Twilight Sparkle had just sat down on her throne before the round table with the map of Equestria on it. Her friends, including Spike already in their respective seats.
The shock over the table long since past and forgotten. The mission it initially sent them on may have caused some excitement, then discomfort. The occurrence now a routine. To be honest, even if Twilight Sparkle missed her old friend and mentor explaining the situation, even she had realised, Princess Celestia may have more pressing issues to tend to. Even Luna and Cadence have their own duties to contend with.
Thankfully, the Princesses came over from time to time, or invited them over for some Royal affairs or another. After a while, these occurrences had grown so customized and common, even Princess Twilight Sparkle was happy with the time she could spend with her old friend.
There was commonly some discussion as to what the Tree of Harmony had meant for them to do. Rainbow Dash pointing out the dangers and adventures the route potentially held. The regular banter on the subject still feeling fresh and new to the friends.
Sticking to tradition so recently established; the image of their marks appeared over the small, but bustling village of Ponyville; from where the group of Cutiemarks then moved to a new location on the map. Where it was commonly was a new position they had never seen before. There was a new task for them to complete, something that needed to be done. More often than not, it was getting Ponies back to the harmonious route on which they had been traveling before.
This time was like before, the marks traveling to a new spot, traversing the path through the Everfree forest, this time. Ending up in a clearing of calm grasses, where the next adventure was to take off.
“Why do we have to go through the Everfree forest?” Rarity complained.
“Because it is the way to our next adventure!” Rainbow Dash declared bluntly with a wide grin on her face.
“That old forest has grown uncharacteristically content and timid Ah reckon!” Applejack pointed out.
“With the tree of harmony fully active and Luna back in service, I guess this was bound to happen!” Twilight Sparkle pointed out.
“You even pulled Discord out of his old pattern of creating Chaos, Fluttershy!” Spike pondered.
“Time we get going!” Twilight Sparkle pointed out.
“At times like these, who has time to rearrange her baking cheats?” Pinkie Pie blurted out in a random burst of words so common to her.
Surprisingly enough, there was a wide path from the castle, straight through the forest, all the way to the clearing where the adventure was to take off.
What was not just a mild surprise, but a fair shock to the small band of Ponies; is the object resting before them.
“What in the name of Celestia is that?” Twilight Sparkle inquired.
"It's just a Manta Ray, Silly Princess!" Pinklie Pie exclaimed, giggling hysterically.
“What is a Manta Ray, and why did the Tree send us here now?” Rarity put forth.
“To be exact, it is a ship, meant to take us to far-flung places!” Pinkie Pie squealed in excitement.
“Why do we need a ship, and why does it have to look like this? This doesn’t make any sense!” Rarity complained.
“This is the Harmony, fitting name, considering who built it in the first place. If you intend to stand here, bickering; I go in and fly off while you have your tea party!” Pinkie Pie put forth, bouncing towards the ship, approaching the entrance in the front.
As she closed in, the maw opened up, permitting her entrance. She continued, almost as if nothing had actually happened, leaving her friends, mouth agape.
“What was that?” Fluttershy inquired, shocked by the change in the situation before her.
“She left us behind; that is what happened, Fluttershy!” Rarity pointed out in indignation over her friend.
“We need to follow her in. The Tree sent us here and now we have a mission to take care of!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed.
“Ah reckon!” Applejack confirmed, turning in the direction Pinkie Pie had so recently disappeared.
“Exactly!” Rainbow Dash echoed as she swooped down, entering the ship.
“The ship has a surprisingly organic design and outlook!” Twilight Sparkle observed, looking around with eyes wide open in surprise.
“Surprisingly hot in here, Ah reckon!” Applejack pointed out as she had entered the airlocks.
“A bit dark, though!” Fluttershy complained as the mouth of the Manta Ray closed behind her.
The next moment the room grew bright, the walls glowing with bright light from all sides. The next set of doors opening up for them, a path leading to the Command Deck.
“As large as it seems from outside, at least it isn’t quite as daunting as the initial impression of my castle!” Twilight Sparkle put forth.
“Interesting design, it has a crystalline feel to it, yet the atmosphere is utterly organic in here!” Rarity put forth.
“Feels like entering a cave, but looks more as if we had entered the belly of a beast?” Applejack observed in her own way, affording a brave smile.
“The tree is definitely crystal, just like my castle. Why shouldn’t the ship be made out of crystal as well?” Twilight Sparkle concluded.
“Tidy, I like how easy it should be to keep it clean. Assuming we need to!” Rarity pointed out with a relieved smile, winking to her friends.
Behind the next bend the cave-like corridor opened up into what was to pass for the Command Deck. Two large windows before them. Several comfortable seats lined up in a semi circle, and several more behind them. Clearly, this is requiring a large crew.
Looking closer, each seat had a mark on the back in the fashion of the throne in the castle.
“These are clearly our seats!” Twilight Sparkle put forth, looking at the central chair with her star on the back.
“This is mine!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing at the balloons of a chair to the right of Twilight Sparkle.
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