Rainbow Dash walked to Applejack's, conscious of the tickets in her saddlebags, laughing slightly as Peter bopped his head and bounced on the soles of his feet, apparently oblivious to everything around him, his sights set on Sugarcube Corner.

He just gets lost in those headphones...

She returned her attention to keeping herself on the ground, not wanting to lose the tickets in a reckless flight, smiling wide as she thought of how Applejack would react.

She's gunna freak! I can't wait to see the look on her face!

She kept on walking, rainbow mane flopping in and out of her field of view as she walked, echoing 'hellos' as she walked, lost in her anticipation.

After walking for about five minutes, Sweet Apple Acres came into view. Only something seemed...different.

She walked up to the door and knocked, her hoof sending a resounding sound throughout the entire barn house. Nopony answered. Rainbow Dash tried again, her cyan hoof smarting as it banged against the wooden door. Still, no answer.

Confused, Rainbow Dash looked out to the apple tree orchard once more, noticing something different, but not knowing...what.

She gasped as she realized what was so different. Something so obvious, and yet so unexpected.

Half of the trees were devoid of leaves.

In the middle of summer.

She suddenly saw Applejack, the orange work pony running towards the lake with a basket, panic in her eyes. Rainbow Dash put the saddlebags down on Applejack's door step and flew over to her friend, confused.

"Hey, AJ! What's going on!?"

The work pony didn't stop. Instead, she kept on going to the lake, filled the bucket, and then sat, waiting for Rainbow Dash.

"The trees...they're dyin'."

"Well, I can see that. But why are they dying?"

Applejack looked up at the rainbow maned pony, fear in her eyes. "I...I just don't know."

Rainbow Dash frowned, confused. Maybe now isn't the best time to tell Applejack about Celestia's gift...

"Do you want help, AJ? I could get a few clouds for you and make it rain on the orchards, if you want."

The orange pony immediately perked up. "You'd do that...for me?"

Rainbow Dash expanded her wings, smiling with cockiness.

"Of course, Applejack! We're friends! I would never leave you hangin'!"

Applejack smiled, and drew Rainbow Dash into a hug. "Just like you never leave Ponyville hangin'..."

Rainbow Dash's eyes dilated, her smile faltered.

"You said you'd never leave Ponyville hangin', and now ah'm dead because you decided to leave Ponyville hangin'. Ah guess ah just didn' count, did ah? Well, ah'll show you how much ah count. It's time for you to die, Rainbow Dash."

The images from her dreams clouded her mind instantly, making Applejack's hug seem more like a tackle...

She disentangled herself from Applejack, hiding her fear with cockiness.

Just like I did back in Flight School...

She flew up and wrangled a few clouds, all the while remembering her dreams. She carried the clouds over the orchards and bounced on them, forcing the rain out of the balls of fluff. As she did, the dreams gradually left her mind.

My friends are here to help me. And I would never, ever abandon any of them.

Her smile grew, just as her belief in herself, and her thoughts. She stopped bouncing, having poured about a half a day's rain on the orchard.

She disbanded the clouds and looked down at the ground, pleased that she hadn't flooded it, but hadn't left it dry either. She returned to Applejack, all smiles.

"Well, that should take care of that...thanks, Rainbow Dash. Ah really owe you one."

The cyan Pegasus nodded, and suddenly thought of a great way to tell Applejack about the vacation.

"I know! Follow me."

She took off, rainbow mane swirling behind her, Applejack close behind.

The cyan Pegasus stopped, and picked up her saddles, pulling the two tickets out with her mouth, presenting them to the work pony as she approached.

"What...what are those?"

Rainbow Dash put the tickets on the ground in front of Applejack, letting her see them.

"They're gifts, from Celestia! We're all going on vacation next Friday!"

"Really? Come on in, Rainbow Dash, have some lunch!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes sparkled as her smile widened. "Thanks, Applejack!"

She walked inside, forgetting, or rather, not caring, that she had eaten breakfast less than twenty minutes ago.

The two friends sat at the dinner table, munching away at hay fries, giggling as they spoke of what they would do at the hotel.

"I'm so gonna hit the beach! Waves, here I come!"

Applejack nodded, smiling.

"So am ah. Ah can't wait to feel the sun on mah tired back..."

"I'm gonna surf so much!"

"Ah'm gunna relax, take a load off..."

"I'm gonna shred those waves!"

The two kept going at it, going back and forth about what they would do at the beach, at the spa, etc. Finally, they decided to go back to Twilight's library, to tell her that Applejack was definitely coming.

They walked outside into the hot summer sun, Applejack smiling at the trees.

"Thanks, Rainbow. You're a real friend."

The cyan Pegasus smiled, hoof bumping the orange work pony. They turned around to walk to Twilight's, just in time to see Peter, headphones around his neck, blasting a song that neither ponies recognized, running at full speed towards Rainbow Dash and Applejack, a letter clutched in his hand. He stopped in front of the two ponies, panting and sputtering as he leaned on his knees, Twilight close behind him, likewise panting.

"Uh...guys? You okay?"

Peter looked up and handed the two ponies the letter, falling to the ground under the afternoon sun, panting like he had run five miles in two minutes.

Applejack opened the envelope, the seal already broken, and put the letter on the ground in front of her and Rainbow Dash. They read it hastily and gasped, looking at each other in surprise.

Twilight walked to Fluttershy's cottage, the tickets in her bag filling her with excitement.

I can't wait to see Fluttershy's face! She'll be so surprised!

She hummed as she walked, knowing how stressed Fluttershy must be, what with Devil and Peter...

She finally arrived at the cottage, having not run across anypony on her way there, and knocked on the door, wide smile joining her sparkling eyes.

The lavender unicorn raised an eyebrow in confusion when there was no answer. She knocked again. Still, no answer.

And then, she heard a scream from within the Everfree Forest, sending chills down her spine. She placed the saddlebags down, rushing into the forest.

No time to get anypony...if Fluttershy's in danger, I have to help her now!

She ran through the thick foliage, following the rough direction from which she had heard the scream, magically moving branches and debris, moving closer and closer to a blast center.

There, in the center, was the crater Peter had made on the day he had arrived.

Twilight looked around, certain that Fluttershy's scream had come from here. She looked behind bushes, under branches, and on trees, but couldn't find her friend anywhere. And then she heard a second scream, and turned around, feeling stupid for not checking the most obvious place.

She walked into the center of the crater, where Fluttershy lie. She dove to her friend's side, digging in, ready to use magic against whatever threats there could possibly be.

"Fluttershy, are you okay?"

The yellow Pegasus raised her head, still shaking, the fear in her eyes fading as she looked at Twilight.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Twilight's eyes opened wide, incredulous.

"Uh...you just screamed. Loud."

The Pegasus got up, shaking her mane as she did so, eyes looking at the ground.

"Well, I was scared. I thought I saw a dragon at the edge of the crater. I was coming just to see if there was anything salvageable from Peters'...site of arrival."

Twilight nodded. Typical Fluttershy, scared by...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a squeak as the trembling Pegasus regressed into her scared position, and Twilight turned, just in time to see a very, very angry Ursa Minor.

The lavender unicorn gulped, and immediately did the same thing she had done to calm the other Ursa Minor, using the wind to make music from the plants. However, with the lack of a cup and milk to fill said cup, all she managed to do was distract the giant bear for a moment.

As soon as the music stopped, the Ursa Minor swiped at Twilight, still enraged that something had invaded its new nest. Twilight jumped back, using magic to lift Fluttershy up and out of the crater, into the safety of a bubble.

"Fine then! If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"

Her mind cycled through hundreds of defense and attack spells. She finally settled on one that she could use to knock out the Ursa Minor without actually harming it.

She used the spell, the lightning bolt shooting from her horn to connect with the Ursa Minor's temple, sending enough voltage to knock out a small bear.

Unfortunately, this wasn't a small bear.

It swiped at her again, even more enraged as Twilight ran around him, using two spells at once: one to send constant bolts of lightning towards the beast's temple, and a second to keep herself moving in circles around the beast, desperate to avoid its claws.

However, avoiding the paws of an Ursa Minor is quite a larger challenge, as the lavender unicorn learned when the large hand slammed right into her, sending her across the crater. She immediately cast a healing spell on herself, mending the fractured hip with a click.

She looked up at the Ursa Minor, now furious, collecting enough energy to send a fireball the size of a boulder right at the giant bear's face. She was about to let it go when Fluttershy put a horn on her hoof, stopping her spell, sending Twilight into a state of mental shock as the yellow Pegasus' hoof made connection with the sensitive nerve endings, even more sensitive now that it was linked directly to her mind through the spell. She quickly recovered, watching in never-ending amazement as Fluttershy landed on the Ursa Minors' noise, shouting it down, Stare on.

"You do not hurt my friends! Now, go back to your cave and do not tell your mother about this. I don't want you to get in trouble for being a bad little bear, alright?"

The giant bear smiled, tears stopped by a claw, and it walked off into the Everfree Forest, looking more like a teddy bear than a bear with giant claws and deadly teeth.

"Wow, Fluttershy! That was amazing!"

"It...it was nothing. Let's go back to my cottage, shall we?"

Twilight stood in amazement as the Pegasus walked back to her house, totally calm, still not able to get over the fact that such a shy pony could have so many guts.

"Twilight, are you coming, or not?"

The lavender unicorn immediately obeyed, following her friend to the cottage, excited smile returning as she remembered the two tickets for Fluttershy.

Once at the cottage, Twilight magically picked up her saddlebag and took out the two tickets, flashing them in front of the yellow Pegasus' face, too fast for the docile pony to read it.

"Uh...Twilight, what are they?"

Twilight put then down on the ground, smiling a huge smile, a spark in her eyes.

"It's tickets! One for a train to the Tower de Celestia, and one for a cruise! I don't know on what ship yet, though. It's a gift from Celestia herself!"

The yellow Pegasus immediately pushed them away. "I want you to have them."

Twilight chuckled, smiling even more broadly.

"Fluttershy, you silly Pegasus! We all have tickets! You, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and I. Even Peter and Spike have tickets!"

The yellow Pegasus immediately smiled, eyes sparking, but then sat back down.

Ugh, now what?

"Who will take care of Devil and Angel? And all the other animals?"

"Celestia said she'd send somepony to watch them for you. Come on, Fluttershy, you need to relax!"

Fluttershy sighed. "Okay, you're right."

Note to self...ask Celestia to send somepony to watch Fluttershy's animals.

"Well, let's go back to the library. Peter and Pinkie Pie should be back by now, and so should Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

Fluttershy nodded, eager to talk about what everypony would do in the hotel, and on the cruise.

Twilight opened the door to see Peter and Pinkie Pie laughing as they talked about what they would do at the beach.

"I'm going to have a huge dance party, with cupcakes, and presents, and everything!"

"I'm gonna body surf the hell out of those waves!"

"I'm going to bring music, and confetti, and everything you need for a party, all in my mane!"

"I'm gonna dive through each wave I see!"

Twilight cleared her throat, catching the attention of the human and the pony.

"So, Fluttershy's on board! Now, then, where's Rainbow Dash?"

Peter shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe she's hanging out with Applejack or something..."

Twilight shrugged in return, and was about to suggest they go find her when Spike walked in the room, holding a sealed envelope, the smell of mail following him.

Twilight opened the letter and read it aloud. Everypony, and Peter, gasped.

"We've gotta find Rainbow Dash and Applejack, now!"

"I agree. Peter, take this and follow me to Sweet Apple Acres!"

She put the letter back in the envelope, and Peter grabbed it, putting on his headphones.

"Let's go!"

She ran out the door, running at full throttle. She watched in shock as Peter not only caught up to her, but passed her, legs pumping almost as furiously as his arms, his headphones quickly falling off. The song that played was foreign to Twilight, but she kept going, keeping a careful eye on the sun.

Not much time...

Finally, they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, Peter flopping onto his back as he handed the letter to the two shocked ponies, Twilight onto her stomach. The two ponies gasped, astounded by what they read.

Peter walked along, making conscious effort not to dance or sing, reminding himself that there were ponies staring at him from left and right on his walk to Sugarcube Corner.

Geez...it's almost like a walk of shame...

He sagged his shoulders down, wanting to do nothing more than turn invisible at that moment.

Being a human here sucks. It fucking blows.

He finally arrived at Sugarcube Corner and knocked on the door, turning noise reduction off on his headphones. He simultaneously turned off the music on his iPod. He took the headphones off of his head and let them hang on his neck.

Pinkie Pie opened the door, her mane flopping all over the place.

"Hey, Peter! What's up?"

"Nothing much. Besides the fact that Celestia is sending us on a vacation!"

Pinkie Pie gasped, a huge, breath taking gasp.
Side note: see what I did thar? Carry on.

"Ohmygoshthat'sawesomedowehaveticketsorsomethinghuhuhuhuh? HUH?"

Peter opened his eyes wide, shocked by the random flow of words.

"Uh...what?"

"Do we have tickets?"

Peter nodded, pulling the two tickets out of his pocket.

"For both the train to Manehattan and the cruise. We're staying at some place called the 'Towers de Celestia'. Do you know what it is?"

A spark entered Pinkie Pie's eyes. "I'll tell you all about it!"

Peter smiled, eager to speak with the pink party pony. "Tell me on the way to Twilight's."

The pink pony nodded, bouncing by his side, speaking in a constant rhythm somehow uninterrupted by her hooves meeting the ground.

"Well, it's a really big tower hotel right near the beach, okay? It's got party rooms, a casino, huge elevators, a giant pool, a dance pad, and even more! There are also...'drinks'. Y'know, like wine? Best drinks there are!"

Peter raised an eyebrow to the word 'wine'.

I guess that that whole 'looks like the punch has been Spiked' thing was just Hasbro making a joke. I guess they really don't have real alcohol here...well, might as well get some of Applejack's cider and ferment it. It would be awesome to get it into circulation and watch shit go down, but, whatever.

Pinkie Pie continued talking, having just taking a deep breath.

"They give truly legendary massages there, and Celestia has her own reserved rooms! Oh, I can't wait! When are we going!"

"Next Friday."

Pinkie Pie stopped, a small frown stretching her face.

"But that's eight days away! That's too long!"

Peter looked at her, chuckling silently.

"Trust me, Pinkie Pie. It's going to faster than you think."

The pink pony nodded, trusting Peter perfectly.

They continued walking, Pinkie Pie giving him the scarcest of information.

"Wait, what do the casinos look like?"

The two stopped in front of Twilight's library, and the pink pony answered in a Pinkie Pie way.

"Duh, it would ruin the surprise!"

Peter nodded, smiling as he opened the door. They sat down and started talking about what they would do at the beach, excited.

Damn...eight days is too long...

"I'm gonna body surf the shit out of the waves."

And then, Twilight cleared her throat. Peter raised an eyebrow, surprised that her breath would smell so bad.

And then Spike walked in, holding a letter.

Twilight read it aloud, and Peter gasped at the same time as everypony else in the room, even Rarity.

"Peter, take this and follow me!"

Why? He didn't bother voicing his question, but instead took it and followed Twilight, headphones on out of habit, blasting the Skyrim Theme Song.

Well, time to run!

He ran past Twilight, Sweet Apple Acres visible in his field of vision.

Stopping in front of the two ponies, he flopped down on his back, panting, the letter on the ground in front of the two ponies. Twilight flopped down near him, panting as well.

The two ponies gasped, and all of the four friends looked at each other, frantic.