Canterlot

by Morganwars

Chapter 1

"Whooeee!"

Twilight smiled as Applejack stuck her head out of the carriage, marveling at the vast landscape of Equestria below. This was the Earth Ponies first ride in a carriage pulled by royal pegasi guards.

She pulled her head back in, grinning broadly. "Well golly, Twilight, that's amazin'! You could go anywhere like this!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it!"

"Speakin' of goin' anywhere..." She sat down on the seat beside her unicorn friend. "Why are we goin' t'Canterlot again? Why would the Princess ask fer me? Where's Spike?"

Twilight frowned in concentration as she brought the letter to her face. "I don't know why she called us - but she didn't summon Spike..." She proceeded to read the letter.

"DEAR TWILIGHT SPARKLE" - She grimaced. "Umm...all capital letters? Anyway..."

"THERE IS A POTENTIAL ISSUE THAT WE, THE GREATS, CANNOT SOLVE ALONE. PLEASE COME TO CANTERLOT, WITH AS MUCH HASTE AS THE ROYAL GUARDS CAN EXERT. BRING NOT THE DOUBLE-DRAGON, BUT THE KIND EARTH PONY YOU INTRODUCED ME TO ON NIGHTMARE NIGHT. SHE HAS THE TWANG IN HER VOICE, REMEMBER?"

"PRINCESS LUNA"

Applejack's grin disappeared, replaced with wide - eyed horror. "H-her? It was her who called us? What about Celestia?"

Twilight shrugged. "No idea.Oh, come now." She chided, as Applejack recoiled. "She's no longer Nightmare Moon, remember? And you remember Nightmare Night? You were perfectly personable and friendly to her then! You heard how she asked you to come." This wasn't like Applejack; Normally, she was happy to talk to anypony.

"Well..." She swallowed. "That was an informal settin', Twi. She was amid us, and tryin' t'make friends. Don't ferget that she's royalty."

A shred of the old fears lingered, Twilight saw. She tried her best to put her friend at ease. "The princesses are just like you and me, really -"

"'Cept they're Alicorns." Looking out of the window, Applejack could see Canterlot Castle coming into view. The pegasi were losing altitude slowly.

"Yes, there is that..."

"An' they rule Equestria."

"True..."

"An' they - "

"Applejack." Said Twilight in a low, calm voice. "Everything will be just fine, I promise. After our meeting, we'll go get a snack and take a walk around town, alright? Perhaps find good spots to place an apple cart?"

After a while, the earth pony nodded. "Yer right, Twilight. Nothin' t'be afraid of. Not when I got the best unicorn in Equestria by my side. You plannin' on seeing yer folks?"

"I thought about trying!"

"I'll be with ya every step o'the way, then." She replied, as they flew feet away from the tower, able to catch brief glances of activity through the windows.

An unsettling feeling came over Applejack as she remembered her stint in Manehattan. No longer a scared filly trying to fit in, the capitol was about the see the real first daughter of Sweet Apple Acres - "In Canterlot."

A/N: I think the second chapter is a little more pulled together. Just saying.