Journey Unexpected

Chapters

Chapter 1: Conservation Unexpected
Chapter 2: An Unexpected Voyage of Discovery begins
Chapter 3: An Unexpected newscast
Chapter 4: An Unexpected anxiety while dealing with the Unexpected
Chapter 6: Pony Convention Unexpected
Chapter 7: Book buying Unexpected
Chapter 8: Adventures in the clouds Unexpected
Chapter 9: Food and fashion Unexpected
Chapter 10: Boat ride Unexpected
Chapter 11: Literature for Pinkie Unexpected
Chapter 12: Job offer for Fluttershy Unexpected
Chapter 14: Bad vibes at the shopping arcade Unexpected
Chapter 15: Conservation Unexpected
Chapter 16: Pony Picnic Unexpected
Chapter 17: The excitement, fun, and opportunity of the Unexpected
Chapter 5: Letters Unexpected
Chapter 13: Observations of Dream Valley Unexpected

Chapter 1: Conservation Unexpected

A beautiful red and orange sunrise was illuminating a nascent blue sky, heralding the first few minutes of an uplifting spring morning. After yesterday’s daylong torrential rainstorm, all open-air loving ponies as well as a few resident cows and donkeys were enjoying the warmth of Princess Celestia’s sunlight. Alone or with a group of friends, ponies read books or newspapers. Other ponies worked on planting seeds in their backyard gardens and planters, while a few ponies worked on their hoofcrafts.

One of these outdoor loving ponies is Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. From reading books, Twilight knows that regular exercise is an important part of keeping a pony healthy. During her regular morning exercise walk upon Ponyville’s cobblestones streets; Twilight felt great as Celestia’s sunlight warmed Twilight’s lavender coat from hooves, to wings, to horn.

Twilight didn’t want her fellow Ponyville ponies to make a fuss over her unexpected accession to being a princess. For example, Twilight wore her royal regalia only on special occasions, despite Rarity voicing her disappointment. Thus, while Ponyville ponies, cows, and donkeys greeted Twilight with a friendly “hello” or “good morning, Twilight” these ponies didn’t do anything special for their one and only resident princess. To the adult Ponyville ponies, Twilight was another helpful and kind resident who happened to become a princess.

Twilight’s walk took her past Ponyville’s schoolhouse, whose red walls and white trim contrasted with most other structures with beige walls and brown trim. Twilight slowed down and then stopped to admire a sculpted bush that resembles a foal wearing a graduation cap that grows next to the school’s front door.

As a mind exercise, Twilight asked herself why that sculpted bush was there. Twilight answered herself by saying, “To remind students of the end result of their attendance at the school, graduation.” Then, Twilight smiled, confident that she was looking at Rarity’s artistic plant shaping.

Twilight heard hoofsteps approaching her from behind. Turning her head, Twilight saw Cheerilee the town’s magenta coated school teacher. A cheerful Cheerilee was carrying on her back two saddlebags, filled with textbooks and school supplies. Cheerilee smiled as she told Twilight, “A happy day of friendship and harmony to you, Twilight.”

Twilight replied, “Yes Cheerilee, I know for absolute certain that today will be a wonderful day. While I was eating my early morning hay and cheddar cheese on wheat bread breakfast pizza, I observed Rainbow Dash and her Pegasus friends clearing the skies of the few remaining clouds from yesterday’s rainstorm.”

As Twilight turned to resume her walk, Cheerilee said, “Could you wait a minute? I have something important to ask you for the education of the foals of Equestria.” Twilight turned to face Cheerilee again, “What do you think I can do to help the education of the foals of Equestria?”

Cheerilee tapped her left front hoof on the hard cobblestone street, and then said, “My students have asked me questions about ancient pony history. However, I don’t have many answers to give them. For example, the Cutie Mark Crusaders asked me how the ancient ponies got their cutie marks. I felt ashamed that I was unable to give the Crusaders an answer to their question.”

After taking a deep breath, Cheerilee continued, “So Twilight, I was wondering if you could find lost pony history in the library of the Castle of the Two Sisters. I’ve read about maps and history books that were hoof drawn or hoofwritten by early Equestrian settlers. Some of these pony settlers had made the Great Pony Migration to Equestria. I only ask you this, as I know that only you and your friends have the courage to enter the Everfree Forest. And, the Everfree Forest is the only way to arrive at the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Could you please find that lost pony history for the students of Equestria?”

“No problem Cheerilee, as I’m always eager to work on a research paper.” Twilight’s eyes grew wide with anticipation. “In fact, I’m the one who should be thanking you. It should take me about one or two weeks, depending upon how much undiscovered information I find. And, it would be easier to read the books at the abandoned castle, instead of attempting to schlep all those heavy books to Ponyville.”

With an ear to ear smile, Cheerilee replied, “I’m sure that your time and effort will be much appreciated by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the ponies of Ponyville, and all of Equestria.”

“Well, no time to start a new research paper like the present, I’ll see you soon Cheerilee!” With a newfound spring in her step and thinking about her new research paper, Twilight trotted back to her crystal castle, an even happier mare than before she had her unexpected conservation with Cheerilee.

The afternoon of the same day, Twilight and her baby dragon friend Spike on Twilight’s back had flown to the library of the Castle of the Two Sisters. They sat beside a long, wooden table while reading books, and sometimes taking notes on what they read. Spike wore a burgundy blazer, with fancy embroidery and accented with pinstripes. The blazer was a Hearth's Warming Eve gift from Spike’s friend Rarity.

After finding a comfortable sitting position, Spike began to read an ancient book about Hearth's Warming Eve. Spike covers his mouth to conceal his yawn. And then, Spike lowers the Hearth's Warming Eve book he’s reading to see Twilight. Spike said to Twilight, “I do want to help Cheerilee update pony history textbooks. Do you know what I love the most about modern Equestrian history textbooks?”

“Spike, we don’t have the time for guessing games. Just tell me what you think is the best thing you love about modern Equestrian history textbooks.”

“The best thing about Equestrian history textbooks is that my friends and I have entire chapters detailing our admirable achievements.”

Twilight smiled and then replied, “Spike, being remembered for doing praiseworthy achievements is not as important as doing those worthwhile achievements in the first place. We Equestrian citizens would be living much poorer lives if it were not for all the celebrated and unsung hard work the citizens of the past did to make the Equestrian nation of the present possible.”

“Speaking of the past Twilight, do you remember the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant? I’m reading a book describing the pageant with excerpts taken from Princess Platinum’s journal. The Unicorn tribe Princess described in her journal that before she walked away from Dream Valley, the original homeland of the three pony tribes, to the lands that then became Equestria, she had most of the books of the three tribes put in a dry cave under her family’s castle - in case the three tribes could ever return to Dream Valley. I guess that never happened.”

Twilight replied, “I sometimes speculate about what would have happened if the foalish Dream Valley ponies had worked together in friendship, respect, and harmony for mutual gain. Instead their foalish antagonism, distrust, and hostility attracted the attention of the windigos. The windigos feed upon the ponies’ disharmony to freeze the land, driving the ponies from Dream Valley to Equestria.”

Twilight puts on a sad face and then sighs. “The three pony tribes were forced to flee Dream Valley in a very big hurry. I suppose it makes sense that they couldn’t have brought everything they owned with them. That’s a nice history lesson Spike, but how does that help us help Cheerilee improve classroom textbooks?”

Spike replied, “In the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant third and final act didn’t Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever, and Private Pansy ignite the Fire of Friendship that melted the ice in their cave and incinerate the windigos? Without the windigos dark magic, Dream Valley would have thawed out. Thus, we should have no problem finding the cave under Princess Platinum’s castle and recovering these books. Look, there is even a detailed illustration of the cavern filled with books.”

Spike holds the book open so Twilight can see the illustration. The illustration of the underground library fills both pages. As Twilight examines that illustration, Spike tells Twilight, “Imagine all the forgotten knowledge you could rediscover for ponykind!”

“Spike, I’ve never thought about visiting ponykind’s ancestral homeland. But I’m sure you are correct that Dream Valley has thawed out by now. Without the windigos, there is nothing at all keeping those lands frozen. However, I’m also sure that all the books in Princess Platinum’s library must have turned to dust long ago.”

Spike strokes his tiny chin with his left hand, while choosing his next words with care. “Well, the Castle of the Two Sisters’ above ground library was built with Earth pony engineering and unicorn magic. It has survived after a thousand years of neglect. I believe that an underground library built with similar Earth pony engineering and unicorn magic would also survive intact.”

Twilight blinks her eyes, as if realizing what Spike is saying. Then Twilight replies, “Spike … that makes sense. Although I wonder why anypony has not thought of returning to Dream Valley, and then written a research paper on what happened to it after all the ponies walked away from it.”

“Twilight, you could be the first pony to return to Dream Valley. To find all kinds of records that are now lost to ponykind.”

“No Spike, not just me. We and our friends will be the first ponies and dragon to return to Dream Valley. We’ll rediscover and return that lost pony knowledge and have another epic adventure while we are at it!”

Using her levitation magic, Twilight pulls a book off a nearby bookshelf, floats it over to her, and then opens it. “Smart Cookie’s journal describes that Dream Valley is on the same latitude as the city of Yanhoover, on the other side of the Western Ocean. So my friends and I need to either walk around the Western Ocean like the ancient ponies did or use an airship to fly over the ocean.”

“I’m no expert on airship design. But, I’m aware that there’s no airship that’s been built for such a long journey. Such an airship would have to be at least twice as large as the biggest Equestrian airship built so far.”

“Twilight, as a princess; you have the money to have such an airship built.”

With a skeptical look on her face, Twilight asks, “I do?”

“Twilight, you have a princess travel budget from Princess Celestia that could pay for three airships.”

Twilight then said, “I’ll ask the Equestrian Airship Company to design and then build our airship. I’ll also ask the Wonderbolts to act as the officers and crew of our airship. Spitfire will act as our ship’s captain, while Fleetfoot, High Winds, Lightning Streak, Misty Fly, and Soarin will be the crew. They will operate our airship and clear the skies of storms ahead of us, so we six ponies and one dragon can focus on finding that lost library. The most important job is for you. Spike, I’m depending on you to get us ready for a long journey.”

“You can depend on your number one dragon assistant to get us ready.” From some unseen place, Spike takes hold of and then puts on sunglasses.

Twilight adds, “I suppose it is time for us and our friends to get ready for an epic airship journey across the Western Ocean! But before that, we need to read more on Dream Valley, where it is and what was in it that made the ancient ponies call it their homes.”

Spike sighs with an unhappy face. “I suppose that means more reading before we can get to the fun parts of this journey.”

Twilight replied, “Sometimes my faithful Spike, reading and researching a project can be as fun as doing the project. Please open up your mind and heart to the joys of exploring a place via the written word.”

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Voyage of Discovery begins

About three months later, Twilight’s new airship yacht was completed within Ponyville’s grass field airport. Equestrian ponies from all over their nation have come to see the departure of Princess Twilight, her friends, and the Wonderbolts to Dream Valley.

Made of cut stones, Ponyville’s airport control tower is where Cheerilee and her students are watching the send off festival. The colorful flag of Ponyville depicting a large heart with two ponies standing on either their side of it, hangs from the tower’s top floor. Cheerilee turns to face her students, saying, “I hope they have a safe journey and bring back lots of artifacts, such as maps, books, and pictures.”

Three of Cheerilee’s students are members of an afterschool social club known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their club name reflects the fact that they are still looking to earn their cutie marks, magical symbols on their flanks that show their special talents. These young fillies watched the spectator ponies buying food from the Apple family treat cart crewed by Big Macintosh and Granny Smith. Inside the Cake family’s outdoor event tent, music-loving ponies inside are listening to the jazz band 50 Bit before sitting down on wooden review stands.

The three friends were amazed that in ten days the Earth pony carpenters constructed a “U” shaped review stand. Their classmates told each other that they were amazed that Earth pony carpenters could construct such big things in such a short amount of time.

The young Pegasus mare, Scootaloo points with her hoof at the nearby airship. “I bet us Cutie Mark Crusaders could have snuck onboard and then earned our cutie marks as explorers or as air sailors or as … I don’t know, as stowaways.”

With a frowning face, the unicorn filly Sweetie Belle replied, “Why would you want a stowaway cutie mark? Unless we become professional spies, I don’t think that would be a very useful skill.”

A youthful Earth pony named Apple Bloom nudges between her two friends, and then says: “Professional spies with stowaway cutie marks, that would be … not very spyful would it?”

With an amazed look, Sweetie Belle says: “Spyful?”

Sweetie Belle then said: “We need to do as much as we can to earn our cutie marks while we are still a team. Imagine if someday my big sister Rarity gets me to apply to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. If I move to Canterlot, then we wouldn’t be able to see much of each other anymore.”

With a thoughtful face, Apple Bloom said, “Sweetie Belle, now you’re starting to talk like Princess Twilight. I don’t know much about this voyage to Dream Valley. What I do know is that the journey to Dream Valley should be for the full-grown ponies. Who knows who or what is living in Dream Valley now? If it was a good enough home for the three pony tribes, I’m sure that it would make a good home for other folks that may or may not like ponies. Am I right or what?”

Sweetie Belle replied, “Yes, you’re right. I’m sure that my big sister Rarity will come back with all kinds of cool stories and many fashion ideas as well.” Sweetie puts her hooves together and adds, “I wish that my big sister and her friends always stay Earth pony strong, Pegasus pony swift, and Unicorn pony smart.”

The three pony friends look with wonder on their faces as Twilight’s massive new airship floats out of an even more massive aircraft hanger, constructed to be the home for Twilight’s airship. Covering most of the balloon above the gondola is a friendship banner with the images of the six friends’ cutie marks.

A six-pointed star with five smaller stars, for the winged unicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle.
A trio of blue diamonds, for the unicorn pony Rarity.
Three red apples, for the Earth pony Applejack.
Three butterflies, for the Pegasus Fluttershy.
Three balloons, for the Earth pony Pinkie Pie.
A white cloud hovering above a colorful lightning bolt for the Pegasus pony Rainbow Dash.

Sweetie Belle, eager to show off her knowledge to her friends said, “Did you know that airship was crafted by pony shipwrights and that the gondola is a wooden ship suspended under the balloon. An old, yet still useful Equestrian design, if the balloon was ever damaged over water the gondola would float, saving those ponies onboard. Also, the gondola was built bigger than it needed to be to serve the seven passengers and crew. After all, it is designed to carry an entire library from Dream Valley to Equestria.”

A much smaller, but still impressive Equestrian flag hangs off a pole at the rear of the gondola.

Four friends were standing on the open deck, while Pinkie pie was bouncing on her hooves and Rainbow Dash was hovering on her wings above the deck. The Pegasus Spitfire and the five other notable members of the Wonderbolts wearing their Wonderbolts flight uniforms were busy with last minute inspections of the airship before falling into line besides the six friends. On the deck is a big pile of luggage that sits near a set of double doors leading into the airship.

The airship slowed and then stopped above the grassy airfield within the “U” shaped review stands, where Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Nurse Redheart, and Mayor Mare are sitting on the top row of seats. On the seats below these ponies are the brown coated, Earth pony named Time Turner who for some reason was wearing 3-d movie glasses and another Earth pony named Rose along with a gaggle of press ponies. On the row below them are Sweetie Drops, and Lyra Heartstrings who had agreed to take care of the explorers’ entire collection of pets at Fluttershy’s home.

On the ship’s deck, Rainbow and Rarity are looking up at the colorful banner. Rainbow says, “Rarity, thank you for making our airship’s banner. It looks awesome!”

Rarity replies, “You’re welcome, Rainbow Dash. That banner is one of the largest things I’ve attempted to stitch together with my hoofiwork.”

Twilight steps between them, “Quiet girls, Celestia is about to speak.”

The white winged unicorn, with the sun image cutie mark, spreads her wings wide, stands on her hind legs, and then says, “I christen this airship Comet and may she always bring her passengers and crew home safe and sound.”

The sun princess’s horn glows bright. The sun princess levitates an oversized bottle the size of a foal, covered with a network of fine cord, with an image of an apple to hover before the airship. She then shatters the bottle against the ship's keel under the bronze figurehead of a beautiful sea pony. Of course, Rainbow covered her eyes with her hooves as some of Applejack’s best apple cider runs from the broken bottle into the grass field that is manicured to resemble a checkerboard below the airship.

Celestia continues speaking, “The Comet is powered by four, side mounted friendship engines that dives eight aircraft propellers. Each engine has one forward and one rear set of propellers. These engines were designed by none other than our own Princess Twilight. This is the first time friendship engines have been used anywhere.”

Twilight speaking more to her friends that to the other ponies said, “Our airship is propelled by experimental engines powered by friendship. The more friendship we have for each other, the more power flows to the engine, and then our airship moves faster. So, everyone keep happy thoughts for each other.”

Celestia turns her head and then nods at Nurse Redheart, who then says, “I’ve given your team an ample supply of potable water, nutritious foods to eat, dietary supplements, and medical supplies. You don’t need to worry about your heath during this voyage.”

Twilight replies by saying, “I appreciate with all my heart all the careful assistance you’ve given to my friends and airship crew Nurse Redheart. Thanks!”

“You’re welcome, have a safe journey.”

Celestia speaks once more, “It is with my blessing that Princess Twilight, her friends, and the Wonderbolts embark on a journey to Dream Valley, our ancestral homeland. Even as long-lived as my sister Luna and I are, even we have not seen Dream Valley. These brave explorers will retrieve pony knowledge lost to ponykind for generations that will enrich all of our lives.”

Luna then says: “My friends stay alert. I have no idea what dangers and opportunities exist so far away from Equestria.”

Twilight replies “Don’t worry about us. We will return with the lost knowledge in a few weeks to one month at most. Mayor Mare, did you have something to ask of us?”

The mayor cleared her throat and then said, “I hope you find some ancient pony artifacts for the Ponyville museum and some unknown animals for the Ponyville zoo.”

“Mayor Mare, all that I can promise is that my friends and I will do our best effort. And, what do Bon Bon and Lyra Heartstrings, two subjects of Equestria wish to speak to me about?”

Bon Bon asked, “In the name of friendship, see if you can rediscover Dream Valley candy recipes.”

Then, Lyra asked, “Please try to find lost pony music for the harp.”

Twilight replies, “All that I can promise is that I’ll make my best effort to find what you two need.”

Looking at the two royal sisters Twilight says, “In addition, I’ll have my assistant and friend Spike send Princess Celestia and Princess Luna daily letters telling you and Luna what we find in Dream Valley.”

Celestia again speaks, “Twilight, I’ll look forward to reading all your letters. I will now give you my blessing. I hope that during your travels my sunlight warms your body, illuminating the path before your hooves, while guiding you to friendship and happiness; while my sister Princess Luna guides you to pleasant dreams. Also, Cheerilee wishes that you have a safe journey and bring back lots of books.”

With cheers from a crowd of well-wishers and the flashes from the cameras of the press ponies; Celestia’s horn glows, releasing the mooring lines that retract into the ship’s hull. The airship ascends in a slow yet stead rate into the air.

As the airship sails away from the Ponyville airport, Twilight points with her hoof at a mural of Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever and Private Pansy with the windigos circling above them. The mural is carved into a natural rock wall and then painted in bright colors. Below and in the center of the mural is a cave entrance.

Twilight tells her friends, “Well everypony, that’s the famous cave where ponies of the three tribes made peace and friendship with each other. The same cave described in our Hearth's Warming Eve pageant. Now, we are going to retrace their hoofsteps back to Dream Valley.”

With an unimpressed look, Rainbow said, “I’ve visited that cavern as a young student. I saw that the cavern has been turned into a tourist attraction. It is full of young adult ponies hired as tour guides, as well as museum dioramas, a gift shop, a Hay Burger restaurant, an Urgent Care station, and two sets of restrooms - one for tourists and another for the staff. I really don’t think that the Equestrian immigrants would recognize the cavern where the three tribes became one nation.”

Rarity said, “Well, let’s get settled in for a long trip. Unlike our Earth pony and Unicorn pony ancestors who walked around the dirty and muddy shores of the Western Ocean, we modern ponies will ride in comfort in this modern airship. The bottom two decks are for storage, the third deck is for a forward observation lounge in the bow, individual cabins for the passengers and crew, a first aid station, a spacious kitchen, and a mess hall or dining room in the stern. The deck we are standing on has a forward cabin for steering the airship, and a much larger aft captain’s cabin that is for Princess Twilight and Spike.”

A startled Twilight said, “I don’t think it is right of me to take the Captain’s cabin. I’d be fine if I bunked in a regular cabin like the rest of you. Spike and I don’t need all that fancy decorations and large floor space to be comfortable, not at all.”

A surprised Rarity said, “Twilight, that’s nonsense. As a princess, it is your right and your royal obligation that you should take the airship’s largest cabin.”

While shuffling her hooves and looking down, Twilight says, “I suppose, I will take the Captain’s cabin … if the rest of you agree.”

Twilight looks around and sees her friends, Captain Spitfire, and her crew nodding in agreement.

Twilight sighs and then says, “Come on Spike; let’s move our things into the Captain’s cabin. I sure hope exploring the unknown is worth our time and effort.”

Rainbow said, “As Daring Do once told me: ‘We become better ponies, both as individuals and as a species, not from staying away from the unknown, but by exploring the unknown. When we ponies don’t explore, we become less like ponies and more like our pets.’ With friendship, harmony, and optimism on our side, no matter what we find or what finds us, this journey into the unknown will be worth our time and effort.”

Chapter 3: An Unexpected newscast

After one day of travel, the massive airship flew over the Yanhoover lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper mare and her family had put a huge banner on the tall lighthouse that flowed from the bottom of the lantern room to the top of the front door. The sign read “Have a fun and safe journey!”

Then, the airship flew over a dozen, nearby archipelago islands. The ponies of these remote settlements cheering as the airship flew overhead.

A few minutes after nightfall, Twilight, her friends, and the airship crew saw lights on some more distant and uncharted islands. But, with their assignment to complete, they didn’t take the time to investigate these lights at this time.

Eight days passed without anypony seeing anything else that was unusual. And then, their airship was flying over the shore of the continent where Dream Valley is located.

In the ship’s forward observation lounge, Twilight and her friends are reading books on Dream Valley written by the first immigrants to Equestria, or their children, or their grandchildren. These friends also read books written by dragons, griffons, one Minotaur, and one sea serpent. They are explorers who claimed to have visited Dream Valley. But, with the descriptions being so different from each other that the pony friends concluded that all their descriptions are made-up fictional tales.

After closing one of these explorer books, and setting it aside with her magic, Twilight said with frustration etched on her face and in a frustrated voice, “I’ve had it with reading all these fibs passed off as facts. These books about Dream Valley are filled with wild speculation, unsupported by much evidence. What is worse, most of these written descriptions and maps were written by ponies that were born decades or centuries after the “Great Pony Migration” to Equestria. After an eight day voyage to get here, I’m not sure how many additional weeks we and our airship can spend wandering along this coast looking for the empty valley with the tumbled down ruins.

With everypony reading, Spike is the only one who notices that the airship is descending. As the airship sails below the clouds, Spike looks out the room’s large windows using binoculars. Spike sees a green valley, then structures in the valley, and then shiny, metallic ponies. Now, Spike has been to the Crystal Empire and met the Crystal ponies. But, Spike had never before seen metallic ponies. Spike has a puzzled look on his face as he puts down the binoculars that hang from his neck on a strap. Spike scratches the tip of his nose with his index finger and then turns around to talk to Twilight.

Spike asked, “Twilight, do you remember saying that nopony lives in Dream Valley anymore? Well, you might want to tell the ponies that live here that.”

Wearing skeptical faces, the pony friends ambled to the floor to ceiling windows. They saw a green valley, with farms and forests. The asymmetrical structures are made of concrete and steel, much like Manehattan rather than Ponyville. They see canals, roads, and metal towers that to their eyes had no apparent purpose.

While the landscape is beautiful and the structures are intriguing, what the pony friends pay the most attention to are the native ponies that have a distinctive metallic sheen in their coats and manes. Some ponies had silver and gold coats, while others had more bronze and copper coats.

As the airship passes overhead, a pony pedal powered van stops. Two mares jump out of the van, the first mare is a Unicorn named Newsie who has a silver coat, mane, and tail. Newsie is dressed in a stylish blue sports coat, a white shirt, and a red bow tie while a wireless microphone headset sits on her head.

The second mare is an Earth pony named Panorama who has a polished brass-colored coat, mane, and tail. Panorama is wearing work overalls over a plaid shirt. On Panorama’s head is a plastic helmet. A portal television camera is mounted on the side of her helmet, with a helmet mounted display in front of her right eye.

Newsie used her magic to tidy up her mane. Panorama told Newsie, “We go live in three, two, and one, now.” The bewildered Newsie then said in a calm voice as if she was ordering a cup of tea, “Mare on the street reporter Newsie Newsworthy reporting on what appears to be an alien airship that has appeared in the skies above Dream Valley. Panorama, pan up!”

Newsie, with a frantic wave of her foreleg, points up. Panorama pans her camera up seconds before the shadow of the huge airship darkens for several seconds the two mares, their van, and the ground the two mares are standing on.

After an audible gulp, Newsie continued her commentary by saying, “Panorama and I will follow that airship the best we can and interview whoever is controlling it when it lands. For Dream Valley Television, this is Newsie Newsworthy and my camera operator Panorama signing off.”

As Twilight’s airship approaches a grassy sports field, ponies wearing sports jerseys and playing a game of soccer see the airship. They then run and hide under a sports grandstand with a canopy. Panorama pedaling their van stops it before the descending airship.

By this time, Twilight and her friends had trotted their way to the bow deck, to stand on their hind legs, looking over the sturdy wooden railing. Rarity had the same over the top, happy facial expression she wore when first told about the crystal ponies. Rarity exclaimed, “Have any of you even seen such beautiful ponies in all your life? Pony watching opportunities here is going to be a dream!”

Spike standing beside Rarity said, “Maybe, maybe I should get my scales gilded?”

Chapter 4: An Unexpected anxiety while dealing with the Unexpected

Almost everypony on that airship was happy to find new ponies. One pony that was not happy was Princess Twilight. The anxiety and shock on her face told all that she was not expecting ponies to be in Dream Valley. Twilight said, “I never imagined, didn’t prepare for, what I am, what am I supposed to do?”

Noticing the look of confusion and panic of Twilight’s face, Pinkie looked at Twilight with a sympathetic smile. Pinkie knew that dealing with the unexpected was one of Twilight’s weaknesses. Pinkie then pulls out a ukulele from thin air, and then starts singing a parody of the song “Tiny Bubbles”.

Pinkie: “We never expected that shiny ponies.”

The other ponies except Twilight: “We never expected that shiny ponies.”

Pinkie: “To be living in Dream Valley.”

The other ponies except Twilight: “To be living in Dream Valley.”

Pinkie: “However, you can’t let the unexpected.”

The other ponies except Twilight: “However, you can’t let the unexpected.”

Pinkie: “Throw you for a loop.”

The other ponies except Twilight: “Throw you for a loop.”

Twilight then blinks, taking on a startled expression, and then her face returned to normal. Twilight puts her hoof on Pinkie’s mouth.

Twilight then said, “Ok, I get it; you girls, my friends can stop singing now.”

Applejack puts her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, sugar cube. I’m sure that these shiny ponies are as surprised about us, as we are surprised about them.”

“But Applejack, I’ve never met these ponies. Where’s my book “Diplomacy for Dummies”? What do I say to them? What do we have in common?”

“This is not the first time we talked to unknown ponies. Now, fly down there and do what you did before.” Applejack points with her hoof at the approaching news mares. “Those two ponies look like reporters. Why not start the conversations with them? Remember to take deep breaths Twilight, deep breaths.”

Twilight looks Applejack in her eyes, saying after a sigh, “Gals, wish me good luck.”

With a sense of style taught to her by Rainbow Dash’s flying lessons, Twilight jumps over the railing and then guides to stand on the manicured grass of the sport’s field in front of the silver coated mare. With a look of amazement on her face, Panorama the brass coated mare starts up her camera and then steps into the background. Twilight then says, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle. That’s my airship, the Comet. I’m in charge of a research team to collect pony history from Dream Valley. But, I never expected that there would be ponies living in Dream Valley. What’s your name?”

It took a few moments before the silver coated mare could speak. “My parents named me Newsie Newsworthy, but everyone calls me Newsie. You are in a suburb of Unity City. If you don’t mind me asking this question, what type of pony are you? I’ve never heard of anypony who has both Pegasus wings and a unicorn horn. In fact, there are no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley.”

Twilight asked, “There are no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley?”

“You are the first Pegasus pony I’ve ever seen or interviewed.”

“I’m not a Pegasus pony. The fact is that I was born like you, as an ordinary unicorn. But, a short time ago, when I completed a difficult spell, I grew these wings.” Twilight flutters her wings. “And then I become a princess. However, two of my friends and all of my ship’s crew are Pegasus ponies.”

Twilight points with her hoof at her friends and ship’s crew still on the open deck of the airship.

Newsie gasps as the realization of what Twilight said sinks into Newsie’s mind. “Pegasus ponies have returned to Dream Valley? It has been many generations since a Pegasus flew above the skies of Dream Valley. This has to be the greatest news story in the last one hundred years!”

With a tilt of her head, Twilight asks, “Can I assume that there are only Earth and Unicorn ponies in Dream Valley?”

“That’s correct” Newsie replies. “There have been no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley, not even one ever since the Great Pony Migration. By the way, what’s it like to have wings?”

“Let’s just say I’ve experienced the thrill of flying victory and the agony of crashing defeat.”

“Trying to learn how to fly at your age must have been like learning to walk all over again.”

Twilight rolls her eyes and sighs. “Believe me, it was. Let me ask you a question. Do you know how your Dream Valley ponies’ coats and manes got to be so … shiny?”

The news mare pondered Twilight’s question before answering. “Pony documents say and pictures depict that our ancestors’ coats were as dull as yours. But, over many generations our coats become more metallic and shiny. Nopony knows why or how that happened.”

“That’s similar to what happened to the Crystal ponies of the Crystal Empire. But never mind that, how can there be ponies still living in Dream Valley? I thought that all the ponies had walked out of our ancestral homeland during the big freeze.”

“Our ancestors did walk out of Dream Valley. Yet, hundreds of Earth and Unicorn ponies lost their way from the great migration. Frustrated, these few stragglers returned to Dream Valley to find that the freezing cold had disappeared from Dream Valley and that Earth ponies were able to grow food here once again. One thousand Earth ponies and eight hundred unicorns started a new nation, the Dream Valley Republic.”

“Who is your leader or leaders?”

This time, without hesitation, the silver coated reporter replied, “An Earth pony mare called Cameo Moderator is our president. President Cameo and the Dream Valley Senators govern Dream Valley and all the land up to the near shore of what we call River Canyon, several days travel from here. The opposite shore is the Savage Plains full of woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and a chain of mountains made out of pure salt. We Dream Valley ponies don’t spend much time there or the civilized nations beyond the Savage Plains.”

Newsie holds out her foreleg and after a few hoof taps, uses her Pony Digital Assistant to show Twilight images of a river valley that appears similar to Ghastly Gorge and the other animals and places she described.

Twilight asks, “Newsie, what’s that machine on your foreleg?”

Newsie replies, “This is my Pony Digital Assistant or PDA. I use my PDA to organize my research notes on the stories I write for Dream Valley Television news.”

“Wow, I’m sure a Pony Digital Assistant would be very useful for my library research. Where can my friends and I purchase these?”

“Anypony can purchase a PDA in an E-PUM store.”

With a puzzled look, Twilight asks, “E-PUM?”

“Oh, that’s an acronym for Earth Pony science and Unicorn Magic Corporation. Without Pegasus ponies to control the climate, Dream Valley Earth pony scientists and Unicorn ponies skilled in the magical arts often work together in harmony to solve problems. E-PUM also makes forehoof shoe-gloves, like the ones my camera-mare Panorama uses to hold her camera.

Twilight notices that Panorama is wearing mechanical gloves covering her front hooves. These gloves have four mechanical fingers and a mechanical thumb. Panorama then said, “These hands are sure useful in steering our station’s van or holding things that we don’t want to put in our mouths.”

Twilight walks closer, and then asks Panorama, “Could you tell me something about these shoe-gloves?”

Panorama replies, “Shoe-gloves were invented two hundred years ago, to provide Earth ponies as well as Unicorn foals that hadn’t yet mastered their telekinesis, with a way to hold objects in their hooves instead of in their mouths. Dream Valley historians have written books describing that Earth ponies and Unicorns foals had a hard time convincing adult Unicorn ponies to invest effort, money, and resources into a technology that would have little benefit to adult Unicorns.”

Twilight replied, “Equestrian Earth pony scientists and Pegasus pony scientists often conflict with Unicorn pony magical researchers over funding from Princess Celestia’s government. To be honest, I don’t know how my Princess Celestia keeps cooperation and harmony between those two groups. I got off the right track again, a bad habit of mine. Where is the nearest E-PUM store?”

“I can walk with you to the nearest E-PUM store. It happens to be located on the other side of this pony sports field. Panorama and I covered the grand opening of this sports field seven days ago. The mare that owns the store has a buy one get one free PDA sale for any Pegasus pony. I think that smart aleck mare is going to regret making that offer.”

Twilight replied, “There’s a Ponyville saying, When in Manehattan, do as the Manehattanites do. If wearing a Pony Digital Assistant will help my friends and I communicate with the Dream Valley residents, then my friends and I will purchase and then wear them while we are here.” Twilight looks back to her airship. “Spike, get a bag, no make that a big bag of bits and then come with me. We have some serious shopping to do.”

Panorama still photographing with her camera asked Twilight, “What are bits?”

Twilight replied, “Bits are what Equestrians use for money.”

Panorama laughed, saying, “In Dream Valley, you buy things with Dream Valley dollars. I’ll walk you to a nearby Unity City bank to exchange your foreign coins for Dream Valley dollars. Do you have any questions for me before we start walking?”

“What are those metal towers for?”

Panorama replied, “Those towers are for wireless transmission of voice and pictures for our Pony Digital Assistants. Go ahead, ask me another question.”

“In Equestria, I read that an Earth mare scientist named Groningen Mareconi Marwari thinks wireless data transmission is possible. I suppose your PDA proves she was correct. So Panorama, do you think that my Pegasus friends will become popular with Dream Valley ponies?”

“I do believe that your Pegasus friends will become very popular. They might even get their own Welcome to Dream Valley convention.”

Chapter 6: Pony Convention Unexpected

One week later, Unity City’s Catlinite Red Convention Center was swarming with Dream Valley ponies, eager to met Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The wide steps are covered with Earth and Unicorn ponies, some of them are wearing shirts with images printed on them of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, while others are wearing full body costumes of Rainbow and Fluttershy. Some native ponies are carrying plush dolls of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. A sign tells the visiting ponies that tomorrow will be a meet-and-greet with the Wonderbolts.

Inside the convention center’s main hall, Earth and Unicorn ponies cheer as Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, who is hiding behind Rainbow walk onto the stage. Walking beside them is Ceremonies Mare who has a shiny chrome coat, with a strawberry mane and tail with light and dark streaks, with a microphone cutie mark. Ceremonies Mare walks up to a pony-sized, speaking podium.

The chrome mare starts speaking into the podium’s microphone, “My name is Ceremonies Mare and I welcome each of you to the first Pegasus Con. We hope Pegasus Con will be an annual celebration of the unexpected return of Pegasus ponies to the skies of our homeland. Miss Fluttershy, would you like to greet all the convention ponies?”

Fluttershy’s legs tremble like the vibrating strings of Octavia Melody's Cello as she walks up to the podium, while Ceremonies sidesteps, allowing Fluttershy access to the podium.

Closing her eyes in fear, Fluttershy speaks. “My name is Fluttershy, and I’m … really and honestly honored to be with you today. In Equestria, I’m one of many thousands of Pegasus ponies, some of which, well most of which are far better fliers than I am. So, why don’t you listen to my friend Rainbow Dash? She’s much better at public speaking that I am.”

Rainbow rushes up to the podium, pushing Fluttershy into Ceremonies and almost knocks both mares over.

A very excited Rainbow Dash exclaims, “A good morning to all of you, Dream Valley Earth and Unicorn ponies. I’m the one and only, Rain-bow Da-sh! Remember this day well, so you will be able to tell your grand-fillies and grand-colts that you met the best flier in all of Equestria and a member of the world famous Wonderbolts!” Rainbow rises off the ground, slowly fluttering her wings as the crowd gasps in amazement.

Rainbow adds, “I have no idea how you Dream Valley ponies were able to organize a three day con in three days, but color me impressed!” Rainbow hovers about ten feet in the air, as the crowd shouts out thunderous cheers. The flashbulbs of photographer cameras make interesting patterns of light on Rainbow’s blue body. Rainbow is grinning while she drinks in the crowd’s attention.

Some stallion in the back of the crowd shouts, “Fork over the money, Nova that there Rainbow Dash is a real Pegasus!”

A mare shouts back, “I don’t know about that Philippe. Rainbow’s wings could be faked with Unicorn Magic.”

The first stallion shouts back, “There is no glow around her wings, a telltale sign if a Unicorn were using their magic to make her fly. Thus, her wings must be real. I can’t believe it! Wow! A real Pegasus pony has returned to Dream Valley!” The pony audience erupts with cheering, laughter, and hoof stomping.

While covering her ears with her hooves, Fluttershy mutters, “Even my princesses don’t get such boisterous cheering from my fellow ponies when the royal sisters make an appearance. I think I’m going to have a long day.”

It was a long day for Fluttershy, as the Dream Valley ponies dragged her unhappy self and a happy Rainbow Dash from one crowded event to another crowded event. Late in the day, as the stars appeared in the night sky and the convention centers outside lights provided illumination for the happy convention ponies to return home. Automated doors opened to allow Rainbow and Fluttershy, pulling art deco inspired carts full of Rainbow Dash inspired blankets, calendars, costumes, banners, shirts, and figurines.

Rainbow: “Do you think we bought enough Rainbow Dash merchandise? The dealer's room is still open for anther forty-nine minutes.”

Fluttershy: “You bought at least two of everything on sale and even attempted to buy things that were not for sale.”

Rainbow looks over her shoulder and blushes. Rainbow then said, “Well, I thought that I’d buy some things celebrating me for the Canterlot museum and the same things celebrating me for the Ponyville museum. After all, nopony can get too much Rainbow Dash!”

Fluttershy replied, “Tomorrow, could we do something else? No matter how nice those fan ponies are, I’d rather not be the center of their attention. Besides, I think we’ve told them everything we can about us Pegasus ponies, as well as our home of Cloudsdale and Ponyville.”

“So Fluttershy, you don’t feel comfortable spending another day at Pegasus Con? You don’t want to spend another day talking with all our new Dream Valley friends?”

Fluttershy replied, “That’s right, one day of being the center of attention for so many pones is all that I can take.”

“Panorama described in detail an abandoned Pegasus city located on a mountain peak. That mare told me that this cloud city is a fifteen minute flight from our airship. Tomorrow, we can have an adventure all by ourselves without being mobbed by starry-eyed fan ponies. Do we have a deal?”

Fluttershy: “Deal!”

Rainbow and Fluttershy smile and then brohoof each other.

Chapter 7: Book buying Unexpected

Stone Mare City is carved into a mountain side and designed to resemble a seated mare. On the stone mare’s lap is a plaza for an outdoor market built to bear a resemblance to a huge dinner plate. Today, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie were rushing from bookstand tent to bookstand bicycle wagon, with Pinkie pulling a pony cart that is filling up with all kinds of books.

After Twilight piles another foreleg load of books into the cart, the cart’s padded harness began to chafe against Pinkie’s coat. This cart was getting heavy, even for Pinkie, a physically fit Earth pony. Pinkie asked, “Twilight, have you bought enough books for Cheerilee yet? Or, can we at least return to our airship and put these books into the cargo hold, before we purchase any more books?”

Twilight stops, turns around to look at Pinkie, and then tells her, “We could exchange our rented pony cart for a rented bicycle wagon. But, it was you who volunteered to pull our cart. Anyway, I must tell you that Dream Valley is the greatest place for intellectual ponies. I could live here forever! Just think Pinkie! Can you imagine all the scientific advancements, all the history, all the poetry that was written down in more than one thousand years of isolation from Equestria? Pinkie, you should know by now that as you can never have enough cupcakes, I can never have enough books.”

Pinkie stops walking, a half smile appears on her face. Pinkie said to no pony in particular, “I suppose that reading books is Twilight’s sugar rush. I can totally relate to that.”

Looking around Stone Mare City, Pinkie sees what looks like a thirty foot diameter satellite dish covered in gemstones with a metallic unicorn pony mare standing in the center of the dish. The pony lights up her horn and the entire dish lights up as well, sending a rainbow into the sky, dissipating part of a thunderhead cloud.

Pinkie almost yelled, “Twilight, do you see that, the Unicorn ponies here control the weather. As a winged unicorn, you have two ways to control the weather, the Pegasus way and the Unicorn way.”

“Pinkie, controlling the weather would be cool, but do you know what would be even better?”

“No Twilight, what would? I know, I know! How about buying cake from that cake shop? Or buying ice cream from that ice cream shop?”

“That would be buying more books for Cheerilee’s history project.”

Pinkie responded to Twilight’s remark by groaning and then continues to follow Twilight to the next bookstand in the marketplace.

Chapter 8: Adventures in the clouds Unexpected

Rainbow and Fluttershy are flying among the decayed buildings of a long abandoned and dilapidated Pegasus cloud city that overlooks Dream Valley. The stone structures on the mountain and the cloud structures around the mountain remain intact, yet show signs of long neglect.

Rainbow looks at the time neglected structures and then tells Fluttershy, “I’m sure that somewhere in these ruins are the homes that our ancestors once lived and worked in, laughed and loved in.”

Fluttershy replied, “Ponies hating other ponies turned this once beautiful city into an abandoned ruin.”

Both Pegasus ponies gasp as they fly lower and slower, and then landing before the front gates of a grand structure.

After Rainbow reads the inscription in the arch above the gates, Rainbow in an excited voice told Fluttershy. “I can’t believe this is Commander Hurricane’s palace. I wonder if we can recover anything for the Dream Valley National Museum and the Ponyville Museum.”

A happy Rainbow and a timid Fluttershy walk into Commander Hurricane’s palace. The palace appears to have been deserted in a hurry, with belongings scattered on the ornate floor. Paintings hang on crooked angles on the walls, while furniture sits in piles, awaiting pony furniture movers that never came to collect them.

With an even more excited voice, Rainbow said, “I can’t, I can’t believe that I’m walking in … Commander Hurricane’s palace. I can’t believe that I’m walking on the same floors that so many generations of great Pegasus ponies have walked on.”

In a meek voice, Fluttershy said, “Ponies, please pardon our intrusion.”

Rainbow rolls her eyes, saying “Fluttershy, there is nopony here to apologize to.”

Rainbow points to a grand dining hall with heroic portraits of famous Pegasus military leaders. Rainbow said, “From reading Commander Hurricane’s confidential journal, this is where he and his staff ate their last meal in Dream Valley.”

Rainbow then makes a yucky face as he walks past the discarded tables, covered by faded tablecloths and dirty dishes. Rainbow then said, “It looks like the Pegasus ponies were in such a hurry to leave that they didn’t take the time to wash their dishes before they flew away to find a new homeland.”

Rainbow and Fluttershy walk into an ornate bedroom. The furniture and floor are covered in discarded clothing. Fluttershy walks over to inspect the commander’s writing desk.

With her hoof, Fluttershy picks up a snow globe that contains a miniature of the Pegasus city. Fluttershy shakes it with her hoof and the globe appears to be snowing on the miniature Pegasus city. Fluttershy puts the snow globe down with a sad expression on her face. Fluttershy told Rainbow, “How ironic that Commander Hurricane would own a snow globe of this city. I wonder what other secrets we’ll find here.”

“I don’t know,” Rainbow replied. “But, we will never know until we make the effort to explore this stronghold and the city around it.”

These two Pegasus friends walk into a room that’s full of pony armor and weapons still on rows of racks.

With a shocked face, Fluttershy says, “Oh my, look at all the weapons.”

“Fluttershy, of course there would be weapons here. After all, Commander Hurricane took pride in governing “a mighty tribe of warriors”. Rainbow Dash shines as if illuminated by a theater spotlight. “And thus, you shouldn’t be surprised that warrior ponies would make and keep so many weapons.”

Fluttershy responded by saying, “Look at all the metal that could have been used to make miniatures of Rainbow Dash.”

“That is correct, wait, what do you say?”

Fluttershy blushes and then adds, “Well, I’m very thankful that Pegasus ponies have grown out of our ancestors’ warlike behavior.”

“I’m also happy that we Pegasus no longer live for battle nor do we look down upon our earthbound kindred.”

“When we’re flying high in the sky, it is kind of hard not to look down on Earth and Unicorn ponies.”

“What, oh that was a joke? Nice one, Fluttershy.”

Rainbow looks around the armory and sees a full-body suit of Pegasus armor that has enclosed wing and tail covers inside a locked steel cage. “The inscription says that this armor belonged to Commander Updraft, the first pony commander. Commander Updraft claimed that her unique armor increased her agility, endurance, speed, and ability to summon combat thunderstorms. But, only a very few exceptional Pegasus ponies have been able to fly while wear it without crashing.”

Rainbow adds, “I wonder why Commander Hurricane left that valuable armor here and why it was locked up in a steel cage. Why haven’t I heard about Commander Updraft’s magical armor before today? Anyway Fluttershy, it looks like we got some work ahead of us. We need to find or have some craft ponies build a Pegasus transport wagon, and then start getting the best of these artifacts to our airship.”

“There may still be Pegasus Air Force cargo carts in the cloud city armory. Um, Rainbow, what are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking that if I repaired and restored Commander Hurricane’s palace, I’d own a home that’s as big and grand as Canterlot castle. I’d have to convince some Pegasus ponies to move to Dream Valley to maintain such a gigantic home. But, living in this palace would be so awesome!”

Chapter 9: Food and fashion Unexpected

In Crossroads City, Applejack and Rarity are trotting toward a bakery. Applejack is paying attention to an image printed on a canvas store window awning that is a stylized apple that also looks like baked bread.

Rubbernecking at the metallic ponies, Rarity tells Applejack, “I never imagined that there is an entire nation that is populated with handsome, metallic ponies. I could live the rest of my life here!” Rarity has a dream sequence where she is the center of attention in a lavish, Busby Berkeley like musical.

Ignoring Rarity’s emotional display, Applejack walks up to the store’s front door, sniffs the air, and then says, “I do love the aroma of baking apple pies.” Then, Applejack sees inside a glass display case that these pastries are fluffy pancakes, imprinted like waffles to resemble whole apples. “Wait, those treats don’t look like pies, these look like apples. Rarity, what in tarnation are these treats?”

“Those treats, whatever they are, are too cute. And they must taste divine. I’m sure that Sweetie Belle would love these in her school lunch box.”

Walking out from the store’s kitchen is a Dream Valley, Earth pony mare with a brushed aluminum coat, with her metallic purple mane and metallic purple trail done up in buns. She is wearing a white apron and a green shirt.

Trotting up to Applejack and Rarity, the brushed aluminum mare says, “My name is Confectionery and from your dull coats you two must be those Equestrian Ponies. Welcome to my humble bakery. I was taught in school that all the ponies that left Dream Valley had froze. I never expected to see the descendant of the emigrants return to Dream Valley. So, what can I help you with? Have you come to buy some of my treats?”

Applejack said, “What are those pastries in your display case? They have an aroma of baked apples, but they don’t look like any apple pie I’ve ever seen.”

The baker pony said, “These are my apple-shaped cakes, a type of baked pastry. About fifty years ago, there was a shortage of apples, combined with a surplus of wheat. To make the most of the apples we had, my grandmother decided to make an apple shaped pastry made with sweet waffle batter, filled with sliced apples and cinnamon applesauce.”

Applejack replied, “I’ll take two, one for me and one for my friend Rarity. From the display case sign, I believe that these are two dollars each, for a total of four dollars.”

Rarity chimed in, “Applejack, I’ll pay for these treats, as I am the element of generosity.” Rarity used her magic to float four Dream Valley dollars out of her saddlebags and over to a happy Confectionery who said, “Equestrian ponies bought my pastry and that means I can advertise my pastry as world famous.”

Applejack said, “You Dream Valley ponies sure do things a bit different than in Equestria. I’m still getting used to paying for things with dollars instead of with bits. But, different does not mean better or worse, just different.” Applejack sniffs the air in the bakery. “You know, I could spend months and months here finding new ways to sell my family’s apples. I bet a cartload of my family’s apples that I could live and learn here forever! What do you think, Rarity?”

“My dear Applejack, after we eat our apple treats; let’s walk to Crossroads City’s most popular fashion boutiques. I’m sure that after more than one thousand years of isolation from Equestrian society, that Dream Valley fashion culture rivals the fashion cultures in Canterlot and Manehattan. Dream Valley fashions, the fabrics, the colors, and the patterns are … I have no words to describe them. I also could live here for years studying centuries of Dream Valley fashions.”

While Rarity spent her day shopping for dresses, Applejack spent her day shopping for practical work clothing. They each returned to the airship pulling a cartload of very different clothing. But, they didn’t mind as they saw that each other had bought sets of clothing that made them very happy.

Chapter 10: Boat ride Unexpected

After days of buying books, Pinkie and Twilight, along with Newsie and Panorama are riding on the Dartmoor Pony a steam powered, canal boat in a tree-lined canal. Two Dream Valley Unicorn mares named Captain Quarterdeck and first mate Roadstead, as well as a deckhoof Earth pony stallion named Afloat were the boat’s crew. Wearing sailor berets, sailor tunics, and slip resistant boat shoes for their rear hooves, these ponies are keeping the boat moving. These boat ponies would take time to point out landmarks and every hour offered food and drinks to the four pony passengers.

This boat was built for a comfortable ride for about twenty to thirty passengers. But Twilight had rented it so she could travel without being bothered by Equestrian pony fans. In fact, the fan ponies had become so annoying that Twilight had used her magic on herself so her coat appears to be a steel gray Tungsten, while a wildflower pattern sundress hid her wings and cutie mark.

Twilight wrote in her group’s journal, “I didn’t know how Pinkie did it, but on her own she had turned her pink coat, mane, and trail the bluish color of polished cobalt. I didn’t ask how Pinkie had turned from a bright pink to shiny cobalt. Similar to Pinkie Sense, this is something that I have stopped attempting to understand, but accepted as Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. The fact is that Pinkie has a magic that I don’t comprehend nor understand, but accepted as something that is outside of my ability to understand with observation and science.”

On the canal shore, Pinkie sees some brightly colored flowers, and then she bounces to the other side of the boat to get a closer look.

Every time their rented canal boat was going to pass by another boat, Pinkie would blow her crystal flugelhorn. Pinkie thought blowing her horn was fun. But, it also meant that Captain Quarterdeck had one less thing to worry about as she guided her boat deeper into Dream Valley.

From talking to the boat ponies, Twilight found out that Quarterdeck, Roadstead, and Afloat had met each other in the Dream Valley Republic’s navy. After their enlistment was over, they pooled their money and then bought a new canal boat and had been taking passengers and mail along the valley’s canal network for two years.

Twilight’s canal boat comes to a stop next to what looked like to her eyes to be the bottom of a huge and robust ferrous wheel. But, unlike the Equestrian ferrous wheels Twilight had seen that were built to entertain ponies, this canal wheel was for moving boats up and down a steep hillside. The canal wheel had two water-filled gondolas, suspended by four huge rotating rings, where boats could enter on the bottom and exit on the top, or vice versa.

Twilight’s canal boat begins to ascend counter clockwise as a coal barge descends.

With Panorama operating her television camera, The Unicorn Newsie, holding a wireless microphone in her magic, begins to speak with Twilight. “Ponies and cargo travel in Dream Valley as well as to and from our distant provinces by our canals or by our roads. Of course, trade and travel slows down during winter, as the water in the canals freeze solid and snow makes travel by road rather difficult.”

Twilight asks, “Why don’t you use trains?”

A confused Newsie asks Twilight, “What are trains?”

Twilight uses her magic to levitate a book out of her saddlebags and opens it up to a picture of an Equestrian train. Twilight says, “Trains roll on steel tracks and have engines designed to pull carriages for passengers and freight along steel tracks. Trains in my nation carry passengers, mail, and freight, while they almost never are stopped by winter’s cold and snow.

An amazed Newsie tells Twilight, “I’ve never seen anything like that train contraption in Dream Valley or in any of the nearby kingdoms.”

“So what you’re telling me Newsie is that Dream Valley ponies invented and built amazing canals, but not trains? From my pointy of view, these Dream Valley ponies are living unexpected lives.”

Bouncing by on her hooves, Pinkie tells Twilight, “Oh Twilight, think of all the unexpected things that have happened in your own life. As a foal, did you expect that Princess Cadence would become your foalsitter? Before you enrolled in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, did you or your parents expect that you would become Princess Celestia’s most faithful student? Did you expect that you would meet such diverse Ponyville friends? Did you expect that you and your friends would become the bearers of the Elements of Harmony who would overcome Nightmare Moon, Trixie, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Trixie again, Discord's black thorny vines, the Mane-iac, and Lord Tirek?”

Standing on her hind legs, Pinkie added, “Twilight, part of growing up is dealing with unexpected events in our lives. Yet, as a result of all those unexpected events, we pony friends are living far-out, groovy, and terrific lives.”

Twilight puts a hoof on her chin, considers Pinkie’s words for a moment, and then tells Pinkie, “When I was a blank flank filly, I had no idea how wonderful my life would turn out. I suppose that my life has been a series of unexpected events, between weeks or months of predictable routine. However, what were these foalish ponies thinking when they build canals that froze for three months during winter?”

Pinkie added, “Twilight, from the point of view of the Dream Valley ponies, Equestrian history seems as strange to them, as Dream Valley history appears to us. Twilight, you should accept the fact that simply because these ponies invested in canals but not railroads does not mean that they are worse off than you or better off than you.”

While Twilight considered Pinkie’s observation, Twilight’s rented canal boat comes to a stop at the top of the boat wheel. And then, the boat continues down the canal, now lined with homes and retail businesses. The boat’s public address speakers come to life, as Quarterdeck’s voice interrupted Twilight’s thoughts. “On behalf of Roadstead and Afloat, I would like to thank our passengers for choosing our canal boat. Please look around and take all your belongings with you. Please walk with care off this vessel and we hope to see you soon for another pleasant journey.”

Twilight’s boat came to a stop in a marina dug out of the ground beside the canal. Quarterdeck and Roadstead used their Unicorn magic to attach the boats mooring lines to the dock, while Afloat used his shoe-gloves to put the boat’s gangway down, allowing the four ponies to walk to the dock, and then walk to the shore.

Twilight said, “Quarterdeck, thanks for the ride. I’ll send you a PDA message when my friends and I will need a ride back to our airship.”

Pinkie added, “You guys have a great boat and your cookies are wonderful!”

Then, the four ponies walked into a city park, where they saw an outdoor concert with six musician ponies making upbeat trumpet and piano music, on a stone stage for an audience of thirty ponies dressed in business attire. But, much to Pinkie’s dismay, their group or in this case Twilight didn’t have time to listen to music, no matter how good the music was. Pinkie started talking to the journalist ponies, leaving Twilight to consider all the things she had seen so far in Dream Valley.

Chapter 11: Literature for Pinkie Unexpected

Twilight’s diverse group soon found themselves walking down an artistic pedestrian boulevard. The boulevard was paved not in cobblestones like in Ponyville. Instead, the boulevard was paved with brightly colored, rubber titles. The easy on the hoof titles created large patterns depicting rain, flowers, and the waves of the sea.

Twilight thought of the many references she had found in the Dream Valley Republic about the sea and ocean-going ships. She wondered why Dream Valley ships hadn’t sailed to her homeland. In fact, on the airship voyage to Dream Valley, she had seen few ships on the ocean.

Twilight said, “Newsie, I’ve seen many references in the Dream Valley Republic about the sea and ocean-going ships. So what is the reason why Dream Valley ships hadn’t sailed to Equestria? In fact, on the airship voyage to Dream Valley, I had seen few ships on the ocean.”

Newsie, acting more like a tour guide than a journalist, replied, “Most Dream Valley ships don’t leave sight of land. There are several reasons for this cautious approach to sailing, the most important reason is; oh, here are, at the Princess Platinum University and Library. Not only did Panorama and I earn our journalism degrees here, this university is also the site of the Unicorn tribe’s royal castle. But, since the University and Library have been rebuilt so many times there is very little of the original, above the ground structures remaining. All the books that Princess Platinum saved in her cavern have been copied and published as either paper books or as electronic books.”

The University is protected by a wall that is ten ponies tall, with an ornate wrought iron, double gate. The university itself is a series of white marble structures with much detail and statues of ponies befitting of a home for pony royalty, rather than as a home for classrooms and books.

Above the library’s ornate entrance gate is a stature of three Earth and three Unicorn ponies, raising the national flag of Dream Valley. The flag is an image of a smiling Earth pony mare and a smiling Unicorn pony mare giving each other a happy brohoof.

Pointing with her hoof at the national flag, Twilight asked Newsie, “That’s the same image that’s on Dream Valley dollars.”

Newsie replied, “Yes.”

“I assume that the Dream Valley ponies built a university library around Princess Platinum’s book collection and that library has only become bigger over the many centuries since the Great Pony Migration?”

“Yes Twilight, we Dream Valley ponies have an uninterrupted history going back for seven thousand years. When I was a journalism student, I spent my library time in the library’s Journalism section. But, I’m sure that you can find a book on every topic that you can image.”

With wide eyes, Twilight replied, “Thanks for everything Newsie. I’ll talk to you soon. I’ve got many books to read, so goodbye for now.” Twilight’s rush to get into the vast library was so fast that a rainbow with sparkles appeared behind her flowing tail and hind legs.

With a nonchalant tone in her voice, Pinkie told Panorama, “Well, there is nothing interesting for me here, Equestrian’s best party planner, in a dusty old library.”

Panorama replied, “Oh, really? When I was planning my husband’s birthday party, I found an entire bookcase of books on party planning.”

That statement got Pinkie’s attention even more than the words all you can eat free cupcakes. “There is an entire bookcase … on party planning … here in this library?”

Panorama replied, “I never counted those books. But, I’d guess that this library has two or three hundred party planning books.”

“Wow! This old library does have interesting books.”

Pinkie’s eyes get big and then she also dashes off through the library gatehouse. Pinkie, without Twilight, walks down rows of bookshelves. Pinkie checks her PDA automatic mapping feature while she walks. Pinkie smiles when she sees that some of the Dream Valley student mares and stallions are wearing vests with many sophisticated Dream Valley electronics, making them appear like high technology versions of Hearth's Warming Eve Trees.

When Pinkie finds an entire bookcase filled with party planning books, her face takes on the same appearance as when she first saw Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom. With one of the happiest faces to ever appear on the face of a pony, Pinkie said to herself, “I could spend years here reading about party planning. The information in these books, combined with what I already know, means that I could become the most famous party planner in Dream Valley, the most famous party planner anywhere.”

Chapter 12: Job offer for Fluttershy Unexpected

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was pulling a Pegasus sky cart, still painted in a military dull gray and full of ancient paintings of famous Pegasus commanders, from the abandoned Pegasus city to Twilight’s airship. This was Fluttershy’s third round trip that day, and she was getting tired. From high in the air, she sees a series of wide roads built as loops connecting unusual appearing homes. Yet, when Fluttershy landed on one of these roads, she saw that these homes are for animals and that she was in a zoo.

After taking off the cart’s harness, and getting a drink of water from a fountain, Fluttershy saw a mare about her age. This mare has a zinc coat, a white gold mane and tail, a pink heart for a cutie mark. The mare wore a forest green blazer, a white shirt and a green tie. The zinc coated mare taps her hoof on her PDA several times, smiles, and then walks over to Fluttershy.

The zinc coated mare spoke to Fluttershy, “You must be the Pegasus Fluttershy. My name is Warm Heart, the chief zookeeper for Chancellor Puddinghead’s Zoo. But, don’t let the name fool you. This zoo has been rebuilt; contracted in size and expanded in size so many times that Puddinghead’s original Zoo has been reduced to one fountain, topped with an ancient bronze statue of her. What brings you to my zoo? We have few pony visitors on a weekday, and never had a Pegasus pony visitor, that is until today.”

“Well, I was getting tired from pulling this Pegasus cart, so I landed here. Is that OK with you?”

“Fluttershy, I don’t mind, as the paved path you landed on is wide enough to park five carts side by side and still have sufficient room for ponies to walk past them. Where did you get that cart? It looks so ancient.”

“My friend Rainbow and I found this cart in the cloud city armory. By the way, you must have a wonderful job taking care of the many animals here. I see several species that I don’t recognize and I’m skilled at taking care of animals.”

“Fluttershy, you have skills in taking care of animals?”

“I sure do Warm Heart; take a look at my photos. I had one of the airship crew members transfer my photo album into my PDA.” Fluttershy extends her hoof, so Warm can see photos of Fluttershy’s home and all the animals that she cares for on her PDA.

After seeing about one hundred photos, Warm said, “Fluttershy, that’s impressive. I could use some extra help around here. Could you considering working for me at my zoo? There is more than five hundred different species of animals here.”

“I don’t know what to say. I’d love to work here, but I don’t want to leave my animal friends in Ponyville.”

“You could bring your animals to this zoo. I’ll even pay for their travel expenses and I’d make sure that they will be well cared for.”

“You’ve given me something to think about, to consider Warm Heart. Thanks for taking your time to have a delightful conservation with me. Well, my friend Rainbow will be cross with me if I’m late delivering these Pegasus artifacts to Twilight’s airship. So, I’ll be going now.”

Fluttershy puts on her cart harness, and then flies up and toward Twilight’s airship.

Chapter 14: Bad vibes at the shopping arcade Unexpected

The next day finds Rainbow and Fluttershy walking within a glass roofed, shopping arcade. The stores are filled with merchandise, some familiar and some alien to the two pony friends.

The trouble started with Chitchat Grapevine a young unicorn mare with a shiny tin colored coat with a polished pewter mane and tail, with the portraits of two ponies talking for a cutie mark. Chitchat takes a secret digital photo of them with her PDA and then sends it to her friends. Chitchat’s friends send the digital photo to their friends who rush over to the arcade. Soon, a pony flash mob surrounds Rainbow Dash, but ignores Fluttershy.

Chitchat points at Rainbow with her hoof while telling her friends, “That’s the hero that gave us all those Pegasus treasures from the abandoned cloud city to us ground ponies.”

In response, Rainbow Dash puts on her favorite pair of sunglasses and smiles. “There’s no need for all of you to get pushy. There’s a limitless supply of Rainbow Dash awesomeness to satisfy everyone’s needs to meet Equestria’s greatest flyer.”

On the edge of the crowd, Fluttershy speaking in a quiet voice said, “Not to disagree with you or anything, but you know that Spitfire may disagree with you about being the best Pegasus flier.”

Walking around the assembled mob of Dream Valley ponies is a young Earth pony stallion with a polished stainless steel coat and a metallic red mane and trail, with a push mower for a cutie mark. He walks over to Chitchat and then asks, “Chitchat, Rainbow is mobbed by other ponies. What about talking to the yellow Pegasus?”

Chitchat replies, “Lawn Care, don’t pay any attention to Fluttershy. According to my friends’ online blogs that I’ve read so far, the yellow mare is more of an Earth Pony who happens to have wings, than she is a real Pegasus.”

Understandably, Fluttershy was a bit miffed at being described as not being a real Pegasus. Fluttershy said to herself with a cute, yet angry face, “I’m not as good at flying as my friend Rainbow. But, I’m still a real Pegasus.”

Fluttershy flies over to hover above Rainbow Dash, and then says “Rainbow, we’re leaving!”

Fluttershy scoops a surprised Rainbow up in her four hooves. Fulttershy flies upward and then down the wide arcade hall. The Dream Valley ponies give chance down the hall, but they give up when Fluttershy, still carrying Rainbow in her hooves escapes out an open window.

An exacerbated Rainbow asks, “Fluttershy, why did you carry me away from my fans?”

“Some of those ponies are mean, and those mean ponies said that I wasn’t a real Pegasus.”

With a surprised look on her face, Rainbow said, “Well then, I don’t want to be around those Dream Valley ponies if a few of these said bad things about you. Come to think of it, even Twilight does not get as much attention for being a princess in Ponyville, than Fluttershy and I get from these glossy coated and air-headed Dream Valley ponies. Let’s fly over to the market and see if there are Dream Valley novels that are similar to the Daring Do novels.”

Chapter 15: Conservation Unexpected

Meanwhile, Princess Twilight, wearing her coronation dress and royal regalia walks with slow, graceful steps into the Rose Garden of the Dream Valley Presidential Mansion. She is escorted by Spiffy van Hoosier, a stallion with a brushed aluminum colored coat, nickel silver colored mane and tail, and a tea set for his cutie mark. Spiffy wears a black butler uniform.

On a brick patio, protected from the direct sunlight by a canvas canopy stands Cameo Moderator, the President of the Dream Valley Republic. Cameo is an Earth pony mare with a coat of polished copper, with a mane and trail of metallic green jade, and a powdered wig for her cutie mark. Cameo wears a white ruffle shirt and a black bow tie. Being an Earth pony and thus attuned with nature, she often meets with guests in her nation’s Presidential Mansion’s Rose Garden.

Cameo walks over to Twilight saying, “My name is Cameo Moderator. I’m the elected President of the Dream Valley Republic. You have already met my butler, Spiffy van Hoosier.”

Twilight replies, “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m the Princess of Friendship of the Equestrian nation.” After a healthy hoofshake, Cameo invites Twilight to sit down on a comfortable sofa. Cameo sits on a sofa opposite Twilight, with a low table with a tea set and cookies on it.

Spiffy says to Twilight, “I would find it acceptable if you called me Spiffy. If you need anything, Princess Twilight all you need to do is ask.”

Looking at Spiffy, Twilight said, “Spiffy, just call me Twilight. Also, there is something about you that reminds me of my own devoted servant and dear friend, Spike the dragon.”

While bowing to Twilight, the stallion said, “As you wish, Twilight. I have pride in the fact that my Hoosier family has been attending to the needs of Dream Valley’s presidents and their visitors for more than eight hundred years.”

Twilight replied, “Wow that is a long time for a family to have one job. You must tell me some of the interesting stories about your family sometime.”

Cameo asked Twilight, “Besides you are there any more Equestrian Princesses?”

Twilight turns her attention from Spiffy to Cameo. “Besides me, there is Princess Celestia, who controls the Sun, Princess Luna who controls the Moon, and Princess Cadance who spreads love, while protecting the Crystal Empire.”

“Dream Valley ponies have wondered for generations who or what is controlling the movements of the sun and the moon. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the difference between Princess Cadance being the princess of love and you being the princess of friendship?”

Twilight’s eyes grow bigger and she appears confused. “I’m not sure what the best way to answer your question is. Nopony has ever asked me the specific details of our job descriptions or if there is any overlap in our duties. Come to think of it, our job descriptions have never been written down. That is something I’m going to do after I get back to my homeland.”

Twilight looks at Cameo’s shoe-gloves, then asks, “Cameo, do you know what the shoe-gloves are based on?”

“There is an old pony legend that says that our ancestors were once legendary creatures known as human beings who lived on another world. After these humans walked through a magic gateway to our world, these humans became the three pony tribes and other species as well.” With a laugh, Cameo adds, “We both know that’s just an entertaining bedtime story for foals.”

Twilight responses, “Sometimes, even the most embellished of legends are based on a kernel of truth.”

Cameo gives Twilight a skeptical facial expression. And then she asks Twilight, “Ok, here’s another question. Why didn’t anypony from the Equestrian nation ever see what had happened to their ancestors’ homeland before your arrival?”

“I’ve been wondering about that same question. As far as I know, Everypony in Equestria assumed that Dream Valley was buried under a deep layer of ice and snow. No Equestrian pony had ever thought to come here and see what happened to Dream Valley with their own eyes. Dream Valley had become more myth than fact. It took three young fillies, their school teacher, and Spike, my dragon friend, to suggest a journey to retrieve knowledge lost to Equestrian ponies.”

“The same thing happened with the Dream Valley ponies. We assumed that all the ponies that had emigrated out of Dream Valley and didn’t return hadn’t survived the journey to a new land.”

“Cameo, the fact is that about half our world is unknown to Equestrian ponies. I would think that with all our Earth pony science, Pegasus flight, and Unicorn magic, we ponies would have made a complete map of our world by now. There are even uncharted areas of my home nation.”

“Ambassador Twilight, may I call you Ambassador Twilight?” After Twilight nods her head, Cameo continues by saying, “My mapmaking cartographer ponies will give you copies of the maps of my nation, as well as maps of the other known kingdoms on this continent. What do you say to that?”

“I say, on behalf of my nation, thank you. Let’s learn from the past, but also move forward. Let us work together in friendship and harmony to build a better future for all ponies, dragons, griffons, zebras, and all other intelligent species.”

“That sounds very nice, but where should we begin to build our friendship between the ponies of our nations?”

“I can start off by giving you these books on Equestrian history. I wish I had more to give to you, but I didn’t know that there were ponies living in Dream Valley.” Twilight’s horn lights up as three books levitate out of Twilight’s saddlebags and land on the low table between Twilight and Cameo.

The Dream Valley President than said, “I’ll give these books to the Dream Valley History Museum. Our pony historians will love reading each detail of how our long lost relatives are living. Is there anything you want to add, Ambassador Twilight?”

“I think that our nations should exchange professional ambassadors. Then, our professional bureaucrats, university professors, and business ponies can consider what trade routes to use for ponies and goods to travel between our two nations. Cameo, what goods do you think Dream Valley ponies can sell to Equestrian ponies?”

“Dream Valley ponies would love to trade our PDAs, our canal technology, and our vast, Dream Valley coal reserves for Equestrian trains, airships, and Friendship engines. Dream Valley ponies joke with each other that if you drag your hoof on the ground here, there’s a good chance your hoof will get covered in coal dust. Ambassador Twilight, how do we determine how many tons of Dream Valley coal do you think is a worthwhile trade for one Equestrian friendship engine?”

With a sigh, Twilight said, “I see we have many days of complicated and intricate negotiating ahead of us. Being an adult is so complicated. And thus, I wonder why when I was a young filly that I was in such a hurry to grow up.”

Chapter 16: Pony Picnic Unexpected

After several days of intense negotiating, Unexpected Ambassador Twilight and her close friends were enjoying a sumptuous picnic lunch. The friends sat on a plaid picnic lunch blanket in the Royal Stewart tartan. These friends are spending the early afternoon in a forested city park.

On the other side of a brick bicycle path, were cute metallic foals. They were dressed in cute sailor suits and had a great time playing with their toy sailboats in a knee deep, reflecting pool. The floor and sides of the pool were covered in ceramic tiles. Two of these foals were Bard, a silver coated colt talking to his friend Cinnamon a copper coated filly. In a confident voice, Brad told Cinnamon, “When I grow up, I’m going to marry a Pegasus mare.”

Cinnamon replied, “But, will your Pegasus mare move to Dream Valley, or will you move to Equestria?”

“I don’t know. But, that’s years and years in the future, so why worry about it now? I have much growing to do before I sail away to Equestria.”

“Speaking of sailing away, you sailboat is sailing away from you.” Cinnamon pointed with her hoof to Bard’s sailboat that was being pushed with a slight breeze down the reflecting pool. Lickety-split, Bard was trotting off to retrieve his sailboat, splashing water around his legs, his underbelly, and his sailor tunic.

The young foals didn’t notice Twilight and her friends.

Rarity said, “I do love the illusion spell you cast on us to make us look like metallic ponies.”

Twilight replied, “I didn’t have a choice in creating this illusion spell, or the fan ponies would never leave us alone.”

Twilight had cast an illusion spell to make their dull coats appear shiny metallic and to have Twilight, Rainbow, and Flutter’s feathery wings appear to disappear.

Twilight is using her magic to pour Applejack a cup of tea. Smiling, Applejack told Twilight, “Oh, that’s ok sugar cube; you don’t have to pour my cup of tea.”

A smiling Twilight responses, “Applejack, we’re friends and neither my wings on my back nor my crown shouldn’t get in the way of me being nice to you.”

“Thanks Twilight, I reckon I can’t turn down a helping hoof from a good friend.”

Rarity then said to her friends, “Have you seen how these Dream Valley ponies fawn over Rainbow, Fluttershy, and the Wonderbolts? The Dream Valley ponies smother them with attention like Rainbow obsesses over her signed, first edition Daring Do novels.”

Twilight replied, “By working together, we have collected an adequate number of books for Cheerilee’s history project. We have also gathered a sufficient amount of information to give to Princess Celestia to tell her all about the ponies of Dream Valley and their society.”

Rarity added, “It will be a shame to leave so many dreamy metallic ponies.” Rarity looks over at a group of muscular Dream Valley stallions and mares lifting weights at an outdoor gymnasium. “But, I will return home for the sake of my family and for my friends.”

Applejack chimed in by saying, “As much as I’d love to stay and learn more about the art of Dream Valley baking, I’ve got my family’s apple orchard to run and a family to care for.”

Twilight said, “I see that travel is great for expanding your mind and making new friends. I’ve seen that Dream Valley ponies have taken their society in directions no Equestrian pony has considered. But, my friends and I have seen that despite all the wonderful ponies, places, and things in our ancestors’ homeland of Dream Valley, we know that our true place beings in Ponyville. Let’s start packing, as we should leave Dream Valley in three days.”

Rarity looks at Twilight with pleading, puppy dog eyes.

Twilight then amended herself by saying, “Three days? I meant to say seven days to pack up for our return voyage. I’ll send a text message to the president’s personal butler Spiffy van Hoosier about our travel plans. Pinkie Pie, please plan a farewell party for nine in the morning, seven days from now.”

Pinkie replied, “Yes Twilight, you’ll be pleased with my farewell party planning!”

Rarity smiles at Twilight. Rarity then returns to ogling the metallic coated stallions.

Chapter 17: The excitement, fun, and opportunity of the Unexpected

Eight days later, the friends find themselves sitting in the airship’s forward observation lounge. The airship is flying above the clouds at night. Lantern light is making contrasting shadows on the walls, objects, and ponies. Twilight is sitting on a padded chair, uses her magic to bring their friendship journal to her and opens the book to the first blank page.

Twilight’s eyes lit up as she says to her friends, “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are going to love these descriptions of how the ancient ponies earned their first recorded cutie marks to appear on pony flanks.”

Sitting next to Twilight, Applejack appears happy playing her banjo for everypony’s enjoyment. Spike appears content listening to Applejack’s music. Rainbow is busy sorting a big pile of Pegasus pony merchandise based on none other than Rainbow.

Twilight starts writing in her friendship journal. “After one memorable farewell party - my airship crew, my friends, and I have settled in our airship for the weeklong voyage back home. While I’m happy to return home, I also feel sad to leave all my new, Dream Valley friends.”

Twilight smiles at a photograph of the farewell party, her pony and dragon friends, along with the Dream Valley friends she has made. Standing on Twilight’s right side is Cameo Moderator while standing on Twilight’s left side is Spiffy van Hoosier. Standing next to Spiffy is Newsie Newsworthy and Panorama, both wearing formal dresses.

Twilight continues writing, “First, this unexpected adventure and all the excitement and enjoyment we have encountered would never have happened if the Cutie Mark Crusaders hadn’t ask a question about how ancient ponies got their cutie marks, if Cheerilee hadn’t asked me to investigate the library of the Royal Pony Sisters, and if my friend Spike hadn’t suggested that we take an airship journey to Dream Valley. We all owe Ponyville’s Cutie Mark Crusaders, Cheerilee, and Spike our thanks for finding unexpected friends and unexpected opportunities in Dream Valley.

“Second, I’ve learned that the unexpected can surprise and sometimes frighten a pony. Yet, while our intended goal was to rediscover lost Equestrian history for Cheerilee’s textbook project; during our adventure to rediscover lost pony history, my friends and I found unexpected friends and unexpected opportunities. It is funny that the unexpected things you find are often more valuable than the things that you intend to find.

“Third, while it was unexpected that my friends and I would purchase Pony Digital Assistants, we will be donating our wonderful tools and the rest of the Dream Valley technology we have purchased or were given to us, to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I’m sure that Celestia's students can and will make much better use of Dream Valley technology than we ever will.

“Also, I propose trading Dream Valley coal and their skill in building canals for Equestrian friendship engines and our skill in building railroads. Most trade agreements are written in boring adult talk. To make these talks more interesting for all involved, I suggest that Princess Celestia should hire Trixie Lulamoon and Cheese Sandwich to complete these complex trade agreements. Who can tell what unexpected things could happen if we pair those two professional entertainers together to write out these trade agreements.

“In conclusion, I wonder what other unexpected friends, undiscovered civilizations, and unidentified opportunities remain hidden on, above, or under the unmapped lands and seas of our world? Whatever my friends and I discover during our future adventures, we will bring the magic of friendship to friends that we haven’t met yet.”

Twilight yawns, and then concludes her entry with, “But, for me it is time for this unexpected pony ambassador to return to my cabin. Tonight I need to get some much needed sleep. My friends and I will work to solve tomorrow’s problems tomorrow.”

The end

Author's Note

After years of encouragement from my friends to write a young reader’s book, I wrote Journey Unexpected. My book’s central theme is dealing with unexpected events and unexpected people, while introducing to my readers to the ancestral homeland of the three pony tribes first described in the Hearth's Warming Eve episode. I have named this first pony homeland Dream Valley, as the ancestral homeland was not given a name during the episode.

What am I telling my readers in a story about Dream Valley pony society that can’t be told in the Equestrian homeland? I’m curious as to what could happen if Twilight and her friends decided to return to their ancestral homeland to discover what happened to it and who might be living there.

In addition, I considered how many real world people spend their time, money, and effort discovering their ancestral descents and sometimes visiting their ancestral homeland. Using reality as a guideline, I would imagine that some Equestrian ponies would wish to visit Dream Valley.

My manuscript was inspired by my traveling to foreign nations, finding the unexpected, and getting used to things not found in the United States. It was also inspired by the television show Connections by James Burke

My readers will see that separated from the Equestrian ponies for more than one thousand years - even before the births of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna - that the Dream Valley ponies developed a civilization far different from that of the Equestrian ponies. Moreover, I hope my book will be used as an opportunity for artists and writers to reimagine what an alternative pony society could look like.

Dream Valley is also an excellent opportunity to create situations that can’t be done in the Equestrian nation, such as pony flash mobs.

Moreover, I wanted to introduce to my readers the metallic ponies, which over many centuries had become a distinct species of ponies. These metallic ponies are based upon real world, Akhal-Teke horses. When I first saw images of metallic appearing Akhal-Teke horses, I thought these images had been photoshopped or the horses’ coats had been dyed those colors. No wonder that these unusual horses are Turkmenistan's national emblem.

Moreover, the Akhal-Teke horses are considered by horse enthusiasts to be the world's most beautiful horse breed. Therefore, I can imagine that Akhal-Teke horses could be the inspiration to become a successful line of pony toys for Hasbro.

I assume that Dream Valley is on the other side of one of the two oceans that border the Equestrian homeland. Otherwise, the Equestrian ponies or the Dream Valley ponies would have visited each other’s nations by now.

The Twilight's Kingdom episode showed that the power of friendship is a different and separate force from that of magic. I propose that the power of friendship can not only be employed to defeat powerful enemies, it could also be harnessed for constructive uses, such as Twilight’s friendship engine to expand generation four’s storytelling opportunities. My rationale is that the series has shown that the power of friendship can create energy to defeat villains such as Nightmare Moon; and therefore the same power of friendship could power an airship and achieve other outcomes as well.

Chapter 5: Letters Unexpected

That evening, inside Twilight and Spike’s cabin, Twilight is dictating a letter to Spike.

“Dear Princess Celestia:

“My friends and I have arrived at Dream Valley and it is nothing like we imagined it would be. We didn’t find an empty valley. Instead, my expedition of discovery has found an undiscovered nation of metallic ponies. I’m doing my best to keep a clear and level mind. After all, I am working to keep calm and cool when the unexpected happens.

“I’m sending you photographs of these metallic ponies. You might know how or why their coats are metallic.

“Lastly, I’m asking your permission to act as your diplomatic representative to the Dream Valley Republic. I’ll send you all the information I can get my hooves on, so you are able to make the best choices you can make about setting up diplomatic treaties, cultural exchanges, and trade agreements with the Dream Valley Republic.

“I’d tell you more, but I need to get some rest after a long day.

“I will always grow smarter and stronger under the warmth of your sunlight and the warm glow of our friendship,

“Your friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle”

After a few minutes, Spike burped up Celestia’s reply.

“My dear Twilight:

“Princess Luna and I read and reread your letter several times. We are confused and somewhat shocked that an entire nation of ponies could exist on other side of the Western Ocean. Please keep sending us letters on what your expedition finds in Dream Valley.

“My sister and I don’t have any idea how or why the Dream Valley ponies have metallic coats and manes.

“We agree that you are the pony that should establish diplomatic ties with these metallic ponies. We approve that you will take upon yourself the duties of a diplomatic representative to Dream Valley, until our experienced Equestrian diplomatic ponies can be assigned to the Dream Valley Republic. You must also propose that we consider the possibility of building embassies in each other’s capitol cities.

“Always appreciate both the warm sunlight and the cool moonlight,

“The Royal pony sisters, Celestia and Luna”

Chapter 13: Observations of Dream Valley Unexpected

After nightfall, within the airship’s observation lounge, Twilight and Pinkie are both reading books about Dream Valley. Twilight tells Pinkie, “I’ve found that trade between Dream Valley and Equestria could be very advantageous to both nations. Dream Valley ponies have goods and resources that Equestrian ponies want to buy; while Equestrian ponies have goods and resources that Dream Valley ponies want to buy.”

Pinkie answered back, “That’s nice, but how will Dream Valley and Equestrian trade happen when their nation and our nation are on opposite sides of the Western Ocean?”

“Well Pinkie, I don’t think modern ponies are going to walk to each other’s nations like the ancient ponies did.”

“Twilight, my pink hoofs are aching just thinking about that long walk. And to think those Earth and Unicorn ponies walked or the Pegasus ponies flew all that distance without one candy store, without one bakery, or without one Hay Burger franchise along their journey.”

“We could build a railroad and a road along the same land that the ancient ponies took to immigrate around the Western Ocean to walk to Equestria. That would mean a two week journey by rail or a three week journey by road. At least, we can propose building that railroad and road to President Moderator and Princess Celestia. What do you think, Pinkie?”

“Applejack’s really good at construction. Let’s get her to supervise construction. Applejack might even become the Princess of Really Big Construction Projects!”

“Pinkie, what you said makes sense, I mean makes sense for this world. I suppose that someday Applejack could become the Princess of Really Big Construction Projects. But, we need to consider all possible trade options and then choose to build the best ones. We could build fleets of passenger and cargo airships. But, our existing Equestrian airports are too small for a huge increase in trade. We could build more oceangoing ships, but somepony needs to chart safe trade routes in the Western Ocean between Dream Valley and our Equestria. This is one of many topics that I and the President of Dream Valley will talk about.”