turned her attention to Twilight and Rainbow. “Come on you silly Billies! We don’t want to be late, do we?” Pinkie yelled as she rushed out. Twilight and Rainbow looked at each other, a bit confused from what had just happened. “I guess we should follow her,” Twilight said. “Already on it,” Rainbow exclaimed as they rushed after Pinkie Pie. The three mares ran to the Carousel Boutique. The first one to rush in was Pinkie Pie. As she galloped in, Pinkie pulled herself to a quick stop as she noticed that Rarity was busy working on a new dress. She seemed to have been very concentrated on her work and Pinkie Pie didn’t want to disturb her. Twilight and Rainbow quickly joined her. “Umm, Rarity,” Twilight said as she slightly tapped the white unicorn on her shoulder. “What?!” Rarity snapped at her friends, making Twilight flinch a bit and the rest to step back. The white unicorn quickly realized her mistake. “Oh my,” Rarity said, covering her muzzle with her hooves “I am so sorry Twilight, I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I have been working on this new dress for Sapphire Shores for a few hours now and I am a bit on the edge,” Rarity apologized. “No problem, Rarity,” Twilight said “Is there anything we can do to help?” Rainbow glared at her. “No, it’s quite alright,” Rarity said, taking a towel and wiping the sweat beads off her forehead “I am nearly finished as is. So tell me girls, what brings you here?” “Well,” Twilight began, but Pinkie Pie jumped in. “Celestia wants us to meet a new pony!” she yelled. “Pinkie Pie, I was going to say that,” Twilight scolded her. “Really? Who is this new pony?” Rarity asked in surprise. “Well,” Twilight began “I don’t know for sure. All Celestia told me is that he is a dethroned prince of Tartarus. That’s all I know,” Twilight said. “I’ve never heard of Tartarus royalty. How fascinating,” Rarity began “Well, I will have to finish up this dress, before I can go anywhere. When did she say she wanted to meet us?” “At nine, but we are going to catch the seven thirty train to Canterlot,” Rainbow interjected. “That only gives me a little over two hours to make myself presentable!” Rarity exclaimed in panic. “That’s okay,” Pinkie said “We’ll meet ya there at the train station.” “I’ll see you then, darlings,” Rarity waved goodbye as the three ponies went to inform the remaining Elements. Next up on their list was Fluttershy. She was in the middle of feeding her little spoiled rabbit, Angel. “Now, Angel could you at least try to eat this,” she said offering some food pellets to the rabbit. He slowly hopped over to the brownish dry substance and sniffed it. It smelled okay enough, so he tried one. Fluttershy was getting her hopes up, but they were immediately shot down as Angel spat out the pellet and washed his tongue with water. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her cottage door. “We’ll try again some other time ,” Fluttershy said to Angel as she opened her door. As soon as she opened the door Fluttershy was greeted by the pleasant sight of three of her best friends. “Hi girls,” Fluttershy said “What brings you here?” “Celestia has invited us to meet up with a banished prince from Tartarus, tonight at her castle. Do you want to come?” Twilight asked Fluttershy. She knew how meeting new ponies was a touchy subject with the vanilla colored mare. “I don’t know,” Fluttershy began to mumble. “Come on, Fluttershy,” Pinkie said “This could be a great opportunity to meet a new pony. Plus think about all the cool animals he must have met in Tartarus! I am sure he has all sorts of stories to tell us!” “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to meet this prince,” Fluttershy said sheepishly “but I still have to feed all my animal friends before I can go.” “We’ll meet up at seven thirty at the train station,” Rainbow said. “Alright,” Fluttershy replied “I’ll be there.” “Great!” Twilight exclaimed “See you then!” “Bye!” they all waved at Fluttershy as they left her cottage. “Well that’s nearly everypony,” Twilight said as they walked to Sweet Apple Acers “We only need to get Applejack and we’ll be ready t go!” “I can’t wait to meet this pony! How do you think he would look? I am thinking he would have like fire all over his body!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Come on, Pinkie, be realistic,” Rainbow said to her “How can he have fire around his body if he is still alive?” “Actually, one of the side effects of the dark magic that rules over Tartarus is the abnormalities in ponies’ appearance. Having magical fire mane wouldn’t be that far out,” Twilight replied. Pinkie Pie stuck out her tongue at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow just rolled her eyes as they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was already working hard, bucking apples in the farm, when the three ponies walked up to her. “Hiya Applejack!” Pinkie Pie shouted while jumping around the orange mare “We have some exciting news!” “What you on about Pinkie Pie?” Applejack said “Did you eat some of them spoiled cupcakes again?” “Well duh, but that’s beside the point,” Pinkie exclaimed “Celestia invited us to meet a new pony! Isn’t that fantastic?” Pinkie yelled as she got into Applejack’s face. Rainbow pulled her back. “What’s this about a new pony?” Applejack asked. “Well,” Twilight began “As it turns out there is a dethroned prince of Tartarus that’s staying at Canterlot and he wanted to meet us.” “Sounds interesting,” Applejack responded “When’s the meeting?” “Tonight at nine,” Twilight said “We’re going to meet down by the train station at seven thirty. Can we count on you to show up?” “I’ll be there in two shakes of a rattlesnake’s tail,” she said “just gimme a bit to finish up the applebuckin’.” “See ya then,” Twilight said. “Sure thing sugarcube,” Applejack said as the three left.