“This is bad, this is bad.” A lavender unicorn ran through the gorgeous Canterlot Public Gardens, a pair of saddlebags stuffed with books sitting across her back.
Two other Unicorns were coming down the path and chatting with each other. When they noticed the impatient mare, running straight at them, they waved “Hello Twilight!” they yelled.
But Twilight was in too much of a hurry to stop and chat. “Must. Find. Spike.” She panted, and ran through the couple which caused them to fall on their flanks.
The two ponies looked confused at each other, and shrugged their shoulders. “Twilight.” They said.
“The Library.” she mumbled during her run. Twilight ran up the long flight of stairs to the small library that also served as her residence on top of an ivory tower in the Canterlot Royal Palace and used her magic to throw the doors open, and ran in. “Spike!” she yelled. “Spike” she yelled again.
“Over here.” A young voice said from behind.
Twilight turned around and closed the doors, and found her dragon friend/Little Brother Figure/Adoptive son/Number-one Assistant smashed to the wall. “Spike. This is no time to be playing hide and seek.” She levitated Spike and placed him in front of her. “Quick. I need you to find me that old copy of ‘Predictions and Prophecies’.”
“Why?” Spike asked when he walked to one of the many shelves.
“I was reading 'An Abridged History of Equestria' along with Moondancer, and I found something… bad.” Twilight said nervously.
Spike took a ladder in his claws and climbed it. “How bad?”
“Real bad.” Twilight said impatiently, and she walked to some other shelves to look for the book, too.
Spike focused on the highest shelf and took one out. “Got it!” he yelled. A purple aura surrounded the book and pulled it out his claws. Which pulled him back on the ladder, causing him to lose his balance.
Twilight was already flipping through the pages, oblivious to her friend and number one assistant, who struggled keep his balance.
“Here it is.” Twilight smiled. “A thousand years ago, a mare called Nightmare Moon, wanted to rule over Equestria. She wanted to rule with fear, and eternal darkness. But Celestia banished her to the moon with the power of the Elements of Harmony.”
Spike regained his balance and climbed down. “Nightmare Moon? But that’s just an old pony’s tale.”
“Nightmare Moon…” Twilight mumbled to herself. “Where have I heard that name before?” She trotted to another shelf and pulled out another book. “When Nightmare Moon was defeated, Celestia decided to make one day longer than the rest. To celebrate the defeat of Nightmare Moon.” She read out loud.
“The Summer Sun Celebration?” Spike asked.
“Yes.” Twilight answered. “That’s where it came from.”
“So, what’s the bad thing?” Spike asked. “Nightmare Moon is banished and we have another reason to party.”
Twilight took the first book back and flipped a few pages. “Here it is.” Twilight said. “Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal!”
“And?” Spike asked a bit bothered by this all.
“Don’t you see? With the next Celebration, it’ll be the thousandth year since Nightmare Moon got banished. And the next Celebration is the day after tomorrow!” Twilight almost lost her self control and started to rage. “This means that Nightmare Moon will escape, and put Equestria into eternal darkness.” Twilight took a breath and relaxed herself. “But, no need to panic. Princess Celestia will know a way to prevent this if we tell her about this finding.” Twilight turned to Spike. “Take a note please.”
Spike took a scroll and a quill from behind his ears.
“Dear Princess Celestia. I’m afraid I bring terrible news. I have recently discovered that Nightmare Moon will escape from her banishment, and attempt take your place as formal ruler, and bring forth Eternal Night.”
“Are you sure you want to send this to princess Celestia?” Spike asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“Yes.” Twilight said with a determined tone. “The Princess trusts me completely. In all the years she's been my mentor she's never once doubted me.”
Spike took a deep breath and spit out some magical green fire, engulfing the scroll, burning it up and turning it into a cloud of glittering violet smoke as it rushed out an open window. “And you think she will believe you?”
“Of course she will.”
After a few moments, Spike let out belch and a gout of magical green fire, and a scroll appeared.
“See? I knew she would want to take immediate action.” Twilight said as Spike picked up and unrolled the scroll.
“My Dearest Twilight,
You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely.”
Twilight smiled with pride and puffed out her chest slightly when she heard that.
“But you simply must stop reading those dusty old books.” Spike continued.
“What?” Twilight asked, her proud posture deflating when Spike said that.
“You have been studying much too hard as of late. So I’ve got a different task for you now. You are to oversee the preparation of this year’s Summer Sun Celebration. Which is going to be held in the town of Ponyville. But most importantly...” Spike looked up from his paper to make sure that Twilight was paying attention. “Make some friends.”
Twilight fell back on her haunches when Spike finished the letter. “How is this possible?” she questioned herself. “Everything is crystal clear. It’s written in the books.”
Spike walked to her friend to comfort her. “Calm down Twilight. Everypony makes mistakes. And besides, I’d love to have a vacation for once.”
“No time for that Spike.” Twilight said. “We’ve got a celebration to look over.”
“And friends to make.” Spike reminded her.
“I’m afraid we won’t have time for that.” Twilight said, determined to show the Princess she wasn’t jumping at shadows. And she got back on her four hooves. “After everything is set, I’ll start looking for some proof of Nightmare Moon.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “It’s just an old pony’s tale. It’s not true.”
“But Moondancer was reading it too. And she got it from Dusty Tomes, the librarian in the left wing of the Canterlot Archives. So why would someone put ‘a dusty old pony’s tale’ in the most non-fictional place in all of Equestria?!” Twilight asked. She thought that she made a point to believe that the story was true.
“Twilight.” Spike started. “Dusty has a crush on Moondancer. He probably bought that book as a surprise for her, to try to win her heart.”
“So that’s why there was a pink heart on the first page.” Twilight mumbled to herself.
“You are taking this way too seriously. Twilight.” Spike continued. And he hugged her to try to comfort and calm his older sister figure. “Come on. We have to go to the Palace Courtyard. The Royal Guard will take us by carriage to Ponyville.”
“And I hope I’m wrong.” Twilight sighed.
Chapter 2: Twinkle? what are you doing here?
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“Twilight? Are you coming?” Spike called out from the bottom of the Tower’s stairs.
“Yeah.” Twilight was halfway downstairs herself. “In a minute.”
Spike rolled with his eyes. “What was taking you so long?” he asked when Twilight was finally at the bottom of the stairs.
“Well, I couldn’t leave without telling anypony.” Twilight answered. “So I wrote a letter to mom and dad.”
“Oh.” Spike said. “Right. Did you tell Shining Armour too?”
“Of course I did.” Twilight said. “He was the first to hear it. Did you tell anypony?”
“Only the librarian when I passed him in the hallway.” Spike said. It wasn’t long before Twilight and her assistant reached the Palace Courtyard and the Pegasi Chariot runway
Two white pegasi guards stood there in full armour next to a golden chariot. “Twilight Sparkle?” They both asked.
“That’s me.” Twilight said. And she stepped a bit closer to the stallions. “You two are taking me and Spike to Ponyville, right?”
“Not yet.” They said.
Spike and Twilight looked confused to each other. “Why not? We don’t have time to waste.”
“Sorry, orders from the captain.” One of the guards said.
Spike leaned over to whisper in Twilight’s ears. “Isn’t Shining Armour the captain?”
“Well, yeah.” Twilight whispered back. “So why would he order them to wait? I told him that I in a hurry.”
At that moment, a white unicorn stallion in purple and gold armor stepped through the door, along with a Light brilliant amber coated unicorn filly who had a patch of Pale, light grayish mulberry on her muzzle. The filly had a mane of Brilliant amaranth and Brilliant rose, styled with almost Ruler-straight bangs and expertly combed, as was her tail. Her Moderate Violet Eyes were hidden behind a pair of round glasses with Moderate violet frames.
“Twily.” the older stallion called out.
“Shiny!” Twilight turned around to face her big brother.
“Twily!” A small voice exclaimed. Twilight looked behind her big brother and noticed the young filly. “Twinkle!” Twilight cried out as she and the filly rushed to stand in front of each other, and began a little dance and chant.
“Sunshine, Sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves,
and do a little shake!”
Twilight smiled and she brought her little sister in for a big hug. “What are you doing here?”
Before the little filly could answer, Shining Armour stopped her, and started to speak in her place. “Twilight, we, that is mom, dad, and I, heard that you’re going to Ponyville for a while. And well…Twinkle’s been getting seriously bullied at school lately. So mom and dad suggested that it might be better for Twinkle if she went with you to Ponyville, for a break from school. the school already approved it, and Twinkle’s got a few small assignments she can work on while you’re there.”
Twilight remembered her baby sis talking about being picked on not only because she was still a Blank Flank, when most of the students in her class had already found their Cutie Marks, but because Twinkle was a bit ahead of the curve when it came to Magical Ability, already being able to Levitate objects and use a Magic Bolt spell she’d seen in Shining Armor’s books, which led to her being called a Show-off and a teacher’s pet.
“So” Shining Armour continued. “I hope that you don’t mind taking Twinkle with you?”
Twilight smiled bright. “Of course not. I’d love to spend more time with my little sister. I haven’t seen her nearly as much as I’d like with all my studies.”
“So I can really go with you?” Twinkle asked.
Twilight smiled as she hugged her little sister. “Of course Twinkle. I couldn’t say no to my baby sister.” She said, as she gently nuzzled Twinkle.
Shining Armor walked to the two pegasi, who immediately saluted. “Sir!” they both said.
“At Ease. You cleared to take Twilight Sparkle and Twinkle Spark to Ponyville.” Shining Armor said.
“And what about me?” Spike asked. He hadn’t heard his name, so he was a bit worried.
“What? You’re not going with Twilight?” The captain asked teasingly.
“Oh, right.” Spike smiled sheepishly. “You’re kidding. Right?”
At that moment, the doors slammed open, again. A unicorn Guard came in with a pile of luggage on his back. “Where… do you want this…” he panted.
Twinkle blushed at the pile of luggage that was at least as tall as Princess Celestia. “Oh, um, in the carriage, if that’s alright with you.” She said politely as she looked away from the luggage.
The guard rolled with his eyes and watched his superior.
“You heard the filly. In the carriage.” Shining Armour said.
The unicorn sighed. “Sir, yes sir.” He said and he trotted slowly to the carriage. “Am I really following orders from a filly? Dear Celestia, I’ve fallen far.” He mumbled. quite enough so the others couldn’t hear it.
The two pegasi looked anxiously to each other and swallowed nervously when they saw how much luggage he was loading.
“We can’t take all of that with us.” Twilight said.
The two pegasi guards sighed in relief. At least their load would be easier to lift.
“What’re you talking about Twily? It’s only Twinkle’s essentials. Her Clothes, toys for the ride, study guides, her homework, her favorite blanket, her teddy bear, her bed frame and mattress, her pillows, her horn care kit, her toiletries...” Shining rattled off. It was clear from that list and from Twinkle’s embarrassment, that the packing had been done by Shining Armor and their parents.
“Shiny, we’re only going to be in Ponyville to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration and for me to spend time with my baby sister. We’re not moving there.” Twilight teased as she helped Twinkle sort out her real essentials from the abundance of luggage. Her homework, a few toys, her blanket, her teddy bear, and her toiletries. All condensed down into 1 suitcase.
“There.” Twilight said. She levitated the suitcase in the carriage. “The rest can go back to mom and dad.” She smiled.
Shining Armour turned to the unicorn guard. “You heard the mare.” He smirked. “Take it back please.”
The unicorn sighed. “Sir, yes sir” although the load was a little lighter now, it was still a humongous amount of suitcases he had to carry. He mumbled some incomprehensible words, and left the Palace Courtyard.
“We’re gonna leave now?” Twinkle asked excitedly. And she bounced hyperactively around her older sister.
“I think so.” She looked around. “Spike? Do we have everything now?”
Spike pondered the question for a while. “I think we do.”
Shining Armour grabbed his two sisters for the last time for a big hug. “Be safe out there.” He said.
“Of course we will.” Twilight said. She pulled away, and guided her baby sister into the carriage. “You’re coming Spike?” She asked.
Spike looked at Shining Armour. “You were just joking, right?”
Shining started to laugh. “Of course I was. Now, get in the carriage. Or else you will be stuck here with me.”
Spike attempted to jump into the carriage too, but stopped. “Wait a second…What would I have to do if I’m stuck with you?”
Shining Armour smiled teasingly. “I would make you a guard. But, I would have to train you first. I would put you on a diet, definitely some exercises, have you learn all the rules…”
“You lost me with diet!” Spike yelled from the carriage.
Shining started to smile. “Goodbye!” he yelled back.
The two pegasi guards took of, and left Canterlot. Heading for Ponyville, and the start of something amazing for the two sisters heading there.