War is on the Horizon

Celestia was curled up on her bed when it arrived.

Sensing a presence she lifted her head and looked around. The gold and marble room was sparsely decorated, mostly there were only a few pieces of furniture made from wood that had went extinct over 900 years ago and murals of her greatest feats as the Sun princess. A particular favorite was the total eclipse 1100 years ago that her sister had helped with.

"Lulu? Is that you sister?"

But as quickly as the presence arrived it disappeared. Shaking her head at Luna's antics she laid her head back down. Only the crunch of paper kept Celestia from falling asleep immediately.

Lifting her head she noticed a scroll on her pillow. What happened next would change Equestria forever. Celestia opened the scroll and read.

If it tis thy who art reading this be forewarned. We shalt not take lightly thy curse that thou hath placed upon us as Luna hath so gladly given Us knowledge of. At twilight in five moons my hoards shall fall upon thy kingdom as revenged wolves upon prey. Tis thy only warning. Long Live the Luner Republic, Long last the Endless Night, Long Live the True ruler of the world, Thy Queen Nightmare Moon.

Celestia dropped the letter tears running down her face.

"No, dear sister. I will not loose you again to this monstrosity. Never again I promised myself!"

Rising from her bed the princess of the sun used her magic to lift her regalia and place it upon her head and neck. Slipped her golden horseshoes on her feet she opened her door.

"Guards! Wake the captain and his lieutenants, the generals as well. Then bring the council members to my chambers we have much to discuss."

"Immediately my Princess!" The guard said with a salute before running down the hall.

Closing the doors she went to her one and only desk before drawing a scroll, ink and a quill.

Celestia paused to wipe a tear from her cheek. She knew this wasn't a joke, Her sister would never touch the seal that Nightmare Moon used to sign the scroll.

With this thought she began to write the letter that would place Equestria in eternal sunlight, as well as eternal night.

Looking back if she knew what she did now, she would have simply burned all traces of her sister and herself from the kingdom, leaving it without a ruler. After all, anarchy was better then what appeared. But this was years before she would be sane enough to cry over her mistakes.

Dear Twilight Sparkle, I require your presence at Canterlot. An emergency has appeared and it will take the elements of harmony to expell this evil. If possible please bring the zebra known as Zecora, I have found her knowledge great...

~~*~~

Twilight Sparkle reread the letter from Celestia.

Spike shook his head "What are you going to do Twilight?"

"What I always do when Equestria is in trouble Spike, Whatever I can." The unicorn replyed.

Twilight grabbed her saddle bags with her magic placing several books she thought would help her in the coming days as she troted torrods the door.

"Please mind the library till I come back ok Spike?"

The little dragon snapped to attention and saluted. "You got it!" Peewee gave a inceraging squak and Owlecious whooted.

"Thanks guys, your the best."

~~*~~

"So y'all saying the princess says theres a new emergancy, but she didn' say what it was? Other than we gotta go grab Zecora and head up to Canterlot by, what, noon?" Applejack said with her southern drawl.

Twilight sighed as everypony finally got going. One break she finally got today was that Rainbow Dash was just coming to see her for help with a new trick, but as soon as she was told of the situation flew off to get Fluttershy and Rarity. It wasn't too hard to convince Pinkie Pie to come, afterall she loved to visit Zecora. Something about family traits. But getting Applejack to leave, now during apple harvest time was tough.

"Yes! As I was saying we have to leave Now if we're going to get to Canterlot on time. Celestia was very distrought when writing the letter."

Twilight was one of perhaps five ponies alive that knew what Celestia's hoofwriting looked like when she was distrought. And one of them was her privious student Spell Nexus, another her sister Luna.

Still they had to get to Zecora's now if they wanted to got there on time!

Applejack stopped walking and Twilight bumped into her. Applejack turned to look at her with a smirk.

"Ah don' think we gotta worry about Zecora now Twi."

"Huh?"

Twilight peered around the orange mare and saw a bouncing pink shap in the distance followed by the distenct coloring of Zecora.

"But Pinkie is right behind me!"

But when she turned around she was gone. I'll never understand that mare. Twilight's thoughts always seemed to go along the same lines whenever Pinkie Pie broke the laws of reality. Which sadly was a daily accrance.

"Hi Twilight, Hi Applejack! Zecora was making a potion so I thought I'd just pop up, anyway Rainbow Dash and the other girls should be at the station already so lets go!"

"Tis very true. Pinkie jumped out of my precious brew. But we must make hast, If evil in this place is so great. The princess of the sun is not one we should make wait."

The ponies nodded at Zecora's sage words and went quickly to the station.

~~*~~

After meeting the others at the station the seven of them quickly borded the Morning Canterlot Express and sat in silence as Twilight explained what little she knew of the situation. It took several hours but they finally intered the Canterlot station. Lucky for them, the royal express had been finished just a few weeks earlier so they changed trains. The guards would have cheeked them Shining Blade recognized Twilight from having to watch her when Cadence or Armor couldn't.

Finally they reached there destination.

"Miss Sparkle, the Princess is waiting in the throne room for you and your friends" A royal guard motioned for them to follow him as he left the station.

With a nod they followed him up through the castle doors and to the throne room.

Unlike normal where only two guards stood on either side of the double doors, there were eight, including four of the batwinged Lunar guard.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle and The Barrers of the Elements of Harmony, as well as Miss Zecora has arrived to see the Princess."

The guards nodded in unison and backed away as the doors opened.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried racing up to her mentor. After a quick bow she rubbed her back against the princess the same way that she did when her friends had first seen Celestia and Twilight enteract at the Summer Sun Celebration nearly two years ago.

"Twilight, its good to see you again, especially in this time of need" Celestia nuzzled her student. "And your friends of course."

Everypony finally met in the middle of the exceptionally long room.

"Sadly the news I bare is grim endeed."

"What is it princess?" Twilight asked.

"Yes endeed, we wish to know. What is it that has gotten our mighty Princess in such distress? A dragon or a windago you could blast away with a single blow. Even you diplomatic knowlage would deal with invation with much finess."

Celestia sighed, then took a single breath.

"My little ponies, Nightmare Moon has returned and is planing on inading Equestria."