Dungeons and Discords

Rainbow burst back into the Golden Oak Library. She’d witnessed first-hoof another chocolate storm, despite what Sunshower had said. Something was most definitely up–literally. The gravity shifts were only taking place and affecting ponies down on the ground; none of the ponies up in Cloudsdale had witnessed them. Rainbow was really hoping that would mean something to Twilight, and that she’d be able to stop the gravity shifts once and for all.

“Hey Twiley!” yelled Rainbow. “Can we talk!?”

“Sure,” said Twilight coming down the stairs.

"You're not to busy reading books?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. “So what do you want to talk about?”

“First off, the gravity shifts are only affecting ponies on the ground. Nopony in Cloudsdale even has any idea what I’m talking about.”

“Well that’s interesting,” said Twilight. “It should narrow my search parameters.”

“What?”

“Search parameters? Guess you wouldn’t know what they are if you don’t read a lot of books on phrases.”

“Who cares about silly phrases? ‘One rotten apple spoils the barrel’ is wrong because I know from Applejack that one doesn’t–”

“I was joking,” said Twilight.

Rainbow paused her rant. “Oh.”

“I think I found a book that might explain gravity shifts and other sorts of chaos,” said Twilight. “If only I can remember where I put it….”

“Let’s hope you can,” muttered Rainbow, glancing at the shelves and shelves of books. “Otherwise it may take a few years to find it.”

“Darling, these are beautiful!” exclaimed Rarity, showing Fluttershy a pink and yellow dress. “Look, it would match your headbands perfectly!”

“Oh it would,” Fluttershy agreed.

Fluttershy and Rarity were at Hooverds, the new shopping mall that had been erected in Ponyville. Rarity and Fluttershy had visited every week since it opened. The fact that there was chocolate rain hadn’t stopped them from having their weekly date.

Fluttershy pointed at a small department that seemed to be selling books. “I didn’t know that Hooverds sold books!”

“Let’s check it out.”

The friends walked into the bookstore, passing by the Cutie Mark Crusaders (Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle) in a candy shop. As they entered the book store, it felt as though they had been transported a hundred moons back in time. The shop was carpeted in shades of red and yellow; there were shelves like a library, all filled with books; the place was lit with oil lamps.

“Why hello,” said an old pony behind the desk. He wore clothes that matched the fashion style of the time–of the rest of the place (Rarity winced), and a monocle.

“I like your clothes,” said Fluttershy.

“I like them too,” said Rarity in a slightly strained voice.

“Why thank you,” said the pony. “It’s from olden pony times. You’d be surprised how comfortable they made clothes back then.”

“Can we have a look around?” asked Fluttershy.

“Of course!” said the old pony.

Rarity and Fluttershy walked down an aisle.

“Ooh, look, they have Arctic Animals!” exclaimed Fluttershy. “I love that book!”

Rarity gasped. “Look! They have the completed works of Hoofdini’s escapes!”

“And Daring Do!”

“And Shadow Spade!”

All of a sudden there was a cry from outside: “Cheerilee!”

Rarity and Fluttershy darted from the shop and looked down on the first floor. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were staring at their teacher, Cheerilee.

Except Cheerilee wasn’t herself.

She had been turned to stone.