//------------------------------// // Act 1 - Pages on the Wind // Story: The Lords of Harmony // by Whinifree //------------------------------// Sprawled out atop her bed, Celestia yawned and slowly opened her eyes before lifting her head off the pillow. With a small groan, she crawled out from under her sheets and rose to her hooves. Her mane and tail began to flow as she shook herself awake, and she peered at the dark sky outside. Except for the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall above the darkened fireplace, the royal quarters were silent. The moon was not visible through the windows, but silver light poured into the room and reflected off the marble floor. Celestia turned her attention to the golden bird cage hanging next to her bed, and a brief calm washed over her as she peeked at the red and orange ball of feathers that slumbered within. “You know, Philomena, sometimes I wish I didn't have these visions.” With a sigh, she exited the room and stepped out into the royal gardens; not stopping to glance at the bushes or glimmering ponds as she weaved through the trees. After a few moments, she spotted Twilight Sparkle seated on the balcony past the watch towers and gazing at the sky. She paused before walking up alongside her. “You're up early, Twilight.” She smiled and wrapped her large wing around her, holding her close. With the Element of Magic upon her head and her ears flat, Twilight glanced sidelong at Celestia with eyes that were partially bloodshot. She let out a weary sigh. “I couldn't sleep.” Celestia turned her focus skyward and planted her gaze firmly on the moon. “I slept a little too well last night...” “I just can't stop thinking about it,” said Twilight. Celestia nodded. “Neither can I.” “Before she disappeared, I told her that we'll be waiting for her. I promised...” Celestia glanced back down at Twilight and gave her a soft nuzzle, folding her wing back against her side. “Luna and I sat in this garden that morning. She was really excited to be going to Ponyville for the festival, but I think that she was excited to see you and your friends again more than anything else.” Twilight yawned and rubbed her eyes. “I've always wondered... How hard on you is it to control both the moon and sun?” Celestia paused for a brief moment. “I managed for a thousand years, but it isn't easy. The night is Luna's domain, and there are limits even to my abilities.” “I watched you raise the sun one time at the Summer Sun Celebration when I was a filly,” stated Twilight as she smiled. “It's what inspired me to start studying magic.” A deep warmth passed through Celestia's heart and she beamed. “You truly are the most wonderful student I ever could have asked for, Twilight, and you've come a long way since we first met. I have a strong feeling that your parents are very proud of you, just as I am.” “Well, I have the most wonderful teacher.” A quiet sigh escaped Celestia as she and Twilight embraced. The weight in her heart lessened, and all was silent as the ponies held each other in their forelegs. After several moments, Celestia ended the hug and gazed at Twilight. “I need to start the day. Would you like to watch?” Twilight gave a firm nod. “I wouldn't miss it.” A bright smile returned to Celestia's face and she turned her attention back up to the moon. Spreading her wings, she lifted off the ground and lit her horn. The moon began to descend, and the surface of the distant sea shimmered a gentle silver as the heavenly body sank below the rolling waves. Hovering in place, little beads of sweat ran down Celestia's brow as she forced a second wave of magical energy through her horn. Slowly, the sun rose up from the eastern horizon and climbed into the sky, showering Equestria in its warm light until all the land was drenched in the early morning gleam. The crickets continued to sing, and they were soon joined by the birds nesting in the trees. Celestia waited momentarily then returned to the ground, and she wiped the sweat from her brow. “As magnificent as the first time I saw it,” said Twilight before tilting her head and gazing at Celestia with a look of worry in her eyes. “Are you okay, Princess?” Celestia glanced at Twilight and nodded. “I'm okay. I've at least been able to sleep a little better since I saw her that night. The downside is I've traded one worry for another.” “Nightmare Moon and the amulet...” “It seems there's much more to Nightmare Moon than we knew. Apparently she has a body of her own, and has a horde of shadowy creatures at her command.” Celestia's tone hardened as she stared down at the field where she had fought with the dark colossus. “I've been around for many centuries, but even I have never heard of these Animus. Yet, I did battle with an exceptionally powerful one down near the Everfree Forest.” Twilight kept her gaze on Celestia as she listened. “Nightmare Moon was powerful enough without the Alicorn Amulet. Somehow she managed to sneak it from the mountain vaults and use it to put Luna under some kind of dominion spell.” “And Luna...” Twilight frowned. “She wouldn't speak, and the way she looked at me...” Celestia went silent and stared at the ground. She sat down, and the image of Luna's reddened, glaring eyes pierced her mind. “There was a darkness in her eyes. It was like that fateful day a millennium ago... all over again...” Twilight placed her hoof on Celestia's shoulder. “Your own sister turning on you... you don't forget something like that.” “If it's okay to ask,” said Twilight, “did you ever find out exactly what caused this in the first place?” Celestia let out a sigh, and her eyes began to water as she shook her head. “Not a day has gone by since then that I haven't thought about it. Luna hasn't spoken of it since she returned. I can only speculate that she felt I wasn't much of a sister, and the more I think about it, the more I feel like she was right.” “I don't believe that.” Twilight patted Celestia's shoulder and gave her a comforting smile. “Not for a second.” Celestia wiped her eyes and turned her head, meeting Twilight's gaze. “The only one who knows the truth is Luna and we can't ask her now, but we can't dwell on that. We need to focus on Nightmare Moon and freeing Luna from her spell.” “I understand.” Twilight gazed out across the land as it rested in the morning sun. “Well, how about we get some breakfast? My friends should be waking up by now.” Celestia nodded and started down the garden path toward the palace with Twilight following alongside her. She glanced around at the bushes and perked her ears, but the gentle rustling of leaves and chirping of the birds was drowned out as Nightmare Moon's parting words played endlessly in her mind. The orange sunlight streamed into the royal quarters as they stepped inside, and Celestia's gaze passed over the nightstand where the music box sat next to the picture of herself and Luna. A sudden, gentle cooing greeted the ponies and they spotted Philomena standing atop the hanging bar inside her cage, preening her brilliant plumage. “Hello,” said Twilight. “Good morning, my pet.” Celestia's horn lit, and the cage door swung open. The phoenix began to fly around the room and little streams of bright fire trailed behind her as she went. She circled the area several times before landing on Celestia's shoulder. “Did you sleep well?” Philomena let out a gentle caw and nudged Celestia's cheek with her beak. Celestia beamed. “I knew you would.” A moment later, Philomena spread her wings and flew out into the garden. She stayed low to the ground, and then burst up through the treetops before shrinking from view into the morning sky. “One of these days we'll have to have Philomena meet Owlowiscious and the others,” stated Twilight. “I think they would get along great.” “I think they would too,” replied Celestia. “She might be a little confused when she sees Tank though. Can't imagine she's seen many flying tortoises.” Celestia chuckled and closed the garden door. She opened the window to allow Philomena reentry upon her return, and led Twilight out into the hall. “I was quite impressed with the lesson Rainbow Dash displayed that day. I still have the letter as well.” “You do?” asked Twilight. “I have kept every letter you and your friends have sent me these past few years. They're in my new journal.” “New journal?” Celestia glanced down and sighed under her breath as she walked. “My old journal is lost in the old castle, but I remember most of it and put it into my new one, so I haven't really felt a need to try and recover it.” Twilight pondered briefly. “What about Luna? Did she keep a journal as well?” “We shared the one.” Palace guards clad in golden armor stopped and knelt to Celestia as she and Twilight made their way through the halls. They passed by the library wing, and after several moments, they entered the dining hall. A large set of doors with small, circular windows in the wall opposite of Celestia and Twilight lead into the kitchen, and a line of tables spanned the length of the room. Various paintings of ponies and locales throughout Equestria lined the walls, and the warm sunlight poured into the room through several pairs of windows. Applejack sat at a nearby table with the Element of Honesty firmly fastened around her neck and a half-eaten apple fritter on a plate before her. Spotting Celestia and Twilight enter, she smiled and waved to them. “Howdy, Twilight. Howdy, Princess.” Celestia returned the smile and dipped her head. “Good morning.” “How are you doing, Applejack?” asked Twilight. “I kinda feel like I'm back in Manehattan with my Aunt and Uncle Orange, but without all them fancy-schmancy little rules and all.” Twilight chuckled and glanced down at the fritter. “I didn't know the cooks here made those.” “Uh, they don't.” With a sheepish smile, Applejack tapped her Element and nodded toward the kitchen. Before Celestia or Twilight could respond, a crash came from the kitchen followed by alarmed cries. A moment later, a tan unicorn wearing a large chef's hat burst through the doors with a panicked look on her face and her coat spotted with flour. Seeing Celestia, she rushed up to her. “Your Majesty, please help! We've tried everything we can think of but she just won't go away. She's been in there for hours and making all sorts of messes!” “Here's another fritter, Applejack!” cried a high-pitched voice and Pinkie Pie emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate in her hooves. The Element of Laughter was wrapped around her neck, and she wore a bright smile. She fidgeted uncontrollably. “Oh hello, Twilight! Hello, Princess!” Twilight stared at Pinkie for a quick moment. “Pinkie? What are you doing?” “I've been up all night pouring through cookbooks and learning new goodies recipes! The best kitchen in all of Equestria at my disposal? I just couldn't help myself!” Pinkie let out a loud squeal. The chef glowered at Pinkie. “Trespassing in my kitchen and stealing from the castle's stores is what you've been doing!” Applejack beamed. “I gotta say, Pink, you make a dandy fritter. As good as any Apple.” Celestia chuckled to herself and grinned at Pinkie's exuberance. “If you have some ready, I could go for some of your warm, melty cookies that I've heard about.” “Cookies for breakfast?” Pinkie's eyes widened and she let out a loud gasp. “Best idea ever! I'll make enough for all of us. One gigantinormous plate of chocolate chip cookies coming up!” The chef gave Celestia a pleading gaze as Pinkie set the plate down and hurried back into the kitchen. “It's quite all right, my little pony,” stated Celestia gently. “That's Pinkie Pie. She's a great baker.” The unicorn looked downtrodden, but she bowed to Celestia as Pinkie brought her friends two more glasses of milk. “Of course, Your Majesty.” “Nice and cold!” Pinkie set the glasses on the table and returned to the kitchen with the chef following her. With a smile, Applejack nudged the second fritter toward Celestia and Twilight. “Here, y'all can have this one.” Twilight yawned and rested her forelegs on the table, lowering her head. She closed her eyes. "Uh, Twi?" Twilight didn't respond. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and she gave out gentle breaths. Celestia gave Twilight a tender smile and pulled two curtains from the windows with her magic. She folded one and set it down in a nearby corner, gently levitating Twilight over to it and she draped the other curtain over her like a blanket. “Sleep well, my star student.” “Hmm. She was still in the library when I got up to get a drink last night,” said Applejack. “I told her that it ain't good to be goin' without sleep like that, but she said she wasn't stoppin' until she found somethin'.” Celestia glanced at Applejack. “What was she looking for?” “I think she was tryin' to find information. About Nightmare Moon, these Animus critters, and the amulet.” “Some of the tomes in the library have been there for centuries,” stated Celestia. “What about the book where Twilight first read the prophecy about Nightmare Moon? Did that have anything?” Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Absolutely nothin' about any shadow ponies and nothin' more about Nightmare Moon than she had already read before. Same thing when she looked up the amulet.” She paused for a brief moment and shifted uncomfortably in her spot in front of the table. “Although, she did raise one interestin' point...” “What did she say?” “She said, 'there's only one plausible explanation for the fact that we have any information at all. Somepony, at some point, had to have known about it.'” Celestia stared. Silently, she glanced over to Twilight and smiled at her as she slept. That's my little scholar. She returned her focus to Applejack. “Yes, that is very true.” “But without knowin' where it came from, I don't really see how it helps us now.” A warm scent began to waft from the kitchen, and another crash pierced the quiet of the dining hall. “Pinkie Pie!” cried the head chef. “My bad!” Applejack chuckled. She held a hoof to her eyes and shook her head before glancing over at Twilight. “Wow, she really is exhausted. Didn't even flinch.” Celestia let out a soft hum as she inhaled the sweet fragrance, and she looked over at the doors. “Those must be the cookies.” Applejack's demeanor brightened and she finished off the last bite of her fritter. “You're in for a real treat, Princess. Pinkie Pie really is the best baker in all of Ponyville. Well, besides myself.” Pinkie poked her head through the kitchen doors and beamed. “They'll be ready in just a flash!” She vanished back into the kitchen. A moment later, the doors to the dining hall opened and Rarity and Fluttershy entered. Rarity wore the Element of Generosity while Fluttershy adjusted her Element of Kindness, and they each smiled a warm greeting to Celestia and Applejack. “Mornin', you two!” said Applejack. “'Bout time y'all decided to join us.” “Do forgive me, but I never wanted to get out of that bed.” Rarity stretched her forelegs high above her head and let out a satisfied chuckle. “I always thought I knew what the phrase 'beauty sleep' meant but last night I was proven very wrong. By far the most beautiful sleep I've ever had.” “I kept thinking about Angel,” stated Fluttershy as a frown appeared on her face. “And the other little animals, and Spike and the Crusaders. Do you think they'll be okay staying at the farm?” Applejack gave Fluttershy a comforting smile. “Don't you fret none, Fluttershy. Sweet Apple Acres is plenty big.” “And if something does happen, Spike will let us know,” said Rarity. Fluttershy let out a gentle sigh and she nodded. “I know.” Celestia beamed as she listened to the conversation and glanced between the ponies as they spoke. “Would you like to join us for breakfast? Pinkie Pie is making us some cookies.” “Is that what that delicious fragrance is?” Rarity took a big whiff of the air and a hungry glint flashed in her eyes. “I could smell it all the way down the hall. I could get very used to this place, but I could do without all the awful crashing and shouting. Do those chefs not know what basic courtesy is?” “Pinkie just got a little carried away is all,” said Applejack as she gave her a firm but gentle glance. “And I wouldn't be gettin' too used to life in the palace, Rarity. Let me remind you that we are at war.” “I know, Applejack, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy extra comforts while I can.” Suddenly, the kitchen doors flew open and Pinkie Pie emerged, still wearing her trademark grin and carrying a large plate covered from end to end with small, dark-brown cookies. “Breakfast!” She turned her attention to Rarity and Fluttershy. “Ooh! You're just in time! I hope you're hungry!” Pinkie started toward the table where the ponies were gathered, but stopped half-way when she spotted Twilight asleep by the wall. “Hey, what happened to Twilight?” Not having noticed when they first entered the dining hall, Rarity and Fluttershy glanced at Twilight as well. “She's fine,” said Applejack. “She's just plumb tuckered out from readin' all night.” “Oh. That's okay, I'll save some cookies for her.” Maintaining her smile, Pinkie placed the plate on the table and sat down next to Celestia. “Let's make like diamond dogs and dig in!” Rarity gave Pinkie a fierce stare. “Do not ever mention those dirty ruffians again!” “Oops! Sorry.” Blushing, Pinkie giggled as she grabbed a cookie and took a large bite. “Mmmm! Ooh let me get you some milk!” Pinkie hurried into the kitchen and returned a moment later carrying two more cups of milk, placing them on the table in front of Rarity and Fluttershy. She sat down where Twilight had been sitting and gazed at the glass in front of her. “Don't suppose Twilight will mind if I have this one.” The ponies each took several cookies from the plate and set them down. The minutes passed by in silence as they ate, but before long, ponies dressed in dark blue armor began to file into the dining hall as their shifts ended, bowing to Celestia and her friends as they passed by. The room soon became filled with the sounds of chatter as the guards conversed with each other, while the chef ponies hurried back and forth between the tables and the kitchen. “I'll be right back.” Celestia's horn glowed and Twilight's sleeping form rose into the air. She left the room with Twilight floating along beside her, and she returned a short while later, rejoining the others at their table. “I'm a little surprised she didn't wake up once these guards arrived and it got all noisy in here,” said Applejack. “And speakin' of wakin', where in the hay is Rainbow?” “I'm sure she'll be along at any moment.” Rarity bit into the last chunk of cookies on her plate and drank down her cup of milk. Giving her stomach a gentle pat, she lifted her napkin off the table and wiped her muzzle before smiling at Pinkie. “Those were simply divine, darling.” Pinkie nudged several more cookies toward her in reply. “Have some more. I made enough to feed all of Ponyville and have some left over!” “I couldn't possibly, but thank you so much for offering.” Pinkie's demeanor didn't diminish from the rejection and she tossed both cookies into her mouth at once, beaming as she chewed. Celestia's thoughts began to wander away from the conversation as she drank the last gulp of milk from her cup. She glanced up at the clear blue sky outside the window, and closing her eyes, she pictured herself and Luna in the garden the morning of Nightmare Night; talking and laughing together in the twilight hour before the remainder of the land woke from their slumber. She sighed. “It'll be alright, Princess,” said Applejack as she gave Celestia a firm pat on her shoulder. The images and the sound of Luna's cheery voice lingered in Celestia's mind for a moment before she turned her gaze back to the others. A gentle warmth flowed through her as she beheld their smiling faces, and she nodded. “I know it will.” One by one, the night guards began to leave the dining hall as they finished their meals, and several unicorns took the dirty dishes back into the kitchen while another wiped the tablecloths. Applejack pushed her plate away and let out a soft groan. “Now that's some good eatin'. I don't know about y'all but I couldn't eat another bite.” “Thank you, Pinkie,” said Fluttershy. “Those were delicious.” Beaming, Pinkie gathered up the remaining cookies into a large bag she had brought with her from the kitchen. “What should we do now?” asked Rarity. Celestia rose to her hooves and glanced between the ponies. “We need to keep looking for more information the best we can.” “But Twilight's already turned the library upside-down and inside-out,” said Applejack. “Where else can we look?” “I was thinking some more about what you told me Twilight said. She's exactly right.” Rarity gazed at Celestia with a look of confusion in her eyes. “What do you mean?” Celestia led the ponies out into the hallway and turned a corner, heading back toward the royal quarters. “All scholars get their information from somewhere. Even Starswirl the Bearded. We need to learn where the author of the book that mentions the amulet got theirs.” “How do we do that?” inquired Fluttershy. “I'll send out an official scout and not lose hope.” Guards in golden armor bowed to Celestia and the others as they made their rounds through the palace halls. Soon, they reached the royal quarters and stepped inside. Twilight was asleep on Celestia's bed with the Element of Magic sitting on the nightstand, and Philomena preened her wings from her perch atop her cage. “Heavens to Betsy,” said Applejack as her eyes widened and she glanced around the chamber. “So this is the livin' space of Princess Celestia.” “In all my years I have never seen anything so exquisite!” exclaimed Rarity. “I've heard about it of course, but to see it with my own eyes!” Pinkie glanced down at the marble floor and grinned. “I can see my reflection!” She stuck out her tongue, shook her head, and giggled. Philomena flew over to Fluttershy and landed on her back, cooing at her. “Hello, Philomena. It's so wonderful to see you again.” Fluttershy beamed at the phoenix before walking up to the nightstand. She gazed at the photo of Luna and Celestia. “This is a really nice picture.” Celestia smiled as she levitated the picture closer and showed it to the others. “This was taken shortly after Nightmare Night last year. I'll never forget it. I still have the report on the magic of friendship that Twilight wrote me that night.” “You do?” asked Rarity. “I had no idea. That's very thoughtful.” Celestia returned the frame to the nightstand and approached the bed. Dipping her head down, she gave Twilight a gentle nuzzle before glancing back to the others. “I've kept every report that you've sent me these past three years. This may sound a little strange, but Twilight is more than my student... she is my teacher as well, as are all of you.” The ponies gazed at Celestia with confusion in their eyes. “I don't follow,” stated Applejack. “Sometimes, even someone who has been around as long as I have needs a little reminder. I keep them in my journal as a way to help myself remember.” Smiles appeared on the ponies' faces and they nodded. “That makes sense,” said Fluttershy. Without warning, a loud tapping came from the door leading outside to the garden, and the ponies all turned toward the sound as a voice called from the other side. “What the hay?” asked Applejack. “How did somepony get out there?” The voice called again and Pinkie rushed up to the door. She peeked out the window for a brief second, and glanced back at the others. “It's Rainbow!” Celestia opened the door, and Rainbow Dash entered the chamber with the Element of Loyalty fastened around her neck. “Good morning, Rainbow Dash,” said Celestia. With a soft smile, Rainbow bowed to Celestia before turning to the others. “Hey guys.” Applejack glowered at Rainbow. “Now where in tarnation have you been?” “We were getting terribly worried, darling,” stated Rarity. “I've been watching the Everfree Forest all morning.” “What were you doin' out there?” Applejack's tone hardened further. “Didn't you hear the Princess when she gave the order that the forest is off-limits?” Rainbow glared back at Applejack. “Yeah, yeah I heard, and I never said I went into the forest.” “That ain't the point, Rainbow.” Rarity moved in-between Applejack and Rainbow and put her hooves up, giving them each a sour stare. “That's quite enough you two. What matters is we're all here.” Applejack and Rainbow peered at each other for a moment longer. Stepping back, they took a deep breath and nodded. “You're right, Rarity,” said Applejack as she returned her gaze to Rainbow and smiled. “Sorry for losin' my cool there, Rainbow.” Rainbow smirked. “It's cool.” As the ponies talked, Twilight began to stir in her sleep and she mumbled. “Um, maybe we shouldn't be so loud?” asked Fluttershy. After a moment, Twilight stopped moving and her mumbling ceased. Her chest continued to rise and fall slowly. “What's she still doing asleep?” Rainbow inquired. “She was in the library all night.” Celestia readjusted the blanket that covered Twilight's body before glancing back to Rainbow. “She was trying to find more information about Nightmare Moon and the amulet. And what about you? What did you see at the forest?” “That place is crawling with those shadow ponies, but that's not all. I saw a bunch of timberwolves too, and as I was flying over the forest itself, the sky turned dark and I couldn't see the sun anymore. It was like it had suddenly became nighttime inside the forest.” Applejack furrowed her brow. “Time don't just randomly change like that, Rainbow.” “Well, that's what happened.” Briefly, Celestia glanced to the photograph on her nightstand. She turned her attention back to the ponies and prepared to speak, but was stopped by a knocking at the door. A blue pegasus stood in the doorway. A brown satchel was wrapped around her shoulders and a palace guard stood next to her. She bowed to Celestia. “Your Majesty, I have a letter from Princess Cadance. She ordered that I deliver it directly to you.” The pegasus pulled a rolled up letter from her bag and held it up. “Thank you.” Gripping the letter with her magic, Celestia smiled and dipped her head. The pegasus beamed and bowed once more before she and the palace guard left the chamber. Celestia brought the letter closer, and the ponies watched with curious stares as she unrolled it and began to read. “What's it say, Princess?” asked Applejack. “Cadance has asked for your presence in the Empire to begin preparations for the Crystal Faire.” A bright grin crept its way onto Pinkie's face. “Ooh! I've so been looking forward to doing that again. I've got all these wonderful ideas I didn't get to do last time thanks to that no good King Sombra.” Rainbow tilted her head slightly. “The Faire? We can't do that right now, we've got bigger things to worry about.” “Perhaps,” said Celestia. “But remember that the Faire is a very critical part of the Empire's well-being, and Equestria's as a whole.” “Do you mean the Crystal Heart?” asked Rarity. “Correct.” Rainbow spread her wings and gently lifted off the floor. “Well, okay then. When do we leave?” “As soon as Twilight wakes up.” Celestia glanced back to the letter. She paused when her gaze reached the bottom of the paper, and she furrowed her brow. “Um... is something wrong, Your Highness?” inquired Fluttershy. “Cadance says that the Crystal Heart has been expending its energy faster than usual lately.” “That don't sound good,” said Applejack. “We better high-tail it outta here.” Setting the letter on the nightstand, Celestia stepped up to her bed and dipped her head down. She gave Twilight a gentle nudge on her cheek, and whispered into her ear. “Twilight, it's time to get up.” Twilight began to stir after a moment and her eyes peeked open. “Hm?” Applejack gave her a gentle smile. “Y'all feelin' better, hon?” Rubbing her eyes, Twilight yawned before lifting the Element of Magic off the nightstand and placing it back upon her head. “How long was I asleep for?” “A few hours,” said Celestia. Pinkie pulled a plate and several cookies from her bag, placing them in front of Twilight. “All through breakfast with a whole room full of chit-chatty guards and me making a ruckus in the kitchen, then through us here. As my older sister Maud would say, 'you slept like a rock.'” “My fault for staying up all night, but I just didn't want to waste any time.” Celestia glanced out the open door to the gardens for a brief moment as Twilight began to eat, and she held up the letter for her. “Once you're through eating, you and your friends are off to the Crystal Empire to begin preparations for the Faire. My carriage will get you there faster than the train.” Rarity's eyes widened. “Did I hear you correctly? We're riding in the royal carriage?” “You are.” Celestia chuckled as Rarity beamed and let out a high-pitched squeal. “Oh my, that's awfully kind of you,” said Fluttershy with a gentle smile. “Thank you, Your Highness.” Once Twilight had finished her plate, Celestia signaled the guards in the hall before leading the ponies out in the gardens. The clear sky and warmth of the midday sun greeted them as they entered a large open space near the watchtowers at the end of the path. Four pegasi flew into the area a few minutes later, pulling a golden chariot big enough to fit several ponies within its rounded interior. Twilight and the others climbed into the carriage and formed a circle around the edge. Rarity fidgeted uncontrollably as she sat down upon the cushioned, velvet seats. “Please tell me I am not dreaming. I am truly inside the most glamorous carriage in all of Equestria and am about to take a ride in it!” Applejack smirked. “No explodin' now, Rarity.” “Yeah,” said Pinkie with a giggle. “That's my job.” Rainbow grinned and glanced all along the polished wall and floor as it glimmered in the sunlight. “Yeah, I'll give my wings a break for this.” Standing on the grass alongside the carriage, Celestia gave the ponies a gentle but firm smile and slowly glanced between them. “First, stop in Ponyville and pickup Spike. The road ahead will be long and arduous, and we must maintain communication.” “Yes, Princess,” said Twilight as she nodded. “After that, make all haste to the Crystal Empire and get the Faire going as soon as you can. I will remain here to protect the city, and continue looking for information on the amulet.” “Y'all be careful now, Princess,” stated Applejack. “I will. Now go.” The guards spread their wings and the carriage began to fly off to the south. Celestia watched in silence as Twilight and the others waved to her, and the sounds of their voices echoed in her ears until they disappeared from sight. They fly like pages of a book caught in the wind. She paused for a moment. Pages... in the wind...? She glanced down toward the distant, mist-enshrouded treetops of the Everfree Forest. “The message... Luna? Was it you?”