1: A Royal Letter
Dear Twilight Sparkle;
I just received your most recent letter about your adventures! It is hard to believe what you ponies can accomplish when you work together, even if its just for fun, like helping Applejack win first place in a pie-eating contest.
In fact, your young friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, might also be able to help someponies who are very special to me.
As you know, my dear sister Princess Luna and I rule over the day and night of Equestria, but we are not the only alicorns.
A very good friend of mine, King Brimstone Thunderheart of the neighbouring kingdom of Kiang, has asked a favour of me, and I believed you and your friends would be just the ponies for the job.
The kingdom of Kiang is a full sun-moon cycle's flight past the mountains to the East. It is a vastly flat kingdom of wide and luscious plains, and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. As a result, not very many ponies from either kingdom visit each other. I believe this is a shame, as King Brimstone and his ponies are rather lovely and have helped our kingdom of Equestria in great times of need. Magic from their kingdom also seems to work differently, as the earth ponies of Kiang are able to grow wondrous plants through magic in their hooves, and no pony is born an alicorn, pegasus or unicorn. If a pony's mother or father is one of these, they have the ability to become what their parents are, but in Kiang the wings and horn are earned through service to others, similarly to how you yourself have earned your wings.
King Brimstone Thunderheart married an earth pony, a very kindhearted and gracious queen, Queen Snowdrop Wish, and together they had four lovely children, two sons named Raindrop Storm and Sundrop Flame, and two daughters named Moondrop Shadow and Dewdrop.
The culture around naming is also very different in Kiang. The first half of a pony's name is given at birth by their parents, but the second part is chosen by the young pony when they discover their cutie mark. The second name is seen as more important to their identity than the first.
The young princes and princesses will be coming to Equestria to study under you, to help them earn their royal duties. Princess Moondrop Shadow has recently earned both her wings and horn and is hoping to learn her magic and hone her skills. Prince Sundrop Flame has also recently become a unicorn and will be studying his own magic and earn his wings. Prince Raindrop Storm, however, has the opposite situation, as he is a pegasus and is hoping to earn his horn and help you and your friends with the other ponies of ponyville.
Princess Dewdrop, as sweet as she is, is further behind then her siblings. She also has another problem that she may not be comfortable admitting when you first meet. Until she asks for help, she will not be teachable.
The young royals are very eager to meet you, as I have spoken highly of you to my dear friend King Brimstone Thunderheart. I am told they are courteous students and are also eager to help the ponies in ponyville as well, and probably to show off some earth pony magic.
I look forward to hearing about their studies in your letters.
Sincerely
Princess Celestia
"Oh gosh, Spike, can you believe this?" Twilight Sparkle asked her faithful dragon friend. "Princess Celestia's friend King Brimstone Thunderheart of Kiang is sending his four little ponies to train under me!"
"Sounds like a hoof-full to me. Four ponies?" Spike shrugged. "You have to take care of four uptight, hoity-toity royals just because... their dad wants you to?"
"I'm sure they'll be lovely, Spike." Twilight replied. "Oh! I should tell the others! Princess Celestia mentioned that they might be helping me as well!" She galloped out the front door excitedly to find her five best friends; Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and, of course, Pinkie Pie.
It wasn't hard to find them. Pinkie Pie had just thrown a party that morning and the others had stopped by to help her clean up. Twilight had been on her way to do just that when Celestia's letter had arrived.
"Everypony! Twilight's here!" Pinkie shrieked with glee upon seeing her friend enter.
"I have big news, everypony! Wait until you hear this!" Twilight pulled out her letter and read it aloud to her friends.
"Wow." Applejack spoke first when Twilight was done. "That's a big responsibility."
"I know, but I'm excited to do it for Celestia. I'm sure they'll be well-behaved students." Twilight smiled, helping Rarity take decorations down from the ceiling. "And it will be fascinating to see this earth pony magic."
"I wish I had earth pony magic! I would grow banana trees! And cupcake trees! And balloon trees! Wait... do balloons grow on trees?" Pinkie Pie asked with the usual excited tone in her voice.
"Yeah, having magic would sure be helpful around the orchards." Applejack added wistfully.
"I simply can't wait to meet them. The fashion must be unique. Lavish! To die for!" Rarity swept the floor. "And what gorgeous jewels do you guys think might be in the exotic plains of the kingdom of Kiang?"
"I guess we'll have to wait and see," Twilight giggled, "but I'm a little nervous. I haven't ever taught anypony before. Once we're done here I'm going to review some books on teaching and try and prepare for when they arrive."
"Well, if you'd ever like some help, just give a shout, you hear?"
"Of course. Thank you Applejack. Thank you, my friends!"