//------------------------------//
// Stone of Creation 
// Story: Relics of the Past 
// by StardustSprinkle 
//------------------------------//

A long, long time ago, the earth was deprived of life. Then, a goddess emerged and gave life to the pony kind. She cultivated the lands and taught ponies the way of nature. Yet, water pours down from the sky as the heaven itself shuttered, and the land was flooded. To save her beloved creatures, the goddess forged three thousand pieces of stones and filled the sky with them. As the flood ceased, the pony kind thrived. 
"That was..."
"Odd," Twilight says, interrupting Spike: "It seems like those stones hold great magic powers. No wonder Princess Celestia want me to retrieve it."
"Wait, I thought the goddess used them all to fix the sky," Spike says: "didn't she?"
"Apparently not," Twilight says, eyes focused on her book: "Spike, where's Celestia's scroll?"
"Here it is," Spike hands Twilight a scroll with a royal stamp on it: "Can I have Big Mac and Discord over for tonight, though?"
"Fine," Twilight rolls her eyes as the purple magic field engulfs the parchment: "Only if you clean up afterward." 
"You got it," Spike winks: "So, how many of them are still here?"
"One," Twilight replies, putting Princess Celestia's scroll and her books away: "And the princess believes that it's under her old castle."
"Wait, what?" Spike asks: "They just find out? How?"
"A dream," Twilight replies as quills and empty parchments flow towards her: "Princess Celestia had a dream about it."
"You sure it's not a prank?" Spike raises one eyebrow: "Luna is the Princess of the Night and Dreams."
"I am sure they would go easy on the pranks after the incident," Twilight says while making several check-lists at once: "All navigation system is now outdated and had to be adjusted. I just wonder how the animals are going to find their directions this fall."
"Wait, what?" Spike says: "I thought it was just an incident, and you are telling me it's a prank gone wrong?"
"Well," Twilight pauses for a moment: "Just don't tell the others, ok? I am only telling you and no one else."
"Yes, ma'am," Spike says, giving Twilight a salute playfully.
"Ok," Twilight face-hoofed: "Do you know about Sol et arcus?"
"The what now?" Spike asks.
"The Bow of Sun," Twilight stands up on all fours: "Celestia's heirloom. It's powerful enough to strike down the stars."
"And you can use it without arrows," Spike rolls his eyes: "How can I forget."
"The princesses didn't go into detail," Twilight continues as parchments and books flow into saddlebags: "But long story short, Celestia tried to pull a quick one on Luna, but mistaken the Bow of Sun. For a normal bow."
"Ah-huh," Spike replies: "I've got a feeling they need the stone to repair the damage they've done?"
"Maybe," Twilight says as the bags levitates towards her: "Don't tell anyone else, ok?"
"You've got it," Spike lied: "So you are staying at Canterlot tonight?"
"Neigh-huh," Twilight says: "It's going to be a long night."



"So out of all the times, she could have used it," Rainbow says: "She used it to prank her sister?"
"I know, I know," Twilight sighs: "Remember, we are here to help, not making fun of them, ok?"
"After we find the rock, that is," Applejack adds: "How far are we from the castle now?"
"Not far away," Twilight answers: "But we do need to hurry up; the Everfree Forest is not the friendliest of places."
"You don't say," Rainbow rolls her eyes: "Just out of curiosity, can Alicorns go senile?"
"Rainbow!" Twilight shouts: "How can you say such a thing?"
"To be fair, Twilight," Applejack pauses for a moment: "Ya' know what? Truth hurts."   
"Point taken," Twilight rolls her eyes: "But listen, this is urgent. We can't mess this up!"
"Only if they don't mess it up," Rainbow murmurs.
"Look!" Twilight exclaims, pointing towards a long-abandon building: "Here we are!"
"So what now?" Applejack asks as the three stops before entering: "Do we dig it up with hooves or what?"
"More importantly, how many of them are there?" Rainbow asks before landing next to Twilight.
"One, luckily," Twilight says: "So before we enter, remember this: it contains power beyond our imagination, so just be careful."
"So, are you going to dig it up?" Applejack says: "With magic?"
"Considering we don't have a shovel, yes," Twilight's horn glows as the doors creeks open: "However, the rock can only be moved with the combined power of a unicorn, an earth pony, and a Pegasus."
"So why did we bring any shovels again?" Applejack asks: "Ya' know Dash and I can dig it up pretty quickly, right?"
"We don't want to break it accidentally," Twilight answers: "Plus, Pinkie borrowed all the shovels. I was going to check on her, but then Celestia sent me this scroll."
"Pinkie, eh?" Rainbow says while peaking into the castle: "Also, I heard that a lot of animals are having trouble navigating. Why's that?"
"After the...incident," Twilight signs: "How do I put this...Let's just say when you use a powerful relic like the Bow of Sun in the night sky? Things are gonna be pretty."
"So they lost a few stars?" Applejack asks, shoving Rainbow Dash into the entrance.
"Yeah, a few," Twilight says: "I was going to say something different but let's stick with your word of choice."
"AJ!" Rainbow shouts as she lost her balance and falls to the ground: "What the hay?"
"The rocks ain't gonna dig themselves," Applejack replies: "Now stop horsing around and just go in there already."
"Girls!" Twilight speaks up before an argument breaks out: "Please, this is important! We need to get to the library and dig down from there."
"Whatever," Rainbow dust herself off: "So where is this library again? I've got a feeling it's not your first time here."
"Well," Twilight chuckles: "I might have sneaked in a couple of times." 



"Twilight, not to be rude," Applejack asks, as the two trots down the stairs: "But aren't you an alicorn? Can't you just use the power of unicorn, earth pony, and pegasus at once? What do you need us for?"
"Maybe the rock just needs a dose of my awesomeness," Rainbow replies as she glides around the two.
"That would be an interesting proposition," Twilight says: "But I doubt it. I want you ponies here because I don't want to take any chances."
"Fair enough," Applejack says: "By the way, just how do you use this thing? Do you just fly up there with it and hoping for the best?"
"I don't know," Twilight says: "But I'm sure the princesses have a plan."
"Heads up!" Rainbow declares: "We've reached the bottom!"
"Ok," Twilight says as a giant magic shovel forms: "Now, we dig!'
"Eh, Twi?" Applejack puts a hoof over Twilight's wing: "You sure it's a good idea?"
"I am sure!" Twilight claims as all the books and bookshelves are covered in a purple magic field before disappearing: "I've got this!"
"I got a feeling she made it all up just to get the books," Rainbow sighs.
The earth turns as the shovel buries itself into the ground. With a silvery *ting* noise, her shovel was broken into tiny pieces. 
"So much for that idea," Rainbow lands: "Guess that's why we are here, huh?"
"Well, as I said, the rock ain't gonna dig itself," Applejack says, touting towards Rainbow as Twilight watches with her jaws wide open. 
"Wha..." Twilight says, with her eyes wide open: "But..."
As the earth pony and pegasus remove dirt from the ground, Twilight sits on the floor while trying to figure what had just happened. 
"Hu-we," Applejack wipes sweat and dirt off of her head: "I think we get it!"
"Eh, AJ," Rainbow points towards Twilight: "I think we broke her."
"Don't be ridiculous," Applejack makes her way out of the hole she and Rainbow dug up: "If...she's not responding, then throw something at her!"
"If you say so," Rainbow shrugged before picking Applejack up, making the mare yelped in surprise and scream as she was launched towards Twilight.
"Eeek!" Twilight squeaks before catching the panicked earth pony with her magic.
"Rainbow!" Applejack shouts.
"What?" Rainbow Dash replies: "You said throw something."
"Girls," Twilight face-hoofed: "Now that we find it, let's transport it to Canterlot."
"You sure it's a relic, though?" Rainbow asks, landing on top of the stone: "It looks just like a rock for me."
"There," Twilight puts Applejack down before shooting a magic beam at it: "Applejack! Now!
"Right!" Applejack quickly gets on all fours before galloping towards the now glowing rock.
As Applejack bucks the stone with all her might, Twilight activates a spell embedded onto the royal scroll. In the blink of an eye, they are teleported to Celestia's garden in Canterlot.
"Twilight!" Celestia touts towards the Princess of Friendship: "You've done it!"
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight says as her magic beam ceases.
"So, we good now?" Applejack asks as she takes off her hat.
"I guess so," Rainbow says, flying off of the now radiant stone: "That thing is blinding!"
"Greetings," Luna says as she enters the garden: "I presume that is the Stone of Creation?"
"Indeed, it is," Celestia turns around: "Now, dear sister, let's work together and return the night sky to its' former glory."
As the two alicorns elevate the relic further up the sky, the three ponies in Celestia's garden are left alone to chat.
"You know what, Twilight," Rainbow lands next to her purple friend: "You are right, the princesses know what they are doing. I owe you a hay burger now."
"Can they hear us now?" Luna looks back.
"I doubt it," Celestia answers as they fly further up: "Ok, do you remember where the stars were?"
"No," Luna shrugs: "There are literally billions of stars, sister. Plus, I don't think that's how it works."
"You don't know that!" Celestia argues back while moving the rock around randomly: "It might work just fine if we find the right position."
"Wait, Tia," Luna says: "You have a plan, right?"
"I will figure something out!" Celestia says while rotating the stone: "Let's see, a little this way..."
"Are you just winging it now?" Luna questions: "You are telling me: You have absolutely no idea and are just winging it now?"
"Hi, I'm helping!" Celestia defends herself: "It's not like you can figure it out."
"Fair enough," Luna sighs: "But I sure hope you don't mess it up this time!"
"Hi! I will have you know..." The alicorn's speech was cut short as the stone glows ever brighter, engulfing the entire night sky with light. As the light ceases, all the previously missing stars returned to their position.
"Mother of me," Celestia says: "I can't believe it worked."
"Well," Luna shrugs as Celestia observes the stone closely: "At least you didn't mess it up this time. So, what are you going to do with it now?"
"I don't know," Celestia shifts her attention to her sister: "But we are keeping it."
"In case if you mess up again?"
"Luna!"
"Just kidding! But you still owe me a hay-burger."
"Fine."
"And I am keeping the stone."
"Why?"
"So you don't mistaken it as a normal rock like you did with Discord!"
"Fine, but I am keeping the bow!"