Yawning, a purple unicorn mare stumbled out of her bed, and…promptly tripped and fell. Shaking her head, and rising from the disheveled heap from where she lay, she rolled her eyes, and prodded the green and purple scaly mound in front of her.

"Spike…." Twilight Sparkle groaned, poking the dragon again. "Wake up."

There was no response from the dragon.

"Spike. Get up."

Nothing.

"Spike!"

Still…nothing.

"SPIKE SPARKLE!" Twilight roared. "GET UP THIS INSTANT!"

Spike shot up like a bullet, his claws sinking into the wooden floor of the library, and his eyes darting around wildly. His head whipped around, ready to defend Twilight from some intruder, and he spread his new wings.

When he saw no danger, he turned back to the mare, who was looking at him, a look of smugness written on her face. "You should have seen the look on your face." She taunted, poking him in the side with a lavender hoof. "Honestly, it looked as though the sky was falling."

Spike snorted, a puff of smoke making its way from his nose. "Gosh Twilight. I thought an Ursa Major was on a rampage." He groaned, rolling his emerald green eyes. The dragon proceeded to settle back down on his bed, only to be yanked out by the tail, and suspended in mid-air by a certain unicorn's magic.

"No." Twilight commanded, as if she were teaching a small puppy. "Bad Spike. You're going to help me get things ready for the Summer Sun celebration."

Spike groaned, and clawed the air, attempting to get out of the magical grasp in which he was suspended. After several fruitless attempts, Twilight finally let go of the dragon, and he landed in a crumpled heap on the ground, his tail and hind legs over his head.

"Fiiiiiiiinnnnnneeeeeee." Spike hissed. "I'll heeeeeeelllllllpppp." He dragged out the last word as if it were poison on his tongue.

Twilight trotted downstairs, and was about to head into the kitchen when a burst of magical green fire caught her attention, and she cantered back upstairs. "A letter?" she exclaimed. "I haven't gotten a letter since…"

The purple unicorn trailed off, and tears welled in her eyes. It still hurt to think about Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash's deaths.

Spike looked curiously at the scroll, now clamped firmly in his jaws, causing him to go crosseyed. Twilight giggled slightly, sure the purple dragon was doing it to make him feel better.

Spike spit out the scroll, and caught it in his tail, bringing it to eye level. "It has Luna's stamp on it!" he exclaimed, confused. "Not Princess Celestia's…" Twilight shifted from hoof to hoof, impatient to get her hooves on the scroll.

Just then a knock on the window surprised her. She trotted over, and saw a familiar gray mailmare hovering outside the window. "Hello Derpy!" she said, glad to se the happy Pegasus out delivering mail.

"Hiya Twilight!" Derpy said, landing on the windowsill. "I gotta special delivery from Canterlot this morning!" She reached into her mail bag and pulled out a package. It was marked with Luna's stamp again, not Celestia's.

"Thank you Derpy." Twilight said, holding open the window for the mailmare. "Have a nice day!"

"You too!" Derpy called, flying off in her normal slightly zig-zag pattern.

Twilight trotted back to Spike, holding the package in her magical grasp. She laid it on her bed, and motioned for Spike to come over. He did so, and unrolled the scroll, clearing his throat without waiting for Twilight to instruct him to read it.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle,

A matter of utmost importance has come up in Canterlot Castle. It regards your mentor Princess Celestia. Please, teleport to Canterlot as quickly as you can, and if possible, bring dragon Spike Sparkle, and Applejack.

Anxiously awaiting your arrival,

Luna."

Spike read aloud. After he finished, the dark purple dragon looked up at Twilight, who had a worried look in her eyes. "I…I think we should g….go get Applejack." She stammered, beginning to panic.

Spike nudged her softly, and grabbed her hoof. "It'll be alright Twili." He said, using the pet name he had adopted for her over the years. "Now come one, we're relying on you to get us to Canterlot."

Twilight nodded, and focused her magical energy into her horn. It began to glow with a pale light, growing stronger with each passing second. She felt Spike's grip on her hoof tighten, and in a flash of bright light, they were gone.

A bright flash of light illuminated the many apple trees for a split second, but it was enough to alert a certain farm pony of the unciorn's presence. A thunder of hooves, and soon Applejack's figure was visible. "Hi Twi!" she exclaimed. "Hey there Spike."

Twilight's eyes were alight with panic. "There's no time to explain! We've got to get to Canterlot!"

She grabbed Applejack's hoof, and her spell began again, this time, it's magical radiance becoming almost blinding. A brief flash of light, and they were gone.

A blinding flash of light in the Canterlot throne room caused every single Pegasus guard in the room to point their spears at the origin of the bright light, only to lower them again with a sigh of relief when they saw a familiar shape emerge.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight exclaimed, running up the steps she had run along so long ago. "We came as fast as we could!" She internally winced, it sounded almost exactly like the Discord scenario, save that four of her friends and Princess Celestia were nowhere to be found.

Applejack blinked in surprise at her new surroundings, but galloped up the steps to stand next to Twilight. Spike soared over, and landed on Twilight's other side, draping a protective wing over her back.

Princess Luna nodded, stepping down from the throne which she had occupied. Her mane flowed in a non-existant wind, and she was wearing her normal royal garb. "I have called you here today to discuss a matter of utmost importance, something that could change the fate of Equestria."

Twilight gulped. "What about Princess Celestia?" she whispered hoarsely, her throat suddenly going completely dry.

"That's just it…" Luna said, tears sparking in her eyes. "She….sh….she…"

"She's what sugarcube?" Applejack asked, looking at Princess Luna, worried for the Princess of the Night.

Princess Luna looked at Twilight, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Twilight…Applejack…Spike…" she whispered. "Princess Celestia….is….is….dying."