The Visiting Team -- Part I

Chapters

A Private Viewing
A Day in Ponyville
A Baum Dinner Party
A Royal Summons

A Private Viewing

"I still cain't get over it," Applejack said. "And I lived through it. At least, I think I did..."

"So don't we all!" Rarity nodded. "That's what's truly strange about the entire, er... incident."

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash crossed her forehooves in bafflement. "That other reality, or timeline, or whatever it was, it feels like a dream now. Almost."

"Oooh..." Fluttershy cringed. "More like a nightmare, at times."

"Can we do it again?" said Pinkie Pie, bounding eagerly.

The five ponies from Ponyville were gathered in the main exhibit gallery of the Canterlot Archives. Before them stood the huge clockwork orrery, its numerous chalices holding five inert stone orbs, each with an abstract geometric symbol embossed on its surface. A sixth orb, larger and plainer than the rest, surmounted the central axis.

"The Elements of Harmony..." Twilight Sparkle said, in awe herself. She briefly glanced around at her Canterlot friends: Tempest Shadow, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Luna Moon, Sunset Shimmer, Moondancer, and Cheese Sandwich -- the Advanced Projects group. "And I feel the same way you do, Applejack," Twilight went on. "I remember finding the Elements with all of you, reawakening them, using them to defeat Nightmare Moon, like it was only yesterday. Which, in a way, it was..."

"Errright," said Rainbow, scratching her mane. "Still haven't totally wrapped my brain around that one. Guess that's what we get for hanging around with crazy ol' Discord, huh?"

Fluttershy winced at that but said nothing.

"And I thought," Twilight said, "seeing as you five were still here in Canterlot, that we should all have a look at the Elements again -- together."

"We do appreciate that, dearest," Rarity said gently. "Given what they meant to all of us."

"Yeah." Applejack gave the Elements a speculative look. "Don't suppose we might try firing 'em up again? Just for old time's sake? After all, we've got all the ponies we need, right here."

Twilight shook her head. "Don't think we haven't tried, A.J. But we seem to be missing one important thing: the 'spark', the connection the six of us had to the Elements in that other timeline. That seems to be essential."

"Ah, I see," Applejack nodded. "Well, now... there's a pity."

Fluttershy hunched nervously. "Oh, I really think we're better off having the seven of you as the Heroes of Equestria. You're much more experienced at this than we are. I'm not sure I'm cut out for a life of adventure..."

"Hear, hear!" said Rarity, delicately fluffing her mane. "Personally I'm much better suited to spending a long weekend planning my new fall line. Not gallivanting about trying to save Equestria from destruction at the last minute."

"Speak for yourself, sister," said Rainbow. "I thought it was awesome! And I wouldn't mind having your fan club, either." Rainbow pointed a hoof at the Archive's main doors, where the Royal Guard ponies were keeping back a crowd of excited onlookers, allowing Twilight and her friends a viewing of the Elements in relative privacy. "Is it always like this for you gals?"

"Pretty much." Twilight nodded uncomfortably. "We're nearly as popular as Princess Celestia these days."

"Well, you are an Acting Princess, my dear," Rarity enthused. "Which I think sounds absolutely smashing!"

"I suppose," Twilight allowed. "Though practically speaking, the title mostly just grants us the authority to do... whatever it is we need to do. Once we've figured out what that is." She sighed. "Yet wherever we go, there are always crowds..."

"And banners, and brass bands..." added Moondancer.

"And politicians and celebrities," Sunset grumbled, "glad-hoofing us and grabbing photo-ops. It can be a real circus at times."

"Huh!" Trixie flourished her magician's cape. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has no idea what you're all so worked up about. When life hoofs you an audience, you put on a show!"

Tempest glared at her, and Trixie disgruntledly fell silent. But Twilight hadn't even noticed. She was staring at the waving, smiling crowd outside the doors, looking conflicted. "Sometimes," she said quietly, "it does get a bit much. I wish we weren't quite so much the focus of everypony's attention. It would be nice to take a break from it, at least for a little while."

"Well now, there's an idea," Applejack said quickly. "Why don't y'all come visit us in Ponyville? For real, this time? Spend some quiet-time with friends, away from all the ruckus?"

"Not a bad idea," Starlight said. "Maybe at the same time we could find out how the five of you came to be living in Ponyville in the first place?"

"Sounds like a win-win plan to me," Sunset nodded. "What about you, Twi?"

Twilight tipped her head, considering it. And Rainbow Dash sniggered.

"Ya know," she stage-whispered, "our version of Twilight would've yelled 'research paper!' five seconds ago."

Applejack silenced her with a scolding look. "Whaddaya think, sugarcube?" she asked gently. "Sound all right to you?"

Twilight looked tempted, but hesitant. "I wouldn't want to impose on all of you, not after all that's happened. We've disrupted your lives enough as it is."

"Wouldn't be no trouble, hon. Ya know that," Applejack said. "Not for friends like y'all."

Twilight finally nodded. "All right. Just give us a little time to wrap things up here first, and we'll come visit."

"All righty, then," Applejack said. "We'll head on back ourselves and get things ready. You just give us the high-sign, whenever you're thinkin' of heading down, and we'll be waitin' on ya."

"And we promise," Rarity added, "we'll keep it a low-key, quiet sort of visit. Right, Miss Pie?"

"Absolutely!" Pinkie Pie beamed insanely.

Twilight nodded, grateful to have such good friends, in either timeline.

Then she stared up at the Elements again. No longer sparkling gemstones in gilt clasps, they were simply inert, powerless stone spheres. And too, they were simply... not needed. She and her Canterlot friends had created an alternative: the Field of Harmony. It was more powerful, quicker to invoke, easier to reconfigure in a pinch...

... and wasn't the Elements.

Twilight sighed, quietly and regretfully.

And felt a hoof on her shoulder. It was Sunset, eyeing her concernedly. "What is it, Twilight?"

"I don't know." Twilight shrugged. "Maybe nothing. But what if there was something for which the Elements were actually needed? And now, well... we don't have them anymore..."

A few days later the Friendship Express was chuffing and puffing to a stop before a small clapboard-sided depot building. The heart-spangled engine and candy-colored passenger cars rattled and thumped together, the engine gushing steam, the brakes gently squealing.

The doors of the First Class car slid open, and Twilight stepped out onto the platform, looking about nervously.

"Ponyville," she whispered, as if haunted.

She was quickly followed by Spike, then Tempest and Grubber, and then the rest of the Advanced Projects team. And all of them stared around at the otherwise empty platform.

"Wow," Sunset said. "I've heard of quiet little towns..."

"But this takes the cake," Moondancer agreed.

"Where is everypony?" Spike asked.

"Hmph. Trixie has seen graveyards livelier than this."

"Shh!" Starlight warned her, nodding towards Twilight, who was still staring around at everything.

And then Applejack appeared, trotting out through the door of the depot building. The freckled farm pony doffed her eleven-gallon hat in a friendly fashion. "Howdy, y'all! Welcome to Ponyville!"

"Hi, Applejack," Twilight said, relieved. "Wow, it's so quiet here! We were expecting to find the whole town waiting for us."

Applejack nodded. "Mayor Mare was all for welcomin' ya with a big hootin'-and-hollerin' shindig, key to the town, the whole works. But the five of us got together and talked everypony round to it. No big hoo-hah, no crowds, no pressure. Ponyville's just gonna be your home-from-home, for as long as you care to stay. And everypony here will do their level best to make it feel that way."

"Thanks, Applejack."

"Shoot, Twi. Just the way we do things, down Ponyville way. Now, don't y'all worry about luggage, we'll see to that. Just come along of me, and I'll walk you up to town."

The farm pony turned and headed off, with Twilight and the others following her, down the platform steps and around the depot building, then up the hoof-path into town. And as they went, Twilight stared around in awe. The quaint, thatched-roof houses... the small park areas with hoof-carved statuary... the cozy private gardens and small flower-beds...

"It's just like I remember," she whispered to Sunset. "All of it. It's like constant deja-vu, everywhere I look. I keep remembering places I've been, conversations I've had -- except we haven't really been here before, have we? Apart from Cheese Sandwich, for Pinkie Pie's party all those moons ago."

Sunset shrugged. "Depends whether you call those divergent realities Discord cooked up for us real or not. But hey, they're your memories, Twilight. And nopony can argue with that, right?"

"I suppose not."

Up ahead, Applejack was casually pointing out sights along the way, in no particular order and seemingly as she noticed them. "That there's the costume shop. And over there, that's the post-office. Up this street here, we have Sugarcube Corner. Best eats and treats in town, Pinkie Pie makes sure of that. And down this-a-way," she went on, ambling down Trotter Avenue, "we have the town square, and our Town Hall. Lotta important ponies like the Mayor work there. And over here... wayall, Twilight, I reckon ya might recognize this place..."

Twilight did. She stared up at the aged oak tree, with its doors, windows, and balconies. There was an old, weathered telescope on the upmost balcony, a beehive hanging near one of the windows. The mahogany front door had a large candle painted on its upper panel.

And the sign out front... Twilight read it aloud:

"Golden Oak Library."

And felt like she'd come home. She swallowed, overcome.

Applejack smiled proudly. "The town did want to do some kind of big honorarium for y'all. So we talked it over, and decided we'd give you this place, Twi. It'll be like your own home, here in Ponyville. For you and the whole gang, any time you wanna come visit us."

"Oh, Applejack!" Twilight felt like crying. "It's perfect!"

"C'mon inside." Applejack waved a hoof. "The others are waitin' on us." Trotting over to the door, she pushed it open, and the group followed her in.

And were immediately hit with a blast of streamers and confetti.

"SURPRISE!" screamed Pinkie Pie. The party pony, along with Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy, were standing in the main room of the library... which was now littered with confetti.

"Pinkie!" Applejack shouted. "We told ya! Low-key, remember?"

"Ab-so-tively, A.J.!" Pinkie said, grinning. "I kept it as low-key as possible. Just me and my trusty party cannon." She patted the cannon proudly.

"It's all right, Applejack," Twilight said. And then she stared around at the library's main room: its bookshelves, carved into the walls and loaded with volumes... the librarian's desk, stacked with old returns... the central table, with its horsehead statue...

It was just as she remembered it. And she'd never been here before. It was both comforting, and eerie, at the same time. Clearing her throat to cover her nervousness, Twilight smiled around at her Ponyville friends.

"It's wonderful being here with all of you... uh, again. Sort of. You know."

"Eee-yeah, still haven't totally got used to that." Rainbow shrugged. "But hey, I'm good!"

Fluttershy smiled nervously. "It's really nice seeing all of you again."

"Absolutely, my dears!" Rarity delicately flicked confetti from her mane. "And we'll do everything we can to make you feel right at home. Consider the five of us your personal ambassadors. Anything you'd like, just let us know."

"And we'll make it happen," Rainbow added. "You can count on us!"

"Yes, indeedy!" put in Pinkie.

Twilight just smiled wordlessly in thanks. Then she and the rest of the Advanced Projects group wandered about the room for a bit, looking the place over, and chatting with their Ponyville counterparts.

And Sunset took the opportunity to draw Applejack aside and whisper quietly. "Thanks for the help, A.J. This whole deal with Discord, it was rough on all of us. But I think it may have gotten to Twilight a lot worse than she lets on. Right now, getting her out of the spotlight for a bit is exactly what she needs."

"I hear ya." Applejack nodded. "Nopony should have to go through all that. We'll make sure to keep things nice and quiet while you're here. Pinkie Pie made everypony promise, after all, and ya don't wanna go breakin' no promise with her."

"I'll bet." Sunset grinned, recalling the excitable pink-haired girl she knew from CHS, on the other side of Star Swirl's mirror.

"Um..." Fluttershy was saying, "I'm really glad you wanted to spend time with us again, Twilight. After Discord shuffled us around so much, I was afraid you might not... uh... I mean..."

Twilight trotted over and hugged her. "I felt the same way, Fluttershy. Like I said, I wanted to be with all of you again, but wasn't sure it was right to impose. But a good friend --" She smiled at Sunset. "-- reminded me that the best way to let somepony know you've really missed them, is to go see them and tell them yourself."

"Darling!" Rarity sighed. And she and the other four ponies -- Applejack included -- crowded around Twilight and Fluttershy in a big group hug.

Then Pinkie bounded over the group and nudged Cheese Sandwich's shoulder. "Hey there, fellow party pony! Ready for a rollickin' good time?"

"You know it, Pinkie!" He grinned. "I've been brushing up on cake recipes, so we can have ourselves a good old-fashioned bake-off."

"And I've been working on some wonderful new songs we can sing for everypony -- it'll be tee-riffic!" The pink pony was suddenly holding ten instruments, making enough noise for an entire marching band.

Then the instruments abruptly fell silent. Pinkie nervously glanced around at Twilight and the others.

"If... that's all right?" she asked, in an uncommonly small voice.

"Why wouldn't it be, Pinkie?" Twilight smiled reassuringly at her, and the party pony smiled back. "And everypony," Twilight added, turning to the others, "don't feel you have to wait on me. Get on out there and enjoy yourselves."

"Yeah!" Rainbow pumped a hoof. "Like Rarity said, we're your ambassadors. So each of you pick a pony, and let us show you the best time ever, right here in good old Ponyville!"

"Yee haw!" shouted Applejack.

Many of the ponies quickly teamed up and headed out, chatting and laughing together. Which left Twilight sitting in the middle of the Library's main room, gazing around at shelves and shelves of books...

All of which wanted organizing.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Guess I know where we'll be for the next few days..."

"Spike," Twilight gently scolded.

Tempest was glancing around as well. "We'll just... give the place a once-over. Make sure it's secure. C'mon, you," she added to Grubber.

"Right with ya, boss!"

Tempest turned and stalked away, the hedgehog trotting along smartly at her armored hooves. And Applejack shook her head in amusement.

"Never out of uniform, that one."

"Nope." Sunset laughed. "We need to take Tempest fishing or something, help her unwind."

Twilight nodded. "She does take her job pretty seriously. And you know, there's times I'm glad she does? But you're right, Sunset. We need to make sure she has a nice time too."

"Wayall," Applejack said, "y'all know if she's ever played buckball?"

"Couldn't say," Sunset replied. "But no harm in asking, right?"

"Fair 'nuff. And the same goes for you, Twi," Applejack went on. "Now, ya gonna be all right in here for a spell?"

"Oh, I'm not going to sit around in here all day, Applejack."

Startled, Spike dropped the book he was holding. "You're not?"

"Of course not. Starlight was right: it would be great to find out how Applejack and the others came to be living here. And it's the perfect excuse to wander around, see a little of the town while we're at it."

"Hey, works for me," Sunset agreed.

Twilight smiled. "C'mon, Spike! While we're waiting for Tempest, let's see what we can find out about the town's history in here."

She trotted off towards the shelves, Spike following along beside her. And Applejack leaned over to whisper to Sunset.

"Thought we were tryin' to help Twilight relax, here?"

"Shh..." Sunset put a hoof to her snout. "This is her kind of relaxing. Trust me on this..."

A Day in Ponyville

"Well, we're just plum tickled, Yer Highness! To think ya came all the way out here, just to have a gander at our zap-apple trees."

The very old and the very young have this in common: once they get hold of anything harmless, particularly an idea, it's best just to let them have it and run with it. Granny Smith had apparently decided that Twilight was either Princess Celestia herself or some close relation. And the sour-green elder pony wouldn't be dissuaded from bowing courteously as she spoke.

"Thanks, Granny," Twilight answered. "The honor's all ours, believe me." Then she stared up at the spindly, dead-looking branches of the trees. "You say the entire cycle, from flowering to harvest, happens inside of a week?"

"Every year, 'bout the same time," Granny said. "And ya gots to buck and gather 'em in one day," she warned. "Or else, poof! They zaps away, and there ain't no calling 'em back, neither."

"Eee-nope," added Big Mac.

"The whole orchard?" Sunset asked. "That sounds like a big job."

Applejack nodded. "It's a heap of work, rushed and hard. But once we've gathered in the apples, and Granny's worked her own brand of magic on 'em, you've got the best darn zap-apple jam ya ever tasted."

Granny smiled. "I've just had loads of practice, young-uns. Ever since Princess Celestia granted us this land all them moons ago."

"The Princess gave you the land?" asked Sunset.

"That she did." Granny nodded. "She saw right away what good seed-gatherers and farmers we Apples were. And right away, she knew just the spot for us to settle on. Right here!"

"It's awfully close to the Everfree Forest," said Twilight. She pointed at the creeper-choked wall of trees, a short distance away.

"Good thing, too," Granny said. "Or I might not have gone wandering in there, like the silly-filly I was back then, lookin' for something for the cook-pot. I come across a patch of them zap-apples growin' in there. And then got chased back out agin by them ding-blanged timberwolves. But I brung the seeds back with me, and we planted 'em here. And BOOM! Whole stand of trees sprung up, practically afore we could turn around."

Sunset licked a hoof and held it up, her horn glowing. The tip of her hoof sparkled gently. "This whole part of the orchard is highly active, magically speaking."

"Yep," Granny said. "Them trees soaks it up like water. It's what makes 'em grow and produce so fast."

"Which is odd..." Twilight added. "Considering the Everfree itself is pretty much a magical dead zone."

"Everything 'bout that forest is odd." Applejack shuddered. "But, like the sayin' goes, never look a gift pig in the teeth. With sales of zap-apple jam and other treats, we've built Sweet Apple Acres into the goin' concern it is today. Of course, there's been some tight times, now and again..."

"But we've pulled through 'em," Granny said. "Ever' single time!"

"Eee-yup," Big Mac said.

"Given how popular your jam is," Sunset asked, "I'm surprised nopony else around here has tried growing zap-apples yet."

Applejack shrugged. "Them trees don't grow near so well anyplace else, even here on the farm. So the entire farm is built around the zap-apple orchard. All your regular apple trees -- red delicious, golden, Gallopin' Gala, honeycrisp -- they're in their own sections around the property. But when all's said and done, it's the zap-apples that are our money crop."

"Well then," Twilight said, "I guess that explains how the Apple family came to be living in Ponyville."

"Actual, it's the other way 'round," said Granny. "Sales of our zap-apple jam by the Rich family is what brought ponies here from far and wide. And they founded Ponyville. Fact is, if it wasn't for the zap-apples, and Sweet Apple Acres... well now, there might not even be a Ponyville a'tall."

"Wow..." Twilight was wide-eyed. "And all because Celestia granted you this land, way back when?"

"All because," Granny confirmed. She bowed respectfully. "It's why we always remembers our manners around royalty, Yer Highness. Shows how grateful we are for the chance we were given."

Touched, Twilight found herself graciously returning the bow. "It's really inspiring, Granny, seeing what your family's done with it." She and the elder pony exchanged a smile, almost as equals.

Applejack leaned toward Sunset. "Heh! Don't see why Twilight's so bothered by her title and all. She's a natural at this!"

"It's easy to be a natural," Sunset whispered back, "when you're not thinking about it." Then she looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, A.J., I probably should have gone before I left, but where would I find..."

"The powder room?" Applejack nodded understandingly. "There's an outhouse over yonder, just shy of the barn. Feel free, and sorry in advance if it's a bit rough compared to what you're used to up in the city."

"Are you kidding me, A.J.?" Sunset grinned. "I might just move in here. I love this place!"

Excusing herself, Sunset trotted away from the group, and past where Tempest was standing nearby, patiently keeping an eye on Twilight. Grubber was seated right next to Tempest, chowing down on yet another apple. Sunset grinned at that, then headed onwards, through the orchard and heading for the barn.

But when she reached it, she couldn't see the outhouse. Circling round the barn, she eventually located the small wooden shack, standing a short distance from the back fence.

And came to a halt, staring at it.

Carved into the wood above the shack's door was a crescent moon, with a single star beside it.

Like Moondancer's cutie-mark, Sunset thought. The Moon-and-Stars...

... the Mark of Nightmare Moon.

Sunset smirked. Have to mention that to Moondancer, when we get back to town...

"Eeeyahhh!"

Tempest bounded into the air, spun, and slammed a back hoof into the ball, sending it ripping through the air. It blasted straight past Rainbow Dash and slammed into the wooden basket held in Twilight's magic, threatening to knock the bottom right out of it.

"Yee-esss!" Grubber shouted. "And another goal! The crowd goes wild!"

"What crowd, Grubber?" Sunset asked. "It's just a pick-up game."

"Yeah, I know. But it's the principle of the thing, right?"

"Rainbow," Twilight added, "I'm not sure I see the point of the unicorn in this game. I barely have to move the basket, and Tempest puts the ball into it, every single time."

Rainbow was gasping for air, having had to dart out of the ball's way several times over the past few minutes. "That's because... she's got a kick on her... like a mule! Uh, no offense, Commander. It is kinda awesome, actually."

"I'll say!" Applejack was acting as referee, and she fielded the ball as Twilight's magic tossed it back to her. "You sure you never played buckball before, Tempest?"

The maroon pony idly examined an armored forehoof. "I did play some sandlot hoofball when I was little. There weren't many pegasi in the village I came from." She smiled darkly. "And when I played hoofball, I was always the kicker..."

"Uh, yeah." Rainbow uneasily flexed a strained wing, casualty of an earlier near-miss. "I can see why."

"You keep this up, Tempest," Sunset told her, "the pick-up game will be a shut-out."

Grubber trotted over and offered a towel. "You gonna go again, boss?"

Tempest took it and wiped her face. "Depends what Twilight wants to do."

"I'm in no rush," said Twilight. "I can go a while longer. But when we're done here, I did want to see this cloud house you mentioned, Rainbow."

"Well, sure, no problem!" Rainbow replied eagerly. "Er, that is, if you really want to. We can take a break now -- right, A.J.?"

"Sure, Rainbow." Applejack smirked. "But what was the final tally, anyhoo? Eight to nothin'? Or was it ten?"

"A.J.!"

Tempest shrugged carelessly. "Ah, who's keeping score, anyways?"

"I was, Tempest, and it was -- oof!" Grubber shut up quickly, rubbing his stomach where Tempest's hoof had gently but firmly kicked him.

Gathering and stacking the playing equipment, the group trotted up the hoofpath leading away from the playing field, heading towards the gentle rise where Rainbow's house was located. And as they went, the cyan pegasus held station in the air alongside Tempest, clearly eager to ask a question, but not wanting to appear too eager.

"Something on your mind, Rainbow?"

"Uh, yeah. What's it like, huh? Being Commander of the Guard, I mean."

Tempest snorted. "Tedious, mostly. Lots of standing around, keeping an eye on things. And you wouldn't believe the paperwork, making sure every little decision or allocation has somepony's signature on it so they know who to blame. Oh, and did I mention the standing around?" She smirked, and looked to Twilight. "Who was it that said war was long periods of boredom, punctuated by moments of sheer terror?"

Twilight smiled. "Surprised you don't know that one, Rainbow. It was General Firefly of the Wonderbolts. And she was talking about flying, actually."

"Err, yeah. I knew that," Rainbow said. "But seriously, Tempest, being Commander and all... well, you basically outrank everypony! You can do anything you want, right?"

"Hmph. I suppose," Tempest allowed. "As long as I can justify it as a necessity for protecting Twilight here. And the rest of the gang."

"Uh huh. And you get to run drills, and do hoof-to-hoof fighting --" Rainbow shadow-boxed with her forehooves. "-- and all that cool stuff."

"Oh, there's drills all right," Tempest said. "Though Twilight's brother is kind enough to handle the everyday stuff. But I get to put in my own two bits on how things are done. For instance," she added craftily, "how many Guard ponies are watching us right now, Rainbow?"

Rainbow glanced around. "I don't see anypony."

"Oh, come on," Tempest said, amused. "I thought you were the one who kept track of everything while you were flying?"

"Well, yeah. When I'm up in the air. Not close to the ground like this. You mean there are guards watching us right now?"

Coming to a halt, Tempest gave a short, sharp whistle. And then pointed a forehoof at a stand of trees on the left, the corner of a house to the right, and then behind them, at a wheelbarrow that Twilight herself would have sworn was simply standing empty beside the road.

All of which had Guard ponies looking alertly round them.

"And..." Tempest added, glaring coldly at Rainbow, "there's the guard you don't see. The one you won't ever see... until it's far, far too late."

"Right." Rainbow swallowed nervously. There was something worrying about the scarlet-maned pony's gaze. It was coldly, murderously determined. Like if anypony crossed her, she wouldn't hesitate, not for a second...

"And as for hoof-to-hoof fighting..." Tempest began innocently.

Rainbow wasn't quite sure how it happened. Suddenly Tempest's teeth had latched onto her tail, dragging her out of the air and slamming her to the ground. An armored hoof landed square on her chest, pinning her solidly, wings trapped beneath her.

"The best fight," Tempest said, "is the one that's over before it starts."

"Hey!" Rainbow objected. "No fair!"

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Tempest sneered coldly. "But in my line of work we don't get warnings."

"Tempest!" Twilight said, alarmed.

The Commander glanced at her, looking surprised, and then back at Rainbow. "Sorry. I do tend to be a little aggressive. It's part of the job."

"Uh, it's okay. No harm done." Rainbow was actually more surprised than hurt. And impressed -- she was completely helpless, unable to use her wings, hooves, or teeth to fight back. "That was... a pretty sweet move, actually."

"Yeah. It was, wasn't it?"

"But sheesh, why does everypony go for the tail, huh?"

"Heh." Applejack sniggered. "Maybe if it wasn't six different day-glo colors?"

"Yeah, I suppose." Rainbow eyed Tempest nervously. "So, like... if we were fighting for real right now, what would I do next?"

"What else? Spit in my eye... if you dare."

Looking at Tempest, Rainbow wasn't sure she did. "You wouldn't, like... kill me or anything if I did, would you?"

Tempest looked mildly amused.

"I don't recall making that promise."

"Eeeyeah, well... I think I'll pass."

Tempest nodded. Lifting her hoof, she helped Rainbow up. The pegasus dusted herself off, flexed her wings, then bounced into the air again. "You know," Rainbow said, "the way you take this so serious all the time, guarding and stuff... Twilight must mean a lot to you, huh?"

Tempest looked somber. "She means everything to me, Rainbow," she said quietly. "Until I came here, I'd never really had a friend before."

"Hey!" Grubber nudged her leg. "What about me, boss?"

"You?" She eyed him disapprovingly. "You're my minion, and proud of it."

"Yeah! Heh-heh!" The hedgehog rubbed his paws mischievously, then grinned at Rainbow. "What she said!"

"Wow." Rainbow glanced off into the distance, towards Canterlot Mountain, with the Royal City just visible through the clouds near its peak. "Ya know, like everypony else here in Ponyville, I'm loyal to Princess Celestia. Because she's looked after us for like, forever." She looked back at Tempest. "And up to now, I thought that was what loyalty meant. But it's different for you, isn't it? For you, it's kinda personal, huh?"

Tempest shrugged. "Twilight's like family. And living here, I have a place to be, something to do, somepony to care about. And I think that's all I really wanted, all along." She smirked at the pegasus. "What about you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm not nearly there yet. I want to get into the Wonderbolts! To fly with them, and blow ponies' minds with my mad flying skills."

"Mm hmm. And then what?"

"Huh?"

"Once you're in the Wonderbolts, then what will you do?"

"Oh." Rainbow scratched her mane. "Ya know, I hadn't really thought it out that far. I assumed it'd be obvious once I got there. " She shrugged. "Move up through the ranks, maybe be lead flyer one day. Or even... yeah! Maybe one day I'll be running the Wonderbolts! That'd be totally awesome!"

"Really? You know, Rainbow," Tempest said speculatively, "I've often thought the Guard in Canterlot is a little light in the pegasus department. The Wonderbolts' headquarters isn't even in the capitol, unlike the HQ they have for the unicorn and earth-pony battalions."

"Probably has a lot to do with how we pegasi think," Rainbow said. "We're not chickens, so we don't like being cooped up anyplace."

"Hmm. I was thinking it might make sense to have a Canterlot-based squadron of pegasi. Maybe work up some aerial defense strategies, that sort of thing. And we'd need a top-notch flyer to lead the effort."

"Really?" Rainbow goggled. "You mean it? That'd be way cool!"

"Of course..." Tempest said mischievously, "we'd want to pick from the ranks of the very best... meaning the Wonderbolts. So you'd still have to get in and prove yourself."

"Oh..." Rainbow's face fell a little. "Yeah, I can see that. That makes sense." Then she smiled confidently. "But hey, that's where I'm headed anyways. So hold that leader spot open for me, Tempest!"

Tempest rolled her eyes. "If I'm even alive then." She shook her head. "The kind of trouble Twilight and the rest keep getting themselves into, I have my doubts about that sometimes."

The group trotted on together, coming to the end of a row of houses and then following the road as it turned up a short sloping hill.

"Is that your house up there, Rainbow?" Twilight asked, pointing.

The ponies all stared upwards at the palace-like Cloudominium, holding station above the high point of the rise. The house was three stories high and decorated with ionic columns, puffy clouds, and shimmering rainbow waterfalls. And it was set on a cloud-bank, some fifty lengths in the air. At ground level there was an ordinary-looking mailbox, with Rainbow's lightning-bolt mark for a delivery flag.

"Yep!" Rainbow said. "Pretty sweet, huh? You gals wanna come up and have a look round?"

"Sure, but..." Twilight glanced around the group. "Just one problem. None of the rest of us are pegasi."

The ponies all looked at each other uneasily. Then Sunset smirked and looked at Twilight.

"You think we might need Starlight's help on this one?"

"No, no, your Ladyship," Rarity said primly. "We are served from the left, and dishes are collected from the right."

Trixie glanced at Starlight and Moondancer, seated beside her. "Are you sure? I'm pretty certain it's the other way round."

"Oh, phhft!" the fashionista waved a hoof. "Only if you're dining at a boarding house, my dear."

The four of them were seated at an ersatz dining table Rarity had set up in the luxurious showroom of her Carousel Boutique, by simply throwing a couple of table flats onto her fitting stage and draping them with a silk tablecloth. She'd set out plates and tableware, and was giving Trixie, Starlight, and Moondancer an impromptu lesson on fine dining etiquette.

And Trixie was quickly beginning to regret having brought up the subject of taking tea with Princess Luna, and the ersatz titles she'd invented for herself and her friends.

"No, no," Rarity went on. "When serving dishes are presented at a fine dining establishment for you to take from, they are presented from the left. It is only when your plate is prepared in the kitchen and then served, that it is served from the right."

"But..." Starlight objected, "isn't that the way dishes are normally prepared these days? I mean, the few times we've had dinner with Princess Celestia, that's how it was done."

Rarity stared at her, agog. "Princess Celestia?" Her left eye twitched slightly.

"And when Princess Luna invites us to tea," Moondancer said, "we never stand on ceremony. We just pass the plates round amongst ourselves like we normally would. I think Luna feels more comfortable that way, like she's among close friends."

"Erm. Well. Ah..." Good manners briefly warred with extreme social envy on Rarity's face. "It does depend on the custom of the establishment, Countess," she finally declared. "One should always follow the example set by one's host. Now, once we have all been served, then Lady Trixie, as the ranking noble present, you may be expected to open the conversation with a brief remark or two. Just to set the tone, so to speak. And then it's polite for everypony to engage in small talk."

"Small talk?" Trixie asked doubtfully.

"Oh, yes. The weather, things one likes to do, little tidbits of trivia, that sort of thing."

"Hmm. The Great and Powerful Trixie... is a little confused. When do we actually get round to the point of the conversation?"

"Oh my dear! There isn't a point, really. No, the object of small talk is to put those one is speaking with at ease. To help make the event convivial. And above all else, to help others feel like one's social equals, whatever their station in life."

Starlight sniggered. "That doesn't sound like Trixie, not at all!"

"Not the Great and Powerful Trixie," Moondancer agreed. "She never does anything small!"

"Huh! Trixie can learn," the showpony said archly. Then she stared at the table settings. "Um... which of these was the salad spoon again?"

"Well then, let me have a go." Starlight drew herself up formally. "My dear Miss Rahrity," she gushed, "how did you come by this simply mahvelous Boutique? It is to die for!"

The ponies broke up laughing. Even Rarity permitted herself a polite smile. Then she nodded at the compliment. "Well, Baroness Glimmer, my parents were nouveau riche, you see. They'd come into an inheritance, from a wealthy socialite in Canterlot to whom they'd shown generosity themselves in a time of need. But even given their new-found wealth, they tried very hard not to let money change them. To continue living the simple life, and just be themselves."

Rarity pouted slightly.

"A little too simple, if one is to be brutally honest." Then she gently shrugged. "But they did teach me to be generous in my own good fortune. And to be supportive of others, just as they were with me. They saw how determined I was to be a top-notch fashion designer. They bankrolled me for equipment, and a shop here in Ponyville, even though I was very young to be running an establishment all on my own. They told me I was worth it, that I showed promise. They encouraged me to 'reach for the stars', as it were."

She stared into space, momentarily enraptured. "And I dreamed, practically every night, that I might one day have my own little shop in the Royal City, in Canterlot. Where all the noble ponies and top designers would come to see my designs on display. And that I, Rarity, might one day take my rightful place amongst the top, taste-making elite. Ahhh..."

Coming back down to earth, she cleared her throat sheepishly.

"Well, it is good to have dreams, is it not? And to live every waking moment as if they're coming true? So I simply throw myself into this place." She gestured around at the decor, the fine draperies, the in-progress gowns and dresses, the spotless perfection. "When you look about in here, my dears, you see me, the true me, fully on display."

"Including... her?" Trixie asked, pointing worriedly at the bright-white cat sitting atop a fabric shelf, glaring scornfully down at them.

"Oh, that's just Opalescent, my dear." Lowering her voice, she added, "and we all do have just that little bit of cattiness in us, don't we?"

Affronted, Opal hissed, then turned up her nose and leapt from the shelf. She stalked away archly, tail twitching. The ponies all laughed at that.

"Well," Rarity said, "I've been monopolizing the conversation far too long. Countess Moondancer, you've been so quiet I'd barely know you were here."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Moondancer shrugged. "I've just learned to be a good listener, that's all. The stuff I like to talk about usually just bores everypony."

"Nonsense," Rarity replied. "Like what?"

"Um." Moondancer looked uneasy. "The history of the compound wagon harness? The biography of Morari the Maneless? Comparative analyses of thaumic-physic interaction, er..." She glanced around the table. "Should I even bother going on?"

Starlight put a sympathetic hoof around her. "Moondancer here is sort of our Renaissance pony. And it's not how much she knows that scares me, it's that there might actually be something that she doesn't know anything about."

"I read a lot, that's all." Moondancer said. "And I have a really good memory. In fact, I can remember every single time I started talking about something and other ponies quickly changed the subject, because they felt it was boring. Most ponies forget that, so it doesn't bother them." She winced. "But I don't. I remember. So after a while, I just stopped talking and focused on listening. I get along better with everypony that way."

"Well, that's not right," Rarity said. "You have so much to offer, dear. You should be a part of the conversation."

"I know, right?" Moondancer said. "And that would be so nice! I spend all this time soaking up all this... stuff, studying and cross-referencing and re-cross-referencing. I want to be able to share it, make use of it to help ponies." She smiled at Trixie and Starlight. "And with the gang here, I can finally do that. So... I'm good, actually. I don't need to carry the conversation any more. I'm just a resource my friends can count on, if they're stuck on something."

"Well put!" Starlight agreed. And even Trixie nodded, too.

Then the bell over the door jangled, and Spike looked in. "Hey, gals! Uh... hi, Rarity..." He blushed, grinning sheepishly.

Starlight smirked at the others, then called to him. "Hey, Spike! What's up?"

"Huh? Oh, right! Twilight was wondering if we could borrow you for a little while, Starlight? Got a tough problem in magic that she could use your advice on.

"Magic?" Starlight grinned. "Well, sure!" Then she turned to Rarity, adopting the formal tone again. "If you'll pardon the interruption? A thousand apologies! Duty calls!"

"Well, of course, my dear," Rarity replied. "As you say, duty calls..."

"And me!" Trixie said. "After all, you may need Trixie's inestimable assistance."

"Hey, don't leave me out!" added Moondancer.

The three of them got up and hurried out through the door after Spike. The door swung closed behind them, the bell jingling brightly.

And Rarity was left alone, looking around forlornly at her shop, which suddenly felt a lot larger and emptier.

And just a trifle ordinary...

"Uh, are you gonna be all right up here?" Rainbow Dash asked, "With that heavy armor and all?"

Tempest turned from peering cautiously over the edge of the cloud at the drop below. She eyed the pegasus calmly. "I should be fine, with that cloud-walking spell Twilight and Starlight came up with." Then her gaze narrowed. "And if do I fall through and die, Rainbow," she warned, "I'll just come back to haunt you."

"Heh-heh." Rainbow gulped nervously. There was something about the way the maroon pony said it: that unruffled, deadly certainty. Like there was something she knew that Rainbow didn't.

"Hey, Rainbow," Sunset called, "are we just going to stand here on your front porch, admiring the architecture?"

"Because it is amazing." Twilight added diplomatically. "And it's all made from clouds?"

"Yeah, mostly," Rainbow said. "A few things inside are from down on the ground. Gotta make the place look cool and all. Plus the rainbows are some overstock I scored from the weather factory. But yeah, mostly it's just clouds and good ol' pegasus magic. C'mon inside, lemme give you the grand tour." She proudly flung open the doors and led the group inside.

All except for Twilight. She paused on the steps, looking back at Tempest. "You don't have to be up here, you know. You could wait for us downstairs. I'll be all right with Sunset and the rest looking after me."

"Of course you will," Tempest said. "And I'm still not letting you out of my sight."

Twilight trotted back down the stairs to put a hoof on her shoulder. "What is it, Tempest?"

"I just... don't think I should let my guard down, that's all."

"Tempest, what happened in that other timeline, that wasn't your fault. It was the armor talking. We all know that."

"Do we?" Tempest asked sharply. Then she shrugged. "In any case, I'm up here now. And I don't want to disrupt the tour any further. Let's go."

Twilight gave in, smiling sympathetically. Then she led the way up the stairs and through the doors, into the broad foyer beyond, where Rainbow was already busily showing the others her collection of Wonderbolt memorabilia.

"... and here we have the official statue, based on the official commemorative poster -- over on the wall there, see? -- of Captain Slipstream, the first Wonderbolt to fly wearing the modern, aerodynamic flight suit. The goggles are real by the way. I got 'em as a souvenir at one of their shows. And over here --"

"Well!" Starlight said brightly, hoping to head off a complete auction inventory. "This is quite the place, Dash. And I love the layout. Did you design it yourself?"

"Sure did!" Then Rainbow looked abashed. "Well, to be honest I might've gotten a few ideas from apartments I've seen in Cloudsdale. Like... maybe a lot of ideas..."

"But," asked Twilight, "if you can design and build your own home, out of clouds, you could basically live anywhere, right? Ponyville, Cloudsdale... even Canterlot itself."

"Huh! You wish!" Rainbow grinned. "You know what air-rights run to in the Royal City? Don't even bother! If you have to ask, you can't afford the cab fare."

"So," Tempest asked curtly, "why Ponyville, then?"

Rainbow looked affronted, as if about to launch a snappy come-back. Then in the face of Tempest's unrelenting drill-sergeant glare she fell silent, looking uncomfortable.

"If," Twilight quickly added, "it's not too personal a question?"

"Nah, it's okay. Just something I'm not real proud of. See, when I was at senior flight school, I was a bit of a show-off. I mean come on, I'd already pulled off a sonic rainboom, and in junior flight camp! So I was real full of myself. I ran risks, cut corners, I basically thought I was all that. And well... it got me kicked out of school."

"Really?" Spike said. "Is that even possible, for a pegasus?"

"Yeah," Grubber added. "Like, what can they do? Dock your flight-feathers or somethin'?"

"Ouch." Rainbow winced. "Nah, something a lot worse. I was given an Incomplete on my training hours, which amounts to the same thing. I mean, who in Cloudsdale is going to hire a flyer who hasn't logged the hours? But then word got round that Ponyville wanted to hire a pegasus for weather duty. The pay wasn't great, and it was mostly boring stuff like moving rainclouds so crops get watered. But they were desperate enough to overlook my Incomplete on account of my awesome flying skills." She proudly looped a figure-eight in midair. "So I was able to finish my hours on the job, and graduate officially."

"Good for you, Rainbow!" Twilight said.

"Yeah, but that's not even the best part," Rainbow grinned. "A couple days after I got here, this freak storm kicks up over Ponyville. I mean dark clouds, lightning, hurricane-level winds, the works. In the middle of the night, too! You'd have to be crazy to go flying around in weather like that. Or..." She flexed proudly. "You'd have to be me! I flew right on out there and kicked cloud butt! Got shocked a few times and tossed around a lot, but eventually I had those clouds corralled and headed back over the Everfree where they belonged."

Tempest nodded. "That's one way to deal with a storm."

"Yeah, I'm like that." Rainbow grinned. "I wasn't gonna leave Ponyville hangin'. They even gave me a medal, for bravery and attention to duty and such." Rainbow gestured to a glass case where the medal hung from its lanyard. "So at that point, I realized I had two choices. I could head back to Cloudsdale where I'd have to fight to even get noticed. Or I could stay here, where I was already a local hero. And I figured, who was looking out for me when I needed the hours? Ponyville, that's who! So I moved here and set up house..." She gestured at the Cloudominium all around them. "And I've never regretted it once. Ponyville's my home, for as long as they need me."

"And what's this?" Starlight asked, pointing to a framed photograph on the wall next to the medal. "I didn't know you were into astronomy, Rainbow."

"Oh yeah! That was the really cool thing. Right at the worst part of the storm, when I thought I was going to have to give it up and take shelter? Suddenly, I break through the clouds into the night sky above them... and there's the Moon overhead, and the Stars everywhere. And everything was so quiet and peaceful. It made me realize things weren't so bad. And it's like I got my second wind or something. I dove right back in, got the job done. I'll never forget it. That picture isn't actually that moment. I flew up there the next evening to take the photo, just to have as a reminder."

The ponies all stared at the picture. It showed a brilliantly glowing full Moon, with the Mare shadow on it, and the bright, shining Shepherd Stars visible all around it.

"O-kay," Sunset whispered, staring at it. "Now, there's a thing."

"Yeah," Starlight agreed. "Trixie should be here to see this..."

"Hey there, Trixie!"

Trixie looked up from the table at the Cafe Hay, where she'd been idly making the salt and pepper shakers disappear and reappear. "Oh. Hi, Applejack."

"Why so glum? And where's the other two?" The farm pony looked around. "Starlight and Moondancer? The three of you are usually tighter than my little sister and her two friends."

Trixie shrugged. "Starlight's off helping Twilight run some kind of levitation spell. And Moondancer, she vanished into the Library, saying she wanted to look up something. I think she may have been eaten by a thesaurus."

Plopping her head back on her hooves, the showpony sighed. "And Trixie is, let's be blunt, a little bored. The others may be perfectly happy with a no-frills getaway, here in quiet little Ponyville. But Trixie craves performances, attention, the spotlight on a big stage..."

She jumped up onto the table, spread her forehooves grandly. "Trixie needs, nay, deserves the chance to display her awesome talents to the masses!"

"Wow, really?"

Trixie eyed her, affronted. "You think it's all just an act? A stage persona? Uh uh! This is who Trixie is. Trixie thrives on attention."

"Well then," Applejack said, "I might be able to help ya there. See, I know we've been trying to give you gals some space while you're visiting, but it's really hard explaining that to the young'uns. And some of the kiddos remember them rip-roarin' shows you put on at the Sun Celebration --"

Trixie's ears had pricked up already. "Oooh, do let me guess," she purred, "the little dears have been begging to see more of the awesome spectacle that is the Grrreat... and Powerful... Trrrixie!"

A shower of fireworks arced into the air.

"How d'ya do that?" Applejack asked, impressed. "They seem to come outta nowhere."

"A trivial pyromancy spell," Trixie sniffed. "Though Trixie has added her own polish to it, so to speak."

"Yeah well, anyhoo, the youngsters have been bendin' my ear back somethin' fierce, wondering if ya might be willing to put on another performance?"

Trixie drew herself up proudly. "Trixie never has a problem accommodating an appreciative audience." Then her face fell. "Just one problem: Trixie is travelling a little light this tour. My wagon and all the good props are still parked behind the tower back home. The best I can manage is simple hoof-magic, not the real crowd-pleasers."

"Wayall, you do just fine with hoof-magic," Applejack suggested. "And it don't have to be a real fancy show."

"Are you kidding?" Trixie looked offended. "The Great and Powerful Trixie goes big, or not at all!" She paused, considering it. "I suppose, given some tools and paint I could knock together a few props, enough to perform a few of the more advanced tricks. And there is this new angle with the sawing-in-half-trick that I've been itching to try, given a small-town venue to test it in."

"Any way I can help?" Applejack flexed a fetlock. "I'm a fair hoof with a hammer."

"I was going to ask if you'd mind," Trixie said. Then she eyed Applejack sternly. "Of course, you know the rules for stage assistants."

Applejack nodded. "My lips are sealed. I know when to keep my trap shut. Cross my heart, hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Trixie looked nonplussed. "What the hay does that mean, anyway?"

"I have no idea," Applejack said. "But when Pinkie says it, you can tell she means it. C'mon, the tools and stuff are back at the barn."

Trixie willingly jumped down from the table and trotted alongside her, across the Town Square and then down the winding road out of town, heading for Sweet Apple Acres.

"Heh. Kinda interesting, ain't it?" Applejack said, as they trotted past orchards and whitewashed rail fences.

"Hmmm?"

"The two of us ending up as the Element of Honesty. I mean, with me, it's kinda obvious: I never feel comfortable telling a lie."

"Never?" Trixie asked suspiciously. "Not even once?"

"Wayall... when I was little, maybe. But I learned my lesson the hard way. And for me now, it's the truth or shut up."

"Whereas Trixie is a professional mountebank? A dealer in illusions and deception? Dare I say it, a flat-out fraud?"

"I was gonna say a dang fine magician," Applejack replied, grinning. "But if ya insist..."

"Hmph! Trixie doesn't mind, not in the slightest. Trixie knows who she is. And for me, it's all about illusion -- both creating and debunking it. Seriously, Applejack, you can't really tell truth, in either sense of the phrase, till you learn how to dissemble with aplomb."

"Ya mean lie, real honest-like?"

"In a manner of speaking. For instance, Trixie will have no truck with spoon-benders, psychics, or other charlatans. It's one thing to offer ponies a bit of light diversion in exchange for a cover-charge. It's quite another to fleece them out of their savings, or pretend to powers one doesn't have and turn their worst fears against them..."

She was silent for a moment. "Trixie learned that the hard way..."

Then she brightened up again. "So yes, Trixie is the Element of Honesty. If by honesty we mean knowing the truth for what it is, and being able to keep deception in its place." She flourished a hoof. "On the stage! To amuse, awe, and entertain!"

"Sounds right to me," Applejack agreed.

They soon arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. And Trixie took a moment to just stare around at it all: the large red barn, the rolling hills covered with apple trees. There was a look of pleased wonder on her face. Then she sniffed, with mild disdain.

"You live here, willingly?"

"Yep." Applejack nodded. "There's another kind of honesty, right there: being honest with yourself about where ya feel ya belong. See, when I was little, I thought I wanted to be all polished and citified, like my Aunt and Uncle Orange up in Manehattan. But turns out I was just plum kiddin' myself. This is where I belong: down home, on the farm."

Applejack led the way over to the barn, to the large doors at the end of the building, which were standing open. She went to the large tool closet inside, flung open its doors, and led the way in.

And realized she was suddenly alone.

Turning, she saw Trixie standing in the doorway of the tool closet, staring around at the collection of hammers, saws, wrenches, shovels, rakes, and other implements hanging from pegs and nails on the walls. The showpony's eyes were wide, fascinated. "Wow," she said. "Trixie is impressed. Nay, rendered speechless! And that takes doing -- ask anypony who knows me."

Applejack smirked. "You unicorns carry your tools around with ya, with horn-magic and spells and such. Us earth-ponies haveta keep 'em in the shed. But it comes to the same thing, really." Reaching up a hoof, Applejack snagged a hammer. "Ready to get to work, pardner?"

The showpony ostentatiously swept off her magician's cape and hung it on a convenient peg nearby. "Trixie is always ready to get her hooves dirty."

"Ya got any plans we should work from?" Applejack asked. "Or do we just wing it?"

"Huh!" Removing her hat, Trixie produced a couple of scrolls from it. "Trixie is never without a plan!"

Applejack nodded, and together they set to work.

A couple hours later, Starlight and Moondancer appeared at the barn door and looked in. And saw Applejack and a disheveled, paint-spattered Trixie hanging a false back on a tall, glitter-dusted cabinet.

"Trixie?" Starlight asked, amused.

"So," Trixie said, brushing back a stray lock of her mane. "You two finally showed up, huh?" She scooped up a hammer to pound in some nails. "Care to lend a hoof building some magic-show props? And then maybe help Trixie put on a show for the town's children?"

The two of them looked at each other, grinning. "Count me in!" said Starlight.

"Likewise!" said Moondancer.

"Oooh! Absolutely, Twilight!" said Pinkie Pie. "Ponyville's definitely my home! I mean, I used to live on a rock farm, and that was my home -- bleagh! And then I realized how much I wanted to make ponies laugh and smile, so I moved to Ponyville. And now this is my home. Well to be exact, this is my home right here: Sugarcube Corner! Er, though not quite, since it's really owned by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. But they gave me the room upstairs, so maybe that's my home? Or is home really just a state of mind? And if it is, whose mind is it? Huh? Huh? And if it's my mind, then when I'm away from home, like when I'm out and about making ponies laugh and smile, am I really just out of my mind, like everypony says? Hmm, have to think about that. But not right now, too much to do! 'Scuse me, smells like the cupcakes are ready... cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes!"

The pink pony blasted away into the bakery's kitchen. And left everypony seated at the corner table feeling breathless, just from listening to her.

"Seriously," said Spike. "Does Pinkie even breathe while she's talking? Has anypony noticed that?"

"Must be like when I'm singing one of my songs," said Cheese Sandwich. "I don't even notice pausing for breath until I'm done." He shrugged. "It's probably a party-pony thing."

"I dunno..." Sunset said. "There's a couple lecturers at Celestia's School who seem to have that ability. And take it from me, they are not party ponies."

Twilight and her friends were seated at the large corner table in the bakery's cozy, delicious-smelling showroom. Pinkie had blocked open the window-door next to the table, letting in sunshine and soft breezes from the patio area outside, and also giving them a clear view of the street outside.

Behind the table was a glass-domed display-case loaded with frosted cakes and other confections. Behind that were the floor-to-ceiling shelves running around the room, stocked with hoof-made candies and other treats. Across the room was the sales counter, with its own glass display case of daily specials. Behind it were the swinging doors to the kitchen, still flapping back and forth from Pinkie's high-speed departure.

"Wow..." Twilight rested her chin on her hooves, staring around. "I just love this place. It's like Ponyville in microcosm: so warm and pleasant and comforting, there's no room to feel worried, or sad, or --"

"Glad you like it, Twilight!" said Pinkie. She'd suddenly appeared again right beside Twilight, holding a plate full of colorfully frosted cupcakes.

Tempest jolted, snorting angrily. "Look, will you four-hoofed jumping beans wear a bell or something, so I can keep track of where you are?"

"Of course not, silly!" Pinkie grinned at her. "I specialize in surprise parties. How can I throw a surprise party if you know where I am, huh?"

Putting the cupcakes on the table in easy reach, Pinkie sat down and looked at Twilight. "Now, you were asking about what brought me to Ponyville. And the answer is --" She slapped an imaginary buzzer. "BZZT! I dunno!"

"What, really?" Sunset stared at her. "There must be some reason."

"Eh, maybe." Pinkie shrugged. "I've never really thought about it, since I tend to go with the flow anyways. I think maybe it was because there's so many ponies here, all in need of a smile and a laugh and some cake and -- oh, there's so many wonderful things, sometimes I just don't know where to begin with all my party-planning..."

"But Pinkie," Twilight said, trying to keep the pony's pachinko-machine train of thought focused on the present, "there's plenty of villages and towns nearby, like Hoofington, Dodge Junction, Sire's Hollow..."

"All true," Pinkie agreed.

"So what," Sunset asked, "does Ponyville have that none of those other places have?"

Pinkie thought hard about it. For all of three seconds. She shrugged. "Eh, I give up. What do you gals think it is?"

The others considered it. "Friendship, maybe?" Twilight said. "But that can't be the whole answer. Ponies are friendly everywhere, more or less. Why here more than anywhere else?"

"You know, I think better to music," Cheese said. He pulled out his accordion, thought for a moment, then started playing a sprightly melody. To which a surprised Pinkie Pie quickly added words:

Pinkie, ya gotta stand up tall,
Learn to face your fears!
You'll see, they can't hurt you,
Just laugh and make 'em disappear...
HA! HA! HA!

"Hey!" she demanded, "that's my song! Or rather it's my Grand-Pie's song, the one she taught me when I was a filly and scared of the dark. Where did you hear it?"

"From you," Cheese replied. "When I first visited Ponyville, and learned being a party-pony is my calling. That song in particular stuck in my mind."

"Seriously?" Twilight wrinkled her snout. "Of all the songs Pinkie's sung, that's what you're going with?"

"Yeah!" Cheese nodded. "I remember I was walking along the road out of town, late at night, and feeling a bit nervous being by myself. I started playing that song and singing along, and just like that, I wasn't nervous anymore."

"Wow!" Pinkie grinned. "My song really helped?"

"You bet it did." Cheese smiled back. "And it made me realize, if I could make that song work for a shy little colt like I was back then, I could make it work for anypony. It gave me real confidence I was a party pony, that it was all going to work out."

"Neat!"

"Do you remember where were you walking, Cheese?" Twilight asked.

"Let's see... I think it was near Rambling Rock. Yeah, on the hoofpath heading south towards Dodge Junction."

"Which..." Sunset said, "runs right next to..."

"The Everfree Forest!" Twilight completed. "That's what Ponyville's got: it's right next to the Everfree, the darkest, scariest forest in all of Equestria!"

Pinky thought about it. Then shrugged. "Meh, that might be it. But really, I think it's just because the ponies here love parties so much, they're willing to drop everything and start singing and dancing at the drop of a hat. It's like they need to party, for some weird reason."

Then she grinned, and gave Cheese a wink and a nudge. "So... ya like my songs, huh? Well, there's one song of mine that's even better than that. C'mon, I'll teach it to ya!"

Cheese nodded readily, and the two of them got up from the table and hurried out through the front door.

Sunset was looking thoughtful. "First the Apple family and the zap-apple trees," she said. "Then Rainbow, and that freak storm out of the Everfree..."

"... and now Pinkie Pie," Twilight said, "being attracted here because Ponyville is right next to the spookiest forest in Equestria."

"Beginning to see a pattern here," Sunset agreed. "Not sure about Rarity. From what Starlight said, there doesn't seem to be a connection there, unless I'm missing something. But you know," she added, "there's one pony we haven't talked to yet."

"Fluttershy!" said Spike.

"Uh huh. Who lives in a cottage..."

"... right next to the Everfree itself," Twilight said.

"Curiouser and curiouser," Sunset said. "But speaking of Fluttershy, have any of you seen her around lately? I haven't noticed her all day. Not since lunch, anyways."

"She does like to live quietly," Twilight noted. "By herself. Taking care of her animal friends."

"Oh, right." Sunset face-hoofed. "I knew that. I keep forgetting she's not the outgoing type like the rest of us. Well, whaddaya think, Twi? Should we go pay her a visit?"

"Maybe just you and me," Twilight suggested. "So it doesn't feel so much like an invasion."

"Yeah, good idea."

Further conversation was forestalled by a rising din coming from the street outside. Looking out across the patio, the ponies saw a crowd coming up Haymarket Street, dancing and singing with abandon. In their midst were Pinkie and Cheese, riding atop a huge float and singing at the tops of their lungs:

'Cause we just love to make you
Smile... smile... smile! (Yes we do!)
It fills our hearts with sunshine
All the while! (Yes it does!)
'Cause all we really need's
A smile... smile... smile,
From these happy friends of ours!

"C'mon Ponyville!" shouted Pinkie Pie. "We wanna see you SMILE!"

And the crowds all around them erupted in happy cheers.

Sunset leaned closer to yell to Twilight. "You think maybe we should go talk to Fluttershy now? I can hardly hear myself think here!"

"What'd you say?" Twilight yelled back. "I can't even hear myself think right now!"

Things were quieter as Twilight and Sunset -- with Spike, Tempest, and Grubber accompanying them -- approached the moss-thatched cottage on the edge of the village, with its many birdhouses and small furry animals scurrying through the undergrowth. Quiet enough that they could hear pleasant-sounding conversation coming from inside, punctuated by occasional laughter.

Approaching the door, Twilight rapped gently on it. And then stepped back hurriedly as the door was immediately flung open.

Standing in the doorway was Discord, dressed as a maître de. "Ah! More guests!" he cried. "And just in time." He clapped paw and claw together. "Garçon! The family table please."

In a disconcerting flash, Twilight and her friends found themselves whisked into the house and seated at a linen-clothed table, in what looked like a fine dining establishment. Spike found himself seated in a high-chair, with a bib round his neck and a kids menu in his claws. He flung it aside and then crossed his arms in annoyance.

Discord and Fluttershy were already comfortably settled behind the table as well. And Fluttershy looked up in surprise. "Oh! Hello, Twilight. Hi, Sunset. Hey, Spike!"

"You know," Discord added, "we were just saying how pleasant it would be if we had some additional company. How simply delightful of you to show up, right on cue, Your Acting Highness-ship!"

Twilight was not at all sure she liked the self-satisfied grin on the draconequus's face. Then she glanced around worriedly.

"Where's Tempest and Grubber?"

"I assume there's a reason we were left on the doorstep?" Tempest growled, looking in through the open doorway.

Discord shrugged innocently. "You're going to have to do something about that armor if you want me to be able to do anything at all." He snapped his claw by way of example. All it did was make the double-bolt mark on Tempest's mage-armor glow brighter, as the armor absorbed the spell's chaos energy.

Discord gave a wounded sigh. "Sacanas never really did trust me. Such a pity. We could have set the world on fire. Ahem... in a manner of speaking."

Tempest trotted inside, followed closely by Grubber. Then Tempest pointedly shut the door and sat down beside it, scowling darkly in Discord's direction. Grubber glanced uncertainly at the others, then thunked down on the carpet beside her, crossed his paws and did likewise.

To cover his nervousness, Discord grinned at the others. "Would anypony care for refreshments?" At a wave of his paw, the teapot grew legs, trotted over to Twilight, and seemed to peer up at her inquiringly.

"No, thanks," she said. "We really didn't mean to intrude."

"We just dropped by to say hi to Fluttershy," Sunset added to her. "And see how you were doing."

"Hmph! Really?" Discord looked offended. "For a minute there, I thought you were checking up on me. Making certain I'm sticking to my parole? Not going wild with chaos magic and so forth?"

"We honestly had no idea you were here," Twilight said.

"Well, it is Tuesday," said Fluttershy. "And I'm sorry, I guess I lost track of time. We get so caught up in conversation sometimes." She laughed gently. "Discord can be very entertaining."

"Oh, not at all, Fluttershy!" he said. "It's entirely her doing. She can be wonderfully welcoming. Talking with her makes me feel eons younger..."

He suddenly looked sad. "It's just like old times, really..."

Then he abruptly drew himself up. "But we agreed, did we not, Twilight? No more spoilers about what might or might not lie ahead. As if I could even remember most of it..." he added gloomily. Then he gave Twilight a mischievous look. "There was this one particularly good incident... but no, Celestia doesn't have you writing letters to her now, does she? Of course not, you live in Canterlot now. So there's no need to worry about that, is there?"

He smirked tightly, as if barely containing laughter.

"You remember me living here?" Twilight asked cautiously.

Discord glanced at Fluttershy. "I wouldn't be giving anything away if I just said yes, would I?"

"I don't think so."

"Well then, yes, Twilight, I do remember you. Though it's sort of a jumble, just bits and pieces. Every now and then something will strike me as familiar, and I'll remember, just a tiny bit."

"I guess I'm not the only one, then." Twilight stared at Discord, surprised to find she had something in common with the Lord of Chaos.

"So, Fluttershy," Sunset asked, "what do you and Discord talk about?" As she spoke, she helped herself to some of the jam-dot cookies, and passed a few to Spike.

"Well..." Fluttershy considered it. "I talk about my animals, and the funny little things they do. And about things I hear when I visit town to go to the market, or take one of my animals to the vet. And about whatever's on my mind, if there anything that's troubling me."

"And I talk about the craziest idea I've had lately," Discord said. "Like mailing myself to Trottingham... in separate parcels!" He abruptly fell apart into a jumble of horns, limbs, and other pieces. "So that when I get there I can make faces at the palace guard. I mean literally, all of them at once!" Pulling himself together, he mugged insanely. "They're so desperately serious, you know."

Fluttershy giggled. "And somehow, even though we have so little in common, it just works. I'm not much of a conversationalist myself. But when I'm talking with Discord, somehow it's no trouble at all. He's so lively and spontaneous, it helps me to open up and be myself." She smiled up at him. "I feel like he really gets me."

"That sounds wonderful." Sunset smiled at her. "I'm glad for you, Fluttershy."

"See?" Discord scoffed. "I can behave myself, given half a chance. Not that some ponies believe me." He glanced at Twilight doubtfully.

"As long as you're not causing trouble, Discord, I don't have a problem," she said.

"Me neither," Sunset added agreeably.

"You see, Discord?" Fluttershy said. "There's really nothing to be worried about."

"Well, I don't know," Discord retorted. "It's difficult feeling entirely at ease around ponies who get to decide if I've been good enough lately to avoid prison-time." He was suddenly wearing a striped jersey and pouting at them through a set of bars he was holding in front of his face. "One's judge, jury, and... executioner, maybe?" He glanced cautiously in Tempest's direction.

"Don't take it personally," Sunset said. "She's like that with everypony."

"I'm not sure about that," Discord muttered. "She keeps giving me this look, like all she needs is an excuse..."

"Discord." Fluttershy put a hoof on his eagle claw. "We're friends now. And if it takes a while for us all to be truly comfortable together, we should just be patient and allow time for things to work out."

The draconequus seemed about to complain further. Then he patted her hoof with his lion paw. "Anything for you, my dear."

He looked at Twilight. "Truce?"

Despite herself, Twilight nodded. "Truce."

"Truce," Sunset agreed. "What about you, Tempest?"

"I'll think about it," she muttered.

Sunset shrugged. "Have to do, I guess."

"I suppose so," Discord said.

"What about you, Sunset?" Fluttershy asked. "What do you all talk about, when you're gathered around that big table back at the tower in Canterlot?"

"Oh, not all that much," Sunset said, shrugging. "We tend to be busy on individual projects. What I do mostly is help everypony keep busy. By which I mean, the happy kind of busy," she added, seeing the concerned look on Fluttershy's face. "You know like, in the zone? When you're really focused on something and know just what to do next, so it doesn't feel like work at all?"

She nodded. "I know just what you mean. Like when I'm working in my garden and I see some plant or other than needs pruning, and think, oh, that's what I should do next."

"Exactly!" Sunset nodded. "If anypony's stuck and needs a nudge to get them going, or just needs an understanding ear to talk something out, I do that. Otherwise, I just stay out of the way and let everypony get on with things."

"That sounds really nice of you." Fluttershy smiled. "They're lucky they have a friend like you looking out for them."

"Hey, everything I know I learned from Twilight here." Sunset lightly punched her shoulder with a hoof. "Between the two of us, we keep the group chugging along."

"It's a team effort," Twilight allowed, though she smiled as she said it. "Oh, by the way, Fluttershy, there was one thing we did want to ask. How did you come to be living in this cottage, way out here on the edge of town? I mean, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I don't mind," Fluttershy said. "It was mostly because I needed someplace quiet to look after my dear little animal friends." So saying, she held up her pet bunny, Angel. Who promptly made a rude face. "I looked around, but there didn't seem to be anyplace available. Particularly because, well, I didn't have a lot of bits to spare. But then I came across this cottage. It was all boarded up and abandoned, probably because it was so close to the Everfree. And there were stories about it. Ponies who lived here kept moving away, claiming it was... haunted..." She glanced around, wide-eyed and mysterious. Then she smiled. "But all it needed was a little cleaning up, a little love and attention. My animals helped with that, so I turned it into a nice little sanctuary for all of us."

Sunset nodded. "I did notice all the birdhouses outside."

"And there's burrows for the ground-dwellers," Fluttershy said. "Like chipmunks and ferrets. Plus holes in the trees for the squirrels. And I try to keep just enough natural cover around for the ducks and other animals who wander by. So there's a place for everycreature. Even me," she added with a sheepish smile. "And for Discord, of course, whenever he pops by for a visit."

"It must take a lot of work," Twilight said, "keeping it looking so tidy and natural-looking."

"Oh, yes," Fluttershy said. "Even now, there's something to do practically every day. Something to pull, or prune, or trim back." She laughed softly. "Honestly, sometimes I think this place would just turn into a jungle without me..."

The group chatted on for a while longer, though as usual Discord tended to hog the conversation -- mostly talking about himself. Given the contented smile on Fluttershy's face, the other ponies held their peace and didn't interrupt him.

"Well," Sunset said at last, "we should let the two of you finish your tea. We didn't mean to intrude, Fluttershy. Myself, I just kinda wanted to compare notes. You know, one Element of Kindness to another?"

"Oh, it's not a bother," Fluttershy replied. "In fact, if I'd known you wanted to chat, Sunset, I'd have stayed in town myself so I'd be there for you."

"Nah, I wouldn't want you to do that." Sunset waved a hoof. "I know how much you like the peace and comfort of home."

"Well... it's very nice of you to see it that way."

"Hey, no biggie." Sunset waved a hoof.

Discord looked from one of them to the other, then leaned towards Twilight. "You know one of us should really take one of them away," he stage-whispered, "or they'll be at this all afternoon!"

Twilight stifled a laugh. "C'mon, Sunset," she said. "We'll be getting together for dinner. We can chat more then."

"Sure thing." Sunset got up from the table, and helped Spike down from the high-chair. "See you then, Fluttershy!"

"Absolutely, Sunset."

"You know, ladies," Discord said, holding up his claw. "I could give you a lift back to town. With certain exceptions, of course... like the Element of Disapproval over there." He frowned at Tempest.

Twilight shook her head. "We'll walk back. It's way too nice a day outside to want to miss any of it."

"Who are you?" Spike asked half-seriously, as together they all trotted out through the front door.

Fluttershy giggled, watching them leave. Then she looked at Discord.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmmm? Oh, nothing." He was scratching his antler, pensively. Then he suddenly slapped a knee. "Of course! That was it! I'm so sorry, my dear. I just recalled something I've neglected to take care of. Er, back home I mean. I really should go see to it or it'll just slip my mind again. If that's all right?"

"Of course! See you later for dinner?"

"Your place or mine? Oh, right, you mean with the gang, at Pinky Pie's All-You-Can-Scream Cafe. Ah, well," he sighed, smiling. "It'll be worth it just to see you again. 'Til later, m'dear!"

With a snap of his claw, Discord cleaned up the dishes and restored the cottage's interior back to its original, comfortably homey style. And then he vanished in a flash of chaos magic...

... all except his lion paw, which flopped around on the table briefly, then lifted up and seemed to peer around worriedly.

Discord reappeared, grabbed it, and stuck it back on. "Goodness me! In such a hurry, I'll forget my own head next. Bye now!"

He disappeared again.

Fluttershy giggled softly. And then she got up and headed outside through the kitchen, to check on her small garden patch out back.

A few minutes later, while trying to deal with a particularly stubborn dandelion, Fluttershy happened to glance up at the green, vine-wreathed wall of the Everfree Forest across the meadow. And saw Discord walking towards it. Walking, not snapping his claw and teleporting to where he wanted to go, like usual.

The draconequus paused and glanced about. Then he shoved aside some branches covering a small hoof-path and strolled onward into the forest, with exaggerated casualness.

Shrugging, Fluttershy got on with her gardening. She had no idea what Discord was doing, but she was sure she could trust him. If he said he was taking care of something, then he was.

"Now where did I put that root puller?" she asked herself. And then went over to the toolshed to look for it.

A Baum Dinner Party

It was a rare occasion for Sugarcube Corner to be completely booked for a private dinner party. And it was a good thing too: there was just enough space at the long table Pinkie Pie had set up in the bakery's front room.

The guest list included Twilight and her team from Canterlot, the five ponies from Ponyville, Granny Smith and Big Mac from the farm, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and a few other relatives and guests besides.

Twilight as nominal guest of honor sat at one end of the long table. Granny Smith, as senior pony present, was seated at the other. And everypony else filled in wherever they wanted.

"Has anypony seen Discord?" Fluttershy glanced around in puzzlement. "He said he'd be here."

Rainbow waved a hoof. "He'll be along, whenever he feels like it. Probably at the worst possible moment, too."

"I suppose," Fluttershy said, disappointed.

Once everypony had been seated, and they'd all been served, Twilight looked around the crowded table in some amusement.

"This looks like a Baum dinner party," she said.

"A what now?" asked Applejack.

"Yeah!" Pinkie added. "I've thrown loads of parties but hadn't heard of that kind before."

"L. Flank Baum," Twilight explained, "the author of the Aus series of books, about the Golden Realm of Aus. They were books for foals, and Baum kept introducing wonderfully fantastic and loveable characters in each one. But of course, since they were books for foals, none of the characters could ever die or be killed off, or even just leave. So by the end of the series, it was getting really crowded. In one of the last books the Princess of Aus holds a birthday feast in the Crystal City. And the entire guest-list at the table consists of favorite characters from the series. There simply wasn't room for anypony else at that point." She smiled sheepishly. "Even though I knew how unlikely that was, I thought it was a wonderful scene."

Trixie nodded reminiscently. "I did like those books myself. Ahem, when I was a filly, of course," she added quickly. "And they're also where I get my stage-name from." She lofted her hooves majestically. "Behold! The Great and Powerful Sorceror of Aus!"

"Pay no attention to that pony behind the curtain," Starlight added mischievously. She exchanged a smile and an elbow bump with Trixie.

"Hey, Sis?" said a younger voice down the table. "Before y'all get caught up in the grown-up talk, is it okay if we ask them now?"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "All right, Apple Bloom. But you and your friends are only here as guests, so remember --"

"I know, I know!" the red-ribboned filly replied testily.

"Remember what?" Twilight asked.

Apple Bloom sighed. "We're not supposed to be a nuisance and pester y'all. But we weren't gonna, honest! We just wanted to ask --"

"If it's all right?" put in a unicorn filly sitting next to Rarity. "I mean, if you don't mind us asking? And if..."

"Aw, for pony's sake, Sweetie Belle!" said an orange pegasus filly sitting next to Rainbow Dash. "Cut to the chase!" She turned to Twilight. "We wanted to know how you and your friends all got your cutie marks."

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom scolded. Then she quickly added, "Um, because we figured if we can hear how y'all got yours, it might help us come up with some new ideas in our quest to find our own."

"That's an unusual quest," Twilight said.

"Not for us!" Apple Bloom said. "We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, on a crusade to find our cutie marks. All for one --"

"-- and one for all!" the others chorused with her.

"See, we got the idea," Apple Bloom explained, "from hearin' about y'all, the Heroes of Equestria..."

"And we figured," said Sweetie Belle, "if the seven of you could team up and save Equestria from Nightmare Moon, then the three of us could do the same and come up with a way to get our cutie marks."

"Though to be honest," Scootaloo added sourly, "we're running out of ideas. Even the best we've come up with tend to leave us covered in tree-sap."

"Sounds like a determined bunch," Tempest said, approvingly.

"Oh my word, Tempest!" said Rarity. "You have no idea..."

Applejack nodded. "As determined as they are indestructible, bless 'em."

"Well," Twilight said, "I certainly don't mind. Though I'm not certain how much it'll help..."

"Oh, please, please, please..." begged Scootaloo.

Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement, but nodded agreeably. "All right. So who should go first? Cheese, you said you got your cutie mark right here in Ponyville, didn't you?"

"I sure did!" He nodded. "I wandered into town as a colt, not sure what I wanted to do with my life. But I was determined to find out, much like the three of you. And who did I find here, throwing a party and making everypony laugh, but Pinkie Pie!" He grinned at her. "And I knew right there and then, that's what I wanted to do: to sing and dance and make ponies happy."

"But when did you get your cutie mark?" Scootaloo demanded.

"You know, I'm not sure," Cheese said. "I think it was right after the rubber chicken hit me in the face. Or... was it right after I discovered Pinkie had made all the cheese sandwiches with mozzarella?"

She shrugged. "It was all I could find at the store."

The Crusaders looked at each other. "Huh. That sounds kinda random," said Scootaloo.

"Not to mention painful," Sweetie Belle agreed.

"No kidding," Cheese Sandwich replied. "That mozzarella was really snappy."

"What about you, Moondancer?" Twilight asked.

Moondancer smiled nervously. "I think I may win the award for getting my mark the earliest. It was when I was very young, or so my parents tell me. I suffered from really bad night terrors. And after one particularly bad episode..." She shrugged. "There was my cutie-mark. It just suddenly appeared."

"Woah..." Scootaloo was wide-eyed. "I've heard of being scared awake, but being scared into getting your cutie mark?"

"That must've been some nightmare," Apple Bloom said.

Moondancer nodded. "Must have, though I don't recall it. It must also have had something to do with Nightmare Moon, since my mark is so similar to hers. I grew up to be an expert on her, and on the Nightmare in general. And also as a result of that, on doing research, since in the process I wound up spending a lot of my time reading."

Sweetie Belle looked ill. "Not sure I want my cutie mark that badly, if you have to have nightmares to get it!"

"Or do a whole bunch of reading," Scootaloo agreed. "Yick!"

"Everypony's different," Sunset reminded them. "Take me, for instance. The way I got my mark, it was even more mane-raising. It was at the Summer Sun Celebration, when Celestia had just raised the sun. And I was watching her, all excited and wishing like anything I had her kind of magic. I wanted to be just like her, you know?"

"I can only imagine!" Apple Bloom nodded eagerly. "Then what happened?"

"I'm not exactly sure." Sunset shrugged. "I think the backwash from Celestia's magic somehow tripped my own into overload. My magic started running wild, blazing like a corona all around me. And believe me, girls, I was scared as everypony else there, maybe more so! But Princess Celestia, she wasn't worried at all. She helped me get my magic under control. And then she took me on as her student." Sunset sighed, smiling. "I don't think I ever loved anypony as much as did right then. She was so kind and understanding, even though I'd disrupted the entire Celebration..."

"So..." Sweetie Belle asked, puzzled, "your cutie mark is for having really powerful magic?"

"Maybe." Sunset nodded. "Though I wonder if it also has something to do with my trip through Star Swirl's mirror. See, my mark has two halves, in two different colors. And I did pick up a different, empathic talent on the other side of the mirror." She shrugged. "But you never know with cutie marks. You rediscover what they mean, over and over, your whole life long."

"No offense," Scootaloo said. "but we were kinda hopin' there'd be something we could actually do, right now, rather than just waiting for stuff to happen."

"Well!" Trixie flourished a hoof. "Then you've come to just the right pony. For the Grrreat and Powerful Trrrixie got her mark by being the greatest, most puissant stage magician in all Equestria!"

"And the personal protégé of a certain powerful alicorn?" Tempest reminded her.

Trixie's face fell. "Yes. Well." She lofted her snout. "Trixie prefers to think it was because of her dedication to her calling, as practitioner of the subtle arts of legerdesabot." She gestured mystically with her hooves, then lifted her hat, revealing a small white rabbit sitting on her mane. It was Angel, who stared around at everypony in surprise, and then bounded down onto the table and scampered across it to get back to Fluttershy.

There was general applause, and Trixie bowed appreciatively. And then she smiled encouragingly at Starlight, who was looking a little uncomfortable.

"Wish I could say how I got my mark," Starlight said. "But I'm not sure myself. I was talking with Trixie about the different approaches we take to magic. You know, stage magic vs. thaumic magic, and hoof-worked illusions vs. structured-magic spells. And suddenly, my mark was just there. I didn't even feel it appear. I didn't notice it until Trixie pointed it out."

"As I recall," Trixie said, "you were saying how different our approaches were. Au contraire, says I, they're really a lot alike. You constantly improvise spells, doing things on the fly. And Trixie does the same -- I have to! When a trick isn't working right on stage, you can't let the audience down. You have to keep right on going, come what may. If you're smooth enough about it they may not even notice. Our techniques may differ, bestie, but we both do our magic on the fly, very much in the moment."

"That we do," Starlight agreed. "Must be why we're such good friends, huh?"

"That," Trixie said, "and we can try stuff out on each other without worrying about getting it wrong."

"Urghh!" Scootaloo groaned. "This is getting us nowhere! You all simply got your marks? You didn't have to do anything? What about you, Tempest?"

She grunted. "Afraid I'm not going to be much help. I don't even have my mark yet. Unless you count this." She gestured to the double-bolt mark on her armor. "And this is just a hoof-me-down from, well... some old sorceror," she said uneasily, waving a hoof vaguely.

Apple Bloom looked at Twilight forlornly. "I s'pose it's the same for you? Your cutie-mark just appeared?"

Twilight smiled sympathetically. "I told you our stories might not help. But yes, I got my mark when I was taking my entrance exam for Celestia's school. They'd asked me to hatch a dragon's egg."

"It was my egg, too!" Spike piped up. "I mean, I was in it at the time," he added quickly.

"I'm not sure they knew that, Spike," Twilight said. "Maybe they were just testing me, handing me an impossible task to see if I knew my limits. Either way it didn't matter, because I was having the hardest time just casting a spell. See, from a real early age, I'd had to teach myself to hold in my power, to not let it run loose. So when I actually wanted to use it, it was an effort. And plus, I was under time-pressure and nervous, and... well, let's just say I came this close to failing."

"You?" Apple Bloom asked, surprised.

Twilight nodded. "Nopony's perfect. But then, just when I'd almost given up, there was this huge explosion outside. And a weird wash of magic across the sky, like a huge rainbow. And the explosion spooked me so badly, I broke through my own mental block. I not only could cast spells, but I couldn't stop myself! My magic started running wild, creating all kinds of havok."

"That sounds familiar..." Sunset said.

"Yeah," Twilight agreed. "And just like with you, Princess Celestia rescued me from my own runaway magic. She helped me get control of it, and then took me on as her student. And that was the real turning point for me. At her School I met Tempest, and then all of my other friends here." She gestured around at the other ponies from Canterlot. "And the rest as they say, is history. Well," she added quickly, "in this timeline, at least..."

"Wait a sec," Applejack said. "An explosion? And some kind of rainbow in the sky? That sounds just like what happened to me, when I got my cutie-mark. See, I was living in Manehattan at the time..."

"You, Applejack?" Rarity stared in disbelief. "I didn't realize."

"Believe it or don't." The farm-pony nodded. "When I was a filly I was a mite dazzled by how cultured and influential my Aunt and Uncle Orange were. And I decided I wanted to go live with them, and learn how to be a real socialite myself. But it was harder than I thought and I got powerful homesick. And just when it was at its worst -- BAM! There was this big explosion, and a rainbow in the sky, in the direction of Ponyville. And suddenly I knew that's where I belonged. I went a-runnin' back here as fast as I could, and soon as I set hoof on the farm, my mark appeared. I've been happily livin' and workin' the farm ever since."

"Oh, my!" said Fluttershy. "Something like that happened to me, too. At junior flight camp, I was teased for my shyness and weak flying. And Rainbow Dash, who was there as well, took on the bullies and challenged them to a race. In the rush to get off from the starting line, they knocked me off the cloud I was standing on, and I fell all the way to the ground. Luckily a flight of butterflies caught me at the last moment. And then I met all the other little animal friends that I love so much. And just when I thought I couldn't be any happier, there was this big explosion, which scared them all into hiding. In coaxing them out afterwards I discovered my talent for caring and kindness, and then, well... my cutie-mark just appeared. I moved to Ponyville, to my cottage near the Forest, and I've been living here happily ever since."

"How strange," said Rarity. "For me, it was designing costumes for a school play, soon after I'd set up shop here in town. I was struggling to find a way to make the costumes truly, exceptionally fabulous. Then all of a sudden my horn flared up, all on its own. It felt like it was leading me somewhere -- practically dragging me. I followed its influence, thinking maybe it would be the answer to my dilemma, the solution to all my problems in design, the lifting of all my burdens..."

"The point, Rarity?" Applejack gently hinted.

"Yes. Well, it led me a lengthy chase, over hill and dale. And eventually led me to... a rock."

"A rock?" Pinkie asked. "Are you sure you're not telling my story by mistake, Rarity?"

"Hush, Pinkamena," Rarity replied. "Well, I was just as surprised myself. A rock, I thought? What kind of foolishness was this? But then, just when I was about to walk away in disgust, thinking it was all for nothing, there was this explosion of magic and a rainbow of color in the sky. The magic overload set up sympathetic vibrations in the rock, causing it to fracture and split open... and it turned out it was actually a huge geode. Its inside cavity was loaded to the brim with gemstones, all colors, all sparkling and beautiful. And I knew right then, here was the fabulousness I was seeking. I immediately wanted to share that richness and color with everypony. I added the gems to the costumes, the play was a smash hit, and I got my cutie mark. And well... it's just been onwards and upwards ever since."

"Yeah." Pinkie nodded. "That makes more sense. Because for me, it was all about rocks. My family owns a rock farm, see, which is just as drab and blah as it sounds. No talking, no smiling -- just work, all day long. Then one day there was this huge explosion, and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. The sight of it made me feel so full of joy and laughter, I just had to find a way to share it! I started doing parties, to bring that joy to other ponies. And it worked! Along the way I got my cutie mark for party-planning. Which makes sense, because I'm a party pony!"

"That she is," Cheese agreed. "If it wasn't for her, I'd never have known that I was a party pony either."

"Aww! Thanks Cheese!"

"Okay," said Rainbow, "those were interesting stories, I'll grant you. But wait'll you hear mine! I'm gonna tell you fillies how to really get a cutie mark!"

"Oooh, yeah!" Scootaloo said. "Tell us, Rainbow! This is gonna be good!"

"It all started at the race Fluttershy told you about. And I was winning it, tearing up the skies! That is, until one of the bullies got a lead on me. I wasn't having that, not with Fluttershy's honor at stake. I tore off after him, and went into this screaming mad power-dive. When I blew past him, I don't think I even noticed it, I was so obsessed with speed and with winning the race for Fluttershy. And then, BLAMMO! I hit the speed of sound, my magic overloaded, and there was this huge rainbow ring in the sky. I had pulled off a sonic rainboom! I'd only heard about them in legends, from way back during the Mage Wars or somethin'. But I'd managed to do it myself. You could hear and see it for miles! Well, after that nopony could beat me at anything. I kept right on going and became the awesome flyer I am today!"

"Woah!" Scootaloo's mouth hung open. "That's so cool, Rainbow!"

"Natch," Rainbow said, smirking. "This is me we're talkin' about."

"Wait a moment..." Twilight said. "Rainbow, you caused that explosion, and that rainbow in the sky?"

"Sure did," Rainbow looked smug.

"But..." Applejack stared. "That's the rainbow what led me back home."

"And the explosion that helped my connect with my animal friends," Fluttershy said.

Rarity gasped. "I wouldn't have known those gems were in that geode without the magic surge breaking it open."

"And I wouldn't have realized how much I like making ponies happy!" Pinkie said, bouncing excitedly.

"And I..." Twilight was shocked. "I wouldn't have discovered my talent for magic. I wouldn't have gotten into Celestia's School. Or met any of my friends..."

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy said, "you brought all of us together."

"Me?" Rainbow looked shocked.

"It's astounding," Rarity said, "but I do believe she's right."

"We've always had that connection," Applejack said, "even before we met. And we never realized it. All of us, living right here in Ponyville!"

"Including me," Twilight said, quietly. Then she looked downcast. "Even though I wasn't living here..."

After that, Twilight was quiet for the rest for the dinner, smiling politely when anypony spoke to her, but saying little on her own.

She'd never felt so out of place...

Late that evening, most of Ponyville was gathered at the town's performance stage across from the schoolhouse, beneath a deep purple sky dotted with stars and a brilliant full Moon.

Onstage was Trixie, standing behind a long wooden box, grimly working a large bandsaw, with her hooves holding one end and her magic the other. Starlight had her head poking out of one end of the box, a worried look on her face.

There were a large number of fillies and colts in the audience, overjoyed at being allowed to stay up late to attend the show on account of it being a special occasion. They cheered excitedly and unreservedly as Trixie ran through the final trick of the evening, and it was difficult for their elders not to follow their example.

"Fear not, friends!" Trixie called determinedly. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has done this trick many times before..."

The bandsaw suddenly jammed. Trixie tugged and yanked at it in increasing frustration, while Starlight winced and made pained expressions, and the children howled with laughter. Trixie finally mimed getting the saw unstuck, then brushed imaginary sweat from her forehead.

"Hmph! May need to oil this thing, huh?"

Then she got back to work.

On a small hilltop nearby, with a good view of the stage but well back from the crowd, Twilight and Sunset were looking on as the impromptu show neared its end.

"It's nice to see Trixie's found her comfort zone," Twilight said. "I was worried about her earlier."

"Well, the same could be said for you, Twilight." Sunset grinned. "But it's been a while since I've seen you looking this relaxed."

Twilight shrugged. "I'm just happy to be here, among such kind and friendly ponies. And to not be the center of attention for once. Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"Come on! I'm pretty sure you and Applejack planned this. And I'm glad you did. It was just the break I needed, to spend some time with my friends here, away from it all. And I'm glad I have friends like you who notice that sort of thing and do something about it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sunset said, smiling. "And you're very welcome."

On the stage, Trixie was just wrapping up the trick. She shoved the two halves of the box together, moved to open it. And then froze in shock, dropping the lid shut again.

"Uh oh..." she called portentously. "The Great and Powerful Trixie might have gotten something slightly wrong this time..."

The children gasped, staring as Trixie hesitantly reopened the box. She helped Starlight climb out of the left end, completely unharmed. And then she moved to the right end, and helped a surprised-looking Moondancer, wearing lavender socks on her hind hooves, climb out of that end of the box.

"Well... what do you know?" Trixie called dramatically, sounding as surprised as her assistants. "Two ponies for the price of one! Trixie may just have to start calling this the Duplicating Pony trick, eh?"

The children in the audience laughed delightedly. Their parents likewise cheered and applauded with abandon. And Trixie bowed deeply, gratified by the unstinting applause.

"I gotta admit it," Sunset said. "That pony knows how to work a crowd. Only Trixie could bald-facedly show how the trick works and still get applause for it."

"It's her talent," Twilight agreed. "And it's nice seeing her turning it to good use, unlike..."

"Yeah," Sunset agreed. "Unlike before..." Then she glanced around, and lowered her voice. "So, do we tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Twilight asked. She tossed her hooves. "What do we even know, really? That there seems to be some weird connection between Ponyville and the Everfree? Which might have something to do with Nightmare Moon? And with five ponies who were drawn here, and oh by the way just happen to have a special association with the Elements of Harmony?"

"Nothing at all like six other ponies," Sunset said with a grin, "who came to Canterlot and wound up with associated with a certain Acting Princess?"

"The point is," Twilight replied, "I don't think we should say anything, not until we know more. You know how Trixie feels about Princess Luna, and about her own past. What if she winds up feeling... responsible, somehow? Who knows what that would do to her?" Twilight shook her head. "I think we should just table it for now, chalk it up as one more weird remnant of that other timeline. We'll deal with it when we have to."

"Okay." Sunset shrugged. "If you can stand not knowing the answer, so can I."

"Well..." Twilight made a face. "I didn't say that exactly..." She looked around at the crowd down below, at the ponies young and old, taking in the performance. There was a misty-eyed look on her face. "Because you know, Sunset," she said, "as much as all of you are my friends, as much as our group matters to me... this place matters to me, too. These ponies matter to me. I'd never want to see them come to harm."

Sunset nodded. "A.J. was right about you, Twilight."

"How so?"

"You are a natural at this."

"Thank you! Thank you, Ponyville!" Trixie called to the watching crowd. "You've been a wonderful audience. And a round of applause please, for Trixie's helpful and hard-working assistants! Without whom, this show might not have been possible." Trixie gestured indulgently at Applejack, Starlight, and Moondancer, who sheepishly took a bow, to cheers from the crowd.

"Ya know," Sunset said, "Trixie can be a bit much to take at times. But when she's like this, working so hard to take ponies' minds off their troubles... somehow, I don't mind at all."

"I just wonder where she gets it from." Twilight shook her head in amazement. "The ability to present a whole show like this, practically single-hoofed? And not be an exhausted wreck afterwards, like I know I'd be?"

Sunset nodded. "A good magician never reveals her secrets, huh?"

On the stage, Trixie allowed the applause to continue for a while. Then she silenced it with a brisk wave of her hoof. All eyes were on her. She felt totally swept up in the moment. "Once again," she called, "the Great and Powerful Trixie has proven herself to be, not merely the greatest stage magician in Ponyville, but the most amazing unicorn in all Equestria! Thank you, and good night!"

She trotted haughtily down the stage steps, to the thunderous clapping and stamping of hooves, which was music to her ears.

"Huh!" she added smugly to herself. "Was there ever any doubt?"

Then Trixie came to an abrupt halt, an uncomfortable look on her face. She was recalling the last time she'd said something like that... in the other timeline.

She gazed up at the Moon. The blank, empty Moon, quietly shining down upon the stage, the town, upon all of Equestria.

Trixie suddenly wished she had her wagon here. So she could go to it, shut the door, climb into her hammock. And cry herself to sleep.

For a moment, a very brief moment... she'd almost managed to forget.

Later that evening, Twilight snuggled down in the soft, cozy bed on the window loft of the Library's bedroom.

Spike was already tucked up in his basket, on the loft floor next to the bed. And Twilight's Canterlot friends were all in beds of their own, which had been brought in and set up on the bedroom's lower floor.

With the exception of Tempest, of course. The Commander, as was her habit, was doing a final patrol, checking the wards they'd set on doors and windows, making certain everypony was accounted for, before she settled down on her own cot near the stairs leading down to the ground floor.

Finally satisfied all was in order, Tempest climbed the steps to the loft platform, then sat down next to Twilight's bed. Beside her, Grubber peered over the edge of the bed, looking from Twilight to Tempest and back again in case he was needed.

"Comfortable?" Tempest asked. "Anything else you need?"

"Nothing, not a thing," Twilight said, gazing around. "You know, I think this is what I'd been wanting, all those years I spent in that tower at the School? A bed by a window, my friends close at hoof, plenty of room for them all to sleep comfortably. And books of course, for times when I can't get to sleep." She sighed. "I feel like I'm home here. I love it, but it's the weirdest feeling..."

"I know what you mean," Tempest said. "I'd never felt at home anywhere, before I came to Celestia's school. It was difficult for me, then, getting used to it. But, like Cheese Sandwich says, so long as you're happy, I'm happy."

Twilight smiled up her. "Tempest, you don't have to act like my personal hoof-servant all the time."

Tempest shrugged. "Like I always say, I've never minded. Without you, I'm not sure what I'd be right now..."

She glanced uneasily at her iron-black armor, with its glowing, brand-like lightning-bolt marks. "Do you think... do you think maybe I should get rid of this old relic? Find something a little less fraught with dark magic to wear? It's nice having the compensation for my unstable horn. And being able to put Discord in his place is definitely a bonus. But now I'm worried. Like maybe it's a bad influence on me?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't think so. You wouldn't be the same without it. It suits you, Tempest, it really does. I'd miss the pony you are, wearing it. And you don't need to worry, not with us around. We'll let you know if you're going off the deep end, and help deal with it, like we always do."

Tempest shrugged off an armored shoe, then put her hoof on the covers, smiling. "How is it," she asked, "whenever I try to comfort you, I always end up finding you comforting me instead?"

Twilight shrugged. "Element of Friendship, I guess. It's hard to avoid it." She sighed uneasily, and stared around at the Library, and by extension Ponyville itself. "It's astounding, Tempest... I always had a connection with them. With Applejack and the others, I mean. And I never even knew it. We were always meant to find the Elements together. And then Nightmare Moon intervened, and changed all that..."

"Who's to say that's a bad thing?" Tempest shrugged. "We still won. We brought Luna home and kept Equestria safe -- without the Elements. And if you'll pardon a somewhat violent metaphor, it's not the weapon so much as the pony wielding it that matters. It's why I spend so much time practicing hoof-to-hoof fighting. When you know how to do it properly, it's the one weapon nopony can take from you."

Twilight smiled. "You can take a pony off the street..."

"... but you can't take the street off the pony." Tempest nodded. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, the point is that with or without the Elements, we did what we needed to keep Equestria safe. And we're justly famous for it. Don't ever forget that."

"True," Twilight said. "I'm just glad I have a chance to spend time with the Ponyville gang. To catch up on everything I missed here. Because they're such good friends, Tempest, I feel like I owe them that. But, for right now," she added, snuggling down under the covers, "I'm just going to enjoy being here. Being home, wherever home happens to be." She smiled. "Maybe it's like Pinkie Pie said? Maybe home is just a state of mind?"

"Maybe." Tempest nodded. "I'll see you in the morning, then. Oh, and by the way, Twilight," she added, looking disgusted, "do I have to go fishing tomorrow, like Applejack suggested? It's so boring!"

"Not if you don't want to." Twilight said. "We'll find some other way to help you unwind. Now go to sleep, Commander."

Tempest reshod her hoof, gave a half-serious salute with it. "Yes, Ma'am, your Acting-Princess-ship!"

They both laughed at that. Then Tempest turned, and headed back downstairs, with Grubber at her hooves.

And Twilight turned to look upward, through the broad oval window near her bed. She gazed up at the night sky, at Luna's moon, which after a thousand years had finally been freed of its dark, portentous Mare shadow...

... by Twilight and her friends. All of them, right here in this room.

"The stars will aid in her escape," Twilight whispered to herself, recalling the legend. "And she will bring about everlasting night..."

And then she rolled over, snuggled down, and shut her eyes.

At least we don't have that to worry about any longer...

Far away, in the Royal City, from a balcony atop one of the highest towers, a pale-blue alicorn with a flowing blue mane was also staring up at the Moon, a saddened look on her face.

"It is difficult still, Sister," Luna said. "Even with thy assistance."

Beside her, Celestia put out a wing and curled it about her, comfortingly. "You are improving, Luna. I barely had to help at all this time. Soon, you'll be raising the Moon yourself again, just you always did. It will come back to you."

Luna looked up at her, woefully. "And will the rest of it also return? Will I... remember?"

"In time," Celestia said. "If you truly want to."

Luna shook her head. "I am not certain I do. I have hurt so many. You, most of all."

Celestia held her close, rested her chin comfortingly on Luna's mane. "None of that matters now, Luna. You are returned. And we shall find a way through this time, together. Now, would you like me to tuck you in?"

Luna sat up, a disapproving look on her face. "We are not a foal, Sister," she said crossly. "We can manage." And then she allowed herself a brief, vanishing smile. "But if we do need anything, thou wilt be the first to know."

"Very well, then. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Lulu."

"Good night... Tia."

With a fond smile, Celestia rose, and then spread her wings and bounded lightly into the air. She swept away in a long arc, heading for the balcony of her own tower across the way. And with a sigh, Luna got up and turned through the archway of her balcony, slipping quietly into the shadows of the Lunar Suite.

Across the way, Celestia landed on her balcony, stepped into her own quarters.

There was a brief gasp, then a smothered shriek.

And it was the last that anypony saw of either of them that evening.

A Royal Summons

The next morning, Twilight felt an armored hoof gently but firmly shaking her awake. "Tempest?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "What is it?"

"Something you need to see." Tempest nodded towards the window, and the serious look on her face brought Twilight awake quickly.

Spike was already standing on the small bureau, peering out. Twilight joined him, staring up at the sky herself.

"What's going on? Is it morning, or still night?"

"That's just it," Spike said. "We can't tell!"

The dome of the sky had the dark-to-light purplish gradient of very early morning. To the left the Sun could just be seen, hovering above the horizon. To the right, the Moon hung just above the opposite horizon. And neither orb was moving, as they should have been doing during the Raising and Lowering Ceremony. The Sun and the Moon hung motionless, on the brink of dawn... or dusk. It was difficult to tell.

And, all across the sky, dark and menacing clouds were gathering.

"It's been like this since I woke," Tempest said. "And usually, I wake just before dawn to check on the guards. But that's not the half of it."

She pointed downwards towards the neighboring houses. Which, when Twilight looked at them, appeared to be overrun by black, heavily thorned vines, curling and twining everywhere.

"That does not look normal," Twilight agreed.

They roused the others, and together the entire group hurried downstairs to the Library's main floor, then out through the front door, shoving aside vines that were already encroaching on it.

And they quickly made a few more unnerving discoveries.

"Is anypony else's magic not working right?" asked Starlight. She was trying to use a shearing spell on some of the more annoying vines around the door. Her horn kept fizzing and sparking at random.

"Same here," said Sunset. She tried lifting a rock, and quickly ducked as it nearly brained her, then smashed a window behind her. "What the hay? Something's interfering with our spellcasting."

The ponies all tried different spells, with the same dangerously random results. Tempest considered it for a moment, then stamped a hoof, bringing up the shield of her mage-armor around all of them.

And the ponies all found their magic behaving itself again.

"It's like in the gem mine under Canterlot," Twilight said. "A kind of dark magic that makes ordinary spells go haywire."

She peered closely at one of the nearby vines, then dodged as it abruptly flung out a tendril to grab a leg of the Golden Oak Library sign.

Starlight nodded. "Maybe it's the same kind of dark magic at work here."

Trixie peered around nervously. "You mean there might be another of those crystal circle things, hidden around here someplace?"

"Maybe," Moondancer said. "But so far as I know, there's no gem-mines or ancient stone circles in Ponyville. This is farm country."

"Speaking of which," Spike said, pointing.

"Hey, y'all!"

Applejack was galloping towards them across the Square, dodging black, twining shoots that kept popping up underhoof. "Welp," she said, "it looks like it's happening here in town, too. These cornsarned weeds are popping up everyplace. They're all over Sweet Apple Acres. I just left Big Mac and the others beating 'em back."

"The ghastly things are all over my Boutique as well," Rarity said, trotting over to join them. "On top of which, my horn is misbehaving awfully. I don't dare use it. Sweetie Belle and I ended up being chased by a chenille curtain of all things. How gauche! It was dreadful."

"It's the same at Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie Pie was bounding up and down on a creeping tendril nearby, trying to stomp it flat. "The Cakes are barricaded inside with the twins. I came to get help, or at least see if anypony here knows what's going on."

"And these clouds," Rainbow Dash called down from overhead, "they're definitely not from around here." She swooped down from the sky to hover above the group. "They look like they're from the Everfree Forest."

"The vines seem to be coming from there too," Fluttershy quavered as she flapped over to join them. "It's almost like the Everfree is out of control. I'm not sure how much more of this Ponyville can take -- eeeh!" She shrieked as a questing tendril wrapped around her hind-hoof, but Rainbow quickly darted over and knocked it loose. "I'm not sure how much more I can take!" she added frantically.

As she was speaking Twilight noticed other ponies approaching them, from houses and shopfronts all around the Square. The townsponies appeared warily nervous, yet surprisingly calm in the circumstances. But it was the kind of calm that could swiftly descend into panic without answers, which they appeared to be looking for...

... from Twilight herself.

"Excuse me, pardon me! Let me through, please!"

Mayor Mare trotted through the crowd to reach the head of the gathering. She cleared her throat, bowing formally. "Acting Princess Twilight," she said. "We do realize you and your group are only here with us for a visit. But as you can see, we have a... situation here, in which your able assistance might be of invaluable help?"

"Of course, Mayor," Twilight said. "We'll be glad to help. I'm afraid we don't know much about it yet ourselves. But rest assured, we'll get to the bottom of it, and protect Ponyville. I promise!"

"Thank you, Twilight." The Mayor nodded in relief.

But just as Twilight was about to turn to her friends and try to organize some kind of plan, there was a loud fanfare overhead.

Looking up, Mayor Mare gasped. "It's the Golden Chariot!" she said. "Has Princess Celestia come to aid us herself?"

Rainbow stared up at it doubtfully. "Not unless she's learned how to turn invisible or something..."

The Chariot and its team swung round and then came in for a landing in front of the Library, in a space rapidly being cleared by the waiting townsponies. The gilded platform touched down, rolled to a stop.

And all could see it was empty.

One of the Guard flyers unhitched from the Chariot and hurried over to Twilight. And knelt before her. "Princess Twilight, you must come with us. You are needed back in Canterlot. These strange vines... they're everywhere!"

"Um... I don't understand," Twilight said, staring at him. "Isn't Princess Celestia dealing with it?"

The guard glanced about nervously. "May we speak privately?"

Twilight nodded, and she and her friends moved around into the Library's shadow, away from the crowd.

The guard gulped, appearing on the verge of panic himself. "It's the Princesses! They're gone!"

"What?" Tempest Shadow glared at him. "All of them?"

"Yes, Commander," the guard said.

"Celestia?" Twilight whispered in shock. "And Cadance?"

"And Princess Luna?" Trixie added, desperately.

The guard just nodded fearfully.

"O...kay," Sunset said, wide-eyed. "That is what I would call serious."

"No kidding!" Starlight added.

"I'll say!" Applejack agreed, horrified.

"Oh, dear!" whispered Fluttershy.

"In an emergency such as this," the guard went on, "our orders are that you, Twilight, are to take charge."

"Me?" Twilight said, aghast.

"The Royal Guard," he explained, "takes its orders from royalty. And given the Princesses' absence, that is you, Acting Princess Twilight." He knelt again. "Your Highness."

"But... but I..."

"Lieutenant," Tempest interrupted, stepping in front of Twilight. "Ready the Chariot for departure. The Princess will need a few minutes to discuss this with her advisors."

"At once, Commander!" The guard saluted, then turned and hurried back to the Chariot to re-hitch himself.

And Tempest looked at Twilight. "Sorry to butt in like that, but you looked like you needed a little space just then."

"I did. Thanks, Tempest."

"You're welcome. But this does sound serious." She glared around warily. "And we're too exposed here. I'll feel better once we're back in Canterlot. I say we head back, find out how extensive this is."

Trixie crossed her hooves, a wry look on her face. "So much for the quiet little holiday..."

"But what about Ponyville?" Twilight objected. She looked at Applejack and the others. "I just promised we'd help protect the town."

"It's all right, Twilight," said Applejack. "We understand. You got things to do. Important things, it sounds like. And we're tough. We can handle this -- at least until you've got a solution figgered out."

Twilight shook her head. "That's very noble of you, Applejack. But I can't just run off and abandon you. You're my friends, too."

The ponies all looked at each other, uncertainly. Then Sunset rapped a hoof.

"Don't worry about it, Twilight. I've got this. I'll stay behind and look after things here."

"Sunset?"

"Hey! I'm your backup, remember? You need somepony to organize a defense for Ponyville, so you can focus on the big picture. No sweat, I got it covered."

"But... are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure!" Sunset trotted over to throw a hoof around Applejack's shoulders. "Me and the gang, here? We're all over this. We'll defend Ponyville from... whatever this is. You and the others get back to Canterlot, do what needs doing. Send us help when you can."

Twilight looked doubtful. Then she nodded. "Thanks, Sunset."

"Not a problem, Twi."

The group trotted round in front of the Library again, and quickly explained things to the Mayor and to the waiting townsfolk. Then Twilight and the other Canterlot ponies crowded onto the Chariot.

The Guard team snapped out their wings, leapt into the sky, and carried the Chariot away with them. Sunset and the others watched it go as it dwindled away into the lighter half of the sky, headed towards Canterlot Mountain.

Then Sunset turned to the Ponyville group, and lowered her voice.

"Okay, gang, let me level with you. Up to now, I've been talking a lot of confidence that I don't really have yet. But Twilight didn't need to hear that. And neither does anypony else here. So let's take it from the top. Tell me everything that's happened, right from the moment each of you noticed something was wrong. And don't worry -- we'll figure this out, together."

She glanced around at the still-encroaching vines, then upwards, at the half-dawn, half-dusk sky.

"I hope..."

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro.
No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.