Prologue: A Little Friendly Get-Together
Twilight Sparkle hiccuped, surprising herself as she gazed out over Canterlot. She eyed the last of the champagne in her glass, which was starting to list unsteadily in her telekinetic grasp.
“Dear, this is either the best or worst idea we ever had!” Rarity said, coming out from the noise of the party to join her on the balcony. “As much as I will regret it tomorrow~!”
“Quite the party, huh? Who won ‘Pin the Tail on the Pony’?”
Rarity scoffed. “Pinkie, of course. I mean, I know I’m drunk, I can tell you're drunk, and Dashie is positively smashed, but that mare.”
Twilight downed the rest of her glass, ignoring the drop that fell on her dress. “I’m not that drunk, Rarity.”
“Whatever you say, dear. Come on, I think the Princess were going to try something a little more tame.”
Twilight followed her inside, where Celestia and Luna were laughing uproariously at something Pinkie was doing to Rainbow Dash’s sleeping form.
“Tada!” Pinkie Pie jumped up with a flourish. “Oh, heya Twilight! We where gonna tell stories, but Rainbow Dash was missing out, so we decided to make it look like her cutie mark changed!” Pinkie bounced over to her, pointing dramatically to the painted-on cat’s face on the blue pegasus’ flank.
“Hey y’all, A’h got a story!” Applejack reared up, waving her hat around the room, ponytail undone. “Y’all touch mah cutie mark once A’h pass out, Y’all has to hoof-wrassle me once A’h awake again!”
“That’s not a story, dear!” Rarity giggled, poking her with a hoof and knocking her over.
“‘Twill be!” Princess Luna cried drunkenly, flicking Applejack with her tail. “A hoof-wrestling match for the ages! Have at thee!”
“What about that time Twilight had to run Cerberus back to Tartarus? I never heard how that went...” Fluttershy called down from where she was flapping lazily around the chandelier, the last of the three champagne bottles nestled in her hooves. Every one looked at Twilight.
“Oh, come on, he was really well behaved. It was nothing!” There was a sudden rush as everypony gathered in a group, all eyes on her. Twilight giggled, embarrassed.
“Well... I did kinda have to toss Cerby bodily across the Styx because he is afraid of water.” She relented, “And there was that weird tree that took a swipe at me on the way back! Thats where I got my cheek cut.”
“A Brawling Bramble? I thought they were long extinct!” Luna gasped.
“You... THREW Cerberus? By the stars!” Rarity gasped.
Princess Celestia chuckled. “That’s my little Super Sparkle! Heehee, get it?” She gave a very inelegant burp. “Ooh. Needed that. You know, I do need more belching in my life. It’s quite... relieving.”
They all broke down into giggles as Applejack let loose a belch like a dragon. Fluttershy landed and snuggled down on her back next to Rainbow Dash. “I wish we still went on adventures...”
They all fell silent as Fluttershy sipped from her bottle, then looked at it in disappointment as it turned up empty, again.
“Y’know, A’h don’t remember the last time A’h had a proper vacation from the farm. Or even a good trip away from it.”
“That was when you went off to work at Cherry Jubilee’s, remember? Or maybe the ‘MMM’ incident?” Rarity mused.
“Yeah... Remember the dragon on the mountain?” Pinkie reminisced. “Good times, good times.”
“You know what?” Twilight stood up. “Who wants to go on an adventure? Like, something crazy. Right now!”
“Ooh! Ooh! I have a spell for adventures! Theres a spell for- woops!” Princess Celestia stood up as well, waving a hoof dramatically and knocking off her sister’s crown. “Come on! Who wants to try it?”
“Me!” Fluttershy bounced into the air, the champagne forgotten and an uncharacteristic energy about her.
“Oh, Ah’m in!” Applejack waved a hoof energetically.
Celestia pranced, the blush of alcohol showing on her cheeks. “Hooray! Off we go!” She lowered her head, horn glowing gold as she started chanting slowly.
“Uuh, suddenly I have a bad feeling about this.” Pinkie Pie cocked her head over as Princess Luna cackled maniacally.
Why’s that, dear?” Rarity asked absently, distracted by slow-moving sparks floating off of Celestia’s horn. “Pinkie Sense?”
“Nooo... I think its called ‘common sense,’ cause isn’t it a bad idea for unicorns to cast spells while drunk?”
*T-TH-BOOM!*
There was a massive golden flash in the center of the room, and Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy vanished.
“On second thought...” Princess Luna said in the following silence. “Perhaps that was not thy best plan, ‘Tia.”