The sun shone brilliantly in the deep blue expanse of the sky above the quiet park, no clouds to dampen the spirits of anypony around. Nary a sound was made aside from the hum of the wind blowing throughout the trees and the whistles of nearby birds; at least it was, until a certain group of friends arrived.
“Come on girls, not long to go!” Twilight shouted excitedly behind her, bouncing around with unbounded joy. She’d been waiting months for this trip to Manehatten, she’d finally get to see what it was like. How exciting! she thought to herself, continuing her happy parade around her friends.
“Calm down, sugarcube. I’m excited too, but that’s no reason to jump around like some crazy-pony.” Applejack said, trying to calm the nearly flying violet pony.
“Yeah, Twilight, you’re even scaring Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash said, nodding her head in the direction of the cowering pony.
“Yes, darling, why don’t you just give it a rest and have a nice sit down for a change.” Rarity politely motioned her hoof towards her.
“Why should she? She’s more fun than ever!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie happily, glancing towards her friend. “Don’t listen to them Twilight, have fun!” Pinkie bounced around her, higher than any ‘other’ pony could possibly jump.
“Sorry girls, it’s just I’ve been waiting so long to see it. I can’t help but be excited.” Twilight said abandoning the bouncing pink pony, approaching her friends.
“S’alright sugarcube, no need to apologize, we understand, just…” Applejack paused for a moment then continued. “… calm down a bit.”
Twilight slowly nodded, glancing over her shoulder to see a flying carriage arriving from the horizon pulled by four strong, sturdy young pegasi, followed by multiple winged guards.
“Quickly!” Twilight shot up again. “Get your bags ready girls!” she continued, trotting to her more-than-organized luggage.
She watched as the carriage pulled up towards the group, stopping right in front of them. Twilight prepared to set her suitcases into the storage compartment when an unexpected guest popped out causing her load to topple onto her, muffling her scream.
Luna looked petrified, swiftly trying to assist the astonished pony out of her baggage. “We are sorry, Twilight Sparkle!” she promptly said, “We-.“ Luna paused for a second, “I mean I, am sorry. I did not mean to scare you.” she continued stopping for a moment afterwards, frowning and looking at Twilight with pleading eyes. “Could you forgive me?”
“Of course I will, I just wasn’t expecting you, that’s all.” replied Twilight, stacking her trunks back up.
“Are you sure?” questioned Luna.
“Yes I’m sure, now please stop worrying, I forgive you.” Twilight said, looking up at the princess.
Luna briskly nodded and proceeded to examine her surroundings. After moments of glancing around, she noticed Twilight’s friends bowing in her presence.
“Please friends, rise! There is no need to bow.” Luna said, inviting them to stand.
“But it is uncouth not to bow in the presence of royalty!” Rarity said, rising onto her hooves..
Luna’s face turned deathly serious as she began to speak. “It is also law to abide by what royalty says.”
The fashionista’s face darkened and she briskly started to apologize before being interrupted by unexpected giggles from the princess herself.
“I kid Rarity, please feel free to do what you like,” she said between bouts of laughter. Slowly halting her fit, she glanced at the ponies standing adjacent purple maned unicorn, smiling, “... and you all feel free to do what you like as well.”
Each pony nodded steadily, hastily following Twilight whom had put her luggage into storage whilst the ponies were conversing.
Luna and Twilight watched while the rest of the ponies finished inserting their things into the storage unit. until their gaze was drawn to a familiar figure that appeared behind them. “I see you couldn’t resist tagging along, sister.” They both turned around to see none other than Celestia in full regal armor standing before them.
“S-sister, uh, I-” Luna tried to explain but was interrupted by a silencing gesture from the princess of the sun.
“This was supposed to be a vacation for the six of them, no meddling from either of us, and you were supposed to be keeping track of the castle while I saw my student off.” Celestia said, followed by the group of ponies accompanying Twilight rushing to bow before her.
“But sister, this could be my only chance to get to know them more!” Luna argued.
“I’m sorry Luna, but this is their time, they deserve it.” Celestia said, frowning slightly.
“U-uhm, excuse me Princess-...” Twilight started to say but was cut off by both aged goddesses turning unto her with questioning looks on their faces. She paused awkwardly then continued. “Princess Celestia.” Another pause, followed by the full attention of her mentor. “I’d actually like for Luna to come; I want to get to know her more too.”
Celestia’s gaze dropped as she let out a sigh turning to Luna. “Alright, you win.” she ended her slightly defeated tone and replaced it with annoyance, “Now I have to get back to Canterlot because somepony left the castle! Goodbye my faithful student.” Celestia trotted away, ignoring any strange looks she may have gotten. She spread her wings and flew away, her royal guard in pursuit.
“Pardon me Princess, but the princess...” Applejack hesitated, letting out a slight cough. “She was actin’ a bit strange, know why that is?”
“She’s been under so much stress lately, the griffons have been pushing the borders of their territory, and the negotiations with them have become more and more aggressive.” Luna instantly put her hoof to her mouth, blocking any communication she could make before taking it off again. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, lets just get going.” and as the day finally fell to night, they set off into the sky, leaving behind the little town known as Ponyville to the bustling streets of Manehattan.
____________________________________________________________________________
Author’s Note:
Twilight’s Journal, Manehattan: Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout “Save us!”... and I’ll whisper “no.”
Apologies about the abundance of dialogue, this is just for the prologue.
FEEDBACK REQUESTED!
Googledocs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QhCJSizRsp__LlLx1Memxd2FjptsDhBuOIrIc7M9GUw/edit Comments allowed.
Chapter 1: Party's Closed
Twilight opened her eyes only to snap them shut, narrowly avoiding being blinded by the harsh sunlight entering her room, bathing it and her fresh bedmane with a coarse orange glow.
“Huh?” the unicorn murmured, squinting at the blurred figure standing in the windowsill.
“Good morning sleepy head!” shouted Pinkie enthusiastically. “How’d you sleep? Huh?! Huh?! Huh?! Huh?!”
Twilight blinked, unable to process the pink pony’s pestering through her tired stupor, only letting out a slight grunt in acknowledgement and sticking her face in her pillow. Unfortunately for her, this just wasn’t enough for the party pony.
“Awwww, c’mon silly, what are you doing in bed at this hour? It’s a special day today!” she said, lowering to a tolerable inside-voice.
The violet pony thought for a moment before raising her voice, “What’s that then?” she spoke, the muffled sounds barely penetrating the pillow.
Still managing to hear, Pinkie began happily bouncing around the room. “Don’t be silly!” she said, “It’s our anniversary of course!”
“Our anniversary?” Twilight questioned, dragging herself out of bed and into her bathroom, contemplating what her friend was talking about. She casually searched through her mind, examining all the possibilities it could be. The striped mane pony finally let out a sigh and resolved to ask. “What anniversary?”
“You don’t remember?” said Pinkie surprisedly, “It’s our official ‘One Week In Manehatten On Vacation’ anniversary!”
Twilight rolled her eyes, smiling, “Oh of course, what else could it have been?” she said in a teasingly sarcastic voice. Twilight closed the door to her bathroom and stepped into the shower, turning the water lever to match a lukewarm temperature.
Over an hour had passed before Twilight finally finished washing up. She stepped out of the bathroom to find Pinkie under the afternoon sun, sitting on the balcony overlooking the city. She took a step outside to observe the metropolis and the life she’d been partaking in for the last week.
Manehatten was bustling. Ponies crowded every corner as they hustled through Trots Square. Maplewood carriages pulled by whole assortments of stallions were trying to maneuver through the chaotic mass of ponies, a scene which would have even made Discord proud. Skyscrapers lined the sky, trailing all the way to the ground.
Twilight looked around the city, marvelling in its beauty, until she was interrupted by a disturbingly serene Pinkie Pie.
“You know Twilight...” she whispered, “... sometimes I wonder how one pony could ever see it all, experience it all, complete it all. Do everything a pony could ever do.” She paused for a moment, planting her rump on the ground. “If it’s possible, I want to be that pony, I want to be the pony who is known to have done it all.”
“Pinkie...” Twilight began.
Pinkie jumped up, returning to her usual effervescence. “Oh yeah, that leads me to my second question, where can I host my ‘One Week In Manehatten On Vacation’ party?!”
Pinkie Pie... She rolled her eyes at the thought of the crazed party pony being as calm as that for any longer than 10 seconds. “I don’t know Pinkie, you’re the party master, why do you need my help?”
“I’m having a party block, I can’t seem to think of one place I could use.” the pink pony announced.
Twilight’s face morphed into a look of amusement. “A ‘party block’?” She laughed. What will Pinkie come up with next? “Alright, whatever you say Pinkie, why don’t you just use the place where you threw your hotel warming party?”
“Picking the same party place in a whole new place is boring, that’s why!” Pinkie said irritatedly.
“Alright Pinkie, I’ll help you find your ‘party place’. Now where do you want to start looking?”
“If I knew where I was going to start I wouldn’t have had to ask you would I, silly.” Pinkie giggled.
“Of course...” Twilight shrugged, “... do you have any idea for anything?”
“I do have an idea for this Chimicherry cheesecake, it sounds amazing!” Pinkie exclaimed.
Twilight rolled her eyes for what seemed like the millionth time already that day as they both trotted out of the hotel doors onto the pavement and into the city.
“Alright, are you all settled Pinkie? We can head back to the hotel now?” Twilight said, exhaustion prevalent in her voice.
“Yup, except I have a few more supplies to get, but I can get them by myself, you can go rest.” Pinkie replied happily, her body practically buzzing with energy.
“Okay then, I’ll go tell the others where the party is so they can get ready. Bye Pinkie!” Twilight shouted behind her as her hooves clattered against the pavement creating the rhythmic sound of running.
Pinkie watched as Twilight ran off into the crowd of ponies engulfing the streets. Let’s go! She thought as she bounced off into the crowd in the opposite direction.
“Ooooh, a flour stand!” Pinkie shouted to herself, skipping over to the excellently built wooden cart carrying the fine white powder. “Hello mister,” she said. “Could I have some of your amazing looking flour?” she continued, smiling.
“Sure there, just come on back here and we’ll get you set up.” he replied, trotting down the small alley.
Pinkie stopped for a moment, “Couldn’t I just have some from here?” she questioned, her smile morphing into a face of confusion.
“Uh, no, this is the uh...” He paused a few moments. “It’s the display flour, yeah that’s what it is, the fresh flour is back here.”
Pinkie glared at him.
The salespony began to sweat, his eyes darting from side to side.
Pinkie continued to glare.
“Uh, is there a problem?” the salespony said, leaving an awkward laugh at the end.
She continued to glare, but finally she resumed her happy manner. “Nopie dopie lopie!” she shouted.
“Alright, follow me then.” he said to the bubbly pink pony, exhaling loudly.
Pinkie and the salespony walked through the alley, light fading as they further traveled into the alley. Soon enough, the straight line opened up into a small space lit up only by the dim sunlight passing over the surrounding buildings.
“Where’s the flour?” Pinkie asked, glancing around the area.
“Oh, darn, I must be out.” he spoke, watching a pony creep in on the pink pony from behind. “I might have another bag somewhere, just let me look.”
Closer.
“Just wait there, don’t move.” he said, lip quivering.
Closer.
“Oh, and one more thing.” he squeaked, his voice trembled this time.
“Hmmm?” was all Pinkie replied.
He watched as a stallion behind the mare lifted up his hoof, and just before he brought down his hoof, the salespony let out a whimper, “I’m sorry.”
Thump.
Pinkie slumped down onto the ground falling into unconsciousness.
“Alright, I did what you wanted...” the salespony choked out through tears. “Now release my wife!”
Twilight had finally finished rounding up the girls and by the time they all had prepared, the sun had set upon the city, Luna’s silvery orb taking its place.
The silence as they exited the building was broken by hardly any creature. The deserted streets of the town at night and the silence almost seemed eerie to Twilight. Such a bustling city during the day, but they flee the roads during the night; she had always been curious over the course of the stay for the reasoning behind it.
They sat at the edge of the building’s entrance for some time, silence bearing every second.
“The carriage was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago.” Twilight said, pacing across the pavement lit up only by the lights of the hotel it was placed there for. “Pinkie will be wondering where we are!”
“What shall we do?” Rarity asked.
“We’ll just have to hoof it there I guess.” Applejack said, stepping out into the street.
“No, it is much too dangerous at night!” Luna shouted, pushing herself into the path of Applejack. “Much more dangers lurk this city at night than in the Everfree forest even.”
“Alright Luna, but what about Pinkie?” Applejack protested.
“I could fly there and tell her what’s going on, and if anypony tries to cause me trouble, I’ll give ‘em a one-two buck with my hooves!” she shouted, standing on her rear hooves and throwing quick punches out into the air with her two unoccupied ones.
“But-” Luna tried interjecting.
“Luna, I agree with them, we need to tell Pinkie. The last time we didn’t accept her invitations to a party she, well, went a bit...” Twilight stopped, scouting her mind for the correct word to use. “Insane.”
Luna sighed, “I’m coming with you then, if you’re going then you’re not going alone.” Luna moved her gaze to Twilight. “If we aren’t back within the hour, assume something has happened and contact the appropriate authorities in the morning.”
“Let’s go!” Rainbow Dash shouted leaping into the air and soaring off.
“She’s going to be trouble.” Luna mumbled to herself taking off in pursuit of the quickly shrinking rainbow streak.