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// 1 - Baleful Red Eye 
// Story: Equestria Threadfall 
// by David Silver 
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Twilight slowly moved her telescope as she went with it, keeping it trained on a particular object in the night sky. It wasn't one she recognized, a bright red and moving far too quickly. A shooting star? It wasn't actually falling. It wasn't getting much brighter or dimmer. It didn't match the profile.

Its surface was moving... clouds? Reds and pinks swirled about as if the entire thing was consumed in an unending storm of some kind.

What was it? It was pretty and alien and made her wonder, so she summoned a quill and began to pen a letter.



	Dear Princess Luna,

I saw something quite curious in the sky tonight and I wondered if, perhaps, you had put it there? It's red and moving quickly, and appears to be quite large. Like a tiny moon, or perhaps one that's even more distant than our own, but not so distant that it would hang still in the sky. If you didn't make it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Studiously Yours,
Twilight Sparkle



"Spike?"

The dragon looked up from where he had been reading a comic. "Done star watching?"

"For now. Could you send this to Luna?" She sealed the scroll with a stamp that noted who it was for. "Please and thank you."

"Sure." Not that he could send it directly to Luna. It'd go to Celestia, who could pass it along. He held out a claw and accepted the scroll. With a puff of enchanted fire, it burned up near-instantly, sparkles rushing out the closest window to get to Canterlot. "On the way. So what was that about?"

"I spotted something new in the night sky and figured Princess Luna might know something about it." She started to walk past Spike but paused. "Hop on. It's bed time for both of us."

"Yeah alright." It was pretty late he confirmed with a glance at a clock. He hopped up with a flap of his wings, taking his spot on Twilight's back. "Onwards, my noble steed. To bed!"

Twilight softly snorted as she began walking. "If I wasn't tired, you'd be in trouble..."

They barely got into the hallway before Spike's cheeks bulged dangerously. With a vomitous display, magic and flames gathered into the form of a scroll that Twilight snatched in her own will. "That was fast."

Spike hiked a brow suspiciously at it. "Too fast if you ask me. What's it say?"

She broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. "Let's find out."



Twilight, come hither immediately.

Luna



Spike blinked softly at the awfully terse message. "Huh, she didn't even include the usual 'dear so and so' and 'fond wishes whatevers'."

Twilight shook her head as she folded the scroll and set it aside. "Well, so much for sleep. Guess we're headed for Canterlot."

"Seriously, now?" he asked in a deadpan, flopping over her back.

"We'll take the train, so you can sleep on there, but Luna wouldn't ask us to come right away if there weren't a good reason for it." She sailed down the stairs, wings carrying them both easily to the bottom. "I'm tired too, so the sooner we get going, the sooner we can get a nap."

"Aye aye." He thrust a thumb upwards, but didn't bother raising from her back, flopped comfortably as he was.

With a ticket purchased, they were soon on the train. Spike was passed out on a seat, arm hanging free to the side.

Sleep did not come as easily for Twilight. What had Luna called her for? The red moon hadn't been placed there by her, she guessed. Or maybe it had been, as part of some kind of accident? What if was some kind of emergency? But what manner of emergency could a moon cause besides making the night sky a little brighter?

Despite her thoughts, she nodded off, only to awaken when the conductor announced their arrival in Canterlot.

"C'mon, Spike." She hopped down from her chair. "We're here."

"Mmm?" Spike  looked around with sleepy eyes before realizing where they were. His eyes came into focus and he hopped to his feet. "Alright. I'm here." With a single flap, he easily resumed his place atop Twilight. "To the castle!"

Rather than weaving through the crowd of mostly unicorns, Twilight spread her earned wings and took flight, soaring over them. There were pegasi in the air, but the traffic wasn't nearly as thick as the ground, and there was much more space in the air. Her eyes swept over the crowd beneath her as she went. "Do you think it's something bad?"

Spike lifted his shoulders. "Maybe she just wanted to get your opinion on it."

"What?"

"Maybe she made the thing you're looking at and she wants your personal opinion." Spike softly shrugged, one hand turned up. "I wouldn't put it entirely past her."

"I would hope she wouldn't call me across Equestria just to give some immediate art feedback." Twilight rolled her eyes softly. "Still..." Even she couldn't entirely rule out the idea that Luna could do such a thing.

They landed gently on the steps in front of the castle and Twilight trotted up. "Good morning, " she greeted the guards there. "Princess Luna called for me."

"Right this way, Princess." One of the guards pointed inside then began to lead the way at a determined trot. They wove through the halls of the castle, passing priceless art and pristine colored windows that they had no time for. "She's in here." He pointed to a set of double doors. "She said to bring you as soon as you arrived."

Twilight dipped her head towards him. "Thank you. Let's see what she needs."

"It better be good."

Twilight willed the doors open and stepped forward. "Princess Luna? I'm here."

The door slapped shut behind her. Luna had her eye to a telescope. "We are glad you've arrived. What can you tell me about it?"

Twilight blinked softly as she crossed the hard floor, clip-clopping as she went. "It's reddish and appears to be stormy. It seems to be about the size of the moon, but I don't know much more than that. Should I?"

"I did not put it there," noted Luna, putting silent the question that had not yet been asked. "Its size and proximity makes us nervous. Apologies, I know we--I are slipping. Pardon me." She drew back from the telescope and looked to Twilight, spotting Spike on her. "Oh, hello there, Spike. Do you know anything about this?"

Spike shook his head quickly. "Not a clue. So we have a new moon?"

"We do, it seems, though I do not beleive it is moving in such a way that it will stay, which makes it all the more curious."

A knocking came from the door. "Princess?" called a guard from the other side. "Your sister calls for you in the throneroom immediately."

Luna scowled at that. "What timing... Come, let us see what sister has need of." She began to walk for the exit. "It is not often she calls for me in such a manner... Perhaps it is related?"

Twilight was at her side, eyes forward. "Let's not assume until she tells us. It could be unrelated."

"I put the odds of that around... zero." Spike held up two fingers pressed together.

They soon arrived at the throne room to see a haggard-looking Celestia upon her throne. "Luna, Twilight, I am ever gladdened to see the two of you." She spotted Spike a moment later and nodded towards him but didn't speak to him. "I have grave news."

Luna's brows raised together. "What manner of news has you looking like that? We are here to assist, Sister mine."

"Whatever it is, we can handle it!" assured Twilight, wings fluttering on her back.

"I am unsure this can be handled... like that." Celestia's horn glowed as a map of Equestria descended into view. "Trottingham has been attacked."

Gasps came lously from Twilight, Spike, and Luna. "It all happened so quickly, in the whee hours of the morning, just... basically moments ago. The damage.... is extensive. What's worse, the attack is moving." She drew a line with her magic pointing across Trottingham from the Northeast to the Southwest. "Worst of all, if the attack continues, it will strike Manehatten shortly."

Twilight's wings shot out. "I'm on the--"

"No." Celestia pointed to Trottingham. "The ponies there need succor. I will face this threat."

"Nonsense." Luna drove a hoof down. "You did not call for me just to not send me in Equestria's time of need. Besides, an attack that comes in the darkness? Clearly my responsibility."

"The darkness has passed, but the attack has not, Sister. I would have you watch things in my abscence."

"Inconcievable!" Luna scowled at her sister, approaching on tense legs. "This is an attack of the night. I'm going, and I'm not accepting a no on this."

Twilight raised an uncertain brow. "Um..."

"Twilight, please proceed to Trottingham immediately," ordered Celestia. "Help all that you can and help organize the efforts there. Ponies need you."

"Right away." She dipped her head low and took off at a full gallop, ready to do her part.

Celestia turned back to Luna, or where Luna had been. She was alone, save for her guards. She let out a soft sigh, figuring out quickly where Luna had run off to... "Right..." She would have to have some measure of faith that Luna could handle things.

Luna spread her wings in the courtyard. "I will defend them." Without much forethought, she took to the air and began rocketing towards Manehattan, the city of lights and activity. Massively populated and dense, she imagined any attack on it would cause unfathomable harm to the country and so many of her sister's dearest ponies. "I can handle this."

"I'm sure you can." Spike was on her back, holding on for dear life as the great alicorn flew at a dizzying pace. "You've dealt with worse."

Luna glanced over her shoulder at her stowaway. "When did you get here?! Spike, go back to Twilight. We feel certain she could use your assistance."

"She ran off without me." Spike stuck out his tongue a little, but drew it back as fast, lest he bite it with how quickly they were slicing through the air. "So you're stuck with me. Don't worry, you won't even notice I'm here." He gave a fast little thumbs up before grasping her back, holding for his life.

"As soon as we arrive, I will put you down and you can take the train back to Ponyville," grunted out Luna, her eyes half-closing. The country beneath them was passing by in almost a blur with how quickly she was pumping her wings, her magic glowing a dark color with her concentration. "Our first priority is to arrive before the attack, so we may prevent it from crashing into the city."

"Right, stop the attack." Spike nodded as best he could, which wasn't that terribly good. "We can do that."

"I can do that, Spike." Luna rolled her eyes before banking to the right. "We're coming up on the city."

"I was, you know, using the royal we, like you do." He relaxed a little, the pace lowering from absurdly fast to just quick, the wind roaring softly past his fins.

"To use the royal 'we', you need to be responsible for other people, to whom the 'we' could apply," Luna sighed out with some exasperation. "You are Spike. You are not responsible for any other."

"Now that's where you're wrong." He raised a finger with a smug look on his face. "I'm going to help save Equestria, again, with you. The way I see it, that makes me pretty responsible. Now let's focus on how we are going to stop that attack. So, uh... what kind of attack is it we're stopping again? Are we being invaded?"

"I do not know," admitted Luna, though that did not stop her from swooping down towards the city proper. She would be ready to face what came, or so she hoped.