It was quiet. Too quiet. Something had to be up. It was never that quiet. Especially when guests were over. Guests of a younger age. Guests of her sister. Tap. Tap. Tap. Rain was beginning to fall. She knew rain was scheduled for that evening, but somehow it still surprised her. A bolt of lightning lit up the room, followed by a crack of thunder, shaking the whole house with its intensity. The fear was growing inside her chest. The presence of another could be felt nearby. Then...BAM! She was tackled by three small forms. They rolled around the floor...laughing?
"Gotcha!" Apple Bloom said, on top of her big sister, along with her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Suddenly, a shadow fell upon them. Big Macintosh grabbed all three of the little fillies and wrapped them in a bear hug.
"Arrrgggg! I am going to eat you!" he said.
"No don't eat us!" the three fillies mock-yelled. Applejack jumped to her feet.
"Yeah! I say we eat 'em. Cook 'em in stew and have fresh filly tonight!" she said. She went over and tickled them, causing them to burst into howling laughter.
"Dagnabit, what in tarnation are y'all doing out here?" said Granny Smith.
"Oh uh, sorry Granny. Didn't mean ta wake ya. We were jus playin' a game. Ya can go back to sleep. We'll be quiet."
"Darn kids. Wakin' me up at dark thirty in tha mornin'." Applejack and the others laughed again, but not as loud as before. They all got on their four hooves and walked back to their rooms.
"Alright you three. Where are y'all sleepin'?" Applejack said to Apple Bloom and the other girls.
"Well, 'bout that. Me 'n the girls were wonderin' if we could sleep in our clubhouse? Please please please Applejack?"
"Yeah, please. We'll be really good. We won't break anything. And we'll go right to sleep." said Sweetie Belle
"Are y'all nuts? It's rainin' heaven out there."
"We'll get an umbrella and hurry right over there. We won't go outside until morning," Scootaloo chimed in.
"Hmmm, what do you think, Big Mac? Should we let 'em?"
Big Mac looked at the girls begging faces and back to his oldest younger sister. "Eyyup."
"Alrighty, fine then."
"Yay!"
"But Big Mac is taking y'all out there."
"What?" he said.
"If ya think they can stay out there alone, you're gonna take 'em out there."
He sighed and smiled. "Alright. Let's go." They grabbed some umbrellas and out they went, into the pouring night. Applejack chuckled as she heard the girls scream out at how cold the rain was.
She went upstairs, to her room, where she also had guests. "Sorry 'bout that. Mah sister and her friends jumped me."
"No need to apologize, darling. My sister is down there, too." said Rarity, sitting on the bed, filing her hooves.
"Yeah, Scoots was there, too. We may not be related, but she's pretty much my sister, ya know?" said Rainbow Dash to Fluttershy.
"Well, um, no, not really. I don't have any siblings."
"Of course you do, silly! You have Applejack and Rarity and Twilight and Rainbow Dash and me!" said Pinkie Pie, a little hyper, like she's ever not hyper.
"Yeah, we're just as close as sisters would be." Rainbow Dash got up. "Aren't we, girls?"
"Hay yeah we are!" Applejack sighed. "If only Twilight was here with us."
"Yeah, but don't worry, darling. She'll be back before you know it!"
"Um, not to be rude, but why did she go to Canterlot again?" asked Fluttershy.
"She had some fancy-shmancy princess business with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."
"What I don't get is how come she didn't bring us? We're her best friends and all."
"Rainbow, she's a princess now. She got her princessly duties, too."
"Still. We could've at least gone and stayed in a hotel or something. I bet there is a lot of stuff to keep us busy."
"Well, I don't know about you girls *yawn* but I'm tired. I had to babysit the Cakes again today." Pinkie Pie yawned and snuggled up in the bed, Fluttershy and Rarity squeezing in.
"Yeah. Angel put me through a lot today. And, uh, Applejack? I took your advice and I was more forceful with him."
"Did ya now? Did it work?" Fluttershy nodded, yawning in the process, causing everyone else to yawn.
"Well, I'm tired now, too. I think I'll go to bed. Scooch over Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash got in the bed, covering herself up. "Come on, Applejack. Room for one more."
She laughed and set her cowpony hat down. She squeezed in next to Rainbow, who was already snoring away. She heard the door open and close downstairs. 'Probably just Big Mac getting back.' She yawned and snuggled up next Rainbow, falling asleep shortly after.
The next morning was a bustle. They had been hurried out of bed, ate a hurried breakfast and hurried over to the train station hurriedly.
"Oh, I'm so nervicited! We haven't seen Twilight in like a billion million years!"
"Pinkie, she's only been gone for a month."
"I know, Dash, but still. I've missed her so very very much!"
"Yeah. We all have. Don't worry, sugar cube. She'll be here any moment now." Just then, they heard a train whistle. They all squealed with nervicitment! The train pulled up, stopping with steam coming out of it. Twilight stepped out, looking exactly the same. However, Spike was another story.
"Huh! Oh my goodness! What happened to my little Spikey-wikey?" said Rarity, running to him and wrapping him in a hug, causing him to blush with hearts in his eyes.
"It's nice to see you too Rarity. Hey girls!" They all ran and had a big group hug, Rarity jumping in.
"Oh I'm so happy you're back. You know what this calls for? A WELCOME BACK PARTY!"
"Alright, at least let me take my stuff home first."
"So how'd it go? We've been wondering for sooo long now."
"Rainbow, I told you before I left. It's strictly princess stuff...and it turns out Discord is missing."
"What the? Discord is missing? Why that no good trickster is probably doing just that, tricking us."
"Hold on, now. Something may be up." Applejack took Twilight's things and they began walking towards the library. "What else did they say?" she asked Twilight.
"Well, they said something is happening all over Equestria and for us to be careful here in Ponyville. She didn't exactly say what was happening, but she said we'd know when it started."
"What in the hay does that mean?"
"I don't know."
"Spike, you never told me what happened to you?" said Rarity worriedly.
"Oh, you don't have to worry. I'm just growing is all. And look, my wings are starting to come in!" He turned around and showed them his small wing buds that were starting to show.
"Growing? I'll say. You weren't even as tall as our eyes and now you're almost as tall as us standing on all fours."
"I know! And I think my voice is getting deeper too!"
"Man, it's hard to believe that. Everypony is growing up."
"Speaking of growing up, has Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo gotten their cutie marks yet?" asked Twilight.
"No, not just yet, but I have a feeling they're finally getting their heads straight and figuring out just to let it come naturally."
"Yeah, I've been noticin' that. Apple Bloom hasn't been doin' much crazy stuff here lately. Maybe yer right."
"I hope so. They just love getting into trouble." The mares laughed.
"Well, I'll go on home and I'll catch you ponies later. I've got to unpack and do a few things."
"Okey dokey lokey! Come to Applejack's barn when you're done. We planned a big party there with all our friends and family! Later Twilight." She bounded off, the others following her.
"Hey Applejack, can you help me with something before you go?"
"Can do." She followed Twilight and Spike inside. "What'd you need help with?"
"Actually, Princess Celestia wanted me to give you this." Twilight went to her bag and brought out a crystal apple. "This is called the Apple of Eden. It used to be a very powerful artifact. Almost as powerful as the Elements of Harmony. However, it's power was drained by an unknown force, along with five other ancient, powerful, priceless artifacts. She gave one to me, too." She brought out a white metal crown. "This is the Future Crown. As you can guess, it could tell you the future. I have four others in here that I'm going to give to the girls. I just thought you should have yours now."
"Uh...why if you don't mind me asking?" she said nervously.
"Princess Celestia used this crown the last time it would ever be used and she said for me to give you your gift first. Then to Fluttershy, then Rarity, then Pinkie, then Rainbow last. I'm not sure why this specific order, but that is Princess Celestia's wish and I must keep it. And please don't tell the others."
"Ah Pinkie promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
"Thanks, AJ." She hugged her country friend and started unpacking.
Later that day, the party had already started and was getting fun. "Hey, Applejack. I gotta *hiccup* say. This is the best cider *hiccup* you've ever made. I don't know what you put in it, but *hiccup* I like it." Rainbow Dash stumbled off, apparently a little tipsy on Applejack's special cider.
"Put something in it? Uh-oh. I think this is Big Mac's special cider." She went over and sure enough, it had alcohol in it. She shrugged it off. Big Mac must've known or he would've said something. She looked around at everypony else, seeing they were all starting to get a little tipsy. For all she knew, she was too. Pinkie Pie was chugging it down like it would all be gone in a short while. Well, from how she was drinking it, mixed with all the others drinking it, it would be gone in a short while.
Princess Luna would be rising the moon here pretty soon. Twilight had already distributed the rest of the artifacts to her friends: to Fluttershy she gave the Pearl of Wisdom, to Rarity the Rose of Beauty, to Pinkie Pie the Scrolls of Happiness, and to Rainbow Dash the Storm Incarnate, a small, self-sustaining storm cloud.
And of course, everyone was confused as to why they were given their artifacts, but it was for a great purpose and yet they had no clue.
The party progressed on well after Princess Luna raised the moon. The music and laughter could be heard all over Ponyville. Only, it didn't really matter since all of Ponyville's residence was at the Apples' barn, having a blast. However, their fun would be cut short.
The whole barn began to shake violently, alarming everypony. The rafters were rocking back and forth, about to fall, when suddenly, the shaking cease. Not a sound was heard, not a cricket or the breath of anypony. A light began to shine in through a window of the west wall. It's brightness continued to grow and grow until it vanished, taking all light with it. It was pitch black. Ponies couldn't see their own hooves in front of their muzzles. Twilight whispered out, "what...was that?"
"I ain't sure. It came from the west orchard. C'mon girls, let's go see." She raised her voice for everypony to here, "alright, everypony stay calm. I suggest y'all all go on home and get some rest. We'll figure this out and tell y'all tomorrow." They all nodded in compliance. They all left for their homes except Twilight and the others. They had some business to attend to.
Applejack lead the way to the west orchard, her best friends staying close. Since they were all drunk on the special cider, being quiet was a phenomenal feat which none of them could accomplish. Rainbow Dash stumbled and tripped onto Rarity who fell on Pinkie Pie and the chain kept going until all six ponies were tumbling down the hill, just barely stopping on top of one another right in front of a massive crater in the ground. "What in all things holy is that?" asked a confused Applejack.
"The hay if *hiccup* we know." Spike had just caught up, now being the only sober one there.
"Hey, guys wait up-WHOA!" Rarity pulled him back before he fell. They fell back, breathing heavily. "Oh my gosh. What in Celestia's good name could've caused that?" They peered into the hole, not knowing what to see. Nothing. It was too dark to see anything since the big apple trees were blocking what light the moon did shine.
Rainbow Dash burped and said, "anypony got a flashlight?"
"I brought one," said Spike. He turned it on and shown it in the hole. Nothing but...wait. "Did you see that?!"
"See what?" said a shaky Fluttershy, clutching Rainbow Dash like a security blanket.
"A tail. I saw a tail." The they heard a stick crack on the other side of the huge crater.
"EEEK!" Fluttershy screamed, jumping into Rainbow Dash's arms like Scooby does to Shaggy. The sound of fast hoof steps could be heard going away from the group. Twilight teleported across the hole and began running after whatever it was.
"Come on, everypony! Let's go!" The others got across somehow or went around and the chase was on. It lead them out of the orchard and to a big clearing with hills. On a hill, stood a pegasus stallion covered in blood and staring at the moon.
