Twilight Sparkle was rustling through the covers in her bed, kicking and growling. She woke up in surprise. It was rather peaceful. With a sigh, she sat up. "Ugh, just a bad dream. Good morning, Spike," She yawned. She looked over the edge of her bed to see the dragon looking back at her, but saw an empty round bed with messy covers hanging off of the side. "What is that baby dragon doing so early?" Twilight Sparkle said to herself, hopping out of bed while levitating a brush. She straightened out her hair and headed down to the living room.
Spike had been reading a letter, written in fancy cursive."Wha-what is that?" Twilight asked. Spike looked over when he heard the soft voice. "Oh, hi Twilight Sparkle!" Spike said. "Look, the princess sent a letter!"
"And what does it say?"
Spike cleared his throat and deepened his voice.
"Hear ye, hear ye. I shall be taking a visit to PonyVille for a visit with my fellow citizens, and I haven't the time to assign my royal guards. They have been busy taking on other tasks for me. So I voice my assignment to you, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack to watch over my castle. You are trustworthy enough to do these tasks for me. But you must be there by the day after tomorrow. Take care, and do well. Your loyal teacher, and ruler of Equestria, Celestia."
Spike pointed to half a dozen ticket tucked beneath a folded corner of the paper. "P.S. I left some train tickets so you can get in." He looked over to Twilight Sparkle. "D'aww, I wish I could come."
Twilight Sparkle looked back at Spike, smiling a bit, trying to hold in her excitement. "Spike, you can take over the library while I'm gone." She smiled a bit at him, trying to cheer him up. "Uh, okay..." Moaned Spike.
****
Twilight Sparkle headed over to Rarity's house. She knocked on the door with her hoof. "Come iiiinnn~" A cheerful voice rhythmically said. Twilight used her magic to open the door.
"Hey, Rarity," She started. "You won't believe it!"
Rarity, who was sewing up a dress, looked over her shoulder. "Did Prince Blueblood turn around his attitude?" She excitedly asked. "Or did Photo Finish choose me as the next big thing?"
"Even better!" Twilight Sparkle said with sparkling eyes. "The princess needs us to stay at her castle because she'll be coming to PonyVille for a while! And we'll start heading there tomorrow."
Rarity's eyes sparkled. "That's great!" She said. "I'll meet you at the library."
****
Next up, SugarCube Corner. Hoof-steps sounded as the purple unicorn entered, and the bell connected to the door rang. Pinkie Pie shot out from one of the doors beside the window in the center of the wall. "CUSTOMER?"
"No, it's just me. Hi Pinkie P--"
"Oh! Hiya Twilight! Wha'cha doin'? Huh?"
Twilight Sparkle innocently smiled. "Um, the princess told us that we need to watch over her castle because she'll be here in PonyVille. And we'll need to get going by tomorrow."
Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. "Oh! It's gonna be like a... switch party or something like that! A switch-cation? NO, a switchavacation. Or a vacaswitch?" Twilight Sparkle started to leave as the pink filly babbled on.
"...Well, I'll meet you at the library then!" Was the last thing Twilight heard as the bell on the door rang.
****
Almost done... Sweet Apple Acres. A hard-working orange earth pony was outside bucking apples. "Howdy, Twilight," Said a happy voice, coming from the earth pony. "Hey, Applejack. I have some good news!"
"Ah'd like here some, then," Chuckled Applejack.
"The princess said that she needs us at her castle to watch over it because she'll be going to PonyVille."
"Thank Celestia we won't have to be here, Ah nearly starved mahself last time was here." Laughed Applejack.
"And we'll need to get going tomorrow," Continued Twilight Sparkle.
"Shoot! Ah'll be there," Said Applejack happily.
"That's great," Said the purple unicorn as she exited.
****
And last but not least, Fluttershy's hut.
Twilight heard soft singing inside the house. She knocked on the door softly with her hoof. She backed up as the doot opened.
"Oh, h-hi, Twilight Sparkle." Fluttershy said.
"The princess will need us at her castle because she'll be coming to PonyVille." Started Twilight Sparkle. "And we'll need to get going tomorrow."
"Okay," Said Fluttershy. "Do I meet you at the library?"
"Yep," Answered Twilight Sparkle. "Would you mind going to Rainbow's and informing her, too?
"Not a bit," Said Fluttershy as Twilight started to leave.
Fluttershy went back in her hut. "Angel, I'll be gone for a second... take care." Fluttershy smiled sheepishly and opened the door. She started flying. [center
Once she got to he giant cloud home layered in rainbows, she knocked on the door. A teal pegasus with a rainbow mane came out. "Hey Fluttershy!" She said.
"H-hi, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy started. "Twilight wanted me to inform you that Princess Celestia wants us to stay and watch her castle while she comes to PonyVille."
Rainbow Dash made a weird face. "Why didn't she choose her royal guards to do that? Wouldn't she want to see ME?"
Fluttershy fiddled with her hooves and stared to the ground.
"Uh, and you guys, too..." She raised her wings. "When will we need to be there?""
"Oh, right. Uh, we are supposed to meet Twilight at the library tomorrow."
"I'll be there in a dash!" Exclaimed Rainbow Dash."
"Bye, Spike,"
Twilight Sparkle levitated six train tickets and handed one to each of her friends, and of course, herself. Spike put his hand on his head in respect. "You have my word," He said.
****
"Miss Twilight Sparkle, is it?"
A train pony took Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity's tickets."You have a good time," Said the train stallion as the ponies got on the train. "Ooh! This will be fun!" Said Pinkie, hopeful of the train starting to move.
"Pinkie, we've been on trains... what, a thousand times?" Said Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy stared into the distance through the window. "I hope we see wildlife," Said she, flapping her wings. Rarity made a weird look at her. "...animals? I hope to see celebrities!" She said, eyes sparkling.
The train slowly started to move. "Stop fightin', now," Applejack started. "Let's just enjoy the ride."
Fluttershy peered out. "...pretty..." She breathed. Pinkie Pie stuck her head out of the window like a dog. Rainbow Dash, however, just crossed her arms. "Too slow," She huffed.
Applejack looked over to the teal earth pony. "Well, if we went to fast, we'd just be there before the Princess has even le-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTT!" The train started bolting like thunder. "WEEEE!" Pinkie Pie sang as her tongue flapped in the wind. Fluttershy covered her head, and you could hear a light, "Make it stop!"
Rarity's mane got frizzled when the wind came in the train. "My mane!" And Rainbow Dash... was gone.
Twilight Sparkle levitated her window up and looked out. The rainbow-maned filly was pulling the train. The two other ponies, who had been pulling the train, were being dragged. The purple unicorn levitated Rainbow Dash away from the train.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"I can do that," Mentioned Twilight Sparkle as she dropped her back in the train from the emergency exit.
****
"Look! Right there!" Pinkie Pie pointed at the castle as the train came to a stop.
"Stopping at Canterlot train stations. Thank you for riding with us." Sounded a deep voice from the intercom.
Rainbow Dash sighed. "Finally..."
All Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Applejack (and not Pinkie Pie) looked over at her with disapproval.
They all exited the train-- well, Rainbow Dash dashed out of the train. A royal guard welcomed everypony who came off. Another royal guard walked up to them when he saw Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack come off. "Follow me," The deep voice said.
He led them to the princess's castle. He showed them around.
