Chapter 1: third person point of view
Twilight sparkle was sitting in her library reading a book like she always does. Her horn started to glow purple as the page of the book magically turned.
"Twilight," Spike yelled as he rushed down the stairs with a letter in his hand. Twilight looked up from her book as her purple companion started to run out of breath.
"What is it Spike?" She got up at she looked at her dragon with great concern.
"P-Princes-Princess Celestia," he said as he pushed the opened letter towards the unicorn. She used her magic to take the letter from the dragons hand right before he collapsed onto the floor from exhaustion.
"My dearest student," she began to read, "I need you and your friend's assistance with a royal matter. I have been speaking with the mayor of an outside country and they have found it a splendid idea to merge the two countries into one. The only problem is that I am far to busy to attend a thurogh inspection of the country with other royal matters, I need you and your friends to go check it out. I wait eagerly for your reply, from Princess Celestia." Twilight lowered the letter in confusion as it fell to the ground peacefully.
"This is rather strange," she commented after a long while of silence. "She didn't even say what the name of the neighboring Country was called."
Spike slowly picked himself up and dusted off his purple scales, "she probably forgot to include it in the paper."
"It's a possibility," she said as she trotted off towards the door to her tree-home.
"Where are you going," Spike asked.
"To talk to the others and see if they will come with me to this neighboring country."
"SO just like that you're going to go with what Princess Celestia says?"
Twilight nodded, "I have come to understand that when Princess Celestia asks me of something that there is a reason for her wanting me to do said task, I'll be back shortly." Spike nodded and waited for her to close the door and trot off towards Sweet Apple Acers to meet up with everypony. Spike picked the not up off of the wooden ground and reread it while he cleaned up the tree.
When Twilight arrived to Sweet Apple Acers Apple Jack and Big Macintosh were bucking apples. She trotted over to her orange friend with a stern look on her face, Apple Jack was puzzled considering her friend only has that look when she's concerned or something bad happened.
"Howdy Twilight, what seems to be the problem?"
Twilight shot Apple Jack a small smile and greeted her, "Hello AJ, how's the apple bucking going?"
"Pretty swell," was all the said. Twilight used her magic to levitate the note in front of her friends face. Apple Jack started to read the letter as she asked, "what's this?"
"A letter from Princess Celestia," Twilight explained as Apple Jack's light green eyes skimmed the paper. Twilight waited patiently for her friend to finish the letter.
"An outside country? Amazing," she commented as Twilight rolled her eyes. "So you want all of us to go with you on a trip to a country that is about to be added to Equestria," Apple Jack asked. Twilight assumed her friend read the entire letter and used her magic to quickly roll it back up and stick it in her saddle bag that she had.
She nodded, "yes. Where's Rainbow Dash?" Apple Jack gazed up at a near by tree top, Twilight couldn't help but lock on to her friends sight. What she saw almost shocked her, she saw Rainbow Dash laying in a tree sleeping the day away. Twilight shook her head and trotted over to the tree, which Big Macintosh just so happened to be standing next to. "Excuse me Big Macintosh," she interrupted the colts hard work. The red stallion stole a glance at Twilight and smiled.
"Eyup?" He looked at Twilight with a happy expression on his face.
"Could you…do me a favor?" She gestured over to Rainbow and Big Macintosh nodded. He trotted over to the tree and brought his hind hooves back as he channeled all his might to knock the Pegasus out of the tree.
Before his hooves even made contact with the tree bark the two ponies heard Apple Jack call from a few trees over, "don't break her!" Five seconds later Big Macintosh ignored his sister's plead to keep her girlfriends bones intact and his hooves hit the tree as Rainbow fell onto the dirt floor of Sweet Apple Acers field and groaned in pain.
She looked up at the gentle-colt and glared, "what's the big idea?" She shot up and got in Big Macintoshes face. "If you weren't the brother of Apple Jacks I'd-"
"You'd what," AJ asked sternly from the hot-headed Pegasus. Rainbow Dash turned around to face Apple Jack with a light blush on her face.
"Oh," she remarked as she rubbed the back of her head nervously, "hey AJ, I didn't notice you there." Twilight cleared her throat to get the attention of her Loyal friend. She shoved the piece of paper the Princess sent her into Rainbow Dash's face.
"What's this," she asked before even reading it. Rainbow skimmed the note, then handed it back to Twilight rather excited. "You mean Princess Celestia wants us to go check out an unexplored Country that no one else knows about?"
Twilight busted Rainbow Dashes bubble, "if it's a country and people live there then it's not unexplored."
"So what," she asked as she fluttered around Twilight on her back, "it's still cool, when are we going?"
"Tomorrow if possible, I want to get this done and over with." She flew over to Apple Jack who was struggleing with a thing of apples on her back. She pulled the barrel up and smiled at Apple Jack, though when Apple Jack returned the smile Rainbows became limp.
"Hey babe, you okay? You don't look so good." She stared at her companion concerned as AJ tried to put on a look of bravery.
She shot Rainbow Dash a convincing smile and reassured her, "yea sugar cube, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." They finished carrying the rest of the apples over to the large wheel barrel looking contraption and tossed the barrel in it.
Rainbow stopped the yellow mare from going any further, "maybe you should go lie down. I'll finish up here if you'd like."
Apple Jack broke free from Rainbow's hold and shook her head, "no Rainbow, it's fine. You don't have to do that."
Rainbow flew up and landed in Apple Jacks path, now she was determined to get her friend to Rest, "okay, if you don't want me to finish helping Big Macintosh then that's one thing. I won't stand, fly, or sit here and watch you buck apples when you're obviously not in good shape."
Apple Jack was getting irritated as she pushed past her lover, "then go somewhere else, no one's keeping you here." Rainbow Dash looked back at AJ as she trudged over to another tree full of apples that needed to be bucked.
"Apple Jack," Twilight whined as she approached the orange mare, "Rainbow's right, you should go lie down. We'll finish up here with Big Mac." She looked at Apple Jack with large puppy dog eyes that no one could resist. Apple Jack looked at Twilight and tried to say no, but that was not an option.
She sighed in defeat and turned towards the barn, "alright Twilight, you win. I'll go lie down for a little while." This caused Twilights ears to perk up and her smile to return as she nodded in victory. She watched as her friend went into the barn, then all three of the ponies got busy on the apple bucking.
After all the apples were bucked and Big Macintosh and Rainbow were heading home, Twilight trotted off to Sugar Cube Corner. When she reached her destination she pushed through the door and looked around as a bell went off.
"Wow," she marveled as her mouth dropped open. Sugar Cube Corner went through some major renovations since Twilight was there last. The Café was now a few yards larger and the counter was extended a long ways. Twilight not only stared at the new look of Sugar Cube Corner, but she was also shocked that the entire population of Ponyville was here! Twilight shook off her mesmerized feelings and pushed her way through the colorful crowd of colts, fillies, and mares. When she finally reached the counter (after being told and called very rude things) she scanned for her overly happy pink friend.
"Pinkie Pie," she shouted when she found her. Twilight started to flair her arms around so she could grab her attention.
"Oh," she said as she made her way over to her magical friend, "he Twilight, what can I do for you? Want to buy some cupcakes?"
Twilight shook her head, "No Pinkie, I don't want any cupcakes-"
"Lolliepops?"
Twilight shook her head, "No Pinkie-"
She was cut off again, "Oh, I know what you want! You want some candy canes, right?"
Twilight shook her head, "No, Pinkie. Listen."
"Daisy sandwich, donuts, cake, pie-." The list went on and on as Pinkie racked through the entire stock of food the Café had to offer.
"No Pinkie, Listen," Twilight shouted as she tried to get her friend to hear what she was saying. "I didn't come hear for treats or food," she finally explained. Twilights ears perked up when she didn't hear any chattering from ponies surrounding her. She nervously turned to look, as she suspected all ponies eyes were staring at her.
"Well jeez Twilight," Pinkie began, "you didn't have to yell." Twilight mentaly face-palmed herself as she glared at Pinkie. "I'll be out in a minute, let me take care of a few more customers. How bout I come over to your house after my shifts over?" Twilight nodded and bed Pinkie a fare well. She quickly slipped of out of Sugar Cube Corner as she dashed off towards Rarities Botique.
"Twilight," she heard someone call her name. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked back to see Rarity behind her with two saddle bags full of gems and other items.
"Rarity," Twilight called with a sigh of reliefe that she didn't have to run as far as she thought.
"What's the rush?" The two mares met half way.
Twilight shoved the letter into her face as she explained in between breaths, "need . . . you to look . . . look at this." Rarity didn't pay any attention to Twilights explanation as she scanned the note.
The white mares face lit up after she finished the closing of the letter and she jumped with glee, "Oooooo, well this should be delightful!" Twilight smiled at her friend's joy and quickly dismissed herself so she could spread the news to Fluttershy and get back home in time to meet up with Pinkie Pie.
Twilight Sparkle stepped up to Fluttershys cottage an knocked on the door with her hoof, she checked her side saddle to make sure her letter was still there before her friends pet, angel, answered the door.
"Angel, where's Fluttershy?" The bunny gave Twilight a look of annoyance before slamming the door in Twilights face. Not but a few minutes later the yellow Pegasus opened the door and poked on eye out of the small crack she had made.
"H-hello Twilight," she managed to push out.
"Hey Fluttershy," Twilight greeted with a large smile, "what are you doing?"
Fluttershy opened the door the rest of the way, "oh, nothing important. What's up?" Twilight shoved the tarnished piece of paper in Fluttershys face, almost giving the poor mare a paper cut on her upper lip.
Fluttershy was one of her faster reading friends, not but moments later did the mare respond with a simple, "cool."
Twilight once again rolled the paper up in a roll and shoved it into her saddle bag.
"I suppose. The princess wants the six of us to take a look at this mysterious place so I came here to tell you to pack your stuff for at least a week."
Fluttershy took a nervous gulp and asked, "A-a week?" Twilight nodded.
"We leave tomorrow." This must have terrified the little mare because right where she stood she fainted onto the floor. Twilight looked at her friend confusingly, then worried, then annoying. She groaned as she magically levitated Fluttershy over to her couch and laid her down gently. Twilight checked the clock on Fluttershys wall and noticed it was only ten minutes before Pinkie Pie gets off.
Twilight turned to Angel Bunny and gave her the message, the idea of her talking to a rabbit didn't even phase here as she just so desperately needed to make sure Fluttershy was there and present for our trip. After she saw Angel nod her head, signaling she understood what to tell Fluttershy when she wakes up, Twilight headed out the door and to her house.
When she approached the door to her warm and cozy tree she heard happy hooves hop over towards her.
"Hey Twilight," she heard her friends cheery voice chime as she hopped over to her. Twilight turned to give Pinkie Pie a meaningful smile, but instead turned out to be a maniac smile from all the stress of getting her friends the message.
"Hey Twi'," her southern friend asked her, "You okay sugar cube? You don't look all to well." Twilight turned to her hones friend Apple Jack as she trotted over with Rainbow Dash flying over HER mare. Apple Jack coughed once or twice into the bend of her hoof.
"AJ," Twilight said sympathetically as she inched over to sick friend, "go back to bed. You still aren't looking to well."
Rainbow Dash groaned and answered Twilight with a, "I already told her that but she's as stubborn as a mule." She crossed her arms and humphed at her earth pony lover.
"Twi' I'm fine," Apple Jack tried to reassure her friend, "it's nothing bad." Twilight rolled her eyes and looked back at the door, she knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with her.
She opened the door to her home and walked in as she called behind, "come on in guys." All three ponies entered the house as it slammed shut behind them.
"So what'd you wanna' talk about Twilight," Pinkie asked as she continued to hop like a bunny rabbit. Twilight sighed and un-sheathed the letter one last time. She unrolled it and shoved it in Pinkie Pies face. She slowly skimmed the letter.
"That is so," Pinkie began. Suddenly an outbreak of words flew out of the pink mares mouth after she relieved, "AMAZING!" She continued on and on about what the ponies there would be like and she wondered how there was even such a thing as an out country of Equestria, in all honesty this puzzled Twilight as well.
"Hey Twilight," she heard Spike call. She turned to the purple and green scaled dragon who was still in the process of cleaning up their home.
"Hey Spike." Twilights mind blocked out any and all surrounding noises that could break her concentration. She started writing down a list of items she needed for the week long stay in the outer country. After she made the list she went back up to the top to name it.
"Items for the Trip to…" Twilight's mind went blank. She raised her head up and noticed that Princess Celestia had never told her the name of the new country. Apparently that one name is the "straw that broke the unicorns back", because right then and there she collapsed under pressure.
"Twilight," her friend Apple Jack called out in worry.
"Is she okay," Pinkie asked after.
"Twilight," Spike asked almost ten times.
"Too," Twilight began, "much . . . pressure." With those three last words she drifted off into a sleep of nightmares and demons, personal and public demons.