PONYVILLE, EQUESTRIA

5/12/2014 EQUESTRIAN CALENDAR

10:12AM EQUESTRIAN TIME

PLANET: EQUIS

“C’mon, where is it?” Twilight Sparkle thought anxiously to herself as she frantically flew around her library quickly scanning through every book that she could get ahold of using her magic. Apparently she has lost one of her spell books, and seemed to be in dire need of finding them. Of course that's how Twilight usually was.

If the slightest thing was out of place or missing from her sight, she got a bit anxious. Thankfully she's overcome her nervous breakdown episodes.

Apparently Spike has just walked in as his flustered alicorn friend continued her endless searching.

“Uh..Twilight,” he began.

Twilight let out a startled yelp and accidently used her magic to fling one of her books at him. He thankfully saw it coming though and dodged barely getting his tail out of the way.

Twilight quickly snapped her head over to where Spike was as her expression became regretful for almost hurting her number one assistant and best friend.

“Oh my gosh, Spike! I’m so sorry! Are you alright?” Twilight worriedly asked as she quickly flew over and landed by Spike’s side by sheathing her wings as her hooves touched the ground.

“Yes, but can I ask why you launched that book at me?” Spike asked expectantly.

“You just startled me, that’s all,” Twilight explained. “You know how much I don’t like it when somepony sneaks up on me.”

Spike just sighed. He understood how jumpy Twilight could be when she was ambitious about something. Judging from what he just went through, perhaps she was a little to ambitious. But he just lived with the fact that that’s just the way she was sometimes.

“I guess we should both be sorry huh?” he asked.

Twilight just gave a warm smile and chuckle as she gave Spike a playful rub on the head with one hoof and said, “Sure, why not.”

Twilight then wanted to know what Spike needed.

“Is there something that you wanted to tell me Spike?” she asked.

“Yes I do,” Spike replied and displayed a scroll to Twilight that he happened to be holding onto all along. “It’s a letter from Celestia.”

Twilight was a bit confused at first because she or her friends no longer had to send friendship reports to Celestia, because now they put what they learned about friendship in diaries.

Twilight just assumed it was something very important that she needed to know about. She gradually took the scroll with her magic from Spike and read out what the princess had to say.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

As you and everypony knows already, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up in several weeks. We haven’t had much time and help to set up for it which is why I’m asking that you and your friends come here to Canterlot to provide your assistance.

I should also inform you that my little sister isn’t doing so well. For a few weeks now, she has been deprived of rest when she’s off duty. It’s been taking a toll on her health and who knows how much longer she can still perform her tasks at nighttime. Perhaps you can look into what’s wrong with her. I’ve tried helping her myself, but I don’t think there’s much I can do. She’s constantly telling me that it’s a recurring kind of dream, and that she can’t do anything to change it. I don’t know what to make of it or what to do; so maybe you can find some sort of solution along with your friends?

Meet me at the castle as soon as you can.

- Princess Celestia

“Oh no!” Twilight gasped in shock after she was through reading Celestia’s letter.

“What’s wrong Twilight?” Spike asked looking very worried now.

“No time to explain right now Spike. We have to get the others and head over to Canterlot pronto. Send a reply back to the princess telling her that I’m rounding up my friends now and that we’ll be on our way soon,” Twilight replied not even bothering to properly answer Spike’s question. It sort of irritated him, but he let it slide without complaint. He didn’t want to be a bad assistant so he did as he was told.

Twilight made sure to lock the door to her library before flying off to find Rainbow Dash. With her speed, Twilight would gather the rest of her friends more quickly and efficiently.

Spike who was riding on Twilight’s back, was still not use to her flying so he wasn’t having a very enjoyable ride whatsoever. Thankfully he brought a paper bag with him.to avoid getting Twilight or himself messy. That would not go well for both of them.

Twilight and Spike didn’t have to fly long before they caught a glimpse of a cyan blur with a rainbow trail following behind it, flying in loop-de-loops and corkscrews throughout the skies above Ponyville.

This blur was anything other than the one and only Rainbow Dash, as she liked to call herself. It was part of her big-headed ego.

“Hey Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called.

Rainbow stopped her stunts to see who called her name. She smiled to see Twilight making good use of her wings.

“Hey guys. What’s going on?” Rainbow asked Twilight and Spike.

“I’m afraid I have dire news from the princess. She wants us all to be in Canterlot when we’ve all met up,” Twilight replied.

Rainbow became really concerned and worried, but was up for a fight if something was threatening the royal sisters, or all of Equestria.

“Well what is it? I demand to know who’s planning on ruining the harmony of our land and give him a message that he’ll never forget!” Rainbow proclaimed apparently already pumped up.

“Well the first thing is that Celestia requests our assistance to help set up for the Grand Galloping Gala,” Twilight replied.

Rainbow’s fighting spirit immediately died down and stared at Twilight with a bemused expression while crossing her forehooves.

“You’re kidding. You’re kidding me right? That was your bad news? I’m sorry to say this but I think you have the wrong pony. Perhaps Rarity or Pinkie Pie can help you out with your decoration emergency. Celestia should already know I’m way too cool for that sort of thing, and that setting up for celebrations is so lame,” Rainbow ranted.

“Um..I was also going to mention that Luna has fallen ill due to the lack of sleep she’s been getting,” Twilight added.

Rainbow became suspicious. She couldn’t tell if Twilight was telling the truth, or playing some kind of game with her which was odd because Twilight never played games.

“Are you being serious now? Because if this is some sort of sick prank, I’m not going to fall for it,” Rainbow stated with a firm tone indicating that she meant business.

“I’m being completely sincere Rainbow. Luna really is in trouble! Why would I joke about something like that?” Twilight asked clearly indicating that she wasn’t fooling around by her desperate tone and frantic expression.

Rainbow hesitated for a quick moment to question whether or not to go along with whatever Twilight was up to, but decided to help out no matter what the cost. She just made sure to have a backup plan incase she was tricked into doing something so uncool that it would ruin her reputation and mojo.

“I’ll tell everypony to meet you back at your home, alright? I’ll have them there in no time,” Rainbow said.

“Sounds good to me and thank you,” Twilight said with relief finally entering her mood.

“Don’t mention it,” Rainbow replied with a small smirk and took off. Twilight then returned back to her library with Spike.

When Spike finally fully recovered from his air-sickness, he asked Twilight, “Do you know why Princess Luna is having a recurring bad dream?”

“Well from what I’ve studied about dreams and the pony mind, recurring dreams are dreams that are about an individuals most traumatizing experience from a past life,” Twilight explained.

Spike thought about what sort of things would traumatize the troubled night princess. One thing did come to his mind.

“Do you think she’s reliving the moment when she became Nightmare Moon and was banished by Celestia?” he asked.

“It could be very possible Spike,” Twilight replied. “If I was her, that sort of thing would freak me out too.”

“I thought failing exams freaked you out.”

Twilight gave Spike an annoyed stare.

“Can we please never speak of that again? That was just one time. Plus Cadance has taught me how to overcome my extreme anxiety breakdowns.”

“Just thought I’d point out the obvious,” Spike said shrugging.

Twilight and Spike then heard a knock on her door.

“Come in,” Twilight called.

The door opened and in came Rainbow Dash and the rest of the girls.

“Told you I’d have them here in no time,” Rainbow said smugly.

Twilight nodded at Rainbow approving her contentment and faced the others who looked back at her with equal concernment.

“Thank you all for coming,” Twilight began.

“It’s no problem sugarcube. There’s no way we’re gonna let the princess go through this sickness another day,” Applejack stated.

“I just hope she isn’t contagious. I can’t risk getting any ailment while I’m busy planning out decorations for the gala. Also restoring our dresses as well,” Rarity said.

“What about dealin’ with that no good Blueblood if he shows his face?” Applejack asked. “It’s bad enough he insulted ma families recipes, but what he put ya through was jus’ plain awful.”

“Don’t worry darling. This time I plan on being around one of you girls or all of you. I may have been an easy target when I chose to go off alone, but when he sees I’m currently accompanied by one or more of you, I’m sure he’ll let us be,” Rarity explained.

“We’ll have to discuss our gala plans later girls. Right now we have to get to Canterlot and meetup with Celestia to find out how we can help Luna,” Twilight interjected.

Everypony nodded in agreement.

On the train ride to Canterlot, Twilight and her friends were discussing methods of how to help Luna with her sleeping illness. Surely it would’ve been more convenient to fly or teleport their, but such deeds would exhaust Twilight, even if she was an alicorn.

“I have ingredients for some hot tea to make for the princess. Hopefully that can help her; I hope anyway,” Fluttershy said.

“I think that will be good Fluttershy,” Twilight said. “What about you Pinkie?” she asked as she faced the party pony.

“I’ll make her a birthday cake!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed with her usual optimistic and hyper enthusiasm.

Rainbow raised a brow.

“Uh Pinkie, you do realize it’s not her birthday right? As a matter of speaking; none of us know her birthday,” Rainbow said.

“Well duh! I know it’s not her birthday. So I’ve decided it should be her Unbirthday cake!”

Rainbow was about to question Pinkie further, but decided it was a bad idea because Pinkie’s ethics never made sense and were completely random. As a result, Rainbow and everypony else will become even more confused and have their sanity tested.

“I’ll design and make a warm and comforting quilt for her,” Rarity said. “That should hopefully make her have better dreams.”

“What we should do first is to find out what this dream is. That way we’ll quickly find out how to get rid of it,” Twilight said.

“Ah agree with ya Twi, but how exactly are we gonna do that?” Applejack asked.

“Well, if she still has some energy to talk, perhaps she could tell us herself, and if not; there’s always a Plan B,” Twilight explained.

“And that would be what?” Rainbow asked.

“I have no idea,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

“In that case then, Ah hope Luna told Celestia about her nightmares. That way Celestia can tell us herself,” Applejack said.

“Oh I hope Luna is going to be okay soon,” fretted Fluttershy.

Applejack wrapped a comforting hoof around the worrisome pegasus’s neck.

“Ah’m sure she will sugarcube. We’ll find a way t’ help her. We’ve never let the princesses or all of Equestria down before, an’ we ain’t plannin’ to anytime soon either,” Applejack said soothingly.

CANTERLOT

1:40PM

When the train finally arrived at the Canterlot Train Station, Twilight and her friends quickly made their way to the castle where Celestia would await their arrival.

When they arrived, they burst through the front doors like they’ve done before when Discord broke out of his stone prison. Like expected, they saw Celestia pacing at the top of the foyer stairs. Celestia relaxed when she saw that Twilight and her friends have finally arrived.

“Thank goodness you all could make it,” Celestia said. “Please follow me.”

Celestia led Twilight and her friends to her and Luna’s private royal resting chambers. When they entered, they saw the heart-wrenching scene of the sleepless princess.

Luna’s eyes were bloodshot red with heavy sacks beneath them. Her mane and coat was messy and unkept as if she has just woken up from having a good sleep; but obviously that was not the reason.

Luna turned her attention to the direction to where she heard the door opening.

“Is that you, sister?” Luna asked weakly while rubbing her eyes to try and get a better view of who’s in the room because her sight was a little obscured from lack of sleep.

“Yes Luna, Twilight and her friends are here too. They’re going to do what they can to help you get some peaceful rest once again,” Celestia assured.

“Thank you sister. Thank you all so much,” Luna said with a small and hopeful smile.

“Don’t thank us just yet, Luna. We still have to find out a way to help you,” Twilight said as she walked over to the princess and placed her hoof on Luna’s. She then turned to Fluttershy. “You better get that tea going.”

Fluttershy just nodded and left the room. Twilight then faced Rarity. “You can start working on that quilt you promised.”

“I’m on it,” Rarity eagerly said and headed off after Fluttershy.

Twilight looked around for Pinkie, but she was no where to be seen.

“Where did Pinkie go?” Twilight asked bewildered by Pinkie’s unexpected disappearance.

Celestia, Applejack, and Rainbow frantically looked around the room.

“Ah swear she was just behind me,” Applejack said looking behind her. “Ah didn’t hear her trot off either.”

“Well you know her. She can disappear without a trace, then suddenly she…”

Rainbow was interrupted suddenly when streamers, confetti, and the sound of party noisemakers being blown filled the room. There was no source for any of it.

It startled everypony in the room, and it was enough to make Luna jump nearly out of her skin. She was fully on alert now.

Pinkie suddenly appeared out of no where from above Luna with a party hat on her head and holding one in her hoof. In her other hoof was a larger than life eight-layered white birthday cake decorated with blue frosting.  

"Happy Unbirthday, Princess Luna; and may you get well soon!"

Everypony looked at Pinkie with mere shock.

“...pops out when you least expect her to,” Rainbow finished.

Pinkie frowned at the current reception she was getting.

“What? I was just trying to cheer her up,” Pinkie said.

“It’s alright fair Pinkie Pie, at least the adrenaline you gave me from your surprise has temporarily given me the boost I need to tell you what I’ve been going through,” Luna reassured.

“Well what is it Luna? Can you please tell us while you can?” Twilight eagerly asked. She couldn’t afford to waste any second that passed by before the adrenaline rush that was keeping Luna fully awake and aware, would die down and make her weak again.

“Okay,” Luna began, “Apparently this bad dream I’m constantly having is sort of an odd one, considering I have the ability to enter anypony’s dreams as I wish. But frankly this dream I’m experiencing doesn’t seem to belong to a pony at all.”

Twilight and everypony else had a look of confusion and concern on their faces. Why would Luna enter or experience dreams that did not belong to ponies. So far they assumed that she may have come across a dream if a Griffin or something like that.

“Please continue, sister,” Celestia said. “Who or what are you seeing in this horrific dream?”

“I frankly don’t know what I’m seeing in my dreams, but whatever they are; their bipedal,” Luna said.

“You mean like a dragon?” Twilight asked.

“These beings were no dragon. They seem to be wearing some kind of metallic suit with a helmet that’s covering their entire head and face so I couldn’t identify them,” Luna explained.

“Well could you describe a few characteristics they have?”

“They have weird looking hoofs that’s for sure,” Luna stated. “Their back hooves are kind of flattish while their forehooves have these five strange appendages at the end of both of them. They seem to be used for holding items which seemed to be metallic objects that varied in size, and had a distinct indescribable shape to them. They either carried them with their forehooves, or wore them on their backs or on the side of their flanks.”

Upon the mentioning of five appendaged forehooves, a sudden realization washed over Twilight like water. She already knew what Luna was trying to mention.

“Do you think that they could be--humans?”

A moment of silence swept the room. Nopony knew what to make of Twilight’s abrupt question. Twilight knew it sounded crazy, but it seemed like the closest thing she could think of. She should know because she became one once herself.

“How do you know that they're called that?” Luna asked.

Twilight knew now that questions would be directed on her. Despite feeling uncomfortable with these sort of situations, she knew she had to answer the questions she’s been given. She always told herself it was like taking a test.

“I know it because that’s what I turned into when I had to rescue my crown from Sunset Shimmer in the parallel realm,” Twilight replied.

“Did they wear these metal suits that my sister mentioned?” Celestia asked.

“No, it was just normal clothing, despite that it wasn’t meant for ponies.”

Everypony seemed confused about these differences between the humans that Twilight saw in the alternate world, and the supposed humans in Luna’s dreams.

Not willing to have any more questions on her, Twilight flipped them back on Luna. This time she wanted to know the main problem.

“What is terrifying you about these humans?”

“Well they seem to be fighting some kind of enemy that are bipeds like them, but they look very different. Also their species seem to vary along with what they hold in their forehooves. What their firing at one another is different too. These so-called humans are firing out these short bursts of sparks from the metallic objects their holding while their adversaries are shooting visible green and blue lights. There’s also these glowing pink crystals that seem to track movement. When enough are impaled on a target, they…”

Luna couldn’t finish because she looked like she was either going to regurgitate or cry, or both.

Celestia, Twilight, and the other mares who were present in the room went over to comfort Luna as she choked on light sobs, or the contents of her stomach that she felt beginning to creep up.

“Relax sister, don’t tell us the entire dream. Just cut to the end. Hopefully it won’t make you sicker than you already are,”  Celestia assured.

Luna no longer had to feel like vomiting, but her sobs began to easily escape from her mouth.

“You’re right sister. It isn’t sickening. I-it’s absolutely tragic!” Luna bawled.

Everypony was now hugging Luna tightly in order to try and calm her down the best they could.

“You don’t have to say anymore, Luna. We’ve all heard enough,” Twilight said quietly.

“Oh but I have too. How c-can you help me if you d-don’t know what h-happens?”

“Just take your time and catch your breath. Then you can continue,” Twilight suggested.

Luna just nodded and wiped her eyes. She then started to take deep breaths to get control over herself.

When she finally felt calmer, she gave the indication that she was ready by giving a nod of the head.

“Go ahead,” Twilight said.

“Apparently I see one of your friends, Applejack about to board some sort of bulky but aerodynamic craft.”

Applejack’s face lost a bit of color to it.

“B-beg yer pardon,” Applejack stuttered clearly nervous about where this might go.

Luna then turned toward Applejack with a grim expression as she talked on.

“You seem to be refusing to get on at first indicating that you don’t want to get on.”

“Who wouldn’t, an’ Ah’m glad too. Ah would never get into some weird UFO, even if it killed me,” Applejack proudly proclaimed.

“Oh but it does,” Luna interjected sadly.

Applejack’s face turned ghost white this time. She clearly doesn’t want to hear about Luna’s dream anymore, but she knew she couldn’t abandon the princess in her time of need. She had to stay.

“W-what happens next?” Applejack reluctantly asks.

“Well for some reason you get on anyway, and then the object flies off. But here comes the part where I always wake up,” Luna warned making Applejack cringe as she braced herself for whatever came next.

Luna felt the tears well up once more as she finally finished her story.

“The flying machine gets shot down by these smaller flying machines that have this distinct and haunting wailing sound to them. The result is the aircraft crashing into an unknown body of water.”

Luna began crying again and Applejack appeared to be clearly terrified because her eyes were dilated and she was shaking all over. Small tears seemed to be dripping down her face. Rainbow noticed this and did her best to comfort her.

“Relax AJ, it’s just a dream,” Rainbow reassured.

“Ah know that! Ah’m jus’ wonderin’ why Ah’m the one who dies and nopony else,” Applejack retorted.

“We’ll we can’t be sure. Me or Pinkie weren't mentioned to be present during this event. Matter of fact. Why aren't we there at all?” Twilight asked Luna.

“I-I’m not sure. B-but I hope both of you are alright though. I can’t seem to interact with the dream at all. I’m just standing there and w-watching it. Also nopony seems to acknowledge me as if I wasn’t even there,” Luna explained before breaking down.

Everypony just huddled around Luna and hugged her.

The constant sadness made Luna feel weak again and asked that they lay her back down on her cushion. It was good that Luna informed them of her situation, but the emotional atmosphere was heavy.

What sort of dream was Luna having, or was it even a dream at all? Was it more of a vision instead? It wasn’t clear to Twilight or Luna, or anypony else present. What could it mean?

While they were all still hugging, they could all hear a low rumbling sound. It steadily escalated into a flaming roar which caused all loose items in the room to shake and jiggle a bit.

Everypony suddenly got the instinct to rush out onto the balcony and gaze overhead at the sky. What they saw was truly interesting and pure terrifying at the same time.

They all saw a medium sized fireball hurling in a downward diagonal line leaving a long trail of smoke behind it.

It looked like some kind of meteor first, but it seemed to have some sort of bulky aerodynamic design to it. This was no meteor; at least no meteor that nopony has seen before.

It was a relief that it wasn’t heading for them, but it was absolutely horrifying that it was dangerously close to the ground, and that its vector seemed to be near the area of Sweet Apple Acres which alarmed Applejack greatly.

“C’mon y’all! We gotta get over there and see if mah families okay!” Applejack cried with fear in her voice. She turned to Twilight.

“Ya gotta teleport us over there!”

“But-” Twilight began.

“NOW!” Applejack shouted hysterical and impatiently. Since her grandmother, older brother, and little sister was the only family she had left at Sweet Apple Acres, she had every right to be worried about if they were safe.

Not wanting to anger her friend further, Twilight ignited her horn and grabbed Applejack’s hoof before they both vanished into thin air leaving Celestia and the others to figure out what the hay just happened.

The helping out for all six friends for the Gala would have to be postponed for now. Since Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity are still at the castle, perhaps they could start out with the festivities.

As for Luna, she’ll live. Hopefully soon she’ll get the sleep she deserves.

The question that ran through everypony's heads is what on Equestria was this mysterious object that has intruded Equis’s atmosphere?