Daring Do Dazzle worked at her house, with the opened Seven Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc, alongside various papers, journals, books and notes, over her desk. She was writing something on a notebook, and upon finishing, she read what it said:

"Hekwikwale Ketzalkoātl-yxāekȳnitzin īxaetlaetkiwh ītēon-Teotiwakan-wȳohāl."

Daring Do sighed hard, this was going to be a long night. She grabbed some large books and some of her notes and got to translating the text. Night was starting to gave way for morning, as Luna’s Moon descended below the horizon, and Celestia’s Sun rose above it, when the archaeologist finished her work.

She looked at it with a smile of triumph and read it aloud, “‘The greatest treasure of Empress Quetzalcoatl is in the fortress of Teotihuacan.’ Wonder what that treasure is. Or where that fortress is for that ma―”

Then she noticed writing on the parchment she had taken out from the chest, writing she hadn’t noticed before.

She grabbed the parchment and growled in frustration. “Really!? I spent two weeks deciphering that other part! How could I have mis―!?”

Her eyes widened in realization, she gave a defeated sigh and closed her eyes, reclining on her chair.

Then she said softly, “That Quibble Pants guy was right… I’m losing my touch…” She straightened up, and put the parchment on the desk again. “Doesn’t matter now! Time to work!”

And with that, she got back to working, deciphering the writing.

Two weeks later...

Twilight Sparkle waited for the train at the platform of the Ponyville station. But she wasn’t just standing there, no, she was pacing around nervously, muttering to herself. Or at least she did, until a familiar voice broke her out of her trance.

“Howdy, Princess! How are ya?”

The young alicorn frowned and turned to her hat-wearing friend.. “Applejack, I tho―”

“Yeah, yeah, Ah know, Twi,” the freckled earth pony replied, “Ah’m just teasin’ ya.”

Twilight’s expression softened as she smiled warmly, and then noticed the three fillies trailing behind Applejack. “Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!” she shouted upon recognizing them.

“Twilight!” the three fillies cried in unison and glomped the Princess of Friendship, who didn’t even budge.

“What are you doing here, girls?” she asked.

“We’re waitin’ for mah favorite cousin: Babs!” Apple Bloom replied from her spot on Twilight’s back.

“Ah invited her to that Con thingy,” Applejack added, “Ah hope ya don’t mind.”

“Nah, I don’t mind at all, Applejack,” replied the purple alicorn, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders let go of her. “Did you get her an All-Access Pass too?”

“Eeyup.”

“Great!”

At that moment, a mint green unicorn mare arrived at the platform. Twilight saw her, and trotted towards her.

“Lyra!” the Princess cried to the unicorn.

Lyra Heartstrings turned around, wide-eyed. “Uh... Hi, Twilight. Uhm, this is strange…”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Twilight Sparkle said, giving a glance to Applejack, who, recognizing her friend’s need for privacy, nodded and turned to keep the Crusaders busy. Then Twilight turned back to Lyra and continued, “I’m sure you spoke to the others from Canterlot, right?”

“Yup,” the unicorn replied. “That’s why I’m here. They also said you went there a while ago and―”

“Apologized?” the alicorn completed. “That’s why I came to speak with you. I wanted to apologize for taking you for granted and not reconnecting while you’ve been in Ponyville. You were the last of the group left, and I’m sorry I took so long, but ―”

“That’s okay, Twilight, I would’ve been at the party, but I had other plans with Bon Bon,” the mint green pony replied. “I understand, you’re a Princess now, and you must be busy. And I want you to know that I forgive you. That’s what friends are for, right?” She said winking, then continued pointing to Applejack “And I’m so happy for you, because you made new friends here in Ponyville, just like I did…”

With that, both old friends hugged each other and stayed for a moment like that, then let go.

Twilight was the first to speak, “Speaking of Bon Bon... Where is she?”

“Oh yeah,” Lyra replied, then suspiciously moved her eyes side to side “She’s… uhm… busy… with… uh... something…” Then her ears dropped and gave a nervous chuckle.

Twilight narrowed her eyes, then opened her mouth to say something, but no word came out. Because at that moment a rainbow-colored blur smashed into her, dragging her to the dirt beyond the platform, where both crashed spectacularly, carving a long gouge that stopped at the roots of a tree.

Lyra initially sighed in relief, but then the realization of what just happened hit her and she cringed, alongside Applejack and the CMCs, at the sight of the crash. Immediately after, they all started galloping towards the crash site.

Lyra caught up to Applejack and said, “Hey, Applejack!”

“Yeah? What is it?” the farm pony replied.

“I want to thank you.”

The blonde pony’s eyes went wide and slowed down to a stop. “Thank me? Fer what?” Then she turned to the unicorn.

Lyra had stopped at about the same time as Applejack had. “For making friends with Twilight, of course! You have no idea how much she has changed since we were in school! And it’s all thanks to you and her friends!”

“Aw shucks, Lyra… Thanks…. but... can we continue later? Ah think Twi may need our help now…”

The unicorn went wide-eyed. “Oh, right!”

Then, both rushed to the crash site.

Twilight Sparkle groaned and spat dirt as her vision cleared, then started to get back on her hooves. Initially she didn't notice the weight on her back, but as soon as the young Princess fully stood up, she felt it and bucked it off her. She shook the dirt off her coat, mane and wings, then turned, to see the weight she had bucked off was Rainbow Dash.

The alicorn frowned and started shouting, “Rain-bow. DASH! What’s wrong with you!?”

The mentioned mare groaned and replied in a low voice, “Not so loud, Twilight, my head is thumping…”

“Your head is thumping!? Your. Head. Is. THUMPING!? Rainbow Dash, you could have hurt ME!?”

“Hurt you?” The rainbow mare started hovering in annoyance, and put her nuzzle in contact with Twilight’s. “Hurt you!? Come on Twilight! I have seen you crash harder than the time I broke my wing ―”

“Ooooh! I remember that one!” Pinkie Pie said, appearing suddenly besides a very startled Applejack, who had arrived some time ago, and, until then, had been watching the scene amused, alongside Lyra and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“― and then walk away like it was nothing!” Dash finished, then backed away to see Twilight’s reaction better.

Twilight pointed at Dash with her hoof and opened her mouth to argue, but immediately after she closed her mouth and retracted the hoof. Then she tried it once more with the same result.

Finally she took a pensive pose and said, “You know, Rainbow, you’re not wrong.”

“Say WHAT now?” Applejack suddenly shouted, taking her gaze from Pinkie and fixing it on the purple alicorn.

“Yeeeah, I’m with AJ on this one,” the cyan Pegasus added.

“Well, Applejack,” said Twilight while flying out of the gouge. “It’s just that I have been an Alicorn for about two years now, but I still don’t know the full extent of the limits of my body.”

“Oooooooh,” said everypony present in unison.

“Yeah, as soon as I have time, I will start running tests to know my limits!”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Apple Bloom suddenly interjected, raising her hoof. “Maybe me and mah friends can help!”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle echoed, “We can help you, Twilight!”

“Of course!” Scootaloo finished, “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on the job!”

Then the three girls shouted together “YAY!” while high-hoofing, which caused a massive air shockwave.

Twilight stood silent for a moment processing what had just happened. “I had forgotten how loud you girls can be,” she said, then shook her head and continued, “but you know what? You’re hired, Crusaders! I’ll use your help.”

Applejack rose her eyebrow quizzically. “Twi, are ya sure? Ya’know mah sister and her friends: When they try somethin’… it ends badly…”

“Exactly!” Twilight replied, a little too excited.

But before anypony could reply to the Princess, the whistle of the Friendship Express was heard, making everypony gasp and rush back to the station to welcome the guests.

Back at the train station, the girls arrived just as ponies started to pour out of the Friendship Express.

They stood there for a moment, then Rainbow shouted and waved, “Hey, Quibble!”

An ochre earth pony with a grayscale mane returned the wave. “Hi, Rainbow! Guess what? I decided to give the later books a chance, like you asked me to. But really, even after what we went through, I still think the idea of an alicorn being among the ones helping Daring Do in the latest book is completely ridiculous.”

“Is that so?” said Rainbow Dash, exchanging a knowing look with Twilight. “Hey, I want ya to meet one of my friends, Twilight!”

“Oh hello, I―” He then noticed the outstretched wings, and a light that seemed to come from behind her.

Applejack then scowled at the CMCs, who immediately turned off the light with sheepish grins.

Once Quibble Pants stopped gawking, he said, “You-you-you’re the-the-the Princess. Of. Friendship!”

“Yes, I am,” the purple alicorn replied.

“Why you didn’t tell me you knew the Princess of Friendship!?” the male earth pony asked the rainbow Pegasus.

Dash shrugged. “You didn’t ask.”

“Also, she’s very close to another celebrity,” Twilight said, then winked to Applejack.

The farm pony returned the wink and said, “Yeah, as in she sees this one everyday in her bathroom.”

Pinkie then suddenly rushed to Rainbow, grabbed and shook her. “What!? Reaaally Dashie? You have a celebrity in your bathroom and I wasn’t told about it!?”

Everypony stood in a stunned, awkward silence for a moment.

“Right…” the Princess finally said. “Quibble Pants, let me present to you, Rainbow Dash, the latest recruit of the Wonderbolts!”

The male earth pony’s jaw dropped.

Applejack whispered to Pinkie. “You do realize Ah was talkin’ ‘bout Dash’s reflection in’er mirror, right?”

“Ooooo! I didn’t know Dashie’s reflection was a celebrity!” the peppy pink pony replied.

The farm pony facehoofed.

Before Quibble could say anything, an orange pegasus Royal Guard approached Twilight Sparkle and asked, “Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yes,” she replied, turning to the Guard.

At the affirmative reply, the Guard continued, “I’m Captain Flash Sentry, I was sent here by Princess Celestia, along with these Guards, to act as the security detachment for your Royal Castle.”

Twilight stammered for a moment, “Flash… Sentry…?” But she quickly recovered and said, “Please, go back to Canterlot and tell the Princess, that the Princess of Friendship doesn’t need protection.”

“Her Majesty thought you might say that, so she sent this letter,” the captain replied, handing said letter to Twilight.

The purple alicorn took it and read it:

“Dear Princess Twilight:

I’m sending this detachment of Royal Guards to help you with the security of your event, aside from Captain Flash Sentry and Guards Night Thunder and Donut Steel, who will be acting as a Ceremonial Honor Guard for your castle.

With regards, Princess Celestia.”

Then the young Princess gave the Guards an annoyed glare, and read them the letter out loud.

The three mentioned Guards dropped their jaws, while the other ten or so Guards snickered.

At the same time, the Princess turned to her friends and said, “Sorry girls, duty calls.”

But before she could leave, she heard someone calling, “Princess Twilight!”

“Sunburst?” She said, recognising the voice and turning around.

“Yeah,” the stallion replied, between pants. “I got permission from Princess Cadance for some days off to visit Starlight!”

“But―”

“Yes, I know it’s not the best moment, but it’s the only time I could get these days off”

“Fine,” she said, mildly annoyed. “You all, follow me.” And she left, followed by the Guards and Sunburst.

Everypony watched her go for a moment, until Rainbow Dash noticed Quibble Pants gaze.

“So Quibble,” Rainbow said, “Are you ogling my friend?”

“No...” he replied unconvincingly.

“Yeah, sure…” Applejack said, wiggling her eyebrows.

The stallion stood there, nervously looking at both mares for a moment, until he finally broke. “Okay, fine! I find Princess Twilight and the other Princesses attractive. The older ones probably more, but I digress. Also, I couldn’t help but notice that she moves her rump like she’s still a v―”

“Oookay, this is getting into TMI territory…” The rainbow mare interrupted.

“But, he didn’t told us anythin’ we didn’t know, right, Rainbow?” Applejack remarked, following that by hoofbumping Dash.

“What do ya mean by that, Applejack?” Apple Bloom suddenly asked.

“Yeah, I have the same question!” another filly’s voice echoed.

“Babs?” Applejack cried upon realizing whose voice it was. “When did ya get here?”

“A moment ago,” the filly replied, blowing her mane off her eyes. “Everypony was busy gawking at the Princess when I got here.”

“Ah see…” the blonde adult mare said, her eyes wide. But she quickly regained her composure and said, “Ah know! Why don’t ya fillies go to Granny, and ask her to tell ya one of’er stories?”

The four fillies cried in joy and rushed away to Sweet Apple Acres, not sooner Applejack had finished saying that last sentence, making her sigh in relief.

Then suddenly Quibble said, “This is weird…”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I mean,” he replied, “ponies keep coming out from the Friendship Express, more than it should realistically be able to hold!”

The cyan mare’s eyes widened in realization. “You’re right!”

“Freeeaky!” Pinkie remarked, while she appeared above... from outside view... hanging upside down.

Meanwhile, at the human world, Sunset Shimmer meditated over what had happened over the last months. She had finally successfully wielded the power of the Magic of Friendship, and along her friends, prevented the unraveling of the fabric of spacetime itself. Then they gained magical powers, saved Camp Everfree and the filming of the latest Daring Do movie, redeemed a few people corrupted by the power of Equestrian magic and rescued people from a shipwreck. They were now hailed as local heroes around the suburbs of Canterlot City.

She turned around to see her friends, who were now happily interacting with Princess Twilight’s newly graduated apprentice, Starlight Glimmer, her newest best friend.

Sunset sighed and muttered to herself, “Guess the time has finally come…”

A piano melody was heard in the background as she started singing:

I may not know what the future holds
But hear me when I say…

And as her singing rose into a crescendo, the music turned into a triumphant orchestral score.

That my past does not define me
'Cause my past is not todaaaaaaaaaaay.

[End of Chapter One]

Author's Note

Thanks to SkarmorySilver, World-Jumper, Jay - Awesomeness Central and Tomash for their beta reading, you guys rock!

On another subject, the language translated by Daring Do, is a constructed language called Pwōniþletōlli, which was created specifically for use in this fanfic.