Twilight continued her brisk pace toward Sweet Apple Acres. Her mind racing. The purple streak came out of nowhere, yet had a profound impact on the tranquility that had been the night. Nothing about it made since, yet she didn't think it could be a coincidence. A comet that she scowered countless records to find reports of and then this? It made her very uneasy thinking about it so she decided to push it from her thoughts. For a time. It wasn't long before she arrived at her destination. It never was when her mind was preoccupied. She walked through the gate onto the acre and right off the bat noticed something gleaming in the moonlight. Applejacks farming equipment perhaps? No, she could tell from where she stood that it was metallic, but not like the equipment shed seen The Apples using, this object had a bronze tint and had a round shape. She walked toward the object and picked it up. All over the side it had markings she had never seen before. Upon closer inspection, she saw they had a pattern. It was a language. The object itself wasn't much to look at. It had an orblike shape and protrusions on the bottom that she assumed was for it to stand on. She ran her hoof along the markings until without warning the orb opened. It amazed her. The top piece was simply floating above the base. Out of the center emerged a ring and little orbs orbiting in a ring like fashion around a larger orb in the very center. She didnt know what to make of it, it was incredible. In the distance Twilight heard a familiar voice. She tore her eyes away from the object for a moment to see where it had come from. This made the object stop its readout and return to its dormant state. Twilight scarcely noticed this as she walked over the to see a very irate Applejack attempting to put out an Apple Tree that had caught fire.
"Applejack!" Twilight yelled toward her friend as she closed in on her. "I'm a little busy right know Twi!" Applejack said in a rushed tone. "So I've noticed, let me help out." "No thanks Twi I can...." She trailed off as she looked at Twilight who was giving her a stern look "I..I mean I'd love some help." Applejack finished.
Applejack was very stuborn when it came to admitting she needed help. Twilight knew this all to well ever since she took on Applebucking Season on her own. Know it only takes Twilighta stern look of disapproval to make Applejack reconsider refusing her help.
Twilight looked at the buckets of water Applejack brought with her and got an idea. Concentrating her magic, the water in the buckets fluttered and merged into one blob surrounded by a purple aura. Contrary to what most other ponies believe, lifting something with the use of magic was just as straining as lifting it with your hoofs. Applejack could see Twilight begin to sweat at the brow as she lifted the blob of water over the tree. When Twilight could see that the water was in place, she released it and it splashed down on the branches, reducing the flames to cinders and smoke.
"There, that should do it." Twilight said. "Thank ya Twilight, don't know what I would of done if the whole orchard went up in flames. So what brings ya hear this time of night?" "When I saw that Purple streak fall from the sky, I got worried, and it looks like it wasn't misplaced." Twilight said nodding toward the smoking remains of the tree.
"Well whatever it was it crashed just right here." Applejack said walking toward the object of interest, Twilight following behind.
"I'm not sure the crash is what started the fire though. When I was on my way over I heard an explosion." Applejack informed Twilight.
Twilight suddenly remembered the orb she had found moments earlier. It was back to its closed state but had a faint glow around it this time. "I wonder if.." Twilight started. "What?" The object levitated slightly off Twilights hoof. She made a toss toward the wreckage and The orb slowly levitated down to it. "What in tarnation is that thing?" Applejack asked. "I don't know. I saw it laying on the field, I think it came from whatever this was." The orb once again opened, it's contents rotating around the ball in the center in all diffrent directions, not in the ring pattern that Twilight saw earlier. It was almost as if they were trying to realign with something, trying to refocus on whatever it was only moments ago, but couldn't. The ball in the center made a low beeping noise flashing red. Twilight assumed it was the objects way of telling them something was wrong. The orb closed once more and fell with a thud.
"Hmmm interesting." Twilight said picking up the orb with her magic. "I'll definitely need study this object some more, but I think it's some sort of compass."
"Well that's all fine and dandy Twilight but what am I supposed to do about this?" Applejack asked motioning with her hoofs toward the burnt mass of metal that layed in front of them. "I can't just have it sittin here, it'll get in the way." Twilight was stumped. She would never ask Applejack to hang onto it, but she had no idea what should be done with it. Then again, they could just scrap it, whatever it was it probably wasn't going to work anymore. Almost instinctively Applejack seemed to be thinking the same thing as she said; "I suppose will just find somepony who's into junk like this and let it be their problem."
"Good thinking Applejack. Now I can rest a lot easier knowing you and the others are safe. I'll take this thing back to the Library. These markings MUST be some sort of language, but not like any I've ever seen."
"If ya say so Twilight." Applejack said almost dismissively, clearly more interested in how she was going to move the charred mass. "Soooo I guess I'll see you later?" Twilight asked. "Sure thing Twi, goodnight."
Applejack left to the barn to find a cart so she could haul off the junk. Twilight continued her walk back home, her thoughts racing with questions.
Where did it come from?
Where was it going?
She continued to ponder on her way back to the Treehouse, eager to find answers to her questions.
Two shadowy figures watch as Twilight walks back home from the acre. There faces and bodies shrouded in darkness. The only discernible feature being their eyes and the gold gems on their foreheads that shone in the moonlight.
"Finally." One of the figures said. His voice cold and shrill. "After a millennia of hiding, the time has come." The creature was about to make a dash toward the purple unicorn before the other figure grabbed his companions shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Now is not the right time brother." This figure said. His voice smoother and calmer than his companions. "You have shown me great patience these many years, and I ask that you show them just awhile longer. We've lost to much to these artifacts, we need to be smart. But yes, the time has come;
The Hora-Quan shall rise again!"