Past is Present

Chapter 6

Town Square

Town Square was slowly filling with ponies as the hour of the meeting approached. Many had been standing there for a while, discussing amongst themselves what could possibly be going on to warrant such cryptic orders. Those just arriving appeared just as perplexed as those who had been waiting - why had they needed to pack and where were they going? Twilight Sparkle watched the arriving ponies closely while Spike checked off names. Finally, from behind a group of three stallions, she spied the rainbow mane of her friend as well as the pink puff of mane that signified Pinky Pie and Apple Jack's cowboy hat. In a moment the group of friends were in full veiw.

"Alright Twilight, we rustled up all the ponies in town," Applejack began "now let's get this rodeo started." Twilight Sparkle smiled at her friend.

"We'll start as soon as I've spoken to Zecora." She replied. By then Rainbow Dash and Zecora had joined the small party. Zecora bowed her head slightly at Twilight Sparkle - a motion the young mare would never get used to from her friends.

"I am here by your request, to help our midnight Princess. On my skills you can depend; but tell me first what has happened?"

"Oh Zecora, thank you for coming! Princess Luna was attacked by the Changlings and one of them bit her. She is very ill with a fever and Princess Celestia hasn't been able to wake her up. Princess Celestia thinks it may be a powerful poison she has never seen before. Is there anything you can do to help?"

"This situation is dire indeed, but I know nothing of the antidote you need. Of Changling poisons I have never heard, this illness has me most disturbed." Zecora replied sadly.

"So it's hopeless?" Rainbow Dash looked crushed as she put words to Twilight Sparkle's sinking heart.

"No, my little ponies, it is not hopeless. Though my herbs have no power the poisoning to redress, there is still magic that could grant us success. In the Palace Library there is an ancient tome, written by ambassadors from my home. It speaks of magic of great might that exists within the Rainbow of Light."

"The Rainbow of Light?" Twilight Sparkle whispered. "Zecora, what is the Rainbow of Light?"

"More than this I do not know, the book was lost long ago. But my ancestor told the tale of his journeys in these lands to his tribe, many wonderous things he did describe. He told of his adventures beyond the sea with Creamsicle the giraffe and the lion, Kingsley." Twighlight Sparkle looked momentarily crestfallen at this news.

"Wait a second..." she said to herself. "An old book... written in ancient Zebra... from the Palace..." Suddenly a wave of hope hit her. "Zecora! Can you read ancient Zebra?"

"I have learned it for my profession, but why do you ask me such a question?" The expression on Zecora's face seemed somewhat perplexed. Twilight Sparkle wasted no time but, using her power to open the satchel lashed to her side, she produced a book surround by a faint purple glow and laid it at Zecora's feet.

"This book was found in the Palace Library, can you read it?" Zecora stared at the ancient brown book in amazement. She gently placed a hoof on the lower part of the cover below some writing.

"This is the work I heard legends about, of this fact there can be no doubt. The book which you had in your bag was written by my ancestor, Ambassador Zigzag."

Zecora stood with her head leaned over the book for a few minutes, she flipped through the pages making no sound but an occasional "hmm" and "ah". The ponies held their breath as they watched her. Finally she stopped turning pages and stared intently her eyes moving back and forth with the lines of text she read. Twilight Sparkle could take the suspense no more,

"What does it say?" she asked. Zecora seemed to snap back to the present time and closed the book with her hoof.

"It tells of a great spell that took the Rainbow of Light and darkened it to witches delight. The castle was lost but a new home was found in the Paradise Estates compound. But the battle was not yet won, the spell had yet to be undone. On Paradise Estates the Witches set their sight, all that was good they hoped to blight. But the human girl, Megan, would not retreat - she asked the Moochick how the spell might be beat. The Moochick told her that if the Flutterponies could be recruited then the witches might soon be routed. Megan led the expedition but when they arrived at Flutter Valley they were met with suspicion. The Queen refused to aid their cause but a voice from the back gave her pause. A Flutterpony a young filly had saved, with her story, the Queen's decree swayed. With their help now procured, a treaty of friendship was secured. The Flutterponies beat back the spell, the witches fled and all was well. The Rainbow of Light was returned to its place and was to remain at Paradise Estates." The ponies stared open-mouthed and wide-eyed as Zecora finished her tale. For a moment no pony could utter a sound - but only for a moment - then the questions came tumbling out.

"Witches?"

"What's a Moochick?"

"I reckon it's a half cow half chicken."

"What's a Flutterpony? Is it a Pegasus?"

"I've never heard of Paradise Estates - it sounds like fun!"

"What kind of spell could do all that?"

"Quiet!" Twilight Sparkle threw out her hooves to cover her friends' mouths. There were some muffled sounds but they quickly ceased. "Zecora, does it say where we can find Paradise Estates? If that was the last place the Rainbow of Light was seen than maybe we can find a clue to its location there."

"The exact location I can only guess, but I suggest looking in the ruins of the Everfree Forest."

"The Ruins of the Everfree Forest." Twilight Sparkle whispered. She tightened the bag on her shoulder. "Alright, what are we waiting for, let's go!" She felt a pull on her tail and turned her head to see Applejack had it between her teeth.

"Woah! Hold your horses sugarcube. Did you forget about everypony else?" Applejack dropped Twilight's tail and motioned with one hoof to the crowd mulling around the stage waiting for the time when the meeting would begin. Twilight Sparkle's cheeks burned as she realized she had gotten so caught up in the mystery of the Rainbow of Light she had forgotten their primary mission - to bring the ponies of Ponyville safely through the Everfree Forest to the old Castle.

"Oh yeah." She mumbled. She collected her thoughts for a moment - this would not be easy. To tell the ponies of Ponyville that the Changlings had returned would be difficult enough, to tell them that they must leave their homes immediately would be terrifying. There had never, in the history of Ponyland, been an evacuation order given from the Palace before - it was absolutely unprecedented. And there was not a single pony in Ponyville who would not know that. It meant that whatever the danger was it was so much worse than what they had ever faced before. Would they even believe her that the Castle was safe? And even if they did would they follow her through the perils of the Everfree Forest - the place where Timberwolves and Ursa Majors dwelt unchecked? This wasn't a normal excursion with her and her friends whom she knew and trusted, this was a march with the entire town; could she protect them all? If she were one of them would she trust her? As she approached the podium she decided not to mention Princess Luna's illness; such news might cause widespread panic. A breeze fluttered through the feathers on her wings. No matter how long she had had them, she could never think of herself as a Princess. She wondered if it had been the same for Cadence and Clestia when they got their wings. Perhaps it was something you got used to over time. She stepped up to the podium and stared into the sea of faces. They looked back at her calmly, if mildly perplexed. They trusted her. She gulped and cleared her throat. She could do this, she thought. She was a Princess. She gulped again and a wave of panic rushed over her - no she couldn't. She took a step back from the podium. Then she saw three little faces in the crowd. There was Rarity's little sister, Sweetie Belle, and next to her stood Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. She looked again and saw all the foals, some with their friends, others standing with their parents. Her resolve grew, she could lead the town to safety - she had to. She leaned into the microphone.