Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Seven

Chapter 7:  Book buying Unexpected

Stone Mare City is carved into a mountain side and designed to resemble a seated mare.  On the stone mare’s lap is a plaza for an outdoor market built to bear a resemblance to a huge dinner plate.  Today, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie were rushing from bookstand tent to bookstand bicycle wagon, with Pinkie pulling a pony cart that is filling up with all kinds of books.

After Twilight piles another foreleg load of books into the cart, the cart’s padded harness began to chafe against Pinkie’s coat.  This cart was getting heavy, even for Pinkie, a physically fit Earth pony.  Pinkie asked, “Twilight, have you bought enough books for Cheerilee yet?  Or, can we at least return to our airship and put these books into the cargo hold, before we purchase any more books?”

Twilight stops, turns around to look at Pinkie, and then tells her, “We could exchange our rented pony cart for a rented bicycle wagon.  But, it was you who volunteered to pull our cart.  Anyway, I must tell you that Dream Valley is the greatest place for intellectual ponies.  I could live here forever!  Just think Pinkie!  Can you imagine all the scientific advancements, all the history, all the poetry that was written down in more than one thousand years of isolation from Equestria?  Pinkie, you should know by now that as you can never have enough cupcakes, I can never have enough books.”

Pinkie stops walking, a half smile appears on her face.  Pinkie said to no pony in particular, “I suppose that reading books is Twilight’s sugar rush.  I can totally relate to that.”

Looking around Stone Mare City, Pinkie sees what looks like a thirty foot diameter satellite dish covered in gemstones with a metallic unicorn pony mare standing in the center of the dish.  The pony lights up her horn and the entire dish lights up as well, sending a rainbow into the sky, dissipating part of a thunderhead cloud.

Pinkie almost yelled, “Twilight, do you see that, the Unicorn ponies here control the weather.  As a winged unicorn, you have two ways to control the weather, the Pegasus way and the Unicorn way.”

“Pinkie, controlling the weather would be cool, but do you know what would be even better?”

“No Twilight, what would?  I know, I know!  How about buying cake from that cake shop?  Or buying ice cream from that ice cream shop?”

“That would be buying more books for Cheerilee’s history project.”

Pinkie responded to Twilight’s remark by groaning and then continues to follow Twilight to the next bookstand in the marketplace.

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media

Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Six

Chapter 6:  Pony Convention Unexpected

One week later, Unity City’s Catlinite Red Convention Center was swarming with Dream Valley ponies, eager to met Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.  The wide steps are covered with Earth and Unicorn ponies, some of them are wearing shirts with images printed on them of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, while others are wearing full body costumes of Rainbow and Fluttershy.  Some native ponies are carrying plush dolls of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.  A sign tells the visiting ponies that tomorrow will be a meet-and-greet with the Wonderbolts.

Inside the convention center’s main hall, Earth and Unicorn ponies cheer as Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, who is hiding behind Rainbow walk onto the stage.  Walking beside them is Ceremonies Mare who has a shiny chrome coat, with a strawberry mane and tail with light and dark streaks, with a microphone cutie mark.  Ceremonies Mare walks up to a pony-sized, speaking podium.

The chrome mare starts speaking into the podium’s microphone, “My name is Ceremonies Mare and I welcome each of you to the first Pegasus Con.  We hope Pegasus Con will be an annual celebration of the unexpected return of Pegasus ponies to the skies of our homeland.  Miss Fluttershy, would you like to greet all the convention ponies?”

Fluttershy’s legs tremble like the vibrating strings of Octavia Melody's Cello as she walks up to the podium, while Ceremonies sidesteps, allowing Fluttershy access to the podium.

Closing her eyes in fear, Fluttershy speaks.  “My name is Fluttershy, and I’m … really and honestly honored to be with you today.  In Equestria, I’m one of many thousands of Pegasus ponies, some of which, well most of which are far better fliers than I am.  So, why don’t you listen to my friend Rainbow Dash?  She’s much better at public speaking that I am.”

Rainbow rushes up to the podium, pushing Fluttershy into Ceremonies and almost knocks both mares over.

A very excited Rainbow Dash exclaims, “A good morning to all of you, Dream Valley Earth and Unicorn ponies.  I’m the one and only, Rain-bow Da-sh!  Remember this day well, so you will be able to tell your grand-fillies and grand-colts that you met the best flier in all of Equestria and a member of the world famous Wonderbolts!”  Rainbow rises off the ground, slowly fluttering her wings as the crowd gasps in amazement.

Rainbow adds, “I have no idea how you Dream Valley ponies were able to organize a three day con in three days, but color me impressed!”  Rainbow hovers about ten feet in the air, as the crowd shouts out thunderous cheers.  The flashbulbs of photographer cameras make interesting patterns of light on Rainbow’s blue body.  Rainbow is grinning while she drinks in the crowd’s attention.

Some stallion in the back of the crowd shouts, “Fork over the money, Nova that there Rainbow Dash is a real Pegasus!”

A mare shouts back, “I don’t know about that Philippe.  Rainbow’s wings could be faked with Unicorn Magic.”

The first stallion shouts back, “There is no glow around her wings, a telltale sign if a Unicorn were using their magic to make her fly.  Thus, her wings must be real.  I can’t believe it!  Wow!  A real Pegasus pony has returned to Dream Valley!”  The pony audience erupts with cheering, laughter, and hoof stomping.

While covering her ears with her hooves, Fluttershy mutters, “Even my princesses don’t get such boisterous cheering from my fellow ponies when the royal sisters make an appearance.  I think I’m going to have a long day.”

It was a long day for Fluttershy, as the Dream Valley ponies dragged her unhappy self and a happy Rainbow Dash from one crowded event to another crowded event.  Late in the day, as the stars appeared in the night sky and the convention centers outside lights provided illumination for the happy convention ponies to return home.  Automated doors opened to allow Rainbow and Fluttershy, pulling art deco inspired carts full of Rainbow Dash inspired blankets, calendars, costumes, banners, shirts, and figurines.

Rainbow:  “Do you think we bought enough Rainbow Dash merchandise?  The dealer's room is still open for anther forty-nine minutes.”

Fluttershy:  “You bought at least two of everything on sale and even attempted to buy things that were not for sale.”

Rainbow looks over her shoulder and blushes.  Rainbow then said, “Well, I thought that I’d buy some things celebrating me for the Canterlot museum and the same things celebrating me for the Ponyville museum.  After all, nopony can get too much Rainbow Dash!”

Fluttershy replied, “Tomorrow, could we do something else?  No matter how nice those fan ponies are, I’d rather not be the center of their attention.  Besides, I think we’ve told them everything we can about us Pegasus ponies, as well as our home of Cloudsdale and Ponyville.”

“So Fluttershy, you don’t feel comfortable spending another day at Pegasus Con?  You don’t want to spend another day talking with all our new Dream Valley friends?”

Fluttershy replied, “That’s right, one day of being the center of attention for so many pones is all that I can take.”

“Panorama described in detail an abandoned Pegasus city located on a mountain peak.  That mare told me that this cloud city is a fifteen minute flight from our airship.  Tomorrow, we can have an adventure all by ourselves without being mobbed by starry-eyed fan ponies.  Do we have a deal?”

Fluttershy:  “Deal!”

Rainbow and Fluttershy smile and then brohoof each other.

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media

Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Five

Chapter 5:  Letters Unexpected

That evening, inside Twilight and Spike’s cabin, Twilight is dictating a letter to Spike.

“Dear Princess Celestia:

“My friends and I have arrived at Dream Valley and it is nothing like we imagined it would be.  We didn’t find an empty valley.  Instead, my expedition of discovery has found an undiscovered nation of metallic ponies.  I’m doing my best to keep a clear and level mind.  After all, I am working to keep calm and cool when the unexpected happens.

“I’m sending you photographs of these metallic ponies.  You might know how or why their coats are metallic.

“Lastly, I’m asking your permission to act as your diplomatic representative to the Dream Valley Republic.  I’ll send you all the information I can get my hooves on, so you are able to make the best choices you can make about setting up diplomatic treaties, cultural exchanges, and trade agreements with the Dream Valley Republic.

“I’d tell you more, but I need to get some rest after a long day.

“I will always grow smarter and stronger under the warmth of your sunlight and the warm glow of our friendship,

“Your friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle”

After a few minutes, Spike burped up Celestia’s reply.

“My dear Twilight:

“Princess Luna and I read and reread your letter several times.  We are confused and somewhat shocked that an entire nation of ponies could exist on other side of the Western Ocean.  Please keep sending us letters on what your expedition finds in Dream Valley.

“My sister and I don’t have any idea how or why the Dream Valley ponies have metallic coats and manes.

“We agree that you are the pony that should establish diplomatic ties with these metallic ponies.  We approve that you will take upon yourself the duties of a diplomatic representative to Dream Valley, until our experienced Equestrian diplomatic ponies can be assigned to the Dream Valley Republic.  You must also propose that we consider the possibility of building embassies in each other’s capitol cities.

“Always appreciate both the warm sunlight and the cool moonlight,

“The Royal pony sisters, Celestia and Luna”

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media

Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Four

Chapter 4:  An Unexpected anxiety while dealing with the Unexpected

Almost everypony on that airship was happy to find new ponies.  One pony that was not happy was Princess Twilight.  The anxiety and shock on her face told all that she was not expecting ponies to be in Dream Valley.  Twilight said, “I never imagined, didn’t prepare for, what I am, what am I supposed to do?”

Noticing the look of confusion and panic of Twilight’s face, Pinkie looked at Twilight with a sympathetic smile.  Pinkie knew that dealing with the unexpected was one of Twilight’s weaknesses.  Pinkie then pulls out a ukulele from thin air, and then starts singing a parody of the song “Tiny Bubbles”.

Pinkie:  “We never expected that shiny ponies.”

The other ponies except Twilight:  “We never expected that shiny ponies.”

Pinkie:  “To be living in Dream Valley.”

The other ponies except Twilight:  “To be living in Dream Valley.”

Pinkie:  “However, you can’t let the unexpected.”

The other ponies except Twilight:  “However, you can’t let the unexpected.”

Pinkie:  “Throw you for a loop.”

The other ponies except Twilight:  “Throw you for a loop.”

Twilight then blinks, taking on a startled expression, and then her face returned to normal.  Twilight puts her hoof on Pinkie’s mouth.

Twilight then said, “Ok, I get it; you girls, my friends can stop singing now.”

Applejack puts her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.  “Don’t worry, sugar cube.  I’m sure that these shiny ponies are as surprised about us, as we are surprised about them.”

“But Applejack, I’ve never met these ponies.  Where’s my book “Diplomacy for Dummies”?  What do I say to them?  What do we have in common?”

“This is not the first time we talked to unknown ponies.  Now, fly down there and do what you did before.”  Applejack points with her hoof at the approaching news mares.  “Those two ponies look like reporters.  Why not start the conversations with them?  Remember to take deep breaths Twilight, deep breaths.”

Twilight looks Applejack in her eyes, saying after a sigh, “Gals, wish me good luck.”

With a sense of style taught to her by Rainbow Dash’s flying lessons, Twilight jumps over the railing and then guides to stand on the manicured grass of the sport’s field in front of the silver coated mare.  With a look of amazement on her face, Panorama the brass coated mare starts up her camera and then steps into the background.  Twilight then says, “Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle.  That’s my airship, the Comet.  I’m in charge of a research team to collect pony history from Dream Valley.  But, I never expected that there would be ponies living in Dream Valley.  What’s your name?”

It took a few moments before the silver coated mare could speak.  “My parents named me Newsie Newsworthy, but everyone calls me Newsie.  You are in a suburb of Unity City.  If you don’t mind me asking this question, what type of pony are you?  I’ve never heard of anypony who has both Pegasus wings and a unicorn horn.  In fact, there are no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley.”

Twilight asked, “There are no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley?”

“You are the first Pegasus pony I’ve ever seen or interviewed.”

“I’m not a Pegasus pony.  The fact is that I was born like you, as an ordinary unicorn.  But, a short time ago, when I completed a difficult spell, I grew these wings.”  Twilight flutters her wings.  “And then I become a princess.  However, two of my friends and all of my ship’s crew are Pegasus ponies.”

Twilight points with her hoof at her friends and ship’s crew still on the open deck of the airship.

Newsie gasps as the realization of what Twilight said sinks into Newsie’s mind.  “Pegasus ponies have returned to Dream Valley?  It has been many generations since a Pegasus flew above the skies of Dream Valley.  This has to be the greatest news story in the last one hundred years!”

With a tilt of her head, Twilight asks, “Can I assume that there are only Earth and Unicorn ponies in Dream Valley?”

“That’s correct” Newsie replies.  “There have been no Pegasus ponies in Dream Valley, not even one ever since the Great Pony Migration.  By the way, what’s it like to have wings?”

“Let’s just say I’ve experienced the thrill of flying victory and the agony of crashing defeat.”

“Trying to learn how to fly at your age must have been like learning to walk all over again.”

Twilight rolls her eyes and sighs.  “Believe me, it was.  Let me ask you a question.  Do you know how your Dream Valley ponies’ coats and manes got to be so … shiny?”

The news mare pondered Twilight’s question before answering.  “Pony documents say and pictures depict that our ancestors’ coats were as dull as yours.  But, over many generations our coats become more metallic and shiny.  Nopony knows why or how that happened.”

“That’s similar to what happened to the Crystal ponies of the Crystal Empire.  But never mind that, how can there be ponies still living in Dream Valley?  I thought that all the ponies had walked out of our ancestral homeland during the big freeze.”

“Our ancestors did walk out of Dream Valley.  Yet, hundreds of Earth and Unicorn ponies lost their way from the great migration.  Frustrated, these few stragglers returned to Dream Valley to find that the freezing cold had disappeared from Dream Valley and that Earth ponies were able to grow food here once again.  One thousand Earth ponies and eight hundred unicorns started a new nation, the Dream Valley Republic.”

“Who is your leader or leaders?”

This time, without hesitation, the silver coated reporter replied, “An Earth pony mare called Cameo Moderator is our president.  President Cameo and the Dream Valley Senators govern Dream Valley and all the land up to the near shore of what we call River Canyon, several days travel from here.  The opposite shore is the Savage Plains full of woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and a chain of mountains made out of pure salt.  We Dream Valley ponies don’t spend much time there or the civilized nations beyond the Savage Plains.”

Newsie holds out her foreleg and after a few hoof taps, uses her Pony Digital Assistant to show Twilight images of a river valley that appears similar to Ghastly Gorge and the other animals and places she described.

Twilight asks, “Newsie, what’s that machine on your foreleg?”

Newsie replies, “This is my Pony Digital Assistant or PDA.  I use my PDA to organize my research notes on the stories I write for Dream Valley Television news.”

“Wow, I’m sure a Pony Digital Assistant would be very useful for my library research.  Where can my friends and I purchase these?”

“Anypony can purchase a PDA in an E-PUM store.”

With a puzzled look, Twilight asks, “E-PUM?”

“Oh, that’s an acronym for Earth Pony science and Unicorn Magic Corporation.  Without Pegasus ponies to control the climate, Dream Valley Earth pony scientists and Unicorn ponies skilled in the magical arts often work together in harmony to solve problems.  E-PUM also makes forehoof shoe-gloves, like the ones my camera-mare Panorama uses to hold her camera.

Twilight notices that Panorama is wearing mechanical gloves covering her front hooves.  These gloves have four mechanical fingers and a mechanical thumb.  Panorama then said, “These hands are sure useful in steering our station’s van or holding things that we don’t want to put in our mouths.”

Twilight walks closer, and then asks Panorama, “Could you tell me something about these shoe-gloves?”

Panorama replies, “Shoe-gloves were invented two hundred years ago, to provide Earth ponies as well as Unicorn foals that hadn’t yet mastered their telekinesis, with a way to hold objects in their hooves instead of in their mouths.  Dream Valley historians have written books describing that Earth ponies and Unicorns foals had a hard time convincing adult Unicorn ponies to invest effort, money, and resources into a technology that would have little benefit to adult Unicorns.”

Twilight replied, “Equestrian Earth pony scientists and Pegasus pony scientists often conflict with Unicorn pony magical researchers over funding from Princess Celestia’s government.  To be honest, I don’t know how my Princess Celestia keeps cooperation and harmony between those two groups.  I got off the right track again, a bad habit of mine.  Where is the nearest E-PUM store?”

“I can walk with you to the nearest E-PUM store.  It happens to be located on the other side of this pony sports field.  Panorama and I covered the grand opening of this sports field seven days ago.  The mare that owns the store has a buy one get one free PDA sale for any Pegasus pony.  I think that smart aleck mare is going to regret making that offer.”

Twilight replied, “There’s a Ponyville saying, When in Manehattan, do as the Manehattanites do.  If wearing a Pony Digital Assistant will help my friends and I communicate with the Dream Valley residents, then my friends and I will purchase and then wear them while we are here.”  Twilight looks back to her airship.  “Spike, get a bag, no make that a big bag of bits and then come with me.  We have some serious shopping to do.”

Panorama still photographing with her camera asked Twilight, “What are bits?”

Twilight replied, “Bits are what Equestrians use for money.”

Panorama laughed, saying, “In Dream Valley, you buy things with Dream Valley dollars.  I’ll walk you to a nearby Unity City bank to exchange your foreign coins for Dream Valley dollars.  Do you have any questions for me before we start walking?”

“What are those metal towers for?”

Panorama replied, “Those towers are for wireless transmission of voice and pictures for our Pony Digital Assistants.  Go ahead, ask me another question.”

“In Equestria, I read that an Earth mare scientist named Groningen Mareconi Marwari thinks wireless data transmission is possible.  I suppose your PDA proves she was correct.  So Panorama, do you think that my Pegasus friends will become popular with Dream Valley ponies?”

“I do believe that your Pegasus friends will become very popular.  They might even get their own Welcome to Dream Valley convention.”

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media

Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Three

Chapter 3:  An Unexpected newscast

After one day of travel, the massive airship flew over the Yanhoover lighthouse.  The lighthouse keeper mare and her family had put a huge banner on the tall lighthouse that flowed from the bottom of the lantern room to the top of the front door.  The sign read “Have a fun and safe journey!”

Then, the airship flew over a dozen, nearby archipelago islands.  The ponies of these remote settlements cheering as the airship flew overhead.

A few minutes after nightfall, Twilight, her friends, and the airship crew saw lights on some more distant and uncharted islands.  But, with their assignment to complete, they didn’t take the time to investigate these lights at this time.

Eight days passed without anypony seeing anything else that was unusual.  And then, their airship was flying over the shore of the continent where Dream Valley is located.

In the ship’s forward observation lounge, Twilight and her friends are reading books on Dream Valley written by the first immigrants to Equestria, or their children, or their grandchildren.  These friends also read books written by dragons, griffons, one Minotaur, and one sea serpent.  They are explorers who claimed to have visited Dream Valley.  But, with the descriptions being so different from each other that the pony friends concluded that all their descriptions are made-up fictional tales.

After closing one of these explorer books, and setting it aside with her magic, Twilight said with frustration etched on her face and in a frustrated voice, “I’ve had it with reading all these fibs passed off as facts.  These books about Dream Valley are filled with wild speculation, unsupported by much evidence.  What is worse, most of these written descriptions and maps were written by ponies that were born decades or centuries after the “Great Pony Migration” to Equestria.  After an eight day voyage to get here, I’m not sure how many additional weeks we and our airship can spend wandering along this coast looking for the empty valley with the tumbled down ruins.

With everypony reading, Spike is the only one who notices that the airship is descending.  As the airship sails below the clouds, Spike looks out the room’s large windows using binoculars.  Spike sees a green valley, then structures in the valley, and then shiny, metallic ponies.  Now, Spike has been to the Crystal Empire and met the Crystal ponies.  But, Spike had never before seen metallic ponies.  Spike has a puzzled look on his face as he puts down the binoculars that hang from his neck on a strap.  Spike scratches the tip of his nose with his index finger and then turns around to talk to Twilight.

Spike asked, “Twilight, do you remember saying that nopony lives in Dream Valley anymore?  Well, you might want to tell the ponies that live here that.”

Wearing skeptical faces, the pony friends ambled to the floor to ceiling windows.  They saw a green valley, with farms and forests.  The asymmetrical structures are made of concrete and steel, much like Manehattan rather than Ponyville.  They see canals, roads, and metal towers that to their eyes had no apparent purpose.

While the landscape is beautiful and the structures are intriguing, what the pony friends pay the most attention to are the native ponies that have a distinctive metallic sheen in their coats and manes.  Some ponies had silver and gold coats, while others had more bronze and copper coats.

As the airship passes overhead, a pony pedal powered van stops.  Two mares jump out of the van, the first mare is a Unicorn named Newsie who has a silver coat, mane, and tail.  Newsie is dressed in a stylish blue sports coat, a white shirt, and a red bow tie while a wireless microphone headset sits on her head.

The second mare is an Earth pony named Panorama who has a polished brass-colored coat, mane, and tail.  Panorama is wearing work overalls over a plaid shirt.  On Panorama’s head is a plastic helmet.  A portal television camera is mounted on the side of her helmet, with a helmet mounted display in front of her right eye.

Newsie used her magic to tidy up her mane.  Panorama told Newsie, “We go live in three, two, and one, now.”  The bewildered Newsie then said in a calm voice as if she was ordering a cup of tea, “Mare on the street reporter Newsie Newsworthy reporting on what appears to be an alien airship that has appeared in the skies above Dream Valley.  Panorama, pan up!”

Newsie, with a frantic wave of her foreleg, points up.  Panorama pans her camera up seconds before the shadow of the huge airship darkens for several seconds the two mares, their van, and the ground the two mares are standing on.

After an audible gulp, Newsie continued her commentary by saying, “Panorama and I will follow that airship the best we can and interview whoever is controlling it when it lands.  For Dream Valley Television, this is Newsie Newsworthy and my camera operator Panorama signing off.”

As Twilight’s airship approaches a grassy sports field, ponies wearing sports jerseys and playing a game of soccer see the airship.  They then run and hide under a sports grandstand with a canopy.  Panorama pedaling their van stops it before the descending airship.

By this time, Twilight and her friends had trotted their way to the bow deck, to stand on their hind legs, looking over the sturdy wooden railing.  Rarity had the same over the top, happy facial expression she wore when first told about the crystal ponies.  Rarity exclaimed, “Have any of you even seen such beautiful ponies in all your life?  Pony watching opportunities here is going to be a dream!”

Spike standing beside Rarity said, “Maybe, maybe I should get my scales gilded?”

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media

This is my Anime aXcess poster for the University of Minnesota Duluth Anime Club.

Ponies Unexpected: Chapter Two

Chapter 2:  An Unexpected Voyage of Discovery begins

About three months later, Twilight’s new airship yacht was completed within Ponyville’s grass field airport.  Equestrian ponies from all over their nation have come to see the departure of Princess Twilight, her friends, and the Wonderbolts to Dream Valley.

Made of cut stones, Ponyville’s airport control tower is where Cheerilee and her students are watching the send off festival.  The colorful flag of Ponyville depicting a large heart with two ponies standing on either their side of it, hangs from the tower’s top floor.  Cheerilee turns to face her students, saying, “I hope they have a safe journey and bring back lots of artifacts, such as maps, books, and pictures.”

Three of Cheerilee’s students are members of an afterschool social club known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Their club name reflects the fact that they are still looking to earn their cutie marks, magical symbols on their flanks that show their special talents.  These young fillies watched the spectator ponies buying food from the Apple family treat cart crewed by Big Macintosh and Granny Smith.  Inside the Cake family’s outdoor event tent, music-loving ponies inside are listening to the jazz band 50 Bit before sitting down on wooden review stands.

The three friends were amazed that in ten days the Earth pony carpenters constructed a “U” shaped review stand.  Their classmates told each other that they were amazed that Earth pony carpenters could construct such big things in such a short amount of time.

The young Pegasus mare, Scootaloo points with her hoof at the nearby airship.  “I bet us Cutie Mark Crusaders could have snuck onboard and then earned our cutie marks as explorers or as air sailors or as … I don’t know, as stowaways.”

With a frowning face, the unicorn filly Sweetie Belle replied, “Why would you want a stowaway cutie mark?  Unless we become professional spies, I don’t think that would be a very useful skill.”

A youthful Earth pony named Apple Bloom nudges between her two friends, and then says:  “Professional spies with stowaway cutie marks, that would be … not very spyful would it?”

With an amazed look, Sweetie Belle says: “Spyful?”

Sweetie Belle then said:  “We need to do as much as we can to earn our cutie marks while we are still a team.  Imagine if someday my big sister Rarity gets me to apply to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.  If I move to Canterlot, then we wouldn’t be able to see much of each other anymore.”

With a thoughtful face, Apple Bloom said, “Sweetie Belle, now you’re starting to talk like Princess Twilight.  I don’t know much about this voyage to Dream Valley.  What I do know is that the journey to Dream Valley should be for the full-grown ponies.  Who knows who or what is living in Dream Valley now?  If it was a good enough home for the three pony tribes, I’m sure that it would make a good home for other folks that may or may not like ponies.  Am I right or what?”

Sweetie Belle replied, “Yes, you’re right.  I’m sure that my big sister Rarity will come back with all kinds of cool stories and many fashion ideas as well.”  Sweetie puts her hooves together and adds, “I wish that my big sister and her friends always stay Earth pony strong, Pegasus pony swift, and Unicorn pony smart.”

The three pony friends look with wonder on their faces as Twilight’s massive new airship floats out of an even more massive aircraft hanger, constructed to be the home for Twilight’s airship.  Covering most of the balloon above the gondola is a friendship banner with the images of the six friends’ cutie marks.

A six-pointed star with five smaller stars, for the winged unicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle.

A trio of blue diamonds, for the unicorn pony Rarity.

Three red apples, for the Earth pony Applejack.

Three butterflies, for the Pegasus Fluttershy.

Three balloons, for the Earth pony Pinkie Pie.

A white cloud hovering above a colorful lightning bolt for the Pegasus pony Rainbow Dash.

Sweetie Belle, eager to show off her knowledge to her friends said, “Did you know that airship was crafted by pony shipwrights and that the gondola is a wooden ship suspended under the balloon.  An old, yet still useful Equestrian design, if the balloon was ever damaged over water the gondola would float, saving those ponies onboard.  Also, the gondola was built bigger than it needed to be to serve the seven passengers and crew.  After all, it is designed to carry an entire library from Dream Valley to Equestria.”

A much smaller, but still impressive Equestrian flag hangs off a pole at the rear of the gondola.

Four friends were standing on the open deck, while Pinkie pie was bouncing on her hooves and Rainbow Dash was hovering on her wings above the deck.  The Pegasus Spitfire and the five other notable members of the Wonderbolts wearing their Wonderbolts flight uniforms were busy with last minute inspections of the airship before falling into line besides the six friends.  On the deck is a big pile of luggage that sits near a set of double doors leading into the airship.

The airship slowed and then stopped above the grassy airfield within the “U” shaped review stands, where Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Nurse Redheart, and Mayor Mare are sitting on the top row of seats.  On the seats below these ponies are the brown coated, Earth pony named Time Turner who for some reason was wearing 3-d movie glasses and another Earth pony named Rose along with a gaggle of press ponies.  On the row below them are Sweetie Drops, and Lyra Heartstrings who had agreed to take care of the explorers’ entire collection of pets at Fluttershy’s home.

On the ship’s deck, Rainbow and Rarity are looking up at the colorful banner.  Rainbow says, “Rarity, thank you for making our airship’s banner.  It looks awesome!”

Rarity replies, “You’re welcome, Rainbow Dash.  That banner is one of the largest things I’ve attempted to stitch together with my hoofiwork.”

Twilight steps between them, “Quiet girls, Celestia is about to speak.”

The white winged unicorn, with the sun image cutie mark, spreads her wings wide, stands on her hind legs, and then says, “I christen this airship Comet and may she always bring her passengers and crew home safe and sound.”

The sun princess’s horn glows bright.  The sun princess levitates an oversized bottle the size of a foal, covered with a network of fine cord, with an image of an apple to hover before the airship.  She then shatters the bottle against the ship's keel under the bronze figurehead of a beautiful sea pony.  Of course, Rainbow covered her eyes with her hooves as some of Applejack’s best apple cider runs from the broken bottle into the grass field that is manicured to resemble a checkerboard below the airship.

Celestia continues speaking, “The Comet is powered by four, side mounted friendship engines that dives eight aircraft propellers.  Each engine has one forward and one rear set of propellers.  These engines were designed by none other than our own Princess Twilight.  This is the first time friendship engines have been used anywhere.”

Twilight speaking more to her friends that to the other ponies said, “Our airship is propelled by experimental engines powered by friendship.  The more friendship we have for each other, the more power flows to the engine, and then our airship moves faster.  So, everyone keep happy thoughts for each other.”

Celestia turns her head and then nods at Nurse Redheart, who then says, “I’ve given your team an ample supply of potable water, nutritious foods to eat, dietary supplements, and medical supplies.  You don’t need to worry about your heath during this voyage.”

Twilight replies by saying, “I appreciate with all my heart all the careful assistance you’ve given to my friends and airship crew Nurse Redheart.  Thanks!”

“You’re welcome, have a safe journey.”

Celestia speaks once more, “It is with my blessing that Princess Twilight, her friends, and the Wonderbolts embark on a journey to Dream Valley, our ancestral homeland.  Even as long-lived as my sister Luna and I are, even we have not seen Dream Valley.  These brave explorers will retrieve pony knowledge lost to ponykind for generations that will enrich all of our lives.”

Luna then says:  “My friends stay alert.  I have no idea what dangers and opportunities exist so far away from Equestria.”

Twilight replies “Don’t worry about us.  We will return with the lost knowledge in a few weeks to one month at most.  Mayor Mare, did you have something to ask of us?”

The mayor cleared her throat and then said, “I hope you find some ancient pony artifacts for the Ponyville museum and some unknown animals for the Ponyville zoo.”

“Mayor Mare, all that I can promise is that my friends and I will do our best effort.  And, what do Bon Bon and Lyra Heartstrings, two subjects of Equestria wish to speak to me about?”

Bon Bon asked, “In the name of friendship, see if you can rediscover Dream Valley candy recipes.”

Then, Lyra asked, “Please try to find lost pony music for the harp.”

Twilight replies, “All that I can promise is that I’ll make my best effort to find what you two need.”

Looking at the two royal sisters Twilight says, “In addition, I’ll have my assistant and friend Spike send Princess Celestia and Princess Luna daily letters telling you and Luna what we find in Dream Valley.”

Celestia again speaks, “Twilight, I’ll look forward to reading all your letters.  I will now give you my blessing.  I hope that during your travels my sunlight warms your body, illuminating the path before your hooves, while guiding you to friendship and happiness; while my sister Princess Luna guides you to pleasant dreams.  Also, Cheerilee wishes that you have a safe journey and bring back lots of books.”

With cheers from a crowd of well-wishers and the flashes from the cameras of the press ponies; Celestia’s horn glows, releasing the mooring lines that retract into the ship’s hull.  The airship ascends in a slow yet stead rate into the air.

As the airship sails away from the Ponyville airport, Twilight points with her hoof at a mural of Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever and Private Pansy with the windigos circling above them.  The mural is carved into a natural rock wall and then painted in bright colors.  Below and in the center of the mural is a cave entrance.

Twilight tells her friends, “Well everypony, that’s the famous cave where ponies of the three tribes made peace and friendship with each other.  The same cave described in our Hearth's Warming Eve pageant.  Now, we are going to retrace their hoofsteps back to Dream Valley.”

With an unimpressed look, Rainbow said, “I’ve visited that cavern as a young student.  I saw that the cavern has been turned into a tourist attraction.  It is full of young adult ponies hired as tour guides, as well as museum dioramas, a gift shop, a Hay Burger restaurant, an Urgent Care station, and two sets of restrooms - one for tourists and another for the staff.  I really don’t think that the Equestrian immigrants would recognize the cavern where the three tribes became one nation.”

Rarity said, “Well, let’s get settled in for a long trip.  Unlike our Earth pony and Unicorn pony ancestors who walked around the dirty and muddy shores of the Western Ocean, we modern ponies will ride in comfort in this modern airship.  The bottom two decks are for storage, the third deck is for a forward observation lounge in the bow, individual cabins for the passengers and crew, a first aid station, a spacious kitchen, and a mess hall or dining room in the stern.  The deck we are standing on has a forward cabin for steering the airship, and a much larger aft captain’s cabin that is for Princess Twilight and Spike.”

A startled Twilight said, “I don’t think it is right of me to take the Captain’s cabin.  I’d be fine if I bunked in a regular cabin like the rest of you.  Spike and I don’t need all that fancy decorations and large floor space to be comfortable, not at all.”

A surprised Rarity said, “Twilight, that’s nonsense.  As a princess, it is your right and your royal obligation that you should take the airship’s largest cabin.”

While shuffling her hooves and looking down, Twilight says, “I suppose, I will take the Captain’s cabin … if the rest of you agree.”

Twilight looks around and sees her friends, Captain Spitfire, and her crew nodding in agreement.

Twilight sighs and then says, “Come on Spike; let’s move our things into the Captain’s cabin.  I sure hope exploring the unknown is worth our time and effort.”

Rainbow said, “As Daring Do once told me:  ‘We become better ponies, both as individuals and as a species, not from staying away from the unknown, but by exploring the unknown.  When we ponies don’t explore, we become less like ponies and more like our pets.’  With friendship, harmony, and optimism on our side, no matter what we find or what finds us, this journey into the unknown will be worth our time and effort.”

My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic, Copyright © 2010 Lauren Faust, Hasbro Studios, and DHX Media