Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storm
It's hasn't been long since Twilight Sparkle and her friends defeated Tirek, and receiving her new home. Princess Twilight was glad to have her friends safe and sound, but something troubled her. She couldn't put her hoof on it though and she decided to shrug it off. "Tirek is back in Tatarus, and everypony has their magic, flight, and strength back" said Twilight to herself "so all should be right with the world, what do I have to worry about?" She Decided it's a good idea to speak to Celestia in the morning, right now it was almost midnight, she yawned and went to sleep in her new bed.
"OK new guy, I've showed you every you need to know about this prison, now any questions?" said a guard. "yes" replied the other one "what's down there?" There was a staircase that lead down into another level of the prison, at the bottom there was an iron door, with two unicorn guards standing at attention in front of it. "I don't know, they never explained it to me. It's time for me to do my rounds, I trust you know where the barrack is?" said the guard. "don't worry" replied the new one "I know where to go" "OK, good luck newbie" the guard walked away. The other guard stared curiously at the staircase.
Celestia was walking around Canterlot, enjoying the sunny day. "What a gorgeous day" she said with a smile. "nothing could ever-" Crash! "What was that" she cried. Ponies started screaming and panicking, something had hit the plaza, guards, firefighters, and medical ponies were rushing to the scene. Celestia stopped one of the guards. "What has happened?" "Some Rocks fell from the sky, they hit the areas around the plaza." Boom! Ponies went flying in all directions. Celestia raised a magic barrier in front of herself and the guard. Smoke filled the air as fires spread to the surrounding buildings. A mysterious figure walked out of the smoke, completely black. "No" Celestia whispered "It can't be" "So, you still remember me after all these years, I will burn Equestria, then I'll burn you." A ball of fire spawned in the figure's hoof, it tossed it at Celestia. She woke with a scream. Luna burst through the doors, "Sister" she cried " I heard screaming, what is wrong!" Celestia was breathing heavily, " I need to send a letter to Trottingham Prison at once.
The next morning Twilight and Spike were walking through town. "Come on Spike" Twilight called to the baby dragon. "we don't want to be late to Sweet Apple Acres to have brunch with everypony". The dragon yawned, "I'm too tired, Twilight, why do we need to have brunch, why not, dinner, you know, when it's later in the day?" Twilight sighed, "Spike, why can't you just wake up bright and cheerful for once?" "I'm never cheerful in the morning because I wake up at 6:30 in the morning, if I slept 'til 8, then I'd be cheerful." They continued walking down the road to Sweet Apple Acres, everyone else was already there. "Hi Twilight!" Called Pinkie Pie. "Morning Pinkie, it's been a while since we had brunch together." Twilight replied. " I know right, it felt like ages ago since we ate together, I mean had brunch with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Discord, But not you, so I figured we'd have brunch at the diner, then I said, wait, I have a better idea, why not have brunch at Sweet Apple Acres, and have a 'new home for Twilight brunch' because of course you got that new castle." Explained The Super Hyperactive Pink Pony. "I know sounded silly at first" said a mare with a familiar Southern accent. "Applejack" twilight said with delight. "Hey Twilight" shouted Rainbow Dash. "Good to see you Twilight" Rarity added. "Hello Twilight" said Fluttershy. "Girls, it's great to see you, how are you all feeling?" asked Twilight. "Feeling better since Tirek attacked." Applejack said. "Come on, let's eat." The six friends sat down on the blanket, and ate the food from the basket. "Mmm, this apple fritter is amazing Applejack" Twilight said as she chewed down her food. "thank ya, Twilight" "so, Twilight, how's life in the castle?" Rarity asked. "it's fine, definitely bigger, I got a little lost , but other than that it's pretty good." Spike was enjoying a banana when he felt a scroll coming out, he burped it out right onto Twilight's front right hoof. "What's this about?" Twilight asked as she opened it with her magic. "Dear Twilight, I am calling to ask you about how Ponyville is getting along after your battle with Tirek, and how you and your friends are doing. Please write back when you get a chance, don't forget about the Royal Summit next week in Canterlot. Yours truly, Princess Celestia." Twilight put down the scroll. "Well, Ponyville is fine right? All the buildings are still standing, and we all recovered, I'll write back when I get home." She said.
The girls finished brunch and headed back to Ponyville. It was 1:00 in the afternoon at that point, everypony in Ponyville was visiting a shop, at work, or simply taking a stroll. It was calm, the birds were chirping, the sun was shining bright. Mayor Mare was in her office, when a messenger came in. "A letter from Princess Celestia, Miss Mayor." said the messenger. "Thank you, sir" The Mayor replied. "Let's see what it says."
Miss Mayor,
I hope Ponyville is getting back to normal after our most recent events, I write to you to request that some of the guards I had stationed in town to be sent to Trottingham as soon as possible. They are a bit short handed this month due to a lot of guards being in hospital with Hay Fever. I understand if you feel the need to keep your guards at their posts, but I'm sure you can spare at least a few of them.
Yours,
Princess Celestia
"Trottingham? Why Trottingham?" She Asked "Nothing ever happens there, everything happens here amazingly enough." She thought for a moment. "I might as well, if the Princess needs them, then so be it." The Mayor sighed.
Twilight was back in her castle, she was a little lost in trying to find a place to sit down and write. Finally, she found a small library in the east Wing. "This seems like a good spot." She said to herself. "Now where are my quills?" She searched through all her stuff, but the quills were no where to be found. "Spike!" she yelled, "Have you seen my quills?" "Sorry Twilight, I don't!" Spike called back. Twilight groaned, she got up and looked in her bedroom. "I might have left them in here" she thought. She searched the room thoroughly, but still no quills. "I defeated Nightmare Moon, saved my friends from Discord, stopped the invasion of Canterlot, went to another universe, and with the help of my friends, stopped Tirek from destroying Equestria." She said aloud, "Yet I can't find a single quill." Owlicious came in through an open window with a cheerful hoot. "Oh, hey Owlicious, had a nice flight?" Twilight said while still looking for a quill. The owl soon plucked one of it's feathers, and dipped it in ink. Hoot. Twilight turned around. "Oh thank you Owlicious, you have no idea how much I need this." She went over to her desk and started writing.
Celestia was worried, she hasn't heard from Twilight since she sent the letter. "She's never this late when writing back to me, I hope everything's alright." she thought to herself. She heard the doors opening, as they did, Princess Luna walked in. "Sister, are you alright? You've been a bit nervous lately." she said to Celestia, "I'm concerned about why." Celestia thought for a moment, she gave a deep breath and spoke. "I had a dream last night Luna, I saw Canterlot burning, burned by an escaped prisoner from Trottingham prison. I talked to the warden there and he said that no-pony has escaped the prison and no-pony will." Luna soon got nervous herself. "I talked to Captain Ringheat, he said you are ordering him and his unit to Trottingham, do you want me to accompany them?" Luna said, hoping to make sure that it was a dream and not another vision. "Are you sure?" Celestia said, now concerned for Luna. Luna nodded and said "I'm sure it's nothing, I think it's a good idea to go to make sure that the warden's claim is correct." Celestia nodded, "Very well, but be careful." "I will" Luna said as she turned around and walked over to meet up with Captain Ringheat. Celestia was worried, her visions haven't been wrong before, and if this one was, Equestria will be facing a threat beyond anything before.
Twilight was still writing the letter when spike came in. "Twilight" he called "come quick, the Mayor wants to see you." Twilight looked up from the letter. "Did she say why?" the Alicorn asked. "She said it was urgent" Spike replied. Twilight sighed, "OK, I'll finish the letter later" She stood up and walked to Town Hall. "Make sure I'm notified when they arrive" the Mayor explained to one of the guards. "yes ma'am" the guard replied. Twilight walked into the office, "Miss Mayor, you wanted to see me?" "Yes I did, Princess Celestia sent me a letter a little while ago, with a request to send a few of our guards to Trottingham prison, some of the guards there have hay fever, I wanted to let you know as soon I could, and ask that you talk to the Princess when you can too." the Mayor explained. "Why do you need me to talk to her?" Twilight asked. "Because I have to make a speech to everypony as not to alarm them of the guards' departure". Twilight nodded and went back to the Castle.