The Long Road

Thirteen hundred and fifty seven years prior to present

"But what if you get in trouble?" asked the dark blue alicorn filly as she trotted along.

"You worry too much Luna." responded the white alicorn filly as she trotted even faster.

"But father and mother!" Luna argued as she did her best to keep up with the pace.

"Won't know." the white alicorn mare stated as she finally stopped much to the surprise of Luna, "Or are you going to tell on me like a foal?" the white alicorn callously questioned without turning around.

"We are not a foal!" Luna declared, "You are Tia!" Luna accused as she turned and galloped back from whence they came, her faint crying echoing into the darkness.

"It's Celestia! Not Tia!" Celestia yelled down the hall where Luna had galloped before doing the same in the opposing direction.

Coming to a set of large doors she used her magic to shove them open, dust and grim falling about from years of neglect. Wasting little time she started to wade through parchment after parchment mumbling to herself until her face lit up as much as her golden magical grasp.

"Finally!" Celestia gasped with glee, "Luna can spend all her time learning those silly little spells. As for me," she grinned, "I'm going to prove that I'm not afraid to jump ahead" as she almost pranced deeper into the dusty library.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, little Luna was galloping with all her might through the new brightly lit and decorated hallway with dried tears and new found determination, but not neglect. Even as she whipped back and forth between other, bigger, ponies she made sure not to cause any ruckus until one startled maid dropped a brimming hot teakettle.

Catching it with her dark blue colored magic Luna sat it onto the floor as she yelled back, "Pardon us!". Never slowing down until she reached a pair of large brightly golden doors, she almost slammed into them before sliding to a halt next to a guard in white pearly plate armor.

"We seek council! Please let us enter!" she called out with her voice almost breaking up in high pitch.

"Of course, my princess." The guard gruffly answered, before tapping his left hind hoof against the door, signaling those inside as the door slowly opened inwards revealing a grand lavish throne room. "You may enter."

Doing a light trot, she came up before two ponies who towered over any and all others before and around, as she knelt. "We seek...!" before being yanked in a crimson glow up to the thrones.

"Lulu how many times have I told you not to kneel?" The large alicorn mare gently chastised, "It's a form of submission that we would never ask of any pony."

"But we seek...!" Luna once again tried to addressed in vain as she was brought into a wing enclosed hug.

"Indeed." said the alicorn stallion, "If one wishes to show respect, then one is only to bow." as he seems to ignore the epic muffled battle of a filly against the feathers of his mate, as he looks only ahead.

"mmf mfmm mff!"

The two large alicorns can only chuckle/giggle at the muffled distraction.

"mmf mfmm mff!"

"Okay okay." The alicorn mare finally conceded, "What in equestria could be so dire?" she asked just as a sudden vibration rippled through the entire castle causing her wings to lose their pressure.

"We said Tia is in trouble!!" Luna screamed.

"I'm in so much trouble!!" Celestia grimaced as she now stood not among parchments or marble, but hay.

"W-where am I?" she fumbled out as she haphazardly jumped about in her new foreign environment, before screaming.

"M-m-m-monster!!!" the alicorn filly screamed as she dove into one of piles of hay, only to clank her horn off a large block, "Owwwwww..." she drew out as she rubbed her horn before smelling some material still on her horn now on her hoof, "salt?", only to be drawn out of her stupor by the bellow of the monster.

"Get back or I'll!" she threatens as she pops her head out of the hay only to gasp as nothing happened. "I'll...why can't I" she cries out as she rolls her large eyes up to her horn, not amassed in golden glow, much to her protest. "Work!" and then not so silent before ducking back into the hay after the monster once again erupts in an unholy roar.

Celestia wrapped her forelegs over her head and hunkered down with her tail wrapped along her side as she started to cry. "I wanna go home now" she mumbled to herself just as the noise from a creeping door startled her into wide eyes, the sound of paws coming ever closer into slamming them shut, and the calm voice speaking in an foreign dialect somewhere in between.

Peaking through the hay, her eyes widened at the sight before her. A much smaller monster had ventured into the structure, perhaps alerted to her presence by the almost equine like behemoth that had let forth the terrible roar earlier.

Please don't eat me please don't eat me. Was all she could think as the smaller monster ceased trying to docile the other only to look her way, causing her to shiver even more as it seemed to just stare in her general direction before it seemed to speak something under it's breath.

As she sat there, shivering but otherwise frozen while under the gaze of the monster before her, it's attention was suddenly taken by shouting outside. Now's my chance! She thought as she shot out from under the hay. Failing to even rationalize how bad going up stairs might have been, she never heard behemoth's roar followed by shattering wood, a scream, and breaking glass.

“Got to find a way out!” she cried out as she tripped and banged her legs as she climbed onto the second level of whatever complex she was stranded in, only to be confronted with more hay. As she galloped to and fro she started to cough lightly. “Why did I have to run up!” she chastised herself as her coughing slowly increased along with her eyes starting to sting.

“If only I could use my magic then-aah!” she came to a screaming conclusion as she tripped and went muzzle first into the floor, following by rapid coughing as she tried to steady herself. “Whats *cough* wrong with me!” she yelled out of frustration as her eyes clenched shut in irritation, the running snot in her nostrils causing further alarm and confusion.

“ahhhhhh!!!” she screamed with all her fright as whatever grabbed around her barrel gave a grunt as it heaved her up. “It's got me It's got me Let me go!!!” she cried even as her lungs and throat were doing the same. Flashes of light hit her eyes as if she'd lost control just as a soothing voice forced all of it to a halt.

She wanted to keep screaming. She wanted to force her eyes open and she especially wanted to be able to breath. But what she didn't want, but instead got, was a warm breath against the inside of her ear as the voice from before seemed to be trying to vex her. It spoke in a calm, but an ever growing raspy, voice. It wanted to elude her into a false sense of safety, and for it's part, it was succeeding.

It held her not too tight but aloft off the ground as she still flailed her legs a bit in vain until the calm voice, growing fainter, kept talking to her. She began to relax out of exhaustion as she felt rushed around, her legs now dangling. She barely registered the the free fall while still being held but jumped when something impacted the ground instead beneath her.

“I don't want to die” she almost blubbered out as tears of fear and sadness mixed with that of burning irritation. The voice had ceased, replaced only by wheezy breathing, as the grip around her started to loosen. But as she could do nothing other than instinctively wrap her forelegs around whatever was attached to the only thing that didn't make her afraid, the grip in turn tightened just enough to feel more secure.

The sudden rise and nausea that quickly followed only served to force her grip to tighten even more just as her entire body seemed to heat up as if bathing in the sunlight, following by the voice of her mother.

“Celestia!” an alicorn mare cried out as she held her, nuzzling her as she embraced her even tighter.

“Mother?” Celestia questioned as she opened her eyes a sliver, before they shot open wide, “Mother!” as if on cue, her cheeks demanded that they match those of the alicorn mare holding her.

As she nuzzled right back with abandonment she noticed a myriad of colored feathers not just of her mother's. “Father!” she craned her neck to pressed against his own, “Lulu!” she yelled as she pulled her sister in with her free foreleg even closer. “I'm sorry!” was all she could, or would, say as she held onto her family for her dear life, and them the same.

“We almost lost you.” her mother solemnly whispered with tears still fresh, “If Luna hadn't gotten to us when she did we would of not arrived in time to anchor your residual energy and pull you back.”

“Pull me back?” Celestia's eyes circled about, “Where is it?!” she then screamed causing the others embracing her to jump in surprise as she finally realized where she was, “Why am I in the royal infirmary?”

“You were badly burned and suffering from severe smoke inhalation,” a unicorn doctor spoke up from behind her father, “Had you not been brought to us when you were...” he left hang as he moved in to check up on the princess at the behest of the King and Queen.

“What did you mean by that Tia?” Luna asked her sister, who while not in love with the nickname, was more than accepting after such an event. “Did you see a monster?!” as she shrunk down.

“It was huge!” Celestia made sure to emphasize for her sister who was less than thrilled, “It was even bigger than mother or father and while it looked a bit like us it was really scary looking!” much to the dismay of her parents who watched as the fillies acted like night and day to the tale.

“But then an even smaller monster came and tried to tame it.” she continued on as the annoyed doctor kept trying to get her vitals to only some success, “It looked a lot less scary but I hid in some hay and it didn't see me.” she gave a self accomplished grin as she plopped down on her flank.

“Hay?” Luna asked with a tilted head, “You teleported to another dimension's barn?”

“Another dimension?” Celestia asked with wide eyes before looking to her parents, “I only”

“Only went against our wishes, attempted to cast an experimental spell that was forbidden for this very reason, and” her father deeply breaths in and out, “and I need to know in exact details what transpired before I confirm the rest.” he said with stern but not cold eyes. “Please.” as they soften.

“W-well I..” Celestia tried to speak as tears started to form under the parental gaze of her father as her mother moved closer and wrapped a wing over her for comfort, “I couldn't understand what they said but something yelled from outside distracting the smaller monster inside so I ran up some stairs.”

“Do you remember anything now that at the time you may have not acknowledged?” Her father inquired, to what end only he and from the worried look the Queen wore, knew.

Squeezing her eyes shut and scrunching up her muzzle, “I think when I ran the big monster roared, I heard wood shattering along with glass breaking?” as her muzzle tipped downwards, “a-and I...I think the smaller one screamed!” she shouted as her eyes shot back up in realization of the memory.

“I ran as fast as I could and got trapped on the second level. Then I started coughing real bad and my eyes burned.” she recalled as the doctor nodded from behind her, “I fell!” as the wing applied a bit more pressure, “and I couldn't get back up” as the tears started to well up again from the fear returning.

“Then what happened?” Luna asked, entirely engrossed in the tale, but moving close enough to move a front hoof to touch one of her sister's.

“I don't know.” she answered as her ears dropped and her stance faltered.

“Don't know or don't understand?” Her father gently asked. “Only one cannot be helped.”

“Something grabbed me and I kicked and flailed with all my might!” she recalled with some misplaced anger, “Then the same voice as the smaller monster was right next to my ear!” causing Luna to shrink down and her parent's eyes to widen, “and it started talking to me like when you did that time I fell off your throne!” she accused as she pointed to her father.

“I was trying to calm you down and let you know you would be alright.” the king deadpanned.

“Yeah that's exactly what it was trying to do!” she stated with a scowl before reality slapped her across the muzzle, causing the scowl to turn into something entirely opposite, “Oh no...”

“Celestia honey, calm down” her mother cooed near her ear to no avail.

“Where is it!?” Celestia started to panic, “You..you were able to save it right?” as more tears started to fall, “I-i...it was holding me and I think it fell! It kept talking to me but it's voice was getting dry and raspy...” her breathing increasing rapidly as both her parents tried to soothe her, yelling for the doctor.

“Where is it!” she finally demanded as tears shot out from her cheeks.

The queen said nothing, but embraced her daughter just a bit tighter as she was the only one close enough to make out the muffled words of dying innocence.

“I'm sorry!" was all that could be said to no pony that needed to hear it.

Fourteen years prior to present

Nestled deep in the Everfree there are many types of creatures of many different sizes. Whether hunter or the hunted, tooth of claw, scale of fur, they all followed the only rule of the Everfree. Survive. As such normalcy was towards the pack or colony where numbers mattered on whether one ate or was eaten each night. Anything unlucky enough to find itself isolated and alone, regardless of tier in the ecosystem, never lasted long.

Of the pack mentality, there was little above the sheer efficiency that the Timber Wolves could bring forth. Move together, sleep together, kill together. Much like the pack just shy of a dozen enjoying their fresh Manticore kill, drug to the river for easier consumption for the two month old pups at the den. They too follow the rule of the Everfree.

"ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" something screams as impact brings not easy dinner, but wet timber.

As pups scatter back and elders forward, all keen eyes of the night peer towards the rippling water waiting on the first signal to fight or flight. The night feathers high in the willow trees give way to the upcoming event, letting their night songs dwindle into the breeze just as blips of air burst through the calming water in rapid succession.

"gah!!" screamed a small colt as it burst through the water with little grace, much to the sudden delight of the awaiting Timber Wolves at the water's edge who stilled themselves in wait.

"What the heck!" yelled the colt as it kept struggling against nothing, "Something's got me!" before smashing one of it's front hooves right on the muzzle, "Pa!" it called out in crying panic, "It's got me!" before gurgling as he went back under.

The alpha crept forward as a youngling would be an easy kill even alone, and for all it knew, it was escaping. But just as it started to move faster right up to the water's edge it was jolted still by a single blip in the water. Letting out a growl only the pack understood, more of the elders ventured forth but stopping every time a blip popped.

Snapping at one of the younger elders, the Alpha growled and snapped again, as if to command the more expendable pack member to move in. A whimper and a dash later, the influx of many blips severed any resistance to the young elder's natural instincts as it stopped with only one wet paw.

Bursting once more through the water the colt seemed content being only partially submerged. Floating there with wide eyes, the colt seemed utterly frozen in fear as breathing was slow and erratic. Whether by nearly drowning or shock it was of no care to the Timber Wolves as the Alpha was about initiate the kill, when an roar erupted from the opposing river bank.

"Whats happening to me?" the water around the colt rippled as it pulled up one of it's forelegs as if foreign, "Did it curse me or something?" as it splashed the foreleg back down the water mixing in with that which fell from his eyes as it looked upwards.

"Ah'm sorry!" the colt cried out to the stars, "Ah'm sorry okay?!".

As if expecting an answer, the colt just continued to stare up at the clear night sky, "Can ah please go home now?" his voice on the verge of wobbly near the end as he hung his head, muzzle partially submerged.

"Gosh darnit what else gonna to go wrong!" the colt lifts his head in anger as he is doused under the water by the mid air collision of a manticore and several timber wolves. A wayward paw slicing down his side as his gargled cry was eclipsed by the roar and growls on the surface, scrambling through the pain to move with the undertow to anywhere but there.

Whether it would be by luck or damnation, there was one thing that both the colt's old home and the Everfree shared like long lost brothers. One rule that the colt knew well having grown up on the bleeding edge of the frontier. Survive.

"Work darn you work!" the colt yelled at it's very body in frustration as his hind legs seem to fight his every instinct while only having his front to try and swim to the shoreline. "Ah ain't dying to no mangy coyotes or over sized cougars!"

Climbing to dry ground, the colt struggled to keep steady on all four hooves. "Gotta *cough* run!" stumble as he would, he started to make headway to the treeline just as a wayward timber wolf, the younger elder, snapped it's jaws down on his tail. "Maybe ah can't run but ah still know how to kick ya furless critter!" as the crackling of wood and yelp of pain was met with freedom once more.

"Gah! Stupid critters!" the colt grumbled as he limped along the underbrush before circling a few trees, doubling back and then limping off into a new direction. "Just gotta do what Pa told me to do if I ever got lost and hurt." before letting his muzzle drop along with his voice, "Now ah just wish I listened to them osage about them angry spirits..." as he drudged along.

Present day

"But I'm a baby dragon!" Spike argued as he held his blanket entrapped in his talons in the air.

"Spike we've been over this. The Summer Sun Celebration is today!" Twilight Sparkle countered with yanking the blanket from spike's grasp with her magic, "We're asked to stay up all night in order to all be awake for the rising sun."

"Asked, not ordered." he reaffirmed with a frown, "I don't see why we can't sleep in just this once after all that's happened the last couple of years." as he starts counting with his talons, "Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Discord all the time".

"Exactly Spike." she nodded as she approached her number one assistant, "We've been through quite a lot together and this will be the first celebration that we can fully enjoy!" as her muzzle hinged on an grin, "Plus Rarity was asking if you would be there".

Interlocking his talons, his eyes started to shift before narrowing, "Then I'll do it!".

Sighing with a roll of her eyes, "I knew you could." before nuzzling him.

"Yeeehaw!" was all the door screamed as it was shot inwards. "Whats happening everypony!" Applejack said with just as much oomph as she did knocking on the door.

"AJ I told you to knock not buck my door!" Twilight yelled with half annoyance half amusement.

"Aww don't mind me none. Ah'm just coming to help make sure both of ya'll are up and proper!" as a wide grin started etching across Applejack's muzzle. "Should'a seen what ah done to Rainbow".

"Applejack!!!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she landed with a poof of dust right outside the doorway. "That went through my freaking shower you jerk!" as she flared her wings and hoofed the dirt.

"Aww, did the purdy nappin pony forget what cotton picking day it was?!" Applejack taunted even against the seeming impact the balled end of her tail made as she swung about, "Sides ah only returned the ball ya'll kicked through mah bedroom window!" as she hoofed the wood below her.

"Well at least you were halfway there?" Rainbow said with a snicker forgetting just who she was dealing with, "Oh crud!" as she tried to leap into flight, sky becoming earth along with an orange eclipse sealing her fate.

"Stop that this instant!" as a light blue magic enveloped and separated the two confrontation ponies, "That is no way for a lady to behave." Rarity said with a disapproving glare to two of her best friends. "Whatever has gotten into you two?"

"They're fighting over some balls." Twilight deadpanned towards a slightly pink cheeked Rarity.

"Well, I um," Rarity stuttered while trying to best respond, "Maybe one day they will finally learn to share?"

"What?!" growled AJ and Rainbow, still enveloped by the magical glow.

"Rar---raaaarity?" came the groggy voice from the fresh hole in the wall. "Rarity!"

"Spikey -wikey!" Rarity gave an genuine smile, "You're awake. Good good." she said as she trotted over, releasing the two onto the hard ground, "Would you be ever so kind and assist me in decorating the auditorium?" getting a bit of debris in her mane from the sudden movement before her.

"Would I!" Spike exclaimed with ambition, "Can I go?" he asked to his right, getting an nod before cheering and dashing to the door, bowing with his arms pointing out, "After you M'lady."

Giggling, "Such a proper gentlecolt you are." she said as she trotted out the door, "Sweetie Belle will be so excited!" in passing.

"Wait. What?" he questioned scratching the underside of his chin, "Hey wait!" Spike called out as he disappeared into the night.

"He still don't get it" Twilight deadpanned past the hole that her door at one time sealed before letting out an ear piercing scream as something jumped at her through the darkness.

"Hi Twilight!!" as the pink blur tackled the still screaming lavender unicorn, "You'll never guess what just happened!" Pinkie beamed a wide smile, "Take a guess!"

"I give up." Twilight mutters as the pulse in her ears dissipates.

"Awww. That's no fun at all. But neither will this!" as the pink party pony jumps back onto the wooden floor.

"Wait. What do you mean by that?" she asked as she got back onto her hooves as the broken door is lifted by a deep pink glow, "Don't tell me!"

"Oh it wasn't a doozy." Pinkie elaborated as a somepony lets out a deep sigh off to her right, "Much much worse!" as any escaping air is sucked back in.

"Wait. There's something worse than a doozy?" Applejack shrunk back as Rainbow put on a confident smirk.

"She's just messing with Twilight AJ. Nothing to worry about." Rainbow nudged AJ's side as the smirk straightens, "Least I hope."

"This is supposed to be the first Sun Summer Celebration where nothing goes wrong!" Twilight vents as she cyan and orange fur is pulled through the gaping hole of her once covered doorway, "Now you're telling me that something worse than a hydra in the bog is going to happen?" as she slumps down.

"Ah uh, ah don't think it was the hydra that was the" Applejack directed out before being shoved to the side.

"Yeah wasn't the doozy Twilight finally admitting she was clueless?" Rainbow recanted with a grin towards Applejack that quickly retreated once she swiveled her head towards the pony in question. "I mean, when you uh..."

"Admitted that I was wrong to not believe something that I couldn't disprove?" Twilight arcs her left brow, "Or am I still clueless?" before furrowing them.

"Ain't nothin wrong with admitting yah might be clueless Twi." Applejack tilted her head, "Sides when dealing with Pinkie here, ah think we're all guilty of it."

"Even me!" Pinkie cheerfully added as Applejack gave a long hard stare to Twilight who merely sighed. "Especially when whatever is coming gets here." as three sets of eyes dart her way.

"When what gets here?!" The three other ponies ask/demand.

"Well if I knew that I wouldn't of come here to tell Twilight now would I?" Pinkie gave an rather befuddled return stare, "All I know is that I know nothing else at all!" as the she switched to her signature smile.

"Maybe we should warn the Princesses?" Twilight suggests with nodding approval from the others.

"Warn us of what?" as three determined ponies let out a surprised cry over the new but familiar voice behind them.

"Princess Celestia!" The four ponies knelt before addressing the other beside her, "Princess Luna!" giving the princess of the night the same courtesy.

"W-we weren't expecting you until morning" Twilight observed. "and we need to warn you about something coming!"

"What might be coming save for the rising sun, young Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna stepped forth after giving her sister a side glance, "While we observe the unfamiliar that the element of laughter at times represents, we are not sure what to make of such a foreboding declaration."

"However," the solar princess interjects with her approaching presence, "We are inclined to listen to whatever warnings any of you wish to inform onto us regardless." as she notions with her head for Pinkie to step closer.

"Wellatfirstithoughtitmightbeadoozybutitfeltmorelikethetimebeforenightmaremoonarrived" as gasps rang out all around, "butthenirealizedthatitfeltlikenightmaremoonbutalsotheonetimewheniwasunsurehowanewcupcakerecipewouldturnout!"

"What in sam hill did she just say?" Applejack questioned.

"Nightmare moon and cupakes?" Rainbow drew out from the corner of her muzzle.

"So you think that something big is coming but unsure if good or bad?" Princess Celestia condensed for all to follow as the Pink party pony gave an energized smile and nod, "Do you know when?" as the noise of clopping from behind turned heads.

"Now who could that be." Twilight huffed as she trotted over and flung the door open with her magic. "I'm sorry but we're aahhhhhhh!".

"Twilight!" as a yellow blur flew through the door, "Oh excuse me..." she fluttered past the princesses and landed before the assembled group.

"Fluttershy whats wrong?" Twilight pushed past orange and cyan to butterscotch as she noticed the fear in her eyes.

"Oh Twilight it's terrible! Angel told me that something had come to this side of the Everfree!" as the others shot her looks of full attention and concern, "When I asked him what it was all of the other animals went crazy with chatter about it."

"Pinkie was right!" Twilight shot Pinkie a look who returned a blank one, "again."

"Well what did the critters say?" Applejack tried to push forward the important but missing details.

"They said terrible things!" Fluttershy said with concern, "Stuff like how it's alone and always injured! That it's been wandering since it was as small as a timber wolf pup and now it towers over Alphas. They think that it's cursed!" as tears begin to well up, "I was wanting to find the poor animal and help it." as she lowers her muzzle.

"Did the animals mention anything that could help us locate this unfortunate creature my little pony?" Celestia softly inquired as Fluttershy's eyes widened.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Fluttershy knelt down with some embarrassment.

"Please rise, our little pony." Celestia gently advocated as Princess Luna approached.

"Did you mention that the animals of the Everfree think that this creature is cursed?" Luna inquired with concern, "Then perhaps there is more to Laughter's foretelling than previously considered."

"Hah! Like some animal from the Evefree could be a match for us." as the corner of Rainbow's muzzle etched up, "I say we go over there and show that we aren't afraid of it."

"Ah'm with Rainbow on this one." Applejack quickly added, "Don't like meddling in other's affairs none but ah also don't like something like that being so close to mah home and family."

"But we haven't even established if it's a threat." Twilight folds her ears down as flashbacks of Zecora emerge, "Just because something is different on the outside doesn't mean it's up to no good." stomping her hoof down, "Plus Fluttershy is well known through the Everfree for helping any animals in need." as butterscotch ears flare up.

"Now hold on there sugarcube." Applejack trots forward with her ears pivoted the same, "Nowhere did ah say that I wanted to go and harm it. Ah just don't like something that we don't know if meaning us harm being so close."

"Well I might not be some egghead," cyan proclaims as lavender frowns,"but if it was here to see Fluttershy then why didn't it?" as ears pivot towards Rainbow Dash, "Sounds like it's roughed it all it's life on it's own and just happened to wonder too close to Ponyville to me."

"OH!" something pink yells as a cyan blur shoots into the air, "You might be right Dashie!"

"See!" Rainbow points an cyan hoof to pink, "Even Pinkie agrees..."

"You sure ain't no egghead!" as a wide smile appears on Pinkie's muzzle.

"ugh..." Rainbow slowly runs her hooves down her face.

"Report!" causing all of the ponies to jump.

"Nothing out of the ordinary was found around the entrance to the Everfree, my Princess." said an unnamed and kneeling lunar guard, "Magical scrying was also performed resulting in no abnormalities."

"Very well." Princess Luna glances to her sister who nods in return, "Please inform the Solar Guard that that something may be afoul and to post guards near Fluttershy's cottage and Apple Acres, along with additional patrols throughout."

"Yes, my Princess." the lunar guard confirms before leaving the Library.

"What ya all supposed we do now?" Applejack openly questioned.

"We continue on with the planned celebration." Celestia announced, "If anything comes of this then our royal guards will inform us immediately." as she scans the ponies before her, "The course of action will depend entirely on what, if anything, comes from the everfree and of it's intentions." before a faint smile spreads across her muzzle, "Also please assure that all of the elements of harmony have gathered at the grand hall of Ponyville as soon as possible for rehearsal."

"Rehearsal?!" Twilight and company all yell out in surprise or shock.

"We may have forgotten to inform all of you that this year we are also celebrating all that you've accomplished for the Kingdom." Princess Luna casually informed to the ever growing surprise of the ponies before her, "Each of you shall be asked to pick one friendship report sent to our dear sister and read it aloud for all gathered." as looks of surprise becomes mixed with that of anxiety.

"Will do Princess Luna!" Applejack says with not to subtle pride.

"You can count on us Princess!" Rainbow Dash boasts with a cocky grin.

"oh my gosh.." ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh "oh my gosh..." Fluttershy barely flutters out.

"oooo can we bring props?!" Pinkie asks with unabated excitement that is met with an resounding shake of Princess Luna's head, "Oh fiddle sticks!" good thing my cannon isn't a prop as Luna's eyes borrow into Pinkie's unfocused ones.

"Wha... How am I going to pick just one?!" Twilight asks to no pony in particular before a pink glow latches onto her saddlebags as she gallops out of the library.

"Ah swear that pony is gonna have more wrinkles than Granny at half the age..." Applejack shakes her head as she and company shut the library door behind them.

Everfree;

Of the many things to be said of the Everfree, quiet would not be one of them. Yet not far inside the Everfree even the sounds of crickets have succumbed to a deathly silence. Just as clouds at the behest of the full moon move, casting lunar light through the thinning tree cover, the silhouette of a pony's hoof scratching on the worn path between herbalist and caretaker takes shape.