//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: Desert Wind's Fables and other Short Stories 
// by Phoenix Heart 27 
//------------------------------//

The sky was dark and grey with thick storm clouds. The rain was coming down hard as Melody Star sighed and walked away from the window. She and her two friends, Desert Wind and Midnight Dream were officially stuck inside until the storm passed. She walked into the living room where her two friends were busy tuning their guitars and playing Solitaire.

"Girls' I'm bored!", Melody cried out in exasperation.

The other two fillies looked up from their activities and groaned as well. The three of them silently agreed that today was going to be a long, slow, boring rainy day. Then out of nowhere, Midnight levitated her saddlebags over and pulled out her lyric book.

"We could write a new song?", The unicorn suggested.

Both pegasi shook their heads. They had already written 3 that day alone. Melody Star had an idea and went up to her room and grabbed her Karaoke machine. She came back a few minutes later with her karaoke machine resting against her wings and pulling a big dress-up chest down the stairs.

"We could have a showcase? With dressing up and everything!", Melody said as she set the chest and machine down.

"Maybe later. That seems like a lot of work right now, plus we don't have an audience.", Midnight explained.

Desert Wind decided that, while those two argued over what to do she would look on their bookshelves for anything interesting. Row after row of books she looked through until she spotted one she had read before and liked. Holding it in one wing, she approached her friends.

"Hey girls, how about I read us some stories?", Desert Wind suggested.

The other fillies mulled that thought over for a bit. It did sound like a good idea. That and it gave them an excuse to not be quite as bored as before. Smiling, they agreed.

"Well alright then. I suppose we can take turns reading them. I'll go first.", Desert Wind said happily.

The three friends then gathered three cusions and put them in a circle. Melody went to the kitchen and returned with some popcorn and apple juice for them. They all sat down as Desert opened the dusty, old book.

"Okay. First story: 'The Earthpony and the Apples'.", Desert read.