Previous Chapters Next
Close
Chapter11,051 words
Chapter 21,085 words
Chapter 31,014 words
Chapter 41,017 words

Chapter 2

"Say that again," Adagio said, "we're living in one of mom's books?"

"Yeah," Aria said as she looked around at her friends, "haven't any of you read them?"

"Darling," Rarity said, "your sister and I read romance novels."

"I'm busy doin' chores on the farm most o' the day," Applejack replied.

"The cover art intimidates me," Fluttershy said meekly.

"Pinkie and I are waiting for the movie," Sonata said.

"I've read them," Rainbow said, each of the other girls looked at her in disbelief, "what, I need to read something between Daring Do books."

"I've only read the first one," Sunset said.

"How do you know so much about the lay out of this place," Fluttershy asked Aria.

"Mom asked me to do some of the illustrations for the upcoming Nightmare Moon Technical Manual," Aria said, "Rarity helped me with the uniforms."

"Not my best work," Rarity said as she looked over the uniforms, "but they are better than some sci-fi uniforms."

"All I want to do is find Scootaloo," Sunset said, "then we can figure out how to get home."

"I'll go with Sunset," Rainbow said decisively, "the rest of you, figure out what brought us here and how we get home."

All the girls nodded as one.

Sonata decided to stay in the infirmary with Pinkie, while Sunset and Rainbow went looking for Scootaloo. Aria, Adagio, Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy decided to explore the base and to see how much of it had matched Aria's sketches.

"It's uncanny," Adagio said as Aria led them into the base's cafeteria, "none of us have ever been here before, but Aria knows this place like it's second nature."

Aria just rolled her eyes for what she guessed was the hundredth time. She was proud that her mother had chosen her to do the illustrations, but now it was starting to sound like she was bragging. She hoped that Sunset and Rainbow found Scootaloo quickly so that they could figure out a way home.

"Any ideas on how we get home," Rarity asked, "any hidden portals or exits to our world?"

"How would we see them if they are hidden," Applejack asked flatly.

"Phbbbbbt," Rarity said, "I didn't think of that."

"Maybe I should give you girls the rundown on this universe that my mom created," Aria said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That might be best," Fluttershy said before either Applejack or Rarity could speak up.

"Alright, here it goes," Aria said with a sigh. She then proceeded to tell them how the small and outnumbered Lunar Republic was at war with the tyrannical Celestial Empire, and how the war was a result of a feud between two sisters, the evil Empress Daybreaker and Princess Nightmare Moon. About how Daybreaker had been corrupted by the mysterious Bell of Grogar, which had driven her insane before she had turned on and killed her father, the good king Sombra. Nightmare Moon had fled the empire to the Citadel Moons and eventually returned to free her people and redeem her elder sister.

"I'm going to have to read one of these books," Rarity said as she wiped away a year.

"I think I'll join Pinkie and Sonata," Applejack said, "and wait for the movie."

"So how do we figure out which book we are in?" Fluttershy asked.

"Mom did a good job of time stamping each book," Aria explained, "the first book is about Nightmare Moon's return, the two that follow are flashbacks telling the reader about Daybreaker's fall from grace."

"And that helps us how exactly," Adagio asked.

"Well," Aria said, "we obviously aren't in the first three books since this base isn't established until book four."

"Of course," Adagio said as she rolled her eyes.

"Thing is," Aria said, "this base gets destroyed in the end of book 5."

"Ok," Applejack said, "what happens after that?"

"I don't know," Aria said, "the sixth book doesn't come out until this summer."

"And mom hasn't told you," Adagio said, "has she?"

"Not a peep," Aria replied.

"So we have to assume that we are sometime before the base is destroyed," Applejack said thoughtfully, "wait, how is the base destroyed?"

"Imperial saboteurs sneak in and overload the fission reactor,"

"So this place is nuclear," Rarity said, "I hope that I don't start glowing, I don't have anything that goes with nuclear waste."

"Um," Fluttershy said so quietly that they could barely hear her, "not to worry anybody or anything, but what happens if we die in this place?"

"Let's not think about that," Applejack said as she gave her pink haired friend's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"We should probably try to blend in while we look for a way home," Aria suggested, "we are dressed like officers, we should act like it."

"Quite," Rarity agreed, "we don't want to draw unwanted attention to ourselves."

Sunset and Rainbow had been searching for Scootaloo for longer than Sunset wanted to think about. She was beginning to worry that they were never going to find her younger sister. Rainbow could read the expression on her fiery haired friend's face, and began to think of a way to relieve the tension.

"Scoots will be fine," Rainbow said, "she is tougher than we all give her credit for."

"I know," Sunset said, "I just think about how long she was alone, which gets me thinking about how long I was alone, and I promised her that she would never be alone again."

"Wow," Rainbow said, "you're a much better big sister than I would be."

"What do you mean," Sunset asked.

"My whole life," Rainbow said, "it's just been me and my parents. I've never had to worry another person."

"What about Fluttershy," Sunset replied, "you seem awfully protective of her."

"Shy is my oldest friend," Rainbow said as she felt her cheeks blush, "she is actually about a year older than the rest of us. And I have my reasons for being so protective."

"Okay then," Sunset said with a knowing smile, "keep your secrets. Hey do you smell that?"

"Smells like..." Rainbow said as she sniffed the air, "breakfast."

"Pancakes," Sunset said, "one thing Scootaloo can't turn down are pancakes."

The two girls followed their noses into a large room full of tables and people seated, busily eating away at their meals.

"How will we find her in here," Rainbow said over the noise, "there must be thousands of people in here."

"Know any impromptu dance numbers," Sunset suggested sarcastically.

725 views