Okay, I know I don't have any fans on here, since I haven't posted anything more than a couple chapters of my Zelda fic (I am still working on that, but it'll get a complete revision. I got some critique from my writer's circle which gave me some excellent ways to improve the whole thing from a storyline perspective.), but I recently became a Brony after a friend got me curious. Since then, I have become a fanatic, and created an OC who will be co-starring this story. The friend who got me hooked wrote a fic (a three-panel comic really) shipping my OC and Twilight, so now I'm fleshing out her story into a multi-chapter fic. I'm still holding it to some standards though, so don't expect any half-baked romance/erotica, I try to keep it family friendly in most regards. Anyway, enough foreword, let's get to the story.

Chapter 1

A Harmonious Return

"Twilight! Twilight!" The ever honest voice of Applejack echoed through the ancient oak that housed Ponyville library. "Twilight Sparkle!"

That final yell made Twilight jerk awake, her eyes wide and mane unkempt. She looked around, still in a dream addled state, until she heard Applejack call her name once again. She looked out the little round window that connected her room to the outside world. Applejack waved at her from down below, signaling Twilight to let her into the library.

She crawled out of bed, nearly tripping several times on her way down the stairs to the main floor. As she moved to the door, sliding the wooden bolt out of its resting place, she yawned loudly.

Wincing as bright sunlight hit her sleepy eyes, she opened the door to let Applejack into the library. "By Hayseed's cleft hoof, Twilight, what happened to ya?" Applejack's voice was shocked.

"Hmm?" Twilight blinked slowly before shaking her head. "Oh, sorry, you just woke me up. I haven't had a chance to fix my mane yet."

"It's more than just your mane, Twi. When was the last time you took a bathe? You smell like Granny Smith's week-olds."

Twilight was really waking up now. "Oh, my apologies Applejack, I haven't been feeling like myself lately, and I've been losing track of time so easily."

"I'll say you ain't been yerself. Why, I hardly seen hide nor hair of ya fer the past two days. Fluttershy says Spike's been staying with her because you keep forgetting to feed him, and you haven't been to either of Pinkie's last two parties." She looked Twilight in her now fully awake eyes. "What's going on Twi?"

She blinked, then closed her eyes and sighed. "It's been five years since I came here, Applejack, and it still doesn't feel like home." She looked out past Applejack, gazing into the distance, the sun approaching the horizon. "When I made the decision to stay here, I was still under the rush from the elements of harmony, and I was prepared to throw away everything for my friends."

"Ye mean ya ain't prepared to do that anymore?" Applejack asked, a bit of hurt in her voice.

"No, no." Twilight said, trying to calm Applejack's fears. "But I forgot all the things that moving here would entail." She turned her head, shame creeping across her features. "Honestly, I miss my old Canterlot lifestyle. I miss being able to look out my study window and seeing hundreds of ponies I didn't know, and who didn't know me. Now everywhere I go, I can't seem to escape the same all-too familiar faces." She turned to Applejack. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just not used to really settling into a pattern. And what with nothing catastrophic happening, I haven't had anything to break up the monotony."

Applejack smiled. "Rarity said it would be something like that. To tell the truth, I thought it was just her usual fancy-schmancy ways making her say that." She half turned, gesturing for Twilight to follow. "Could you come with me? We've got a bit of a surprise for ye!"

Twilight nodded. "Just a moment, like you said, I haven't cleaned myself up in a while." She closed her eyes, her horn glowing a violet-tinged red. Soon the putrid scent was replaced by a peculiar absence of smell. She opened her eyes once again, shaking her head a little. She looked at Applejack, grimacing slightly. "I'd do my mane, but Rarity will fuss with it anyway."

Applejack laughed. "Yep, she sure will. Rarity won't accept anything short of perfect beauty when it comes to anypony." She led the way through town, heading toward town hall right in the center of town.

They stood before the large double doors, Applejack, listening at the door for a moment before knocking. She threw open the doors, revealing their friends waiting inside.

Rarity was, of course, the first to gasp and rush toward Twilight. "Oh my stars! Twilight, do you even own a mirror? Come now, I'll fix that right up." She led Twilight to a table set up along one wall and sat her down, hairbrushes and hair spray seeming to simply appear and disappear in her grasp.

"I knew I could count on you Rarity." Twilight said under her breath. "Anyway, what's this surprise you have for me?"

Pinkie bounced up and down, her excitement apparently having gotten control of her will power once already. A strip of silver duct tape was covering her mouth as she tried to mumble out an endless stream of blabbering nonsense.

Fluttershy spoke up, or raised her voice so that Twilight could hear it over the brushing of her hair. "Well, it's just a little thing. We know you haven't been feeling well, so we all chipped in to get you a short -." Her voice got quieter and quieter at the end.

"Geez Fluttershy, can't you finish a thought before you clam up?" Rainbow's harsh voice shattered the relatively warm atmosphere of caring. "We got you a short vacation to Manehattan to see a new Bridleway show."

Twilight's ears perked up at this. "A Bridleway show? I've wanted to see one of those ever since I was a little filly. What's the name of the show?"

"Oh you'll like this part." Rarity said. "According to my sources, they modified an old Scribble Stick play called Upon Midsummer's Dusk."

Twilight laughed. "I remember playing a part in that when I was in magic kindergarten. I was one of the fairies, Peacebloom, I think."

"Peacebloom? Whatever kind of a name is that?" Rarity chuckled slightly. "Dear, your hair is fabulous once again."

"Thanks Rarity." Twilight got up from her seat and looked at each of her friends in turn. "Thanks, all of you. A good change of pace should be just what I need." She paused for a moment. "But, who will take care of Spike and Owlowiscious while I'm gone?"

"Oh, it's fine Twilight, I can take care of them for a week, easily." Fluttershy spoke up, now clearly audible without the sound of brushing going on.

"Oh, well, who will man the library while I'm gone?" Twilight had a slightly worried tone in her voice.

Rainbow fell over, floating in mid air and laughing. Pinkie joined in, laughing so hard it ripped the duct tape in half. "Twilight, in the past month, how many ponies have come to the library?" Pinkie asked in the gasps between her guffaws of laughter.

"Lots." Twilight said indignantly. "There was, umm…" She paused, thinking. "Well, that grey Pegasus, Derpy, came by for muffin recipes last week."

Rainbow fell to the ground in fresh guffaws. "Oh Celestia, you gave her those recipes?"

Twilight took a proud stance. "As the librarian, it is my duty to help those who search for knowledge."

"Twilight, ye've helped one crazy pony find a muffin recipe over the course of the past month. I'm fairly certain that no one will need yer services for the week ye'll be gone." Applejack said, consolingly.

Twilight sighed. "I guess you're right." She perked up. "At least that means I'll be open to leave whenever it happens." She turned to Rarity. "When is the performance?"

"Next weekend, so we've got some time to get you ready." She said, a fashionista glint in her eye.

"Get me ready? What for? It's just a Bridleway show. And I've still got that dress from the Gala."

"Oh really dear, do you want all the bad luck from the Gala to ruin your positively fabulous vacation? And anyway, if you meet somepony there, you don't want to go on a date without a special dress."

"Rarity," Twilight began to voice objections, but stopped, hanging her head. "Is there any way that you'd take no as an answer?"

"Absolutely not."

"I can't pay you?"

"It's a gift, my dear. No charge whatsoever."

Twilight sighed. "Well, I guess I'm going on this vacation, whether I like it or not."

"Yes." Came the resounding chorus from her friends.