I once believed, like mother, that nature was a pretty plaything. I know now, without a doubt, that true nature would actually rip everyone's faces off and wear their skins as trophies if it could... Funny how you can understand something more clearly when you can't exactly count yourself part of it anymore...

~ From the Private Journal of RΔF ~

Celestia sat on her throne. It had been several hours since she had sent her letter to Twilight and had gotten a somewhat delayed response that she would be on her way with her friends in tow. She had gotten most of her daily affairs finished and now was patiently waiting for the arrival of Princess Twilight and her friends.

A few more moments passed before the doors of Celestia’s throne room burst open, the purple alicorn Princess panting heavily as she entered. “I am terribly sorry about the delay, Princess! Something turned up and it took a while to wrap up..” Twilight said taking a final deep breath before regaining her composure with the breathing exercises she had learned from Princess Cadence.

Celestia smiled softly as she saw Twilight enter, slightly amused but trying her best not to show it.
“It is quite alright my dear Twilight. I hope perhaps you and your friends had a safe journey?”

“We did, they're just outside of the throne room. I can bring them in if you’d like, since this is something that will probably affect all of us…” She said rubbing a hoof against the back of her head before bowing.

Celestia couldn't help but laugh softly. "There is no need to bow Twilight, You are a princess now... However I believe they will be very helpful in a small issue that has arisen”

“Oh?” Twilight asked raising an eyebrow as she straightened up while looking quite embarrassed. “an issue like what?”

Celestia smirks enigmatically as she makes her way to the door. "Explanations can wait till everypony is present but perhaps I should tell all of you on the way… I’m afraid if I leave it unattended for long, she might decide try to alleviate her boredom…"

“Who is... she..?” Twilight asked, her ears folding over her head, for some reason a shiver running throughout her body. "Something is going to go wrong..." she thought. "horribly horribly wrong…" She didn’t know what exactly it was that made he shiver. But it couldn’t have been nothing, right?

Coughing a bit, Twilight took a small breath, “That does... seem like the best call..”

Upon exiting the throne room, Celestia was greeted by the bowing of Twilight's entire entourage. Celestia smiled softly seeing that she had indeed come in full force rather than just Rarity and Fluttershy like she had requested.
“You may rise My Little Ponies.” She said regally as she motioned for them to follow.

They all followed on foot except Rainbow Dash who simply flew like she always did, smiling as she spoke cockily, “So where is the nearest monster I get to kick?”

“Rainbow Dash...show some manners... You are in the presence of royalty after all!” Rarity scoffed as the cyan mare sighed, “Of course... Sorry…” She said begrudgingly almost.

The country pony Applejack tipped her hat while looking up at Celestia, “What seems to be the problem anyway Princess, I hardly reckon this is a social visit?”

"I do not believe kicking would be advisable Miss Dash, as this particular problem was one even King Sombra did not fully wish to face. Anyway, I was just about to explain that Applejack. Are any of you perhaps familiar with the story of the incident in the Crystal Empire a thousand years ago involving the dragon and the Crystal Heart?"

Fluttershy immediately looked worried at hearing the word dragon and tried to look as small and uninteresting as possible, really hoping she wouldn't have to face another dragon.

“I'm familiar with it…” Twilight mumbled softly looking to the side as the others raised an eyebrow, “what’s it about?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I hope she likes PARTIES!” Pinkie said bouncing up and down, quickly pulling out her party cannon and prepares to fire.

Celestia looked at Pinkie with a confused expression having taken notice of the obvious fact the word she had been used. Turning to Twilight, she smiled proudly. "I would expect nothing less of my prized former student, perhaps you could tell it as we walk?"

Twilight nodded at her former teacher before she recited the tale.
“Long ago, before the Crystal Empire and Equestria where allies... There was a greedy dragon that disputed ownership of, and stole the Crystal Heart from the Crystal Ponies... Celestia, Princess of the Sun, and Luna, Princess of the Moon, extended a hoof of friendship to help the crystal ponies and defeated the dragon with the Royal Canterlot voice and stare, scaring the dragon into submission and returning the Heart to its proper place…”

The princess couldn’t help but sigh. “Sadly that is neither the true beginning, nor the true end of the story... For there was another involved who remained in the shadows. One I believe intended to claim the heart from the dragon for themselves, not out of any kind of evil intent, but rather childish spite…”

Twilight blinked slightly as she looked at Celestia in disbelief, “So a selfish act seen as a joke in a sense... How come I never read anything about that?” She asked, looking utterly shocked that a book hadn't told the whole story.

“Many moons before the dragon, a creature wandered out of the endless expanse of snow surrounding the Empire. It was in fact a creature nopony had ever seen before. It was quite timid in fact but for one reason or another it had come because it was in need of help. Lost and alone and suffering from both hunger and weakness from the cold, it begged the crystal ponies for access to the heart so it could replenish its strength, but Princess Amore worried of its interest in the heart and offered it food and treatment for its injuries instead. Afterwards she sent it on its way hoping that would be the end of the matter…”

"Ooooooooh, What happened next?" asked Pinkie as she munched on some popcorn she had somehow acquired mysteriously when nopony had been looking.

Before Celestia could answer or anypony could inquire about Pinkie's popcorn, a loud noise like thunder striking could heard around the corner. Following the noise, the high pitched scream of what sounded like a small filly was heard immediately afterwards.

Five minutes earlier in another part of the castle

The rabbit currently was not in a good mood. Some pompous idiot of a white unicorn with a blonde mane and an attitude worse than Sombra had blundered into the room a little after Celestia left to take care of her duties. She had layed down for a quick nap before she was interupted by the intrusion. He called himself Prince Blueblood and had made his way to the medical wing originally to get a nurse to get rid of a headache. Upon finding the rabbit however, he started insulting her and calling her all sorts of unpleasent things. Needless to say, after being called a "Vile, disgusting, misshapen, monstrosity" she felt she was handling the situation quite well...

She smiled evilly as she had snared the offending unicorn in her blanket and giddily laughed cocooning him like a spider would a fly. She also made extra sure the blanket would tightly cover his muzzle so no more offensive words could be said.
"I wanna tell you a story of why you shouldn't judge somepony by appearance alone."

"Long ago in a far away land... A young pony prince lived in a shining castle.
Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind...

But then, one winter's night, a begging rabbit came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.

Repulsed by her unusual appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the rabbit away.
But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.
And when the prince refused her again the rabbit's beautiful, true form was revealed to him.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen there was no love in his heart.
As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.

The rose she had offered was truely an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year.
If he could learn to love another and earn love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken.
If not he would be doomed to remain a beast forever..."

The rabbit giggled and smiled darkly as she tugged the blanket causing him to spin like a top into the wall. Then she jumped backwards up onto the bed, her eyes glowing brighter as her hands crackled and sparked with electrical energy. "Smile my dear princey, it's time for your makeover..."

~Meanwhile back with the Princess and the Mane Six~

"What was that dreadful noise?" inquired Rarity as everypony rushed to investigate the noise. Celestia looked quite livid yet decided to hold her tounge.

Suddenly the slamming open and closing of a door was heard just ahead, followed by hooves galloping towards them. What they saw left everypony staring in shock, except both Rarity and Pinkie Pie whom seemed to be fighting the urge to start giggling.

Running toward them was was Blueblood, now sporting a blonde afro that was rather singed and smoking from some of the tips. What seemed also off, was an expression of pure panic as he rushed past them on his way from who knew where. "MONSTER IN THE PALACE!!!" he cried which was quickly followed by him spouting "DON'T LOOK AT ME, I'M HIDEOUS!!!" as he rounded the corner.

Celestia sighed and looked to Twilight and her friends before stating in a quite annoyed tone. "Cover your ears if you please..."

Rarity seemed unusually giddy as she and the others followed the odd request from the Princess of the Sun "I take it the reason we are here, is that this wonderful creature is visiting the palace?"

The palace suddenly seemed to shake as The Princess of the Sun did the unthinkable,
"REINA DELTA FROST, COME HERE THIS INSTANT!!!"
She had used the Royal Canterlot Voice for the second time in her life...

To Be Continued...

(Let us hope she survives for that to happen...)

Author's Note

Whew, Longest chapter I've done so far. Actualy had to stop because of it being 4:20 am. Sadly I'm behind schedule on any plans of a Nightmare Night Chapter, so will have to wait till next year I guess...
(I at least got to enjoy torturing Blue Blood!)

(Last chapter, I should have been more clear, she assumed she was in a hospital but it was actually just the medical wing of the castle. my bad...)

Proofreading Done by the always awesome Silky Charm
Reborn_Hero helped too

As always, if any mistakes were made or you think something could have been written better, let me know!