The year is 2002.

  Canterlot, home of the unicorns.

  Twilight's house.

  It's 3 a.m., and Twilight Sparkle is sleeping on her bed. Everything's doing just fine, when suddenly, she wakes up from a loud crash.

  "Spike? Did you break anything?", asks Twilight. She then realizes Spike couldn't have broken anything, since he was in his bed, sleeping like a baby dragon. "I think it came from outside."

  While Twilight goes outside to see what's going on, she notices a strange smell. It smells like destruction and crash-landings. She then starts to panic a little, thinking it could be some kind of apocalypse or something. In a rather uninhabited area, she sees a bunch of policecolts and curious folk around a strange, glowing area. She decides to join in, but then Snips comes out of nowhere and stops her.

  "Hey, Twilight.", says Snips. "Don't be rubberneckin'! You're getting in the cops, I mean... officers' way!"

  "I just want to see what's going on--"

  "No need to see anything. You should go home. I'll tell you more about the meteorite tomorrow."

  "Meteorite?!"

  "Yes. A strange, glowing meteorite."

  "Who do you think you are to stop me from researching about something as unusual as a meteorite? It could be an alien invasion! Or maybe it's the end of the world! I gotta see what's happening here!"

  "You can do that tomorrow."

  Twilight tries to contain her rage. "FINE." She then goes back home, grumbling about how Snips thinks he's sooo smart, and how she wasted a good chunk of her sleep just to hear that short-stack's annoying voice again.

  Later that night...

  Twilight wakes up again, this time because of a knock on the door. Of all the worst situations that would require her to get out of bed again, that was probably the most aggravating one. She goes to the door, jealous of how Spike has been sleeping like a rock the whole time.

  "Who is it?" No answer.

  "Who is it?", she says in a more cutesy tone. Still, no answer.

  "WHO IS IT??" They're not saying anything. So, finally she opens the door, and just as she suspected... it's that buck-toothed short-stack again.

  "Oh, it's you, Snips."

  "Twilight! Listen to what I gotta say!"

  "Nope. No time for that either."

  "Twilight, this is serious! Please, listen to me!"

  "Fine... what is it?"

  "When I took Snails to the place where the meteorite landed, the police that were guarding the meteorite landing left suddenly, to deal with the griffons."

  "The griffons?"

  "You know, they're the local ruffians."

  "Oh, those griffons."

  "Yeah, they were really going wild. And then I noticed Snails was gone!"

  "What do I have to do with all that?"

  "... you're my bestest friend. Won't you help me find Snails?"

  "I have no friends, Snips. Books are my friends."

  "... pretty please?"

  "Fine, I'll help you."

  "I think you should bring Spike along. There are lots of scary critters in the night, and he would offer a great help."

  "... okay, I'll wake him up. Why don't you come in while I don't come back?"

  "That would be nice."

  "Spike, wake up.", says Twilight.

  "Um... what... what is it, Twilight?", says Spike.

  "Snips needs our help."

  "Seriously? Of all the ponies that would need help at a time like this, it's gotta be Snips?"

  "I know. I feel the same way as you do. But there's no time for complaining, we gotta help him out."

  "Fine... I guess I have no choice."

  Twilight goes back downstairs, to find Snips at the fridge, searching for something to snack on.

  "Snips, get the hell out of my food.", says Twilight. "You've already been an annoyance since when I first met you."

  "Well, alright. Hey, we're still friends and all, right?", says Snips.

  Twilight looks at him with the coldest stare she could pull off. Snips just gulps and follows Twilight at a safe distance.

  Twilight notices that the night is much lighter than usual. She just rolls her eyes and sighs. It's the worst night she has ever lived through. Fortunately, she doesn't see anyone on the street. She definitely needs some time alone. Eventually, they come by the meteorite, and it's so shiny it blinds Twilight's eyes for a while.

  "Is that what we came here for?", asks Spike.

  "There he is!", says Snips. Snails is sleeping behind a tree.

  "Snails, there you are.", says Twilight. "Thank God you're not lost in some confusing maze or anything."

  "What... what is it... huh? Snips!", says Snails. "I've been looking all over for you! Why did you run away like that?"

  "Umm... what are you talking about?", asks Snips, trying to maintain his self-image.

  "Anyway, it's getting pretty late. I guess we should go home. I've seen the meteorite already, it's not as cool as you said it was."

  "Yes, please go home.", says Twilight. "I'm so sick of you, making trouble everywhere you go."

  "I didn't do anything.", says Snails.

  "Of course you didn't, Snails. Poor you, just trying to help. And your friends aren't making it any easier, are they?" Twilight pats on his head. Snails does a trademark snicker. Suddenly, the meteorite starts glowing with more intensity.

  "Twilight...", says Snips.

  "What is it, Snips?", says Twilight.

  "Do you hear this buzzing sound, like, a Parasprite flying around?"

  "Now that you mention it, I do."

  "Ugh... now we're getting into even more trouble?", says Spike. A Parasprite comes out from the glowing rock.

  "Looks like it...", says Twilight.

  "A Parasprite I am... not.", says the bug-like creature. "I'm from ten years in the future." Next Chapter: A Giant Step to Humanity Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 14 Minutes