Prologue: Mane Six Captured
Twilight Sparkle looked at the map in her castle with her five friends. Something they didn't do regularly. All six of them stared at the hovering cutie marks, they were hovering over somewhere in the Everfree Forest. They hadn't been there since defeating Tirek, they had no idea why the map was sending them there.
"Maybe there's a horrific monster in there that we have to vanquish!" suggested Rainbow Dash, doing fake battle moves in mid-air as she hovered above the map.
Twilight shook her head. "I don't think so, so far the map has only sent us anywhere if there is a friendship problem of any kind."
"What if it's different this time?" said Fluttershy, peering at the map with her timid teal eyes.
"If it were different, Princess Celestia would've sent us there first," said Applejack, adjusting her cowboy hat.
"Well, I don't suppose we have much of a choice, friendship problem or not, there is somepony who needs our help." Rarity said, eyes fixed on the spot were the cutie marks hovered, the heart of the forest.
"Do you think whatever it is likes parties?!" Pinkie Pie yelled, firing off her party canon.
"I can't imagine who wouldn't" said Spike, raising his head to see the map. "Can I come?"
"Sorry, Spike," said Twilight. "If it is something dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt, it is in the Everfree Forest."
"What? Why not? I've been in the Everfree forest before!"
"Spike, it's too dangerous!" Twilight argued.
"I've dealt with danger before!"
"We don't even know what we're dealing with! It could be as much as what we've seen before, maybe even bigger! And you've never dealt with that kind of danger! This is too big for you until we know what it is!"
"I saved the crystal ponies! You can't say that!"
Twilight stared at Spike, she really didn't want Spike getting hurt in any way.
"No."
"What?! But I--"
"I said no, Spike, that's final."
"Fine!" Spike yelled, stomping out of the room. "I don't want to go anyway!"
For a brief moment, the room was completely silent.
"Uh, don't you think you were a tad hard on the poor lil' guy?" Applejack asked finally.
Twilight sighed. "We don't know what we're dealing with, until we do, he is much safer here."
"So, when do we leave?" Pinkie Pie asked energetically.
"As soon as possible," Twilight responded, "The Everfree Forest may be dangerous, but whatever is there, we need to be there."
"So, this is all we're doing in this chapter?! This isn't even a chapter, this is a prologue! We won't even be appearing until the end!" Pinkie Pie quipped. Everypony else stared at her.
"What? It's not even long enough!"