Chapter 1: Welcome To Ponyville
“Spike?!” yelled a mare in another room.
This sudden outburst woke up a young pale purple stallion that was sleeping with his head laying on top of an opened book.
“Twilight, will you keep it down!? I’m trying to sleep!” he yelled out to the mare in the other room, brushing his purple mane with rose streaks out of his face.
“Dusk, how many times have I told you? The library is not for sleeping!” she yelled back.
“Well, excu~se me! I’m not the one who filled their twin brother’s room with so many books that he can’t sleep there!” Dusk’s horn lights up and levitated the book he was using as a pillow and put it in its proper place on a nearby bookshelf.
“Oh please. It’s not that much.” she said, facing Dusk, who just entered the same room as her.
He lowered his head, glared at her, then grinned. “You literally reconstructed my bed out of those books, including the mattress.” He said, pointing an accusing hoof at her. “Do you realise how uncomfortable that is?”
She rolled her eyes and smiled back. “You used to make a small throne out of those books in your bed.”
“Yes, but I still had a mattress and pillows.” he spat back in a voice of mock anger, his head tilted to the side with wide eyes and a wide smile.
They both laughed for a moment. Spike walked up to them, looking at them, with eyes half-closed; expressing agitation, and a present-wrapped box impaled on his tail.
“Hey, Spike. What that?” said Twilight, pointing at the present on Spike’s tail.
Spike’s eyes widened and pulled the present off his tail.
“A present for Moondancer.” he said, holding up the box as it fell apart and a teddy bear fell out onto the floor, a large gash in its side.
His expression turned flat as his eyes were, again, half-closed. “What do you want?”
Twilight jumped a little, realising what she came into the library for.
“Oh! I need you to help me find a book titled ‘Predictions and Prophecies,’ it’s really important. You can help too Dusk.”
They began their search, Twilight levitating books down from high shelves, and Dusk skimming through shelves at eye level, briefly reading the titles of each book’s spine. Spike, however, immediately went for a ladder and went for a shelf on the other side of the room and the first book he picked up was the one he was looking for.
“I found it!” he said to Twilight across the room, who immediately levitated it out of his claws before he could fully comprehend that she had her own telekinetic grasp on it, pulling him down to the floor directly in front of her, face down on the floor, book in hand.
“Aha!” she said, letting every other book she had levitating around her drop onto the floor. Spike looked up and saw the mess Twilight made and gave a sharp exhale as he proceeded to pick up the grounded books.
Twilight flipped through the pages of the book, “Elements of Harmony, Elements of Harmony. Ah! ‘Elements of Harmony. See: Mare in the Moon’?”
Dusk raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “Really? A fairy tale? You interrupted my nap for a fairy tale?”
Twilight slammed the book shut with a loud snap and glared at Dusk. “One: You shouldn’t be sleeping in the library. Two: If I’m right, this could mean the fate of Equestria.”
Dusk shrugged almost indifferently, “Well then, I suppose we should write to Princess Celestia about this.”
“We?”
“Yes. ‘We.’ I’m going to help you research anything more that could be found out about these ‘Elements of Harmony,’ the Mare in the Moon and how they are related.”
Twilight gave a smug smile and craned her neck closer to Dusk’s ear. “You want to get on my teacher’s good side. Don’t you?” she said, moving her eyebrows up and down in a seductive manner.
Dusk suddenly blushed at this, “No! It’s just that- you have a hard time accepting that you’re wrong - and - I - just want to be there to support you when you are.” he blurted.
Twilight didn’t let off her smile. “Alright then. Let’s get to work.”
The twin ponies and dragon went about searching the library for any other records regarding the Elements of Harmony or Nightmare Moon. Once they had culminated enough information to be sufficient by both of the twins’ standards, they sent their proposal to princess Celestia.
“What?!” Twilight and Dusk screamed in unison.
“‘My faithful student Twilight Sparkle. I appreciate you and your brother’s concern, and you know that I trust you completely, but you and your brother must simply stop reading so much into these fairy tales.’” Spike recited what the princess had written in response to their letter warning her of the impending danger of Nightmare Moon.
“‘My dear Twilight and her brother Dusk, There is more to a young pony’s life than studying. Which is why I’m sending you and your brother to supervise the preparations for the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration in this year’s location: Ponyville. Not only will you see that the preparations for this event goes smoothly but hopefully you two will complete an even more important task: making some friends. Your concerned teacher and brother’s crush, Princess Celestia.’” Spike cited a second letter from Celestia while all three of them were riding a flying chariot to their destination. “See Dusk? Even Celestia knows you have a crush on her.”
“Shut up, Spike.” Dusk said as he darkly looks out to the horizon to his left.
Twilight, however, hung her front hooves over the other edge of the chariot scowling, and when Spike finished reading the letter she let her head droop down as far as her neck would allow and relaxed her face to a sad expression.
Spike looked at the both of them and said, “Cheer up you two. Look on the bright side the princess has arranged for the two of you to stay in the library. How’s that sound?”
Twilight perked up after a moment. “That sound good. You know why? Because I’m right. We’ll check on the preparations as fast as possible then go to the library to gather proof of Nightmare Moon’s return.”
“What’s the point?” Dusk said, not breaking his fixation with the horizon.
“Come on now, Dusk.” Twilight said, putting a comforting hoof around his shoulders, bringing him in for a one-forehoof hug. “Just because we were shot down on our first try doesn’t mean we should give up hope now.”
Dusk turned to face his sister and gave her a warming smile. “I guess I’m the one who needs help in accepting being told that I’m wrong. You go into denial, whereas I seem to go straight to depression.”
“Denial? Depression? You make it sound like going through the stages of grief.”
They laughed and touched down in Ponyville.
“So,” Spike began, “What about making friends?”
Twilight and Dusk got out of the chariot. “We’re assigned to oversee preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. The fate of Equestria doesn’t rely on either of us making friends.”
“But Twilight...”
“Enough Spike.” said Dusk, “Let’s split up and get this over with as soon as possible.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble.” Spike said flatly. “But if two or more ponies have been assigned to oversee preparations of events like this, all assigned ponies must be present for the judgment of the preparation.”
Both twins exhale gruffly.
“Fine.” Twilight said. “Come on Dusk.” and they both start walking down a street.
“Come on guys. Can you at least try to make a friend?” Spike said, following them.
A pink mare with a cotton candy-like mane was happily walking down the street in the opposite direction of Twilight and Dusk and stops in front of Spike.
“Go on you two.” Spike said to the twins.
They both scowl at Spike for a moment, then turn their attention to the pink mare.
“Um - Hi.” said Twilight.
The mare said nothing as she stood there for a moment. Then her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and she let out a loud gasp as she jumped up in the air, flailing her limbs like a cartoon character suddenly being startled by something and ran off in a pink blur.
“Welp, mission failed. I’m done here.” said Dusk as he tried to briskly walk back to the chariot.
Spike grabbed a hold of his tail and dragged him in the opposite direction, making Dusk seem to do the moonwalk.
“Come on ‘Mister Emissary.’” Spike said in a flat tone.
Twilight rolled her eyes and followed the moon walking Dusk.
Meanwhile, in another part of Ponyville:
In a building called “Sugarcube Corner” a pink stallion with a bubble gum-like mane was carefully placing decorations on a rather large cake, he was intensely focused on the meticulous and careful placement of-
“BUBBLE BERRY!” the pink mare with the cotton candy mane bursted in through the door, startling the stallion, causing him to drop what he was handling and fall into the cake, transforming it into a pile of mush.
“GUESS WHO I JUST MET TODAY?” the mare continued shouting into the pile of cake mush.
A head popped out of the destroyed cake, covered in bits of cake and icing. A long tongue stuck out of the head’s snout and circled in a counterclockwise direction, licking up the cake bits and icing, revealing Bubble Berry’s face.
“Um,” the stallion said after consuming what had covered his face, putting a thoughtful hoof under his chin.
He casually pointed his hoof at the mare and said, “Princess Celestia?”
“Nope.” she responded.
He returned his hoof to his chin, “Daring Do?”
“Nope.”
“Princess Luna?”
“We haven’t gotten that far into the story yet, silly.”
“Right... I give up Pinkie Pie. Who?”
“Not just one, but TWO new some ponies!”
Bubble Berry’s eyes widened at this news and breathed in a loud, deep breath.
“Oh! My! Celestia! We’ve got to throw a party for them.” he said as he frantically jumped around the room, collecting party supplies hidden throughout, before he appeared in front of Pinkie Pie, grasping at her shoulders with his nose touching her nose. “What kind of ponies did they look like?” he said as fast as he could, yet still say it comprehensively.
It was Pinkie Pie’s turn to put a thoughtful hoof under her chin, “They looked very bookish. So I think we should set up a surprise party in the Golden Oaks Library.”
He let go of his sister. “That sounds like a plan. Let’s get to it.”
“Okie Dokie Loki!”
Chapter 2: Sweet Apple Acres
Dusk turned himself around and was now cooperating with Spike, walking alongside Twilight.
He sighed, “Alright. Where are we going to next?”
“Sweet Apple Acres.” Spike responded in an uplifting voice.
They all stood at the gate of Sweet Apple Acres.
“Yeehaw!” yelled a voice. All three turned their attention to see where the voice was coming from and saw an orange mare with a yellow mane and tail, wearing a cowboy hat running at near full sprint towards an apple tree surrounded by empty baskets. She suddenly stopped at the base of the tree, turned around and kicked the tree with her hind legs, knocking every apple out of the tree, all of them piling neatly into each of the baskets. She did a sort of curtsy as she showed off her recent accomplishment.
Twilight sighed. “Let’s get this over with.” She dragged herself up to the orange mare, Spike and Dusk following closely. “Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Sparkle-” she was interrupted when the other mare grabbed one of Twilight’s hooves and shook it vigorously with both front of her front hooves.
“Well, howdy-do there Twilight Sparkle. Pleasure to meet ya. Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. We here like meetin’ new folks and makin’ new friends.” she stopped shaking Twilight’s hoof, leaving it to continue flailing in the air, and turned to Dusk, extending a hoof out to him.
“Ok then. Might as well.” Dusk thought to himself as he took the mare’s hoof and kissed the back of it, the orange mare blushed intensely.
“My name is Dusk Shine, my sister and I are here by order of-” *SMASH!*
A full bucket of apples was suddenly placed onto Dusk’s head with great force, rendering him unconscious. Blood flowing from his mouth and into the dirt.
“DUSK! WHAT THE HAY DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!” Twilight screamed at the orange mare.
Another stallion, looking almost identical to the orange mare, except slightly larger, having broader shoulders and carrying a yoke around his neck, came up to the crime scene and asked, “I heard the commotion. What’s goin on here?”
“This colt here tried to get fresh with me.” the orange mare said as she turned around and lifted her nose up in the air. “Had to teach the boy a lesson.”
“The only thing he’ll be learning is what death feels like!” Twilight retorted.
“Sorry.” said the stallion with a sigh of defeat. “Couldn’t be helped with her.”
“B’sides we’re busy waitin’ for some Canterlot folk to arrive.” said the orange mare, holding her head up high.
“That- would be US.” Twilight said through gritted teeth.
“Beg yer pardon?” the orange mare leveled her head and turned to skeptically face Twilight.
“We came from Canterlot to check on the Summer Sun Celebration’s preparations, and the ‘colt,’ of whom you nearly crushed his head in with a basket of apples, was chosen by Princess Celestia herself to supervise everything, along with myself.” Twilight said flatly.
At this news, both of the orange ponies’ faces turned pale, ice cold sweat started beading down the back of their neck, and their hats casted dark shadows over their faces, hiding their pinprick sized pupils.
“This is worse than the time when you tried to pass of Big Mac as having apple blight, AJ.” he said, almost under his breath.
“Shut up, BJ.” the mare responded. “You were trying to do that too.”
Later...
“Sorry ‘bout earlier. I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself. My name’s Applejack, and this is my twin brother BJ.” she said now smiling and vigorously shaking Dusk’s hoof.
Dusk had regained consciousness and was now standing upright, (shaking hooves) and holding a bag of ice to his head.
“Thanks,” he said in a monotone voice. “I may have a skull fracture, but at least it didn’t get ugly...”
“Trust me.” said BJ, leaning in towards Dusk. “You ain’t seen ugly yet.”
“...and I don’t think we want to.” said Twilight. “Besides, we’re here to see what you will be serving for the banquet.”
“Sure thing. Care for a sample?”
Twilight gives Dusk a glance. “Sure. Why not?” she said.
Applejack then starts clanging a really loud triangle. “SOUP’S ON, EVERYPONY!” she yelled.
The three Canterlot-ians heard what sounded like rolling thunder after Applejack said “Soup’s on, everypony!” and it was growing louder and louder.
They all turned around and screamed in fear as they saw a stampede of ponies followed by a large cloud of dust coming towards them. They were picked up and set down at a table. Their heads spun for a second before Applejack spoke up again.
“Let me introduce y’all to the Apple Family.”
“That sound great but we’re kind of in a rush...” Twilight said before she was interrupted by Applejack.
“This here is Apple Fritter. Apple Strudel, Apple Pie, Apple Cupcakes...” she went on introducing all of her family members by name and each member placed a plate of food onto the table, until they started stacking it all on top of eachother, creating a pile three heads high.
BJ picked up the introductions halfway through ending with, “... Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom AND...” Applejack and BJ stuffed a green apple in Twilight and Dusk’s mouths as they ended introductions together. “... Granny Smith.”
“Up and at ‘em Granny. We’ve got guests.” said Applejack.
Granny Smith was sleeping in her rocking chair. “Huh? What? Uh - uh - Jimbo! How come you didn’t tell me that soup’s on?” she said getting out of the chair.
“Granny, I thought we agreed never to call me that.” said BJ.
Applejack started to snicker, but when BJ started to scowl at her, she curled her lips between her teeth and, with wide eyes, shifted her eyes from side to side, still trying real hard not to smile.
“Well,” Applejack said. “I’d say that you three are all already part of the family!”
Twilight and Dusk spat out the apples they had in their mouths. Twilight gave a “Bleh” as she got the apple out of her mouth and Dusk just sat down and looked slightly annoyed after he got his apple out of his mouth.
“Ha ha ha.” Twilight laughed nervously. “Well, I can see that the food situation is handled, so we’ll be on our way now.”
“Aww.” said a small yellow filly, named Apple Bloom, with a red mane and bow. “Aren’tcha gonna stay for brunch?”
“Sorry.” she responded. “End of the world and all...”
Apple Bloom gave a pitiful look at Twilight, trying to melt her heart. Twilight looked over at Dusk and Spike. Dusk slowly shook his head with half-open eyes.
Twilight looked back at Apple Bloom, still giving her horribly cute puppy-dog eyes, her heart melted at the sight and she lamented. “Ok. We’ll stay for brunch.”
“Yay!” everyone cheered, except for Dusk, who was looking quite annoyed at his sister for falling to puppy-dog eyes when she herself used them to great effect when they were little and got him in trouble for many-a-things.
