Wherever you are,
I am with you.
Twilight
I have noticed that things seem to be so ‘normal’ lately. I wouldn’t call it normal for me and my friends, since our lives have been anything but normal, but all that has been going on lately has been the mediocrity that is everyday life in Ponyville. And it has been nice, really. Just the small problems have arisen, such as Fluttershy’s Angel bunny breaking a leg that ended up needing splinted, which while it caused Fluttershy to panic, wasn’t really that big of a deal. As per usual, Rainbow Dash has been trying to perfect a dangerous stunt of some sort; I haven’t paid enough attention to know the name. Applejack has been busy as ever on the farm, as it is apple buck season, but she refuses to except help from anyone but Big Macintosh. Rarity has her boutique, which is thriving under a new trend that she created. Pinkie Pie has her parties. Spike is busy helping me out with the library. Everything has just been normal.
Normal. The joy of normalcy has been the lesson in friendship that I have learned recently. I think that it’s worth a quick letter to Princess Celestia. I gather writing material, levitating my parchment and quill over to my writing table. Spike is out and about, so I can’t ask him to take a letter, and I also feel that this is one that I need to write on my own. I begin writing.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Through the past few weeks, I have discovered just how wonderful a little bit of normalcy can be. This has been a useful lesson in friendship for me. Sometimes, after the chaos that is everyday life, we learn that the normal things are no longer boring, but comforting.
I never would have imagined that I would make this discovery. I still love eventful days, don’t get me wrong, like when Rainbow Dash crashes through my window trying to perfect a new trick, or when Applejack comes to me for some help on the farm; it’s just that I don’t miss the days when there is some kind of crisis on the large scale. It’s been awhile since anything as big and Discord or Nightmare Moon’s returns have taken place, and I’m glad
I guess what I’m saying is, I have learned that friendship is still important during the quiet times. My friends and I are as close as ever, spending time together at the spa or Sugarcube Corner rather than out fighting monsters, running from Hydras, or stepping in poison joke. There is joy in the calm times, and I never would have believed that until I experienced it myself.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
I pause before I set the letter aside to be sent by Spike. I wonder if there’s anything else. I really think that the letter about covers the past month or so. I guess things really have been just normal for me to send a letter about it.
Of course, just as I was finishing that thought, Spike rushes in the door, back from helping Rarity out at the boutique. He hasn’t been helping her out as much anymore; after he formally admitted his love for her, things became awkward between them. Rarity had to break it to him that he is a baby dragon while she is a full grown pony. But much to her dismay, Spike still insists to help from time to time, regardless of knowing that his love is unrequited.
“What’s wrong, Spike?” I ask, jokingly. “Opalescence chase you home again?”
As he tries to catch his breath, he hands me a scroll. Thinking that it is a letter from the Princess, I open it immediately. There are no words on the inside; only strange markings. “This came in while I was walking home. I have no idea what it is, but it gives me a really bad feeling, Twilight.”
Now I’m even more curious about it, along with a little concerned. I scan the page over again for any sign of logic to the gobbledygook that is on the page. “I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll check it out, though.” I pause trying to remember what I was going to ask when Spike came home. “Oh! In the meantime, will you send this letter to the Princess for me?” I take the scroll over to my reading table. “I don’t know what these markings are; they look familiar, but I just can’t quite place it. I don’t get the best feeling looking at this either, Spike. I’ll do my best to figure this out quickly.” I begin to take books off of the shelves. “Could you help me find books on languages, Spike?”
After hours of studying on my part and Spike’s, I have absolutely no idea what the scroll could possibly say. I’ve looked in every book in the library on languages, and I have begun to look in books randomly out of desperation. Perhaps there’s a book in another library. This library doesn’t have every book in Equestria, for sure. But I know somewhere that almost does: the Canterlot Archives. Maybe I should send them a letter to see if they have any additional books on the subject. Or better yet, I could go myself. It’s been awhile since I have visited my family. But I can’t go right now; it’s the middle of the night. I guess I’ll catch the train in the morning after a good night’s rest tonight.
But regardless of my fatigue, I simply cannot bring myself to put up these books and go to bed. So much for normal, I guess. Then again, it isn’t that unusual for me to obsess over a piece of literature (or whatever this is) to the point of insomnia. What is unusual is the fact that I have absolutely no leads whatsoever. Usually, there is some glimmer of a clue, but I have absolutely no ideas on this one.
I sent Spike to bed a short while ago and he hasn’t made a sound, other than the occasional snore, for hours. Owlowiscioius hasn’t even stopped by, simply choosing to spend a night flying through our humble town, enjoying the scenery. I am perfectly alone. Solitude is a peculiar thing. Sometimes, one enjoys it, while others, one hungers for company. Tonight is one of the latter. I was lonely for so many years in my fillyhood and just didn’t realize it. It really is a relief to be able to put a name to an emotion that was once just a mystery to me. But, this loneliness is another good reason for me to just go to bed.
I climb the stairs to my room. I guess I’ll just call it a night.
I was about to head to Canterlot when I received a letter from the Princesses. They would like to see me immediately if at all possible. I wonder why? In any case, I’m taking the scroll with me so that I can show it to them. Maybe they have some answers. Perhaps with their thousands of years of knowledge, they will have an idea as to what these symbols mean.
I had Spike send a reply that I would be there as quickly as I could be. So now, I’m on the train to Canterlot. I note the scenery as we speed through the mountains and tunnels. Mainly there is grey rock, some of it glimmers, but in the green patches of grass and trees, wildlife thrives. I see the occasional bunny or bird, but not much else of note. Riding the train to Canterlot isn’t necessarily the most entertaining journey without my friends to liven things up, but with the urgency of the Princesses message, I did not have time to invite them to come along, though I’m sure that Rarity would have loved to come and see Canterlot again.
The Princesses deeply apologized for interrupting the normalcy that I spoke so well of, as they wished that they shared the possibility of a normal life. But they have obligations, and one of them required them to disrupt my plans. But of course I’m okay with it, I mean, it’s the princesses that we’re talking about, not just some random pony demanding for me to come with them for no reason whatsoever.
The train stops. As I depart the vehicle, I notice that the people around me don’t seem to be their usual happy, snobbish selves. The streets aren’t very crowded, but I still see a few acquaintances along the way that I wave at, though they fail to respond. Some wounds just cannot be healed, I guess. I did treat them pretty poorly in my time here. I have learned a lot about friendship since I moved to Ponyville that I wished that I had learned a long time ago.
Grey clouds loom ahead. Perhaps the chance of rain has everypony gloomy. Oddly, I don’t see any weather pegasi around, and the weather in Canterlot is usually less relaxed than the weather in Ponyville. The Canterlot elite don’t want their days interrupted by a rain storm, for goodness sakes!
I reach the palace. I’m always secretly in awe at its grandeur, even though there was a point when I came here almost every day. As such, the guards let me through easily, with only a nod of acknowledgement. I wander down the hallways adorned with red runners of carpet soft underneath my hooves. I prefer to walk on the carpeted surfaces as opposed to the tile, because it makes my hoofsteps less obnoxious and echo less. As I pass the grand hall, I note that there isn’t an oppressive line of ponies creeping out into the hallways. I am to meet the princesses in the palace library. When I reach it, I enter.
The princesses look up upon hearing the creaking doors open. When I look them in the eye, Princess Celestia seems as calm as always, but Princess Luna has a look of urgency in her eyes, being not as well schooled in facial expression. “Good afternoon, Twilight. As always, it is a pleasure to see you,” Princess Celestia says, smiling ever so slightly. “But sadly, this is not a visit of pleasure that I have called you here for.” She pauses with a slight sigh. “I’ll get right to the point. The Elements of Harmony have gone missing and we have no leads as to their whereabouts.”
“What?” I ask, not really expecting an answer. “You’re telling me that the Elements of Harmony, possibly the most important artifacts in all of Equestria are gone? With no signs at all?”
Luna responds, shaking her head sadly and pacing across the room. “That is exactly what we are telling you, Twilight Sparkle. We are as deeply concerned as you are, but we can only work with what we have. We need your help to find them.”
“I am truly sorry that this task must fall upon you, Twilight,” Princess Celestia continues. “But we simply cannot leave Canterlot for long stretches of time to go on a wild goose chase. We were thinking that perhaps you and your friends have a powerful enough connection to the Elements to be able to find them with more ease than Luna and I.”
“I understand completely. And I think that I might already have a clue. It’s just that I can’t decipher it to be able to tell for sure.” I pull the mysterious scroll from my saddle bags. “I was already coming to Canterlot to search the archives for books on languages that I lack. But since I’m here, I thought that one of you might be able to read it. If not, that’s fine and I’ll just proceed with my search as planned.” I levitate the aforementioned object over to Princess Celestia, who grasps it with her magic and unfurls it.
Her eyes scan the page. “I believe that I recognize this language, though I am rusty in it.” She motions to Luna to come over and look with her. “How did you come to find this?” she asks, looking up expectantly.
“Spike got in on his way home and brought it to me at the library. We both have a bad feeling about it and can’t figure out why,” I reply.
“Hmm… nothing that points towards the Elements’ whereabouts. This scroll speaks of a curse.” Princess Celestia seems lost in thought for a moment. “Odd. I’m not familiar with the curse. I don’t think that you have been on the receiving end, however. But it does seem like a strange thing to show up out of nowhere.”
A curse? But curses aren't real, are they? I can't question the princesses’ judgment, though. “Well, I’m glad to hear that I haven’t been cursed, but it still raises more questions than it answers.”
Princess Luna looks at the scroll again. “I will translate this for you, Twilight, in case it will be of aide in your search for the Elements.”
“Thank you, Princess.” I smile at Luna. I turn to Princess Celestia. “And I will start the search right away. I’ll get my friends together and we’ll get to work.”
“Thank you, Twilight. Luna will send you the letter once it is translated." Luna nods.
We say our goodbyes and I head back to Ponyville.
“So you’re saying that the Elements are gone all of the sudden?” asks a skeptical Rainbow Dash. I gathered everyone at the library to discuss this matter of importance.
“That’s what I’m saying,” I reply. “It doesn’t make any sense to me either, if that’s any consolation.”
“How would that be of any comfort? That just makes things worse!”
Applejack seems annoyed. “So the Princesses expect us to just drop everything and go out searching for them? Some of us have obligations, you know. All of us have jobs, and some of us just can’t leave at the drop of a hat.” For emphasis, she throws her hat to the ground.
“Of course that’s what they’re expecting, and we must comply,” Rarity retorts. “This isn’t just something like the Royal Wedding. This is a matter of national emergency. The very last line of defense has been taken away from us.”
Fluttershy shifts awkwardly on her hooves. “Um, excuse me, but I need some time to find someone to take care of the animals before we leave. That is, um, if it’s alright with you.” The yellow pegasus squeaks nervously.
I answer everypony’s questions at once. “Of course everypony can have some time to put everything in order before we go. I couldn’t just expect you all to be ready to head out immediately.”
Pinkie Pie seems more nervous than usual. “I guess I’ll have to cancel some parties. But that’s okay!” the party pony smiles. “We’ll just have a huge party when we get back!”
“I have some research to do before we leave anyway,” I finalize.
At that, everybody heads out to tie up their loose ends.
Spike comes running in with a scroll. “It’s from Princess Luna.”
“Ah! I was expecting it. Thank you, Spike!” I say.
I open the scroll and look at the translated curse within. It isn’t really a complicated spell, but it seems to be sinister for some reason. Something about the wording that changes a simple into something far more dangerous. Not that I’m going to try it. And I didn’t believe in curses anyway until the princesses were talking about them back at the palace.
This whole situation strikes me as a bit illogical. The Elements chamber is well guarded since Discord’s return, and not they disappear without any sign at all? It all seems a bit fishy to me.
Ah well. Nothing to do but search. I pull books off of the shelves in no particular order. I have no idea whatsoever what I’m looking for. All I can do is a random search.
I pull out one book at random. “A Searchers Guide to Finding Lost Objects, Mystical or Otherwise. Huh. This library is just full of surprises.” I begin to read. “There is a simple way to find an object that is lost. All you need is the object’s magical signature from the object in order to trace it with ease.” And I think I know just where to get the Elements’ signature: my friends. If it will work. If not, then I guess it’s back to the drawing board. “Once the signature is found, a simple tracking spell will be able to help you find the object in question.”
Well, it’s getting late, and I may have found what I needed. I guess it’s time to go to bed and tackle this problem tomorrow.
The night falls
And I am alone.
Ah loneliness
I love and loathe thee.
But right now
There's only me
During the day
My friends protect me
And I must say
It sets me free
To safely roam.
But night falls,
And I am alone.
