There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale.

Twilight Sparkle looked over the small, weathered, dark-green colored book in her magical grasp. It appeared to be an ordinary book, like many she kept in her library. Most ponies would probably pass it by without a second thought.

But Twilight prided herself on her literary knowledge. She had one of the largest collections of books in Equestria, and even those books she didn't own, she had read at least once or twice. She could recall any book's title, design, and author given enough time.

And yet this was one she had never seen nor heard of before. Neither had she heard of its author, Bilbo Baggins.

Twilight took the book to the antique shop counter. "Excuse me," she said, catching the attention of the stallion behind the counter. "Could you tell me where you found this book?"

The stallion picked up the book in question and looked it over. "Hmmm, that's strange," he said. "I don't think I've seen this before. Where did you find it?"

"The rare books section. Do you mind if I buy it?"

The stallion flipped through the pages of the book for a moment before shrugging and giving it back. "Well, I don't see a pricetag on it. Tell you what, if you want, you can have it for free. You've bought enough antiques over the years that I think I can let it go."

Twilight smiled at the clerk. "Thank you very much. Have a nice day!"

The clerk smiled back as Twilight trotted out of the store. Once she was gone, he pulled out an inventory list and looked it over. He didn't see the book anywhere on the list.

Twilight smiled as she heard the sounds of music coming from her castle. Opening the doors, confetti exploded in her face.

"WELCOME HOME, TWILIGHT!" came a happy, sing-song voice from within.

"Good to see you, too, Pinkie," Twilight laughed. She trotted into the castle's main hall, where the party pony and her six other dearest friends were gathered - Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer.

"Hey, Twilight! Find anything good at the antique shop?" Starlight asked.

"Actually, yeah," Twilight said, pulling the small book out of her saddlebag. "I found this interesting book that I've never heard of."

The record player that was playing the party music skipped a beat. Everypony in the castle suddenly went dead silent and stared at Twilight.

"Uh, what did I say?"

"You found a book you've never heard of before?" Starlight asked.

"As in, NEVER?" Rainbow added.

"Is that even possible?" Fluttershy asked.

"It could be new, couldn't it?" Rarity asked Applejack.

Applejack shook her head. "If it was new, why would she get it at an antique store? 'Sides, even it it was, she usually knows if they're comin' out or not."

"Is this a sign of the end times?" Spike asked, biting his claws. "Is Tartarus going to freeze over? Are locusts going to descend on Ponyville?"

"Alright, alright, so I read a lot!" Twilight said, rolling her eyes. "I can quit whenever I want..."

"What is the book called, anyway?" Starlight asked, the others gathering around their friend.

"It's called There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale."

Rainbow raised an eye. "'Hobbit?' What's a hobbit?"

Twilight shrugged. "Hay if I know. You girls mind if I read it to you?"

The ponies looked between each other. "Sure," Starlight said, smiling. "That sounds like it might be fun."

"A book Twilight Sparkle has never heard of?" Spike asked. "This ought to be interesting." The others nodded their heads in agreement.

The ponies and dragon walked over to the round table, taking their respective seats around it. Twilight placed the book in front of her and opened it, beginning to read. "My-"

No sooner did she read the first word, however, then golden beams of light shot from the unassuming book into the table. At once, the whole table lit up and a map appeared on its surface. Unlike usual, though, this wasn't a map of Equestria. This was a map of a land the friends had never seen before.

Before any of the group could react, the book shot away from Twilight into the center of the table. It floated above the tabletop, its pages flipping to the middle of the book.

"My dear Frodo," a voice rang out throughout the chamber. It sounded like the voice of an old stallion. "You asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures, and while I can honestly say I have told you the truth, I may not have told you all of it."

"What's happening?!" Starlight shouted, backing away from the table.

"I don't know!" Twilight answered. "I'm not doing any of it!"

Suddenly, a golden orb of light floated up out of the book, expanding until it was the size of the ponies. A fierce wind billowed throughout the room, pulling the occupants towards the orb.

"Oh, great, not again!" Spike shouted.

"How many times is this going to happen?!" Pinkie exclaimed, throwing up her front hooves.

One by one, each of the friends was swept up and into the orb before disappearing into its depths - first Fluttershy, then Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, Spike, Starlight, and then finally Twilight. As soon as Twilight vanished into the orb, screaming, it retreated back into the book, which then dropped back to the table, right in the center of the strange map.

As the golden light faded, Twilight and her friends found themselves standing in a black void. Nothing but jet-black darkness could be seen around them.

"Girls? Are you all okay?" Twilight asked.

The six of them nodded. "I think so," Starlight answered. "How about you?"

"I'm fine," Twilight said. "Did... did the book suck us in again?"

"I am old now, Frodo," the old voice rang out again, though the group still couldn't see anypony speaking. "I'm not the same hobbit I once was."

"'Hobbit?'" Starlight asked. "I think you're right, Twilight. I think we're in the book!"

"I think it is time for you to know... what really happened," the voice continued. "It began long ago, in a land far away to the east, the like of which you will not find in the world today."

Suddenly, a bright light filled the void again, causing the group to shield their eyes. When the light died down again, the group found the void was gone, and they were standing in the middle of an unfamiliar city, filled with strange, bipedal creatures.

"WHOA!" Applejack shouted, bracing herself as a small creature ran towards her. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact... only for none to come. Opening her eyes again, Applejack turned to see that the creature had passed straight through her. Hesitantly, Rarity reached out to touch another of the creatures, only for her hoof to pass through as if it wasn't there. None of the creatures reacted to the new arrivals in their midst.

"They... they can't see us..." Starlight realized. "It's like... we're here, and yet... we aren't."

"What are they?" Fluttershy asked.

"Humans," Twilight answered. "They look like humans. I saw them before in the mirror world."

"There was the city of Dale," the voice continued. "Its markets known far and wide, full of the bounties of vine and vale, peaceful and prosperous." The ponies watched as the humans went about their business, shopping, talking with one another, dancing to music. Despite their situation, the ponies couldn't help but smile. The city, despite its different inhabitants, reminded them of home.

Their smiles dropped when they suddenly lifted off the ground, floating above the rooftops. It felt strange, since they could still feel the ground beneath their hooves. It was as if they were in a flying room built entirely of glass, and they could see out through the walls. As they floated higher, the group saw a mountain a few miles from the city, with a giant gateway carved into its side. Two large statues of squat, bearded men stood on either side of the gateway. "For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-Earth - Erebor. Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain, mightiest of the dwarf-lords."

In an instant, the ponies were no longer floating above the city, but standing on the ramparts of a wall built into the side of the mountain. Short, bearded men dressed in armor, looking similar to the two statues, stood guard along the wall. The men saluted as another man, dressed in royal-looking robes, followed by a second man, walked towards the ponies. Unlike the humans in the town, all the men stood about as tall as the ponies, capable of looking them straight in the eye. The robed man, who the ponies soon surmised was Thror, stopped and gazed out across his kingdom.

Once again, the ponies were instantly transported to a colossal chamber inside the mountain, where a throne stood beneath a massive rock formation veined with gold. More statues filled the chamber, overlooking a walkway where the ponies stood. "Thror ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son and grandson." A dwarf with a long gray beard approached the throne, bowing to his king, before turning and smiling to another dwarf standing beside the throne, this one with a short black beard and wearing blue robes. The ponies were filled with awe at the beautiful throne room, which looked large enough to hold the entire castle of Canterlot, and the regal dwarves, who carried themselves with pride and nobility.

"Ah, Frodo. Erebor." The voice sounded like it was in awe as well. "Built deep within the mountain itself, the beauty of this fortress-city was legend." Again, the ponies were lifted above the ground and floated through the cavernous halls, though they scarcely noticed as they took in the breath-taking sights. "Its wealth lay in the earth, in precious gems hewn from rock and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone." The group passed dwarves seated around worktables where they sorted through immense piles of diamonds and other jewels. Rarity nearly fainted from the beauty of the gemstones, while Spike licked his lips. The group then floated down a rockface, where countless dwarves worked hard chipping at gold veins. In another instant, the group watched transfixed as a group of dwarves stood around an anvil holding glowing-hot metal, beating it with their blacksmithing hammers in perfect rhythm. "The skill of the dwarves was unequaled, fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire." The group started as they saw two massive hammers swing down on either side of another dwarf blacksmith, who held his work aloft to be smashed between them.

The group was transported back to the mine, where they saw a dwarf chipping away at the rockface. "Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark... and that is where they found IT." Suddenly, the rock fell away to reveal a single, shining gem the size of one of the ponies' hooves. The gem shined with a radiant light, like no gem any of them had seen before.

"It's gorgeous..." Rarity whispered.

"It is..." Twilight responded. "But... what is it?"

"The heart of the mountain," the voice said, as if answering Twilight's question. "The Arkenstone."

The group was transported back to the throne room, where the Arkenstone now was mounted on the king's throne. "Thror named it the 'King's Jewel.' He took it as a sign, a sign that his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him." The group heard footsteps behind them, and turned to see a group of creatures approaching the throne. They were taller than the dwarves, about as tall as humans, but their features were fairer, more beautiful, and they had pointed ears. One individual at the head of the group stood out, wearing a crown of wooden branches. "Even the great Elvenking, Thranduil. But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly the days turned sour, and the watchful nights closed in."

The group was now taken to a vast room filled with treasures of all sorts, the light of gold visible wherever the ponies looked. King Thror stood in the center of the room, his eyes glazed over as he looked upon his riches. "Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him. It was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives, bad things will follow."

The ponies were transported outside once again, back to the city of Dale. They watched as kites flew above the city, the people still happy and carefree. Starlight smiled slightly as she watched the kites fluttering in the wind. A kite in the shape of a dragon danced around Spike. "The first they heard was a noise like a hurricane, coming down from the north." Sure enough, the wind picked up with a terrific roar, causing the kites to flap violently. Twilight watched in horror as trees in the distance flattened, as if some immense creature was flying over them. "The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind." The group was brought back to the ramparts, where dwarven guardsmen readied themselves for whatever was approaching.

The short-bearded dwarf from earlier ran up to a gray-bearded dwarf. "Balin," the first dwarf said, "sound the alarm." Suddenly, a plank of wood blew overhead, clattering noisily to the ground. The ponies jumped and shouted in surprise and fright. "Call out the guard. Do it now!" the dwarf continued.

"What is it?" Balin asked.

The dwarven prince turned back to face Balin, unaware he was also looking Twilight directly in the eyes. His face was grim.

"Dragon," he answered. The dwarf turned to look over the inside wall, where thousands of dwarves where gathered below. "DRAGON!" he shouted again.

The dwarves inside screamed, but the noise was soon drowned out by a loud roar. A burning pine tree flew by the wall as Balin and the ponies looked out across the countryside. A large, immense shape flew past, too quickly for any of the ponies to see clearly. "He was a fire-drake from the north." Suddenly, a jet of flame sprayed the ramparts, some of the dwarves ducking for cover, while others were consumed by the fire. The ponies ducked and covered their heads, screaming in fear, unsure if the fire could hurt them or not. Twilight saw the prince grab Balin and duck behind a pillar just before the entire wall was covered in flame. The fire didn't end up hurting the ponies, but they could still feel the heat.

"Smaug had come."

The fire died down, and Twilight looked out at the city, where she could see the monster breathing fire down on the buildings. The dragon kite was consumed in the inferno. Twilight's heart sank as she realized the untold numbers of people in Dale that must have been slaughtered before her eyes. "Such wanton death was dealt that day, for this city of men was nothing to Smaug. His eye was set on another prize."

"Stop it!" Pinkie shouted. "Stop it! I don't want to see anymore!"

Rainbow held Fluttershy close, the meek pegasus shivering with her eyes shut tight.

The group of friends was transported down to the gates of Erebor, where the prince and the city's garrison readied themselves as something large pounded at the metal doors. Twilight saw the king running back towards his throne. "For dragons covet gold with a dark and fierce desire." Looking down, Twilight saw Spike holding her foreleg, shivering like Fluttershy. She extended one of her wings to comfort him. Looking back at the throne, Twilight saw the king press a button beneath the Arkenstone, the gem detaching and falling into his hand.

"Where does he think he's going?!" Rainbow demanded, glaring at Thror.

Suddenly, the gates shattered, the group ducking and covering their heads. The dwarven prince shouted something in a foreign language as a massive scaled paw reached inside and gripped the side of the gateway. The rock walls splintered inwards as another massive jet of flame swept over the dwarves, causing them to scatter. The ponies caught glimpses of the immense dragon as it made its way inside, swiping groups of dwarves aside.

King Thror, the Arkenstone clutched tightly to his chest, ran into his treasure chamber, only to cry out as the dragon burst from the piles of gold. "NO!" the king shouted as he watched the gem fall down the stairs, lost among the countless gold coins.

The dwarf prince ran out from behind the king, pulling his grandfather away from the treasure pile. "Come on!" the prince shouted.

The ponies were transported outside the mountain once again, watching the surviving dwarves as they fled from the only home they knew. "Erebor was lost. For a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives." Suddenly, Twilight noticed an army in the distance. Twilight strained her eyes, her heart rising as she noticed King Thranduil at the army's head.

"Girls, look! The elves are coming to help!"

The ponies followed Twilight's gaze as they saw the army as well. "Aw, yeah!" Rainbow shouted. "Looks like the cavalry's here! They'll kick that dragon's sorry flank!"

The prince seemed to notice the army as well, waving his arm to get their attention. "HELP US!" he shouted. However, the elves remained motionless.

"What's going on?" Rainbow asked. "What are they waiting for?!"

To the ponies' horror, Thranduil turned back, his army marching away. "Thranduil would not risk the lives of his kin against the wrath of the dragon. No help came from the elves that day... nor any day since."

"What?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "They're just going to leave the dwarves?! They can't do that!"

"We can't do anything, Rainbow," Twilight said sadly. "None of them can see us."

The group was transported away to a barren tundra, where they watched thousands of human and dwarf refugees trudging along, carrying what possessions they could with them. Each and every individual the ponies saw wore the same hopeless expression. A thousand-yard stare.

"The dwarves of Erebor wandered the wilderness, a once-mighty people brought low. The young dwarf prince took work where he could find it, laboring in the villages of men. But always he remembered the mountain smoke beneath the moon, the trees like torches blazing bright, for he had seen dragon-fire in the sky, and a city turned to ash. And he never forgave... and he never forgot."

Once again, blackness engulfed the ponies. When it lifted, they found themselves in a peaceful, quiet village of green, rolling hills. Birdsong filled the air. Strangely, the homes that they saw were built into the grass-covered hills, with quaint, rounded wooden doors peeking out from the grass. "That, my dear Frodo, is where I come in. For, quite by chance and the will of a wizard, fate decided I would become part of this tale. It began... well, it began as you might expect. In a hole in the ground... there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole full of worms and oozy smells, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat. It was a hobbit-hole, and that means good food, a warm hearth... and all the comforts of home."