Chapter 1 - But that's just an old pony's tale
I started making my way back to my home, thinking about where I could find a book on the Elements of Har-
“There you are Twilight!”
I flinched when I was intersected by a few unicorn ponies, each with presents resting on their backs.
“Moon Dancer is having a little get-together in the west castle courtyard. You wanna come?”
I refrained from cringing. The three ponies seemed pretty excited about Moon Dancer’s party. But I wasn’t very social. I didn’t want to insult them by saying I didn’t want to go.
“Ooh, sorry girls. I’ve got a lot of studying to catch up on.” I said, gladly having my saddle bag on me, which was filled with books as always. I quickly ran past them to avoid any more conversation, trotting off down the road.
“I know I’ve heard of the elements of harmony.” I said to myself as I continued to gallop away. I passed a couple other ponies, but ignored them as well. I’ve thought making friends was silly and never made it a priority.
I finally got to my home in Canterlot, one of the biggest cities in equestria. I quickly swung open the door, not bothering to see what that crash was and looked around for my assistant.
“Spike! Spi-ike! Spike?” I found the baby dragon laying on the floor, rubbing his head, his green eyes swirling around his head. It was as if he hit his head on something. “There you are. Quick, find me that old copy of predictions and prophecies.”
Spike was a cute baby dragon, with dark green spines running from the top of his light purple head and down his body. His underbelly scales were more of a light green, and he stood no taller than my leg. Though his pointed tail seemed to be going through a crinkled red box with yellow ribbon. “What’s that for?”
Spike turned around to look at his tail, pulling it off and sighing. “Well, it was a gift for Moon Dancer but…” the teddy bear falling out of the present finished his sentence.
I didn’t try to hold back a groan. “Spike, you know we don’t have time for that sort of thing.”
“But we’re on a break!” the dragon complained.
I ignored him, closing my eyes and concentrating on my horn. It began to glow pink, and I looked up at the tallest point of one of my bookshelves. One of the books flew off the shelf, floating in midair. I did the same with a few of the other books, looking for-
Oh, right. I hardly told you anything about me.
I’m Twilight Sparkle. I’m a unicorn living in Canterlot. I’m a young mare with a light purple coat and purple eyes, my dark blue mane almost flowing over my eyes. The dark blue of my mane and tail was streaked with purple and magenta. This matched very well with my cutie mark, a six pointed magenta star surrounded by smaller white stars on my flank.
Anyways, enough about me. “No, no, no no no! Uggh. SPIKE!” I was searching through my bookshelves for the book. “It’s over here!” he called, holding up a book. I used my magic to grab the book from him and drag him from the later towards me. “Ah.” I said happily, dropping all the other books.
I brought the book over to my bookstand, setting it down and flipping through the pages, all without lifting a hoof. “Elements, Elements, E E E. Ah ha, Elements of Harmony. See Mare in the Moon?” I read from the book, a questioning look upon my face.
“Mare in the Moon? But that’s just an old pony’s tale.” Spike said from the ladder as he put books back in their place.
I was still curious. I flipped through the pages again. “Mare Mare…ah ha! Mare in the Moon. Myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape and she will bring along about nighttime eternal.” I let out a frightened gasp, turning to the dragon. “Spike, do you know what this means?”
“No…” he said as he was dangerously balancing on the ladder. He then slipped, but I was there to catch him on my back. I also had a blank piece of paper and a quill in my mouth. “Take a note please, to the princess.”
“Okey dokey.” Spike said, taking the paper and quill, readying it in his claw, waiting to be told what to write.
“My dearest teacher, my continuing studies of pony magic had led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster.”
“Hold on.” Spike said. I turned to him curiously, and he seemed to be having trouble with something. “Preci…preci…?” he looked over at me for help.
“Threshold.” I suggested.
“Threeee…?”
“Uh, brink?”
He looked at me, clueless.
I groaned. “That something really bad is about to happen!”
He seemed satisfied with that and continued writing.
“For you see, the mythical mare in the moon is in fact Nightmare Moon and she’s about to return to Equestria and bring with her eternal night. Something must be done to be sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Twiiiiliiiight Spaaaaarkle! Got it!”
“Great! Send it.”
“Now?”
“Of course!”
“I don’t know Twilight. Princess Celestia’s a little busy getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration. And it’s like, the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s just it Spike. The day after tomorrow is the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration. It’s imperative that the princess is told right away.”
Spike blinked, looking down at the letter. “Impera…impera…”
“IMPORTANT!” I yelled, sending the dragon tumbling backwards.
“Okay, okay.” Spike complained. He picked up the rolled up letter, holding it out in front of him and taking a deep breath. He blew green flames at the letter, turning it into sparkling dust and sending it out the window. “There. It’s on its way. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
“Oh I’m not worried Spike. The princess trusts me completely. In all the years she’s been my mentor she’s never once doubted me.”
Spike sighed. His cheeks then swelled up. He let out a belch, sending more green flame out. The sparkling dust returned, but not the same. The sparkles formed into a different letter. One from the Princess.
“See? I knew she would want to take immediate action.”
Spike cleared his throat, taking the letter and began to read it.
“My dearest and most faithful student Twilight. You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely.”
I smiled, holding my head high to myself, waiting for Spike to finish. But I gasped at one of the sentences in the letter.
“But you’ve got to stop reading those dusty old books!”
