Earlier that same morning, Joseph the Bellmaker, Mariel's father, woke up in his room in Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle to find his entire body glowing!

"What's happening to me?" he wondered. He dashed out of the bedroom in a panic.

Twilight was coming right down the hall and Joseph ran into her. He noticed that her cutie mark was glowing as well. "It's happening to you too! Have we been infected with radiation?"

"What? No." Twilight glanced at her flank. "This always happens when I get summoned to a place by the Map of Friendship. I guess it's summoning you too. Since you don't have a cutie mark it's just doing it to your whole body."

"What does this mean?" Joseph asked.

"It means we have to go someplace together and fix a problem."

There was a knock at the front door. Twilight went to answer it. Her friends Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity were standing there. Their cutie marks were all glowing too.

Rainbow Dash flexed her wings. "Looks like we're off on another adventure."

Pinkie Pie was hopping up and down. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

"So where are we goin', Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"I was just about to check that," she said.

Pinkie saw that Joseph was glowing too. "Are you joining the party too, Joe Bell?" This was her nickname for him. She had gone with Mariel and Spike on the quest to save him and they were good friends.

"Looks like it," said Joseph.

"I can't wait!" Pinkie cried.

They all went into the throne room. In the center of the room was a big table with a magical map of the world on it. And the symbols of all their cutie marks, as well as a picture of Joseph's face, were floating somewhere over Africa.

"That's not in Equestria," said Rarity.

"It looks like this place is farther away from home than any of us have ever been before," Fluttershy said fearfully.

Rainbow Dash wrapped a hoof around her. "Don't worry, Flutters. We'll take care of each other."

"What's this place called, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

Twilight inspected the map. "Looks like it's called the Pride Lands. I think I've heard of it. It's inhabited by lions."

"Lions?" Fluttershy's voice only came out as a squeak.

"Well, maybe they're friendly lions," said Pinkie Pie.

Joseph asked, "Weren't Mariel and Spike exploring around this area the last we heard of them? Do you think the map is summoning us there because of them? Maybe they're in some kind of trouble."

"I hope not," Twilight said.

The Bellmaker rubbed his head. "I had a dream about Mariel last night. I don't remember it now, but I think she was in danger and I was coming to save her."

"Dreams are just junk your brain makes up," said Rainbow Dash.

"Not always," said Twilight. "It could have been Princess Luna sending him a message. Even though she's dead now, she still appears in our dreams sometimes."

Rainbow Dash flapped into the air. "Well, we either know or we don't, an' take it from me, I sure don't! Never was much good in the brainbox department, but I'm scared of nothin'. So why worry about it? We know which direction to travel. That's good enough for me!"

"You're right, Rainbow Dash," said Joseph. "What will come will come, and we'll meet it when it does."

Applejack raised a hoof. "One thing though. If'n these Pride Lands are so far away, how in tarnation are we gonna git to 'em?"

"Well, that parrot, Captain Celaeno, is in town this week with her pirate crew," said Twilight. "Maybe she'd be willing to take us."

They went to find Captain Celaeno's flying ship.

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"Why sure! I'd be happy to take you," said Captain Celaeno. "I was born in the Pride Lands myself. I know that country like the back of my wing. We can set off tonight."