Equilibrium, Book 1: The First Human.

October 31, 1000, C.E.
Sweet Apple Acres.
7:54 A.M.

THIS IS AWESOME! The whole of Ponyville requested that this year's Nightmare Night be held at the castle in Honor of Princess Luna's return. The Sister's were so ecstatic that they agreed under one condition. Everyone had to be dressed up no exceptions. Even the guards were put on leave so they could celebrate the holiday with their friends and family. I can only hope my costume goes over well with the others. I had to contact Shining for help with it so here's hoping it works.

John stretched out his back as he got up from his desk while sliding his journal into a drawer. Looking out his window he saw a beautiful sun shining in the clear blue sky.

"Hello, Princess." He greeted as he got his clothing together and began to head to the bathroom downstairs. He exited his room on the second floor and headed down the steps. As he did so he saw his sister make her way through the kitchen to the dining room, a piece of toast hanging from the corner of her mouth. AJ gave him a weary nod as they passed each other. John gave her a cheerful smile and continued his trek to the restroom. Once he made it the sound of the shower reached his ears. He gave the door a knock.

"Come in." He entered laughing as he did so.

"How's the water today sis?" He asked as Apple Bloom poked her head out behind the shower curtain. She blew a raspberry at him and retracted her head back in as she continued to scrub herself down. John just let out a chuckle as he proceeded to brush his teeth. Grabbing his toothbrush he went to work. Two minutes later he was finished and Apple Bloom was just getting out of the shower. John smirked as he stopped rubbing his feet on the carpeted floor. As Apple Bloom passed by he reached out and poked her on her flank. Apple Bloom squeaked as she felt the electricity run up her back, through her hooves and into the ground. She whirled around and glared daggers at her brother who proceeded to ask as if nothing was amiss. Glancing at his little sister John let a smirk cross his face.

"Payback suck's doesn't it." He smiled as Apple Bloom simply lifted a hoof to her eye's before pointing to him. He simply laughed as he went to work on shaving his facial hair. It had been getting particularly thick as of late, something that surprised him considering his African and Native American heritage.

"Must get it from dad's side of the family." He smirked as he used his straight razor to shave off a rather stubborn set of sideburns.

"Eh you should let them grow out." the voice drew his attention to the doorway. He looked over to see Granny Smith standing there. He smiled as the old mare trotted over and gave him a hug. She then stood up on her hind legs and grabbed face with her forehooves.

"You'll look just like your Grandfather Baldwin Apple the third." She used her hooves to maneuver John's razor across his face. He soon had shorter sideburns and Granny even shaved most of his face fuzz leaving him with a goatee.

"There yeah go sport the spitting image of your grandfather." She said with a chuckle as she gave John a towel. He wiped his face and looked at himself. He did look rather handsome and as he admired his new look Granny giggled.

"Why if'in I was forty year's younger there stud I'd take a crack at you myself." She winked as John just smiled.

"Oh come now Granny you don't look a day over forty." He shot back as he pulled on his black jeans and a red polo shirt. Granny just hooted as she left the bathroom. John soon followed after gathering his supplies and storing them upstairs. He took one final look in his mirror as he waved a hand over his wet messy hair. It looked even messier now but at least it had style, or so he thought.

"Looking good." He stated as he shot off his finger guns, smirking at his own corniness before he grabbed his wallet and keys for the house.

8:17 A.M.
Canterlot Castle, Canterot.

Prince Blueblood strolled through the halls of Canterlot Castle holding his clipboard aloft in his light blue hue.

"Let's see auntie wants all of the residents of ponyville added to our guest list for tonight." He made a note to himself the corner of his notepad.

"Need to amend the list and send out the invitations by five so they can all make it by eight P.M. Sharp." He noted as he continued to trot to the kitchens. He slipped his clipboard away as his mind began to wonder.

"I wonder if that lovely fashionista will be there?" His face heated at the mere thought of her exquisite beauty. He took a deep breath to calm his thoughts and steeled himself for the task ahead. As he opened the door to the kitchen he was greeted to the voices of his lovely aunts discussing the day's events. They both stopped and gave him a smile as he came up to them and bowed.

"Aunt's." He said as The sisters both gave him a nod.

"Rise dear nephew and join us," Celestia asked as she motioned for a butler to come and take her dear nephew's order. He gave the butler a bow as he sat down.

"Good to see you here Prim." Prim gave the prince a bow.

"Always good to see you Sr." As soon as Blueblood's meal was served he pulled out his itinerary list and gave his aunties a soft grin.

"So Auntie Celestia I went over the list for the residents of ponyville and I think we'll have just enough space to squeeze them in the main hall." Celestia let a smile drift over her muzzle while Luna had a look of trepidation flashed through her facial features for a split second. A wing from Celestia calmed her sister's nerves.

"That sounds lovely dear," Luna spoke a nervous edge to her already fragile demeanor.

"Has thow properly searched through thine old records for any of our other lineage dear nephew?" She asked as Blueblood nodded.

"Yes, auntie I've found a few of our descendants on the edge of the border of Transylvania and Trottingham," He held up a map with a note attached to it.

"I've dispatched emissary's in my stead so that they may be formally invited to and shofured to our little get-together tonight." He beamed as Luna gave him a brisk nod.

"Verthy well dear nephew. Thank thee for thine most gracious service." Blueblood gave her a nod as he set the itinerary down and took a bite out of his meal.

"I must say that I find our guest list this year to be rather eccentric." He glossed over it as he chewed on a piece of lettuce.

"Not to doubt your judgment dear aunties but what of this human?" He looked at John's name and his general description.

"From what little info I've been able to find out about humans they seem to be rather barbaric." He stated as he looked over at his aunties. The two sisters stopped their merry meal with there face's going through several phases before settling on a frown. They both shook their head's and sighed.

"Yes well, dear nephew I would like it if you'd keep that info to yourself." She gave him a stern look to which he just nodded.

"May I ask why?" He asked as he went over the information he had at hoof. Celestia gave her nephew a soft smile as the memories came flooding back to her.

Equis, 1074, A.U.E
Camelot Castle.
12:00 P.M.

At the base of the mountain scores of pony and human troop's stood at attention. A lookout called from one of the towers at the base of the castle.

"The Queen approaches!" The ten thousand strong army of men and ponies alike all looked to the west. At the head of the army, a single man stood, a soft smile cracking his normally stone visage. As the noonday sun drifted overhead Celestia came into view over the horizon. As Celestia landed the man at the head of the army gave the queen a bow.

"Celestia." Celestia gave him a soft smile.

"Arthur." She said as she too bowed. The two stood up and looked off to the east. Arthur gave his retinue a nod and they dispersed. The two ruler's walked and talked as they headed up the path from the battlements and into a set of doors that lead them into a castle that looked as if it had been built into the very mountain itself.

As they walked a group of thirteen men shadowed them from behind. Most in silence but a few were adamantly talking amongst themselves.

"I tell you, Lancelot, I don't like it," Gawain said as the two lead the group through the hall's, trailing the rulers of this fair land. Lancelot just sighed.

"Must we go over this again Gawain?" He asked giving his fellow knight a look of annoyance. Gawain scoffed at his blatant dismissal and looked off after the ruler's as they chatted amicably. He shook his head.

"Do you not see anything wrong with our king," He shot a venomous glare at Celestia, "having relation's with this animal?" Lancelot stopped dead in his tracks as did the rest of the knights. The two oldest member's of the round table stood at odd's as the other's watched, the two monarch's oblivious to the squabble had gone off down the hall. Lancelot glared at Gawain who glared right back.

"You do realize that you just insulted both our King and Queen?" He asked as Gawain rolled his eye's.

"I will never call that animal queen." Before Lancelot could chastise him any further Gawain turned around and stormed off down the hall. The other eleven member's of the round table all watched him leave. Mordred just looked on in worry as he saw Lancelot give off a sigh.

"I will never understand his fixation for getting back to earth." He muttered as he took the lead once more.

"Come. Let's not leave there lordship's waiting." At his command, the group once more set off down the hall to the royal dining hall.

"Auntie?" The voice brought Celestia back to the present. She looked around to see both her sister and her nephew giving her looks of concern.

"Oh sorry, you two." She chuckled as she took a sip of her tea. Her face screwed up however when she tasted a bit of salt in it. She gave the waiter a look of confusion but was soon stopped from questioning his choice in additives as a handkerchief made it's way to her face. She stared at it and then to her sister.

"What-" She stopped as her sister dabbed at her face and she was shocked to feel the telltale signs of having been crying.

"Please sister." Luna begged as she looked upon her with concern." Tell us what ale's thee so that thost has wept so profusely?" Celestia choked up as she looked form her sister to her nephew.

"Please Auntie?" He said as he trotted around the table and sat next to her giving her a soft nuzzle. Celestia let out a shuttering sigh as more tear's threatened to burst through her veneer of stone. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she opened them she began to see the past as clear as she could the present. She let out a soft chuckle that quickly dissolved into sob's and wail's of both sadness and joy as her life flashed before her eyes.

"I suppose it's only fair I tell you two of our worlds first encounter with the race of being's known as human's." She started her tale as she took another deep breath.

"It all began several century's ago when a strange mountain appeared out of nowhere." She talked as the two sat before her in awe.

"Our scout's had come back from their trip with an update for our maps." she smiled as she remembered her first encounter with human beings.