Chapter 1: We're Going on a Trip!
“A letter from the Princess?!?” shrieked Twilight Sparkle, dashing about the library. The vibrations from her hooves caused a few books to topple from their painstakingly arranged shelves. “So soon after we saved the Crystal Empire? Did something go wrong? Did King Sombra come back? Did-”
“Calm down, Twilight!” said Spike, rolling his green, draconic eyes. “It doesn’t even say anything about the Crystal – oh wait, it does… but I’m sure it can’t be that bad!”
“Oh, just… read it,” sighed Twilight as she sat down upon the oak floors, her lavender body shaking with anxiety.
“Dearest Twilight, my most faithful student,” read Spike as he held the scroll in his scaly purple claws. “After your remarkable success with the Crystal Empire, I decided you and your friends deserved a treat.” Spike paused, scanning the letter, his eyes growing wide as saucers as he finished.
“What is it?” demanded Twilight, stamping a hoof.
Spike picked up where he had left off. “So, I am giving you seven reservations – don’t forget Spike, after all! – to a five-hoof hotel right on Tyrtle Beach in North Mareolina!”
Twilight gasped. “Oh, Spike!” she said, holding him up in the air and hugging him tightly. “This is wonderful!”
Spike chuckled as she set him down again. “And that’s not all!” he said, picking up the letter again. “Your stay will last two weeks! The first day begins Saturday, November 24th. Enjoy your stay! Sincerely, Princess Celestia,” said Spike as he placed the letter on top of a table.
Twilight immediately rushed to her calendar. “So if today’s Tuesday the 13th…” she said. “That only leaves us 11 days to pack!” she exclaimed, panic rising in her voice once again. “We’ll need quills, and ink, and-”
“Twilight, don’t you think you should let your friends know they’re all going to the beach for two weeks first?” asked Spike.
“Oh! Right!” The red wooden door flung open as Twilight Sparkle barreled into town to call a meeting at Sugarcube Corner.
***
“What is it, darling?” asked Rarity once all of the Elements of Harmony had finally been gathered and seated at an indoor table in Sugarcube Corner.
“Allow me to read the letter!” said Twilight, grinning from ear to ear. Once she had finished, Rarity and Pinkie Pie erupted into cheers and shrieks of joy.
“Tyrtle Beach, eh?” said Rainbow Dash, smiling. “I bet Tank’ll like that.”
“Um… he’s a tortoise,” whispered Fluttershy.
“Yeah, well, they both have shells, right?” Rainbow Dash said before she took a gulp of her sarsaparilla. “Anyway, Fluttershy, I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun hanging out with beach wildlife and stuff.”
“Beach wildlife?” said Fluttershy, her pupils suddenly shrinking. “That means… sh-sh-sharks!”
“Y’know, even if you did see a shark, you could just, oh, I don’t know, fly away?” said Rainbow Dash, flapping her own cyan wings slightly.
“It’ll be fine, sugarcube,” said Applejack, putting a comforting orange hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder while glaring at Rainbow Dash. “What ahm’ not sure’ll be fine is Sweet Apple Acres. If ahm’ gone for too long…” Applejack trailed off.
“Hey, you stepped in for Big Mac one time, right? And that was during apple-bucking season! I’m sure he’ll manage a little while without you, AJ,” said Twilight.
“And I bet if you asked, Applebloom could get her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to help out,” said Rarity after she took a dainty sip of her tea. “In fact, I’ll make sure Sweetie Belle goes over there at least a few days out of the week while you’re gone. She’ll be staying with her parents, of course,” she added.
“And I know that Mr. and Mrs. Cake will do just fine without me at Sugarcube Corner!” said Pinkie Pie happily. “In fact, sometimes it’s messier when I’m here than when I’m not!” she giggled.
“I guess the weather team’ll be able to survive without me for a little while,” said Rainbow Dash. “What’s a few extra clouds in the sky, anyway?”
“But what about my animals?” asked Fluttershy. “There’s no Spike to take care of them this time!”
“Oh, from what Spike told me,” said Twilight, “Angel can be very…ah… commanding to his fellow animals. They’ll do just fine!”
“And if you’re still worried about it, Ah’ll ask Miss Cheerilee if she can come in and check on them a few times a week,” offered Applejack.
“Well then, everything’s settled, I suppose!” said Rarity. “I just can’t wait!” she squealed.
“Yes. We’ll leave on an 11:30 A.M. Friendship Express train. Let’s all meet at the Ponyville Transit at 10:45 A.M. sharp!” said Twilight. “I suggest we all start packing right away so as to be completely prepared!” Twilight’s eyes gleamed as she scheduled their trip. Scheduling was one of her favorite hobbies, after all!
“Pshh,” said Rainbow Dash, reclining in her chair. “I could pack in ten seconds flat!”
“If you insist,” sighed Twilight as she trotted off to begin packing.
Eleven days later…
“I hope she’s alright,” said Fluttershy as she, the rest of the Elements of Harmony (minus loyalty), and Spike floated up to Rainbow Dash’s house in Twilight’s hot air balloon. With the exception of Fluttershy, everypony (and everydragon) was encased in the same ‘walk-on-clouds’ spell Twilight had used when they had seen the Best Young Flier’s Competition.
“She’s only a minute or two late,” said Applejack as the balloon neared the cloud Rainbow Dash’s mansion rested on.
“Only a minute or two late?” repeated Twilight, shocked at Applejack’s ignorance. “Those could be the minutes that cause to miss our train!” she shouted.
Applejack decided not to mention that they were ten minutes ahead of schedule. As they ponies reached Rainbow Dash’s front door, they heard a faint sound that seemed to say
“ohuhohuhohuhohuhohuh.” Exchanging worried glances, they knocked on the door. It opened with just that touch. When they entered her home, the sound became much clearer, and it was in Rainbow Dash’s voice.
“Ohnononononononononono…”
“It sounds like she’s in her room!” said Twilight. “Come on, girls!” The mares charged up the cloudy staircase and eventually found Rainbow Dash in her room, with all manner of objects strewn about, a nearly empty suitcase lying open on the floor.
“What happened to your room, darling?” asked Rarity.
“I forgot to pack!” said Rainbow Dash, flying around the bedroom and frantically shoving things into her dark blue suitcase.
“You. Forgot. TO PACK?!?” screamed Twilight, her mane turning briefly to flame. “I told you so many times to pack ahead! And what do you do? Say’ oh, I’ve got this, I’ve got this!’ And then you FORGET?!?”
“I’m sorry, Twilight! I was gonna pack this morning, and then I just overslept! I guess… I wasn’t prepared for this?” Rainbow Dash sang weakly, a sheepish smile on her face. Twilight facehoofed, while Rarity and Applejack rolled their eyes.
“Ooh! Singing time!” said Pinkie Pie, hopping to Rainbow Dash’s side. “I AM PREPARED TO PACK MY BEST, YEAH I’M PREPARED FOR ANY-”
“NO!” bellowed Twilight. “Not singing time!” she said, panic once again flooding her voice. “We’re going to miss the train! We’ll be tardy! And then, the train station employees will be so angry they won’t let us have a refund, and we’ll have wasted Princess Celestia’s tickets, and she’ll hate us forever, and she’ll throw us all into dungeons on the moon!” she wailed.
Applejack trotted over to where Twilight now stood. “Now, Twilight, I know ya don’t wanna hear this, but ya need ta calm down,” she said. “Now, ah know that this is a setback, but we are five minutes ahead o’ schedule. If we can all jus’ work tagether ta help Rainbow pack, it’ll be fine. Now, giddyup, girls! Yeeeehaw!”
In just a matter of moments, Rainbow Dash was all packed… almost. Just as she was about to zip up her suitcase, Rainbow Dash felt a nudge. Standing beside her was Rarity, levitating her bridesmare’s dress from the royal wedding in Canterlot.
“What do I need that for?” asked Rainbow Dash. “It’s the beach, not the Grand Galloping Gala.”
“But Rainbow, you never know when we might go to a fancy restaurant! I’m sorry, I really should have made you something… Twilight, can we please stop by my house and pick up some fabric?”
“No, Rarity! We need to get going!” Twilight replied. “ But you should pack that dress, Rainbow.” Sighing, Rainbow Dash took the dress from Rarity and placed it in her bag.
“Now, we need to get going!” said Twilight. “Come on, girls! To the train station!”