Editor's Note:

After the Battle of Ponyville, I collected all the surviving letters of seven of the key participants: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Princess Celestia, and myself. The following have been arranged chronologically and taken together, form valuable primary sources of the disaster that was to befall the land of Equestria.

1 (Twilight Sparkle)

Dearest Princess Celestia,

Today I learned an important lesson about friendship: it means getting over your differences and figuring out what you have in common. This evening, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack wanted to throw a huge party with dancing and music, but Rarity, Fluttershy and I just wanted a chance to sit with our friends and talk. We argued and argued and finally agreed to have a big dinner, with dancing during dessert that led to a big pudding fight! It ended up being a great evening, and all because we remembered that, despite our differences, we still wanted to spend the evening together!

Hope things are well in the Royal City of Canterlot. Say hi to Shining Armor for me, and tell him he's the best big brother I could ever hope for!

Your student,

Twilight Sparkle

ps. This is not necessarily related to my studies in the magical power of friendship, but it's been on my mind and I figured that you would be a good pony to ask. Have you ever heard of anypony getting a second cutie mark? Everyone knows that your cutie mark appears on your flank when you discover the thing that makes you special – mine has been a sparkle ever since I decided I wanted to study magic – but what would it mean to get a second one? Apart from people getting the cutie pox, I've never heard of that.

But yesterday, I was brushing my mane and I noticed that on my back, there seems to be some kind of orange bird. At first, I thought it was Pinkie Pie playing a practical joke and tried to scrub it off. But it's not paint…the orange bird is there to stay. I don't know what this means; do I have two special purposes? I haven't told anyone else yet, and I've combed my mane in a way so that nopony can see this extra mark. Please let me know if there is something wrong with me!

pps. Wow, that ps was longer than my whole letter! You can see where my mind is!

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

There is nothing wrong with you. It is not common to get a second cutie mark, but neither is it unheard of. It will not keep you from pursuing the things you love, and it may even help you in your goals and dreams. Thank you for telling me about this. I am so grateful to have your trust and friendship.

I'm sad to give you some bad news as well as the good; the second cutie mark is not very well understood and, like all creatures, we ponies tend to be afraid of what we do not understand. I wish that we as a community would be more willing to discuss the second cutie, because then young ponies like you wouldn't have to worry. But there are ponies that believe – and trust me, they are completely, completely wrong about this! – that the second cutie mark is a curse and a bad portent of…changes to come.

I would certainly tell your closest friends about this; they have proven themselves to you that they will support you no matter what. But I would understand if you continued to hide the mark with your mane, at least for the time being. The people of Ponyville are good and kind, but they can be superstitious as well. Perhaps I am underestimating them. I certainly hope so.

Please keep me up to date with everything in your life. If you do experience any changes of any sort, I will be happy to help you talk through them.

Your friend,

Princess Celestia

Ps. I'll be sure to send your greetings to Shining Armor. He talks about you all the time!