Planet: [Unknown]
Year: 2493, one month before first contact.
Old zebra gathered in nearby oasis pile of grayish dry herbs and threw them into pit within sandy ground. Last and single palm on the border of oasis threw shade covering zebra from sun. She started to whispers enchantments and swung small totem in pits direction. After couple of slowly passing minutes she straightened her wise neck and with hooves in air begged spirits for aid. Spirits answered to her almost instantly but not in the way she wanted to. Wheezing noise coming from the sky alarmed equine to move her long black mane from pit. Short after enchanting hole was a place for tall plain totem, standing straight and proud, reflecting sun rays. It was hard for her to look directly at this but she couldn’t recognize this shape from any tribe she knew of.
Familiar sound echoed again trough space and she witnessed another four totems falling around oasis, similar to one before her. All straightly pointing at clear blue sky remained silent and motionless.
Five elements are before her, long awaited sign is before her, future is before her and she could do nothing just tremble in awe and fear. The ordeal was done for but she could still make her own sacrifice with this in mind she started looking for sharp stone to do so. After an hour of thorough search she had nothing, last thing she could use was totem itself.
Four sharp edges to choose from and she was looking at her reflection in one of the elements. Wrinkled and dried from sun skin with partial patches of fur with addition of long messy mane created terrible sight. She forgot about sacrifice ordeal and touched the pillar with her left hoof.
Monument reacted suddenly with swirling noise but zebra stood in place motionless. Green lights coming from place she put hoof escaped to top of the pillar and vanished in its apex. Top of totem opened itself revealing spherical shining with green light object. Shortly after that two nearest pillars did the same thing triggering last ones.
Not really knowing what is doing, she placed another hoof on the surface despite her weak hip. Wave of blue light flashed and vanished inside now trembling pillar and suddenly it sunk in sand to half of its height.
She sat and observed in wonder as the oasis was slowly lifted in air, breathing with cyan dyed air coming from pillars she still could feel the flow of weird energy which shortened her hair and healed hip. Swirling sound grew to unbearable noise and suddenly oasis disappeared leaving huge hole now slowly covering with nearby sand.
For the short while she was connected with the spirits, she was one of them. They took sacrifice of the land to make her anew. They showed and shared the wisdom of every creature in this world to her. Or it was something she was thinking of.
Zebra once more looked in direction of molted sand now mirroring everything around it and admired her new self. Younger self.
~ *** ~
Year: 2493, two weeks before first contact.
Between Gorge and Palomino Desert were great lands for big and sound Copper Weed plantations. Dry winds and wet currents created many storms which greatly hardened weed. One of the biggest plantations on planet was property of Rain family. They were abnormal in equestrian terms. Other farmer families were attached greatly to their work and inheritance but Rain family was attached to weather more, despite of being earth ponies, than harvest itself. These emotions drove them to special interest in magic and machinery. They were unique even if other ponies didn’t see that.
Youngest colt in family after the rear field harvest was saying goodbye to operating machine unicorns. Last spell closed the lids of small barns securing sharp tips of burning red plants. It was a color of young earth pony’s mane too contrasting with blue coat.
With all preparations and attentions done he had his time to rest. Or he thought that will have it but short roar dispelled the doubts. Source of commotion was a dragon. Dragon in these parts was rare sight but lonely ones were coming from Badlands to Even Shores to find other nesting dragons.
Big lizard was struggling with something hanging freely in air without anything resembling wings. It was flying without wings fast thought roamed through his head when object started to fall after another swing of dragon’s strong arm leaving black smoke. Reptile lingered a bit and blasted off in seas direction. After coming to place where object landed, colt called for his father as hard as he could and older pony arrived in the snap. With short relation father was concerned on the same level as his boy.
“Well Sieg Rain, it is time for us to take the skies!”
~ *** ~
Year: 2493, three days before first contact.
Tonight is the night
Highest balcony in northern tower of Canterlot Castle was perfect place for star management. Princess Luna took advantage of this and once again checked the star map in her hooves with the clear sky. Her newest schemes with one brand new constellation marked start of Princess finest designs era which will be written in many history books. Only last triangle of blue dwarfs waited patiently for relocation. With closed eyes she started to build appropriate spell to move stars and light coming from them alike. After short flare of blue light she opened her eyes to witness effect. Surprisingly there was no effect at all, triangle stayed in the same place as before. Luna turned her head astonished that her spell didn’t work as always. She did the same thing with furthest star in Ursa Major chain and star politely changed the way its light was coming to an Equestrian Empire. Luna reversed the effect with flare of blue light. Then she tried to reposition triangle once more. Without any effect and now highly irritated she started to check nearby scrolls.
“That was quite remarkable” sleepy voice flowed from inside of the tower and Princess turned her head to check whereabouts of her new guest. New pure and clear star light entered the insides of the room and rose pink alicorn smiled bluntly.
“Is there something that bother you Princess?” Luna lost interest in stars and plans sending them to large crate and closed lid flawlessly ”Your face can say more than you want to Princess.” now she was facing Cadence with all might and dignity closely advancing to royal voice.
“It is nothing really. My apologies for disturbing your work, but it was only time when…”
“There is no need for such things. The matter?”
Cadence realized that she was in not favorable position and she wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible and try some other time in other place if something will go not as planned. Princess of the night was scary especially in the middle of the night. That was enough for today.
“This!” She threw plain envelope and after fast turn Princess galloped to the stairs and vanished in shades.
Princess Luna became accustomed to this. She even started to recognize her own royal service when they didn’t put their faces to the floor. The envelope contained invitation for get-along party in renewed Canterlot gardens with all friends after Chrysalis assault. Her eyelid flinched a bit but she forgot about the stars matter and slowly walked the same path as her surprise guest.
Unknowingly for Luna stars slowly changed position to desired one but sky on their path was like shattered mirror making transition very unclear and blurry.
In Ponyville's library, unicorn Twilight Sparkle witnessed the most beautiful stars flares she ever seen in her life. All night and day after this she sought answer to this rare event with Spikes great dissatisfaction.